Berkeleyan

Featured in “Mahjong,” Yue Minjun’s Everybody Connects to Everybody (1997) depicts grimacing figures — theirs is “not a happy smile,” says curator Uli Sigg — that the artist has modeled on himself. Sigg says the figures are reacting to the sense of impotence they feel, and are closing their eyes to keep from seeing what is transpiring around them.

Exploring “Mahjong”
Most Western travelers wouldn’t think of embarking on a trip to China without a guidebook. Likewise, visitors to “Mahjong” will benefit from one of the many educational programs or guided tours related to the exhibit.

Public conversations
“China’s Emerging Art”
Sunday, Sept. 21, 3 p.m.
Berkeley Art Museum Theater
Curator and critic Hou Hanru, art historian Jane DeBevoise, and Chinese multimedia artist Ou Ning

“Inside/Outside: The Great Wall of China”
Sunday, Nov. 23, 3 p.m.
Berkeley Art Museum Theater
Author and China specialist Peter Hessler and China-based Great Wall historian David Spindler

Artist in residence: Ai Weiwei
One of China’s most important and influential artists, Ai Weiwei will be an artist in residence at BAM/PFA in late September.

Gallery Talk
Ai Weiwei and Uli Sigg
Thursday, Sept. 25, noon, Gallery B

Conversation
Ai Weiwei and critic/curator Jeff Kelley
Tuesday, Sept. 30, 4 p.m.
Berkeley Art Museum Theater

Guided tours
Graduate students from several departments, including history of art, art practice, and East Asian studies, will lead tours of “Mahjong” on Thursdays at 12:15 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.

Campus connections
Conversation
Wen-hsin Yeh, Berkeley professor of history, and Uli Sigg
Monday, Sept. 22, 4 p.m.
Institute for East Asian Studies, 2223 Fulton St., 6th floor

Symposium
“China Transformed: Artscape/Cityscape”
Friday, Oct. 17, 4 p.m. (keynote address)
Saturday, Oct. 18, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Berkeley Art Museum Theater
Leading curators, critics, and scholars look at artists working in different media as they react to the new Chinese megacity.
For information, visit ieas.berkeley.edu.

Related film series
Three film series are being presented in conjunction with “Mahjong”: “Unknown Pleasures: The Films of Jia Zhangke,” (Sept. 12-Oct. 17), “I Love Beijing: The Films of Ning Ying,” (Oct. 23-27, with Ning Ying in residence), and “Mahjong: New Independent Chinese Cinema,” (Nov. 6-22). For information, visit bampfa.berkeley.edu.