China’s Forgotten Kingdom On Show

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 at Bankside Gallery.

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 exhibition, originally showcased the University of Northampton, is now on show at the prestigious Bankside Gallery, London. The exhibition, open 23-28 April, 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 proud to be in a position to bring this exciting exhibition to the UK. We have worked closely with the Communications University of China in Beijing and the Chinese Government to bring this extraordinary art work the art lovers of London.”

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.