Of the Earth 本土

In this episode, Cortney & Ellen interview Dr. Yiwen Liu a research assistant at the Cleveland Museum of Art about the special exhibition China's Southern Paradise: Treasures from the Lower Yangzi Delta (open till January 7, 2024). If you are in the Cleveland area, be sure to check out this extraordinary exhibition! The exhibition catalogue is currently available online and in the museum...

Part 2 of our conversation with award-winning director and producer Violet Du Feng. We talk about her recent documentary film Hidden Letters, which follows the stories of two millennial Chinese women connected by their love of Nushu , a secret language of sisterhood that dates back hundreds of years.    For more on Feng's film see: www.hiddenlettersfilm.com .  Hidden Letters   is available fo...

In part 1 of this two-part conversation, we sit down with award-winning director and producer Violet Du Feng to talk about her most recent film Hidden Letters, a documentary that follows the stories of two millennial Chinese women connected by their love of Nushu , a secret language of sisterhood that dates back hundreds of years.  For more on Feng's film, which is currently shortlisted for a...

What does Bodhidharma (founder of Zen Buddhism) have to do with Van Gogh? In this episode Cortney & Ellen sat down to talk about NYC-based artist Zhang Hongtu, political pop, and a series of ink paintings where Zhang Hongtu merges Bodhidharma and Van Gogh to challenge "East" and "West" dualities.   The question "Why did Bodhidharma come from the West?" is a koan,...

In this episode of Of the Earth we chat about one our all time favorites, contemporary artist Xu Bing 徐冰. We share our experiences co-curating his 2012 exhibition at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, along with the artist's many Wisconsin connections. Considering works like Book from the Sky (1987-1991) and Background Story: A New Approach to Traditional Landscape Painting (2004-on...

Just in time for Halloween,  Cortney & Ellen sit down with New York Times Bestselling author Yangsze Choo to talk about her debut novel The Ghost Bride . We dig deep into the origins of this ghostly murder mystery that takes us on a journey from late 19th century Malaya into the Plains of the Dead and beyond. How would you feel if you received a proposition to marry a ghost? Why are offerings...

Recently, Cortney & Ellen sat down with Shanny Luft, host of podcast No Cure for Curiosit y and professor at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, to talk about contemporary artist Cai Guo-Qiang and the Netflix documentary Sky Ladder. We discussed the impact and scale of Cai's explosion events, the collaborative nature of his work, and the precarious line between art and propaganda....

In this episode, Cortney & Ellen dig into one of the earliest existing records of writing found anywhere in the world. Once believed to be dragon bones, these objects have evoked fascinating, even controversial links between the past and the present. So settle in as we discuss prophetic tortoises. Show notes: Curious about King Wu Ding's favorite wife General Fu Hao? Check out Cortney&apo...

In this episode, Cortney & Ellen discuss everyone's favorite 2,000 year old Chinese mummy who dreamed of immortality. How was this ancient Han dynasty woman's body so well preserved? Why did she drink mercury regularly and how do we know? What do objects in her tomb have to do with lunar exploration and Netflix? Tune in to find out! If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe to our...

Ever felt overwhelmed by how many Chinese dynasties there are to learn?! In this bonus episode, Cortney & Ellen introduce the "Chinese Dynasties Song," an incredible tool for learning the names of the Chinese dynasties. Impress your friends at the next cocktail party! Fair warning--this tune is an earworm. Before you know it, everyone will be singing along with you! We want to hear f...

In Episode 1, Cortney and Ellen discuss contemporary artist Cao Fei's latest retrospective organized by UCCA Center for Contemporary Art. Link to "Cao Fei: Staging the Era" virtual guided tour with UCCA's director and CEO Philip Tinari and Cao Fei : https://www.theartnewspaper.com/interview/cao-fei-ucca.

Series introduction to Of the Earth--A podcast that digs into the connections, complexities, and contradictions of Chinese art across time and space.