Allen After Hours / Art and Artlessness: The Aesthetics of Life and Art

Thursday, March 9, 2023 at 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

In the Analects, Confucius remarked, “Wildness results when nature overpowers refinement. Superficiality results when refinement overpowers nature. One can only become a gentleman when refinement and nature are balanced.” While Confucius was reflecting on how to live one’s life, practicing artist Mansheng Wang believes this philosophy applies equally to art. Join us for a talk in which Mansheng discusses a balance between the refined and the natural—between art and artlessness—as the aesthetic sense he strives for in his artistic practice.

This event is supported by the Ellen H. Johnson Endowed Fund for Contemporary Art.

Access Statement:
These events are held in a wheelchair- and rolling walker-accessible building. The lecture space is wheelchair accessible, with moveable seating, and near wheelchair-accessible restrooms. Restrooms are gender-specific; visitors are invited to use the restroom of their preference. Listening devices will be available for use during the presentation, but ASL interpretation will not be offered. Most talks will be recorded and available with closed captions on the museum’s Vimeo page after the event. Please email access questions to Jill Greenwood, jgreenwo@oberlin.edu.