Naxi Touring Exhibition

Together with Chinese partners, the Communications University of China in Beijing, Lijiang digital media center for Naxi Dongba Culture and the Chinese Government; staff and students from the University of Northampton are hosting a one of a kind exhibition of Chinese art.

The exhibition 'China's Forgotten Kingdom' focuses on the artistic identity of the Naxi ethnic minority from the Yunnan region in South West China.  The Naxi people are unique, their language and artwork centers around picture characters rather than traditional Chinese script and also reads left to right, as English does. The picture language, Dongba script, is made up of more than 2000 pictographs and is one of the few visual languages still in use today.

The first exhibition of Naxi artwork in the UK will be shown at the University of Northampton between 18 March and 12 April 2013 before it moves on to Bankside Gallery, London and RBSA Gallery two, Birmingham. The exhibition showcases the traditional processes carving, painting and drawings synonymous with the Naxi culture. 

Paul Middleton, Executive Dean at the School of The Arts said: "The University of Northampton is very proud to be the launch venue for this exciting exhibition.  We have worked closely with the Communications University of China in Beijing and the Chinese Government to bring this extraordinary art work to the UK, this experience is a real treat for our students and art lovers."

The exhibition forms part of a larger program of work between the University of Northampton, the Communications University of China in Beijing, Lijiang digital media center for Naxi Dongba Culture and the Chinese Government. Twenty students and staff from the University have recently visited China and worked to catalogue the ancient cave paintings by the Naxi people in the Leaping Tiger Gorge, south west China.

For more information about the touring exhibition 'China's Forgotten Kingdom' please visit the website.