China in Australasia (Routledge Studies in the Modern History of Asia)

Drawing on expertise in art history, exhibition studies and cultural studies as well as politics and international relations, China in Australasia presents significant new perspectives on the role of art in the cultural diplomacy of the People’s Republic of China.

The book tells the forgotten story of the loan, exchange, and gifting of Chinese art, museum exhibitions―and the use of Chinese arts more broadly―in growing diplomatic relations with Australia and New Zealand, from 1949 to the present day. Its scope includes pre-modern, modern and contemporary sculpture, painting and peasant art, as well as ancient artefacts, performance arts and gardens. In considering the geopolitical connections opened by the arts, this book presents new insights into some of the ways in which China, often in conjunction with local supporters, sought to present itself to the people of Australia and New Zealand. It also considers how, for their part, New Zealanders and Australians worked to expand understandings of their powerful northern neighbour within changing political contexts.

The first of its kind, this book-length interdisciplinary study of Chinese soft diplomacy in Australasia will be invaluable to students and scholars of Chinese studies, cultural diplomacy, museum studies and art history.

James Beattie is Associate Professor at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. As well as his work on Chinese art collecting, James is an environmental historian, researching ecological exchange, gardens, conservation, health, landscape art and history of science.

Richard Bullen is Associate Professor of Art History and Theory at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, where he teaches Japanese art history and art theory.

Maria Galikowski is Senior Lecturer in Chinese at the University of Waikato, New Zealand. Her research focuses on the cultural and social transformation of Reform-era China as reflected in the visual arts.