RAS Art Focus

China's Art & Aesthetics of the Past:

Part 2 – The Stone of Heaven

Tuesday, 26 November 2024

3:45 pm Registration

4:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Curated and moderated by RAS Art Focus Convener and Art Historian Julie Chun, we return our gaze to art's history with the 2024-2025 series China's Art and Aesthetics of the Past. Please join us for this insightful series as we delve into the material culture of the recent and distant history to assess how objects ranging from imperial patronage to utilitarian handicrafts have shaped China's aesthetics through the ages.

This month, we are holding a special two-part series on the role of Chinese jade. Part 1 is an introductory discussion on the historical evolution of jade at the Aurora Museum. Part 2 will be an interactive discussion of jade's continuity in contemporary times.

The desire for acquiring jade has a long historical precedence in China that has not abated. Jade has been and remains prized by not only the countless Chinese masses but also amongst numerous collectors in Asia and beyond. Yet, few people realize the extent of the modern jade industry where there are thousands of workers involved in the production of carving and dealing in this precious stone.. Through his love of jade, Andrew Shaw, who is a Master Jade Carver and international expert on jade, has spent years researching, writing as well as carving jade. He will discuss his latest book, A Jade Treasury, a collection of myths and legends from around the world about "the Stone of Heaven." In his interactive talk, Andrew will also discuss the illicit trade of fakes and expound on different types of jade and compare them against other stones and man-made materials that have been attempted to pass off as the real thing. He will provide clues on ways to detect reproductions and provide hands-on opportunities for attendees to test their own knowledge of jade. Members and friends of this session are also invited to bring small objects of personal jade, which Andrew will assess to determine its authentic validity.

About the Speaker:

Andrew Shaw grew up in north London, and before entering the world of jade, worked as a senior reporter for the BBC General News Service. He travelled the world covering the ground-breaking news including 9/11 and the Tsunami in Japan. During this time, he was also an award-winning documentary maker. In 2008, he moved to China and shifted his career and learned to carve jade. Currently he is an award- winning Master Carver in China, a distinction endowed to extremely few foreigners. Andrew Shaw is the author of Jade Life: An Englishman's Love Affair with China's National Treasure (2021) and the newly published Jade Treasury, which will be available at this session for book signing and purchase.

Sponsor

Art + Shanghai Gallery has generously offered the use of the gallery space for this talk. We will be meeting in the beautifully converted warehouse located by Suzhou Creek.