Xining & Rebgong/Tongren, China, 13-18 September 2026
Museums are often seen as the place for art. From so-called ‘high art’ to ‘folk art’, it remains common to exhibit and interpret artworks in isolation from the environmental and often cultural contexts in which they were created. Even the concept of Intangible Cultural Heritage, by building upon a sense of world heritage, suggests the possibility of appreciating art out of place.
This small academic workshop explored the mutual importance of (1) place and (2) the creation of art and the maintenance of artistic traditions. We emphasised aesthetic practices as a product of interactions between culture and environment, which give rise to localised traditions. How does the natural environment influence culture and, as a result, art? How do artistic traditions contribute to the construction of cultural landscapes by inspiring alterations to and reenvisionings of the natural environment? How do geographical factors (e.g., climate, availability of natural materials, location relative to other cultural communities) impact the ways in which people create art? How is art practised, displayed, and engaged with in place-sensitive ways both inside and outside museums.
Special guest: Maria Fabricius Hansen (University of Copenhagen).
Locations
Our group visited the Qinghai Tibetan Culture Museum in Xining, the multiethnic capital of Qinghai Province in Northwest China. The Qinghai Tibetan Culture Museum preserves, communicates, and promotes the cultural heritage of the Tibetan people, one of China’s 56 recognised ethnicities. Delegates also had the opportunity to explore the markets and alleys of the old city, which are strongly influenced by Hui Muslim culture, as well as to visit the mountainside Tulou Daoist temple. Following these two days, we had a study fieldtrip to the small town of Rebgong (Tongren in Mandarin), situated in a mountain valley on the banks of the Yellow River. Rebgong grew up around a number of Tibetan Buddhist monasteries, including Rongwo Monastery (founded 1341) and Wutun Monastery (founded 1385). Rebgong’s various monastic and village communities ultimately developed distinct artistic traditions within such fields as thangka painting, architecture, sculpture (in wood, clay, yak butter), and embroidery. In 2009, these so-called Regong Arts were added to UNESCO’s Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. During the fieldtrip, delegates visited various of Rebgong’s nature, cultural, and religious sites, including its famous monasteries, villages, and art schools.
Schedule
13 September 2026: Arrival in Xining.
14-15 September 2026: Visits to Qinghai Tibetan Culture Museum exhibits and explorations around Xining.
16-17 September 2026: Group travel to and exploration of Rebgong.
18 September 2026: Group return to Xining in the early afternoon.
