Lü Zhangshen is Director of the National Museum of China. Born in 1955, Lü Zhangsheng studied in the Department of Architecture at Tsinghua University (1977–1980). In December 1980, he was assigned to the Ministry of Culture. From June 1992 to April 2000, he was Deputy Director of the National Art Museum of China. He was Director of the Department of Planning and Finance and later the Department of Personnel, Ministry of Culture (2000–2005). Since September 2005, he has been the Director of the National Museum of China. Apart from being a senior architect, he is a member of the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Honorary Director of the Chinese Museum Association, Vice Chairman of the China International Culture Association, Director of the China Calligraphers’ Association, special researcher with the Chinese Academy of Calligraphy, and a consultant to the China International Association of Calligraphy and Painting and the China Association of Collectors.

Dr. Melissa Chiu has been Director of the Asia Society Museum in New York since 2004 and is Senior Vice President for Global Arts and Cultural Programs for the Society’s 11 centers and affiliates globally. She is responsible for the exhibition programs in New York, Hong Kong, and Houston. During her tenure, Chiu initiated the museum’s launch of a contemporary art collection and has also organized major international first-time loan shows with the governments of China, Vietnam, Pakistan, and India. She joined Asia Society in 2001 as the first-ever curator of contemporary Asian and Asian American art in the United States.

Chiu was Founding Director of the Asia-Australia Arts Centre in Sydney, Australia from 1996 to 2001. She has been a cultural commentator on PBS/Thirteen’s Sunday Arts television program, was a Getty Research Fellow (2003-2004), and has served on grant and policy advisory committees for the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the New York State Council on the Arts, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, and Pew.  She currently serves on the board of the American Association of Museums and the Museums Association of New York and has served on the board of the Association of Art Museum Directors.

Chiu is the author or editor of several books including Breakout: Chinese Art Outside China (2007) and Contemporary Art in Asia: A Critical Reader (MIT Press, 2011, co-edited with Benjamin Genocchio), among others. She earned a Ph.D in Art History and M.A. in Arts Administration in Australia.

While Lil Buck was visiting the Coal+Ice exhibition at Three Shadows Photography Art Centre in Beijing, he spontaneously performed in front of the large 14 meters-wide ice projection while listening to LYNX’s “Burning Bone” on his iphone.

On Film and Performing: The Actors’ Perspectives is a panel discussion presented by the US-China Forum on the Arts and Culture on Nov 18, 2011 in Beijing, China. Featuring panelist Meryl Streep, Liu Ye, and Ge You. Moderated by Melissa Chiu and introduced by Anthony Hutchinson.

The Power of Narrative Story Telling – Covering the World through Photography, Film and Print is a panel discussion presented by the US-China Forum on the Arts and Culture on Nov 18, 2011 in Beijing, China. Featuring panelists Susan Meiselas, Mark Danner, Jonathan Spence, and Cheng Gang. Moderated by David Fanning and introduced by Elliot Gerson.

Culture & Commerce: The Arts and the Marketplace is a panel discussion presented by the US-China Forum on the Arts and Culture on Nov 18, 2011 in Beijing, China. Featuring panelists Eric Fischl, Judith Belzer, Liu Xiaodong and Xu Bing. Moderated by Melissa Chiu and introduced by Adam Weinberg.

Food as Culture: Attitudes on Food and Sustainability is a panel discussion presented by the US-China Forum on the Arts and Culture on Nov 18, 2011 in Beijing, China. Featuring panelists Alice Waters, Michael Pollan, Zhang Yinghui, Dai Jianjun and Shi Yan. Moderated by Orville Schell and introduced by Corby Kummer.

Director’s Views: The Challenges of Film Making is a panel discussion presented by the US-China Forum on the Arts and Culture on Nov 17, 2011 in Beijing, China. Featuring panelists Joel Coen, David Fanning, Lu Chuan and Jia Leilei. Moderated by Damian Woetzel and introduced by Mark Danner.

Growing up in Two Worlds is a panel discussion presented by the US-China Forum on the Arts and Culture on Nov 17, 2011 in Beijing, China. Featuring panelists Yo-Yo Ma and Amy Tan. Moderated by Orville Schell and introduced by Melissa Chiu.

The following videos are excerpted from Growing up in Two Worlds, a panel discussion presented by the US-China Forum on the Arts and Culture on Nov 17, 2011 in Beijing, China. Featuring panelists Yo-Yo Ma and Amy Tan. Moderated by Orville Schell.

Amy Tan on “American circumstances and Chinese character”

Yo-Yo Ma on choosing between being obedient and a good musician

Amy Tan on moving to Switzerland as a Chinese American

Yo-Yo Ma on growing up as an immigrant

Yo-Yo Ma, Amy Tan, and Orville Schell on cross-cultural marriage

“Luzhai,” Wang Wei
“A Letter to Agnes DeMille,” Martha Graham
Featuring Yo-Yo Ma performing, George Crumb’s, “Sonata for Solo Cello.”

This performance is excerpted from A Musical Dialogue, presented by the US-China Forum on the Arts and Culture. Directed by Damian Woetzel.

Saturday evening events included a reception at the Raffles Hotel hosted by Ailang Sound System followed by a party at a private residence.

Photography by Dong Lin.

The “Food as Culture” panel was moderated by Orville Schell and included Alice Waters, Michael Pollan, Dai Jianjun, Zhang Ying Hui and Shi Yan. Corby Kummer introduced the panel.

Photography by Dong Lin.

The “Culture and Commerce” panel was moderated by Melissa Chiu and included Eric Fischl, Judith Belzer, Liu Xiaodong and Xu Bing. Adam Weinberg introduced the panel.

Photography by Dong Lin.

Orville Schell speaks to American guests of the US-China Forum on the Arts and Literature.

“China is not going to change because it is pushed,” says Schell.

Video by Ole Schell.

The New York Times previewed the upcomming U.S.-China Forum on the Arts and Culture in “American Cultural Group to Visit China”

This is not your average cultural exchange. There are no obscure acrobatic troupes and no awkward high school students.

Yo-Yo Ma will play the cello. Alice Waters will cook. Joel Coen will chat about “True Grit,” and Meryl Streep will do a reading. Read more