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Hillwood Art Museum Presents
"A Walk Through the Ages:
Chinese Archaic Art from the Sondra Landy Gross Collection"
Exhibition Opens on Chinese New Year – January 22, 2004

Opening Reception January 22, 2004 (Chinese New Year), 5 – 8 p.m.
Lecture on the Exhibition by Asian Art Expert Richard A. Pegg, Ph.D., Feb. 5 at 7 p.m.
Lecture on Confucianism by Eastern Studies Expert Arthur H. Tafero, April 1 at 7 p.m.
Family Day – Saturday, April 3

Brookville, N.Y. – Hillwood Art Museum at the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University in Brookville, N.Y., will present "A Walk Through the Ages: Chinese Archaic Art from the Sondra Landy Gross Collection" January 22-April 10, 2004. The exhibit will feature more than 40 objects in ceramic, jade and bronze ranging in date from 3400 BCE in the Neolithic Period through the Eastern Han Dynasty in 220 CE.

The objects are both decorative and utilitarian, reflecting advances in technology and ideological shifts in ancient China. One of the most common objects of this time was the hu, a container that held the offerings of wine used in burial customs. The hu form originates in Neolithic China, and an early example depicting a figure representing a shaman is included in the exhibition.

One of the most spectacular pieces in the exhibition is a bian hu, or flat hu, that is made of bronze and inlaid with silver. A variety of motifs, including masks, interwoven cloud and dragon patterns decorate the surface of the vessel. Another dramatic piece found in the exhibition is a gu, a ritual drinking vessel. It is richly decorated with abstract animal masks, dragons and cicadas, all of which had deep significance for the ancient Chinese, especially in burial rites.

The ancient Chinese belief that earthly goods must accompany the deceased into the afterlife sustained the production of many ceramic and bronze containers to hold food, grains and wine. The exhibition features a variety of such containers, including a painted pottery jar from the Neolithic Period and a pair of bronze tripod vessels from the Late Shang-Early Western Zhou Dynasty.

A number of purely decorative pieces are included in this exhibit, including the figure of a crouching feline made of bronze with gilding, and gold and turquoise inlays. Dating to the Warring States Period of the 4th century BCE, this piece was one of many objects made for personal adornment and luxury. A Prancing Horse from the Han Dynasty 206 BCE-220 CE, probably used in burial rituals to represent the power of the army, testifies to the Chinese belief that horses were vital for maintaining military strength against nomadic incursions. The horse in this exhibit was likely part of a large procession of horses, warriors and escorts.

Jade carvings, particularly those of pig-dragons, were popular in the Neolithic period. Often associated with burial rights as religious amulets, pig-dragons were sometimes placed on top of burial mounds and altars, as well as within burial mounds. A beautiful example of jade art is the cong from the Liangzhu Culture (ca. 3400-2200 BCE). This jade carving stands at a height of 12.25 inches and a width of two inches.

"The artwork included in this exhibition reflects drastic changes in human history from the stone age to the bronze age and the effects of new forms of technology developed by the Chinese," says Barry Stern, director of Hillwood Art Museum. "These objects also give us a rare view into the lives of people in Ancient China."

The exhibit includes an Interactive Family Center, in which children and their families can enjoy hands-on art education activities. In addition, two public lectures (Feb. 5 and April 1) and a hands-on Family Day (April 3) will enhance patrons’ experience. Admission to all Hillwood Art Museums exhibitions is free and open to the public. The lectures are supported by the New York Council for the Humanities’ Speakers in the Humanities Program, The John P. McGrath Fund at Long Island University, and Mrs. Sondra Landy Gross and are free and open to the public as well. Participation in Family Day, however, requires reservations and a participation fee ($15 per family up to four members, additional family members or singles: $5 each).

Also on display, as part a complementary exhibition titled "Ritual and Practical: Vessels from the Collection," are Chinese objects from the Neolithic Period, as well as Han, Wei, Tang, Sung and Ming dynasties, which were donated to Hillwood Art Museum’s Permanent Collection by private collector Dr. Alfredo Garcia.

Museum hours are Monday to Friday 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Thursdays to 7:30 p.m.) and Saturday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Hillwood Art Museum is located on the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University, 720 Northern Blvd. (Route 25A), Brookville. The Museum has ample free parking and is handicapped accessible. For more information call (516) 299-4073 or visit www.liu.edu/museum.