INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – One of Chinese painting’s leading contemporary figures is the subject of a new museum at the University of Indianapolis.

The Master Au Ho–nien Museum features 45 pieces of painting, poetry and calligraphy by this world–renowned artist, who preserves the aesthetic values of the traditional Chinese masters. The collection, donated to the university by the Au Ho–nien Cultural Foundation in Taiwan, is valued at more than $1 million.

Housed in the 6,000–square–foot lower level of the university’s Schwitzer Student Center, the museum will be open daily for free public viewing, reflecting the university’s commitment to intercultural understanding. Curator Phylis Lan Lin, a professor of sociology and director of Asian Programs at the university, will conduct guided tours by appointment. A museum catalog and posters will be for sale in the university bookstore.

The public is invited to the museum opening at 11:45 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 26, in the Schwitzer Student Center, 1400 E. Hanna Ave. Master Au will be recognized with a proclamation from the office of Mayor Bart Peterson.

A reservation–only event on Wednesday, Aug. 25, includes an artist reception at 6 p.m., a dinner at 6:30 p.m. and a painting demonstration by Master Au at 7:30 p.m. The cost is $35 per person. Call (317) 788–3492 for reservations.

Born in 1935 in China’s southern province of Kwangtung, Master Au Ho–nien combines traditional Chinese painting with Western perspective, chiaroscuro and color schemes, and he often supplements his naturalistic images with poetic inscriptions. He has a longstanding association with the University of Indianapolis, which presented him with an honorary Doctor of Arts degree in 1995.

Master Au holds the prestigious post of Hwakang Professor of Art at the Chinese Culture University at Yangming Shan, Taipei – Taiwan’s highest accolade for an artist. Since 1956, he has been invited to give one–man and joint art exhibits in some of the world’s leading galleries and museums, including the National Museum of the Republic of China in Taiwan, the Tokyo Central Museum of Art in Japan, Museum fur Kunsthandwerk in Germany, and the Musee Cernuschi in France. Master Au’s paintings have been collected by numerous museums around the world, including the British Museum in England; the San Diego Museum and the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco in the U.S.; the Hong Kong Heritage Museum in Hong Kong; the Taiwan Museum of Art in Taiwan; and the Musee Cernuschi in France.

The University of Indianapolis, founded in 1902, is a private, residential, comprehensive university affiliated with the United Methodist Church. The university welcomes students of many faiths and nations from around the world, offering programs in nearly 70 major fields of study to more than 4,000 undergraduate and graduate students each year.

IMAGES AVAILABLE: In addition to the attached photos, more high–resolution JPEG images of Master Au and his paintings are available for viewing and downloading at www.uindy.edu/news/photoalbum

Writer: Scott Hall
(317) 788-3583
schall@uindy.edu