Mediating Cross-cultural Dialogue in the Works of Eileen Gray (1878-1976) and Pan Yuliang (1895-1977)

This presentation examines how women artists enacted cross-cultural dialogue and asserted their identities through the feminization of craft and design in the twentieth century where they took on significant roles in advancing modern artistic movements. Eileen Gray (1878-1976) solidified her professional status with her inventive designs and craftsmanship, especially in the application of Japanese lacquer technique in her furniture and interior design. Her works foreground materials and materiality that concerned artists and designers at the time. Pan Yuliang (1895-1977) professed her identity through her artistic work. She was a prolific painter, creating numerous works that depict women from different social classes and cultures. Her bronze sculptures are particularly unusual as they are not a traditional form of artistic expression in the Chinese culture. Rather, it belongs to Western artistic tradition that requires labour and strength, typically associated with masculinity. Both women established themselves through living and working in Paris in a period when the city thrived artistically. Eileen Gray was a founding member of the Union des Artistes Moderne (UAM) whose aim was to modernize design t ofulfil the needs of contemporary users. Pan Yuliang was amongst a group of European-educated artists determined to transform Chinese art for modern Chinese audience. Comparative study of Gray’s design and Pan’s paintings and sculptures will be examined closely to contextualize the epoch in which they lived and worked. This discussion will shed light on the cross-cultural dialogue that are embodied and mediated through craftsmanship and creativity that advance modern art and design.