Hang Li

My research examines the curatorial theories and practices emerging from the interplay between contemporary art and network cultures and technologies. It proposes a move beyond considering the forms, media and techniques of curating media art, to the situating of the curatorial theories and practices in the interlocking of social, political, economic and technological forces in the network society; that is, the contemporary societies shaping and being shaped by network cultures and technologies. Drawing on the source of feminist epistemology, science and technology studies, and the social theories of knowledge, power and capitalism, the research presents the questions of, what are the standpoints, tensions and consequences of those curatorial theories and practices; and what are their implications for the way we understand contemporary art and the network society for now and in the near future?

Acknowledged that the forces impacting curatorial theories and practises are redefining boundaries and cultures, this research will trace six practitioners in the United Kingdom and China, including Marc Garrett, Ben Vickers, Sarah Cook, Iris Long and Juehui Wu and Dillon Zhang, whose works are closely related to the institutions including Furtherfield, Serpentine Gallery, Curatorial Resource for Upstart Media Bliss, Chronus Art Centre and the Central Academy of Fine Art. Both China and the UK have executed the social reformation labelled as neoliberalism. The government of the two countries importantly share the vision of locating contemporary art within the creative industries in alliance with science and technology for enhancing national soft power. The selected practitioners and the institutions they work with and for have extensive international collaborations with leading art institutions such as Tate, V2_, Rhizome and Transmediale; technology corporations such as Google and Tencent; and organisations including technologist, hacker and activist communities. 

In this research, the case studies will be examined as a section or sample of the contemporary art ecology interplaying with the network society. It is intended as identification of the shared challenges, chances and urgencies beyond conventional boundaries defined by nations, traditions or ethnicities. The research will approach the case studies to analyse how curatorial theories and practices are positioned, performed and justified within the art field and a broader context of technology, politics and economics. Following the concept of situated knowledge, the research will examine the agencies and their interactions based on the recognition of their knowledge backgrounds, local situations, political standpoints and value systems.  The situated knowledge will be compared and interpreted by considering the underpinning macro-forces related to techno-politics, neoliberalism and the creative industries. This approach is intended to offer a politically and technologically sensitised articulation of the web of differential positionings impacting curatorial theories and practices. It aims to provide the groundwork to test the value and boundaries of practising, organising and instituting contemporary art in the network society. This research will be of interest to those working in cultural and technological fields, including art and curatorial practitioners, art institutional stakeholders, technology enterprises, technologists and policymakers. It will also be of key interest to curatorial studies and education.