Hello, my name is Robert Cohen and I am a current junior with a poli sci major. Last term I took an econ course focused solely on the Chinese economy and found it to be rather interesting, although there was little cultural aspects discussed. As such, I decided to take this class in the hopes that I will be able to learn more regarding the art and culture of China (traditional and communist eras being my primary interest). I have yet to take an art history course at Union, so this course will also allow me to explore this field while also allowing me to remain somewhat within my discipline of political science. This course also stuck out to me due to the historical nature of it, as I’d much prefer to learn the history of paintings, rather than trying to mimic them (as I had to do in high-school art class).

Hi, My name is Annabelle Carter and I’m a senior with an ID major in Biology and Science, Medicine and Technology in Culture. I live in Portland, Maine and my favorite hobbies since I’ve been back home include petting my dog. I have not yet taken any Art History classes or art in general at Union. All the art classes I took back in middle and high school had art history segments to them and I always enjoyed it. I have taken many culturally focused classes here however and I am excited to add the angle of Art History to the way I have learned to study it. Overall, I am excited about this class and the new experience it will be for me.

Hi,

My name is Daniel Goldman, and I am a senior geology major from Larchmont, NY. Some activities I like to do include playing baseball (I played for my high school), watching any type of sport, and hiking/outdoor activities.

I have not taken very many courses pertaining to other cultures (a few anthropology courses over the past four years), however I really enjoy learning about both American and World History, so I am excited to learn more about Chinese culture through art, and connecting it to their twentieth century history.

Being a geology major has its perks, and I was lucky enough to go to a remote town in Alaska last summer to conduct my thesis research around a newly exposed glacial lake. The photo represents the average day there.

Hi,

My name is Salvador Lopez, I am a senior Economics major and visual arts minor. I live in Westchester, New York and will be taking the class from this location. I was a member of the Union mens soccer team and have been involved in the student investment fund on campus since sophomore year. I took your class on arts of Japan and found it very interesting. I wanted to take another class related to arts of an Asian country and I think the historical component in this class is very interesting as well.

Hi, My name is Max Egna and I’m a junior and managerial economics major here at Union. I am from Long Island, NY and some of my hobbies include tennis and skiing (I am on the Men’s Varsity Tennis team at Union and am also a member of the Union College Ski and Snowboard Club).

As a managerial economics major, this topic vastly differs from my previous coursework. Although I have never taken an art history course, I am eager to broaden my knowledge on this subject. I am very excited to learn about modern Chinese art during the communist era, and more importantly, how the country’s art has served as an effective vehicle for change.

My name is Jiamin Zhou and I am from China. I am senior and economics major. This is my last semester at Union. I hope I can have the happiest time with you. This course covers culture, characters and policies of my country so I am really excited to listen. I am not sure that I know everything about this course because I did not read many books about those aspects. This is the chance to expand my knowledge about my country’s culture, characters and policies. I have not backed to my country because of the high risk of the plane. I am in California right now. This is family graph was taken before I first came to United States.

Hello! My name is James Traficonte. I am a senior here at Union and I’m a History major. Some of my hobbies include soccer, basketball, and skiing. In terms of academics, I’ve always been interested in social and political disturbances/changes in history, which is why this course grabbed my attention. For instance, for my thesis I’m researching about the Staatliches Bauhaus, commonly known as the Bauhaus, which was a revolutionary German art school that started after World War I that combined fine arts through crafts from 1919 to 1933. This art school was immensely influential and introduced modernity to the general public by combining industry and art. I’ve taken Arts of China last year and developed an interest in the history of Chinese art. I’m really looking forward to this course and learn more about the visual culture of communist China and its influence on society.  

Hi! My name is Jeremy Rausch and I am a double major in Chinese and Political Science. I have taken Chinese language courses since freshman year of high school and have traveled to China on three separate occasions for varying reasons. I never have taken a course on Chinese art prior to this and I believe art provides unique insight into China’s expansive culture that literature often is unable to delineate. Also, I was originally supposed to be enrolled in a 6-month long study abroad program in Beijing until July of this year, yet due to obvious circumstances I was forced to come home early but am certainly happy to be safe. This picture is one of me and my Chinese host family mother at the Spring festival dinner enjoying a delicious 年夜饭 （I am the one on the right when you are looking at the picture).

Welcome to the course!  While my research focus is on the archaeology of early China, I spent a lot of time in grad school studying modern and contemporary Chinese art so that I could teach this course one day, and now it’s one of my favorites.  This is my 9th year teaching at Union.  I’m originally from Chicago, but have lived in Hong Kong and China, and spent many years in Pittsburgh for grad school.  My husband is from France, so I also feel privileged to visit that beautiful country often. Above is a photo of me doing a cartwheel in the Forbidden City, Beijing, when I was about your age.