On December 8th, the University of Chicago Center in Beijing hosted a book launch event for Serendipitous Encounters: Perceiving Art through Roaming (Official English Title Not Yet Released) written by Professor Wu Hung, a renowned art historian and Director of the Center for the Art of East Asia at the University of Chicago. The event attracted approximately 200 art enthusiasts, scholars, and media professionals eager to explore Wu Hung’s latest insights on art history.
In his book launch event, Wu Hung engaged in a lively dialogue with Leung Man-tao, a distinguished literary critic, writer and TV host, to explore how to transform curiosity into artistic contemplation and how to use roaming as a way to perceive art. They discussed how roaming could open up a personal connection to the artwork regardless of one’s knowledge of art history. Rather than focusing on the era, artist, or context of the work, Wu Hung encourages readers to purely engage with the image itself, he guides readers to discover fresh emotional and intellectual responses to the artwork beyond its official interpretation. The book launch also included a Q&A session where the attendees could engage directly with Wu Hung and Leung Man-tao and share their thoughts on the book as well as their personal experience. Participants eagerly shared their thoughts and questions, making the event an interactive and enriching experience for all.
The event provided an engaging exploration of how roaming and contemplation deepen our understanding of art. Wu Hung and Leung Man-tao’s insightful discussion left attendees with a fresh perspective on art perception and sparked the readers’ interest in further exploring the rich tapestry of art history.
