3rd December 1997

Email this Page |

The niece of the last Chinese emperor, Pu Yi, Professor Zheng Shuang, will visit the University's School of Fine and Applied Arts to deliver a lecture on printmaking.

Professor Zheng, who has never visited Northern Ireland or the United Kingdom, is a master of Chinese watercolour wood block print, following such masters as Gu Yue, Li Hua and Huang Yougyu. Her work has received acclaim both in her native China, where she was awarded two silver medals at the 6th National Art Exhibition in Beijing, and in the wider arts community. She also holds a gold medal from the Spring Salon in Paris.

The links between China and the University have been strengthened by the growing interest in traditional forms of printmaking which is taught at the School of Fine and Applied Art. David Barker, senior lecturer in Fine and Applied Art, has been awarded an honorary professorship at the Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts for his many years of work with Chinese art academics. He said:

"We are honoured to have Professor Zheng here. Not only is she an acclaimed exponent of the ancient art of Chinese printmaking but it is extremely prestigious for the University to forge close links with Chinese artists.

"In the West we have been trying for years to come up with more ecological ways of printing, using water soluble inks, for example. The Chinese have been doing this for the past 1,500 years, since the 6th century. We can learn a great deal from them and hopefully they too can learn from us."

For further information, please contact:

Press Office Department of Communication and Development
Telephone: 028 9036 6178
Email: pressoffice@ulster.ac.uk