Canon-Making and Curating in Recent Asian Art

Abstract

Canons involve selection against value choice and differences in the attitude to history among art historians and curators. These are outlined in the Asian context. Reception or selection conditions for two works actually shown in a 2011 exhibition at ZKM Karlsruhe are compared against other art historical knowledge of the artists unmentioned in preliminary material. Difference between curating at Asian and non-Asian centres is due to differences in conditions of reception. The canon varies according to artist or curator; the functionality of some artists as curators and their relative asymmetry with curators attempting to perform the function of artists is assessed. In conclusion, the paper compares five catalogues of contemporary Chinese photography to assess canon formation, the narrowness of whose international selection can be attributed to the role and knowledge of some international curators.