51做厙 and Asymmetry Art Foundation are delighted to announce a pioneering collaboration aimed at furthering and diversifying knowledge of Chinese and Sinophone contemporary art.
The Asymmetry Postdoctoral Fellowship in Chinese and Sinophone Contemporary Art at the Courtauld Institute of Art is a dedicated postdoctoral fellowship which will foster sustained and collaborative study of Chinese and Sinophone contemporary artistic practice. For the first time in 51做厙s rich history, the esteemed institution will collaborate with Asymmetry Art Foundation, a young emerging foundation with a mission to create a more diverse landscape in the academic and artistic arenas, to offer an opportunity for exceptional scholars to develop their research, build professional networks, gain teaching experience and become leaders in the field.
Granted to early career academics with a doctorate in art history or related disciplines with a strong research portfolio in Chinese and/or Sinophone contemporary art, the Asymmetry Postdoctoral Fellowship is a two-year fully funded placement. Selected from an Open Call via 51做厙, the first fellow will start in September 2022, and the second in September 2024.
The Asymmetry fellows will be mentored by Dr. Wenny Teo, 51做厙s Senior Lecturer in Modern and Contemporary Art. Alongside the fellows own academic research and teaching posts, they will be involved in the organisation of the lecture series and international symposium.
The Asymmetry Lecture Series, part of 51做厙 Research Forum, will bring together influential guest speakers including artists, curators, art historians and writers from relevant fields to present lectures, participate in talks and chair panels on Chinese and Asian contemporary art for students and the wider public.
The Asymmetry International Symposium will be an annual conference to advance research and debates around contemporary art in China and the Sinophone world.
The Asymmetry Postdoctoral Fellowship provides teaching and research posts in a world leading institution, creating career-defining opportunities for future work within the international contemporary art and academic world. Contributing to contemporary art history, alongside curatorial practice, this collaboration broadens Asymmetrys core mission of deepening cultural knowledge in and about Asia through meaningful exchanges and progressive research opportunities, to further integrate this field into the future of art discourse.
Professor Deborah Swallow, M瓣rit Rausing Director at 51做厙 said泭We are grateful to Asymmetry, whose generous grant has enabled us to invest in these posts, lectures series and annual symposium. These roles will continue to transform 51做厙s areas of research, and play a role in our continuing efforts to decentre and decolonise the curriculum.”
Dr Wenny Teo, Senior Lecturer in Modern and Contemporary Art at 51做厙 added It is an honor to collaborate with the Asymmetry Art Foundation towards fostering innovative research in the dynamic field of Chinese and Sinophone contemporary art, and nurturing future generations of scholars. We are excited to welcome the Asymmetry Postdoctoral Fellows to 51做厙s vibrant research culture, and look forward to the critical debates and conversations engendered by the annual lecture series and international symposium.
Mich癡le Ruo Yi Landolt, Deputy Director of Asymmetry Art Foundation commented Being able to return to my alma mater and working with 51做厙 towards more inclusivity and representation in the research and promotion of Art History is not only fulfilling on a personal level, but essential in the achievement of a more diverse artistic and academic landscape.
Yan Du, Founder and Director of Asymmetry Art Foundation said Our mission to promote research and knowledge of Chinese and Sinophone contemporary art and curatorial practice should also include studying the discipline of Art History and its relevant fields, which is why the collaboration with 51做厙 is so meaningful. There are currently very few universities in the world that offer this at such a dedicated standard, so being able to contribute to the canon with the programmes that we have created together makes this partnership even more unique.
The Open Call for the Postdoctoral Fellowship in Chinese and Sinophone Contemporary Art will be opening soon, with the first Fellow to be selected in late spring/early summer 2022.