New faculty: Fan Zhang, Asian Art

The Newcomb Art Department welcomes Fan Zhang to the faculty as Professor of Practice, Asian Art.

Prof. Zhang specializes in the art and material culture of early medieval China (3rd–6th century CE) and the cultural interactions among East Asia, Central Asia, and Northeastern Asia through and beyond the Silk Road network. Adopting an interdisciplinary and cross-cultural approach, her research probes into issues around identity, migration, and hybridity in the ancient world. Her current book project, Cultural Encounters: Ethnic Complexity and Material Expressions in the Fifth-century Pingcheng, draws attention to the funerary art of Pingcheng, the capital city of the Northern Wei Dynasty, and explores how artworks function as effective vehicles for individuals to articulate one’s identities in a multi-ethnic society. Fan Zhang has conducted archaeological fieldwork in both China and Central Asia. She also participated in research and curatorial programs in several museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Museum of Korea, and the Sichuan Museum.