Interview with Professor Aïda Yuen Wong

As an artist, I have a strong appreciation for the study of art history. When creating art, artists make references to and build upon the art they have seen before, whether they intend to or not. It is important to appreciate and study the visual language that one is participating in when creating art. As such, in an effort to further my understanding of the vast subject, I interviewed art historian Prof. Aïda Yuen Wong (FA). In our conversation, we discussed Wong’s experience with the study of art history as well as her projects, passions, and philosophies. We explored topics such as the impact of a good professor, the relationship between art and art history and the expanding definition of what art is and can be. 

Wong is a professor in the Fine Arts department and East Asian Studies program here at Brandeis, specializing in Asian art history. Her passion for this subject began when she was in college. Describing her experience as a young immigrant trying to find her place in North American culture, Wong explained, “Art history was the thing that took me outside of one world, my own, to multiple worlds.” Having no art historians in her immediate circle, Wong relied on the example and encouragement of her professors. Browsing the art history books in museum shops, she would imagine that one day she would write some of them. Today, Wong’s work has been published in books, journals, and exhibition catalogs and presented at conferences. As she moves forward in her career as an art historian, Wong continues to look up to her past teachers, aiming to create work that could inspire the next generation of art historians, just like her professors did for her.  

Wong specializes in topics such as calligraphy, fashion and painting, with a focus on transcultural modernisms. Wong says she “naturally gravitate[s] towards things that connect different cultures and also challenge boundaries. In other words, histories that are a bit messy.” Wong’s role as the Aisanist of the Art History department allows her to be “quite eclectic” with her research. She enjoys bringing her research ideas to the classroom in order to develop them with the students, like with her class exploring French connections to East Asian art. Her most recent research project has been focusing on Japanese gardens. A trip to Kyoto last fall strengthened this interest. Wong shared the details of her trip with her “History of Asian Art” class, such as her visit to Saihoji, a temple completely covered in hundreds of species of moss. To appreciate the minute differences between all the different species, she had to crouch down and really take her time. While the pictures online are beautiful, Wong shared how it was a completely different experience to view the temple in person. As Wong emphasized in her class, while the internet makes studying and appreciating art much more accessible, there is no experience quite like seeing a work in person.  

In addition to going to visit site specific artwork, Wong also enjoys meeting the artist behind the work she studies when possible, explaining “many things come out over a cup of tea. You get to connect the art to the living environment.” Wong’s approach to studying art often begins with gaining an understanding of the artist, since art is a method of communication that is extremely personal by nature. Connecting the dots between the information about an artist and the work they create is a responsibility and privilege that Wong takes very seriously. To Wong, the practice of creating art and the study of art history are interdependent and mutually informative topics. She says, “the writing of art and the making of art both require a sensitivity to the moment and knowledge about the references and techniques.” As Wong explains, even when the artist puts down the brush, the work may not be finished conceptually and the ideas behind the work may not even be immediately evident to the artist themselves. Art historians create a conversation around an artwork that can reveal information about that work and explore connections that are even beyond the initial intention or awareness of the artist.

Wong also enjoys studying the ways that art history can interact with other subjects. For example, Asian diasporic art made in the art hub of Paris can highlight ways artists are influenced by their environment as well as help trace migration patterns. Old Chinese ink sticks containing fragrant pharmaceutical ingredients can be studied to see how those ingredients can be used in other medical treatments. Museums have even begun to use AI to restore or even recreate damaged or lost art. As Wong expressed, “Art history affords us the opportunity to understand multiple dimensions of a phenomenon … it’s a holistic approach to understanding and appreciating human creativity as well as ingenuity.” 

When asked to define art, Professor Wong expressed that this definition is very culture-specific. 

For example, she explained that calligraphy was traditionally seen as the highest art form in East Asia, but it does not have that same status in the West. This dynamic is touched on in the class Wong currently teaches at Brandeis on the art of Chinese calligraphy. Nowadays, however, the line between art and artifact is very blurred. According to Wong, “People are becoming aware that all kinds of visual objects can shed light on history in significant ways.” While the art world is beginning to break down and expand the boundaries of fine art, many studio programs still adhere to the beaux-arts tradition, which focuses on drawing, painting and sculpture. She brought up examples of Brandeis faculty who are breaking down these beaux-arts categories, such as Prof. Sonia Almedia (FA), who teaches a class on book arts, and Prof. Christopher Frost (FA), who teaches ceramics as a form of sculpture. Wong attributes this recent increase in the range of media in the arts to the need for self-expression as a driving force behind the creation and consumption of art today, saying, “the individual is becoming more of a complex being with many identities.” 

In terms of art opportunities at Brandeis, Prof. Wong’s role as the Nathan Cummings and Robert B. and Beatrice C. Mayer Chair in Fine Arts affords her an opportunity to interact with all aspects of the creative arts at Brandeis. She recommends taking advantage of the many events in theater, music and fine arts departments right here on campus. She also recommends exploring the various museums and art events, such as conventions and exhibits. 

Wong’s approach to art history focuses on the way art informs and is informed by complex human relationships. As a past student of Wong’s, I appreciated this approach and admired the passionate and meticulous style of study that she demonstrates. When creating new artwork, I am able to notice the ways I am influenced by the artists who have inspired me. I highly recommend taking a course by Prof. Wong if you get the chance.