In Chinese, the character
ce
means “to plan”, “to whip”, and “to encourage”.
When it is combined with
zhan
(“exhibition”) to form the word “curate”, its meanings expand to imply organizing, pioneering new trends, raising questions, and initiating discussions on what is happening in the art world.
Curators, and the curatorial concept, were only introduced to China’s art scene a few decades ago, although these days, both have become quite commonplace.
The Boundary of Curating, a two-day forum at the Central Academy of Fine Arts over the weekend, was attended by curators, scholars and artists from around the world.
Organized by the CAFA School of Arts Administration and Education, the discussions centered around developments in educating curators in different parts of the world.
Representatives shared views on the influence of digital trends on curators in search of cross-disciplinary approaches to organizing a show, as well as on art teachers, who feel it necessary to integrate these changes into their curricula.