RADFORD – For centuries, the soft yet expressive mediums of watercolor and calligraphy have been recognized as a major art form in China. Beginning Monday, Jan. 26, the public will have the opportunity to explore these ancient art forms when Radford University hosts a delegation of students and faculty from Shanghai Normal University (SNU) to share their talents in watercolor and calligraphy as a prelude to RU’s annual Chinese New Year festivities.

RU’s Department of Art and Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, in collaboration with the RU International Education Center, will host the Shanghai delegation, which consists of three faculty members and 12 students from SNU’s art department. SNU professor Xin Zhang, an internationally renowned calligraphy artist with more than 40 years of artistic experience, will accompany the delegation thanks to the support of RU’s Club Programming Committee. Zhang has worked extensively with RU’s Zylphia Shu-En Kirk Scholars program in recent years during its annual study tours of China.

Faculty, staff, students and the local community are invited to attend daily Chinese calligraphy demonstrations Monday, Jan. 26, through Thursday, Jan. 29, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Bondurant Center for the Arts, 1129 East Main St., Radford. The demonstrations are free and are sponsored by the RU Art Guild with support by the Club Programming Committee. The public is also invited to attend a special opening reception featuring SNU artwork Jan. 26 from 5 to 7 p.m. in the RU Art Museum, Bondurant Center.

To learn more, contact Alison Pack at apack2@radford.edu.