Int'l symposium on Silk Road to be held in US historical 'silk city'

An international symposium on the role of Silk Road in the development of China and United States in culture, art, industry and commerce since the 18th century will be held this week in Paterson, New Jersey -- the US "silk city" in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

"Across Time and Space: The Silk Road and the Silk City," to be held at the William Paterson University on Wednesday and Thursday, will feature academic presentations, discussions, and art exhibitions designed to offer a fresh look at the historical orientation of the Silk Road and the Paterson.

The two-day event, hosted by the Center for Chinese Art at William Paterson, will be held in person as well as streamed online.

"We hope to stimulate historical research on the Silk Road, expand and enhance international understanding and cooperation, provide a forum for discussion between the governments and universities of sister cities, and promote the development of cultural, educational, economic, and commercial exchanges," said Zhiyuan Cong, professor of art and director of the center, in a press release.

Keynote speakers include Feng Zhao, honorary director of the China National Silk Museum; Ben Marsh, professor with the School of History in the University of Kent, United Kingdom; and Stephen Hahn, professor emeritus of English with the William Paterson University.

Coinciding with the symposium, two exhibitions will be on view in the William Paterson University Galleries in the Ben Shahn Center for the Visual Arts.

A Durable Thread: The Silk Road from China to America reimagines the Silk Road by connecting China to the "silk city" of Paterson, bringing together a world of silk objects from Asia, Europe and North America from the 17th to the 20th centuries.

Textile Arts from Guizhou of China brings together a selection of traditional textiles and new artworks by artists who are renowned for utilizing resist dyeing, also known as batik, as well as embroidery and metalworking to create a distinct visual language that continues to evolve in the hands of contemporary designers.

Co-organized by the William Paterson University Galleries and the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, the symposium is co-sponsored by the China International Cultural Association, Guizhou International Cultural Association, City of Paterson, Nantong Municipal People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, Chinese-American Art Faculty Association, China National Silk Museum, the Paterson Museum, New Jersey, Nantong University, Yangzhou University, Guizhou Minzu University, Guizhou University of Commerce, and Qiandongnan Vocational and Technical College for Nationalities.

Founded in 2009, the Center for Chinese Art at William Paterson is the first nonprofit center for Chinese art in the United States that aims to academically promote cultural and artistic exchanges between the two countries.