Heaven, Earth, and Meteorology in Chinese Art

This project examines the long history of meteorological knowledge in Chinese art. Alongside the exploration of mythological and religious imagery, this project focuses on the artistic techniques and materials used. It proposes a new approach to studying the history of Chinese art by decoding the knowledge and ideas about the atmosphere that are represented in artistic forms and objects. This investigation challenges conventional categories of subject matter, form, scale, motion, and meaning in art. It also explores the relationship between these artistic categories and the knowledge and ideas associated with heaven, earth, and natural phenomena. Specifically, the project will investigate how artistic representation and expression contribute to visualizing different conditions of the atmosphere. In doing so, it will emphasize the agency of art in materializing and visualizing intangible forces and flows that shape our understanding of the heavens.