The Museum of Contemporary Religious Art, the world’s first museum of interfaith contemporary art, has worked with the St. Louis Art Museum to bring Wu Hung, world-renowned expert on Chinese contemporary art, to St. Louis.
Hung is the curator of “The Last Judgment in Cyberspace,” a multi-media exhibition currently at MOCRA (3700 West Pine Blvd.), created by Chinese contemporary artist Miao Xiaochun. Hung brought Xiaochun’s exhibition to the United States for the first time, and was approached by the Rev. Terrence Dempsey, S.J., director of MOCRA, to bring the exhibition to St. Louis.
“I wanted to bring Wu Hung here, because . our mission is not just to display art, but to bring people [to speak] who can bring a greater understanding of the art,” Dempsey said. “This solidifies the educational component of MOCRA: to talk about [art], think about it and get in a situation where you hear experts with their comments.”
Hung’s free lecture, “What is Contemporary Chinese Art?” will take place at the St. Louis Art Museum (1 Fine Arts Drive in Forest Park) on April 15 at 7 p.m.
Although Hung has not spoken to the specific content of his lecture, MOCRA Assistant Director David Brinker expects Hung to speak about a number of Chinese contemporary artists, including Miao Xiaochun.
Hung, who was born in China, is the founder and director of the Center for the Art of East Asia and occupies an endowed chair at the University of Chicago. He is also the consulting curator at the Smart Museum in Chicago. He has curated more than 30 exhibitions worldwide, including two for Xiaochun, according to MOCRA’s website.
Hung has written works on early Chinese art, the history of Chinese painting and experimental contemporary art, among other subjects.
Dempsey approached the Saint Louis Art Museum, which was more than willing to work with MOCRA, to bring Hung to speak. This is the second collaboration for the two museums.
“We’ve collaborated to see how we can take [exhibits] further, to capture each other’s audiences,” said Bill Appleton, assistant director for public programs at St. Louis Art Museum. “While there are places at [Saint Louis University to hold lectures], this is a nice way to broaden the audience.
“The St. Louis Art Museum is an encyclopedic museum, and this is a new way of viewing that [Dempsey] has this man of great scholarship to speak on the topic. We’re delighted to provide the space.”
Brinker and Dempsey both spoke to the benefit of working with the other museum.
“It speaks to the respect that the St. Louis community has for our museum,” Dempsey said. “It’s been a great collegial relationship.”
Dempsey encouraged people to both attend the lecture and visit the exhibition at MOCRA.
“They address the ultimate questions as human beings . Where do we go [after death]?” Dempsey said. “He’s asking the questions that I think are asked by any great religious tradition.”
Dempsey said that, although Xiaochun is not a Christian, his interpretation of Michelangelo’s “The Last Judgement” opens up new ways of understanding.
Dempsey said that “[Xiaochun] is an outsider [to the religious world] looking inside and being intrigued.
“We’re an interfaith religious museum … We have artists who express themes from [many] religions.
“Xiaochun is examining what it means to be saved, to be damned, to be good and to be bad,” he said.
“The Last Judgment in Cyberspace” has been extended to stay at MOCRA through Sunday, May 18, Brinker said.
