IAC Art Talks #2 presented by Yin Cao
Date: Thursday 11 April, 2024
Time: 5:00PM – 6:00PM AEST
Location: Online
Traditionally a curator is seen as a keeper of a museum or a collection and an organiser of an exhibition. With a new definition being adopted by the International Council of Museums in 2022, in which a museum is expected to be in service of a broader society and its audience with diverse cultural and social political backgrounds, a curator in a public museum is required to re-evaluate his/her/their role to meet this new challenge and opportunity. A curator is one active member of a museum team whose goal is to offer varied experiences for education, enjoyment, reflection and knowledge sharing through exhibition and public engagement programs which reflect the broader communities’ interests.
Art Gallery of New South Wales is a leading museum in Australia in collecting and showcasing Chinese art and culture since its establishment over 150 years ago. The Chinese collection covering the prehistorical period to contemporary time continues to increase and broaden. Its extraordinary record of showing Chinese exhibitions demonstrates the Gallery’s strong commitment to promoting Chinese culture and engaging greater China.
Based on the experience of working at the AGNSW for more than 12 years, this talk will review the foundational definition of a curator and explore contemporary topics which have impact on the curatorial practice, as well as the working relationships within the institutional culture and with the relevant stakeholders. It will demonstrate how a Curator of Chinese Art can play an important role in social engagement, community collaboration and the co-creation of exhibitions, as well as highlighting the challenges and limitations of conducting research projects using digital platforms.
