Curate the Curious: Lingnan University Master’s students explore contemporary art through six curatorial themes

Curate the Curious, an annual exhibition curated by 36 students of the Master of Arts in Curating and Art History (MACAH) at Lingnan University, will be held from 1-10 August. Introducing a new-generation curatorial perspective, the exhibition presents the hidden stories behind more than 50 paintings, sculptures, videos, and new media art by over 30 well-known artists from Mainland China and Hong Kong. The six curiosity-driven themes are designed to inspire audiences to embark on their own journey of artistic discovery and dialogue. Admission is free.
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Lingnan University

The exhibition was curated by 36 students from the Master of Arts in Curatorial and Art History programme (MACAH).

Lingnan University

The key visual of Lingnan University’s annual student-curated exhibition. “Curate the Curious” includes artworks wrapped in protective materials, symbolising the care and curiosity of curators during the installation.

Lingnan University

Exhibits include the video “Lifting” by Mr Lo Chun-yip, who starred in the films “Time Still Turns the Pages” and “Montages of a Modern Motherhood”. The video explores human connections and disconnections with people, things and spaces through two people dancing and talking inside a lift. Also, on display is “Invisible Man”, a sculpture by Prof Xu Ge, Associate Professor at the China Academy of Art, which shows how people take on different roles as they grow up and seek acceptance and recognition from the collective while essentially searching for their true selves. Another highlight is Hong Kong artist Mr KennyWong's kinetic video installation“Undermine・Waning”, whichcontrasts high-speed mechanical movement with a woman in slow motion, exploring the relationships between attraction and repulsion, rotation and counter-rotation, and symbolising the inner journey of searching for equilibrium.

 

Ms Kattie Fan, Lecturer of the MACAH in the Department of Digital Arts and Creative Industries at Lingnan University, who is the consulting curator, said that the exhibition hopes to use the unique curatorial perspectives of the six zones to generate curiosity in viewers and encourage reflections on themselves and their life. She said “Curators play an indispensable role in exhibitions, and curiosity is the driving force behind curating. While learning curatorial skills, students will also develop the ability to think about art and social issues and use creativity to connect different styles of artwork."

 

Mora Huang Zhuoxin, one of the studentcurators of the exhibition, said “I am honoured to have the opportunity to work with so many renowned artists. By talking with them before curating the exhibition, I was able to understand the works of art better, and to present them in a vivid way as a bridge between the audience and the artists. This exhibition is also a valuable opportunity for me to apply the skills I learnt on the course to the real world and share a very special viewing experience with the audience.”

 

The six themes of “Curious” are:

  1. Her・Potential invites visitors to explore women’s limitless potential – their talents and ambitions often overshadowed by their cultural roles, provoking curiosity about what lies beneath the surface.
  2. Gazing and Looking Back examines individuality against social expectations, revealing our desire to control life’s simple aspects, the relevance of family rules, and the complexities of love and education.
  3. Curilorecity shows Hong Kong’s urban legends imaginatively, highlighting water-dweller mythology, public housing, and the balance between development and conservation. 
  4. Guided by Algo-rithms reclaims pure curiosity in an era dominated by algorithms, so as to inspire a return to creative exploration.
  5. In Dreamwhispers, curiosity leads us from reality into the subconscious, where each artwork becomes the fragment of a dream, firing imagination in the unknown.
  6. Mirroring, Windowing, Lifting explores the hidden self through light and shadow, encouraging reflection on the choices we make and their implications.