OPEN CALL: 2019 Research-Based Curatorial Project

The OCAT Institute is pleased to announce the official launch of the “2019 Research-Based Curatorial Project.” We are now accepting research-based exhibition proposals from the academic and art circles. Submissions should be received by 24:00 on 31 March 2019.

The “Research-based exhibition” is a type of art exhibition with specific characteristics and functions. As an institution dedicated to both art research and exhibition, the OCAT Institute has initiated the “research-based exhibition” as an integral part of its annual programs since 2018. The aim is to promote the integration of art and scholarship, and to provide practical opportunities and an interactive platform for scholars and curators in the field of contemporary art and art history.

With the launch of this year’s “Research-Based Curatorial Project,” the OCAT Institute looks forward to receiving more proposals with outstanding research depth and vivid spatial description.

Guidelines

1. The submitted proposal shall be “research-based,” and the content of the research can be studies on artists, art programs, art theories, art media, geographical arts or any other studies of scholarly merit.
2. The submitted proposal shall be original and experimental. We encourage relatively small-scaled and flexible exhibitions.
3. Based on the exhibition in question, objects to be included can range from archives, manuscripts, photographs, publications, artworks, etc. Above all, exhibitions shall emphasize scholarly merits, rather than merely exhibiting artworks.
4. Proposed exhibitions can vary in size, but shall be designed according to the available exhibition space. OCAT Institute provides two exhibition galleries. The usage of either one or both of the galleries can be considered. (download the floor plan on OCAT Institution’s website，you can also find it in the end of page)
5. The proposed exhibitions shall take less than one month to install, with an exhibition length of 2-3 months.

Submission Requirements

Exhibition proposals shall be submitted in Chinese or English, and should include the following files:

1. Project title and statement
2. Curator’s (or curatorial team’s) CV
3. List of (proposed) artists and short bios
4. List of works and introductions (limited to 100 words for each artwork)
5. Sketches of the exhibition design (floor plan and visual effects)
6. A completed Budget Worksheet form (can include, but is not limited to, the expenses for the making of artworks, exhibition design and installation, promotion, equipment, transportation, insurance, travel, accommodation, and publication)
7. Descriptions of requirements regarding the preservation and display of the documents as well as the maintenance of artworks shall be submitted along with the submission package files
8. Plan for other exhibition-related events

Statement of Originality

The proposal shall be the participant’s original work, and will not have been exhibited publicly in any form earlier. The curator(s) shall be responsible for resolving any copyright issues and other liability issues related to archives and images in order to avoid infringement of any third party’s copyrights, trademark rights and other intellectual property rights. Otherwise, OCAT Institute can suspend the project, and reserves the right to pursue further legal actions.

Evaluation Process

1. The evaluation is divided into two rounds: primary evaluation and reassessment. The reassessment requires the selected candidates travel to OCAT Institute in Beijing (travel in China will be reimbursed by the institute) for a presentation and interview with the committee.
2. All applications will be reviewed by a committee led by Wu Hung, alongside guest consultants.
3. One or two proposals will be selected and implemented at OCAT Institute for a period of 2-3 months.
4. Results will be announced by the OCAT Institute on its website and WeChat in April 2019.
5. The OCAT Institute reserves the right to disqualify candidates should they fail to fulfill the expected work or violate any relevant regulations of art museums or OCAT during exhibition preparation.

Support

1. OCAT Institute will assist the final selected candidate(s) in preparing, implementing and promoting the exhibition.
2. OCAT Institute will provide either one or both of the exhibition galleries for the selected exhibition for 2-3 months, depending on the schedule of exhibitions at OCAT Institute.
3. OCAT Institute will provide a fund of 300,000 RMB (tax-inclusive) annually for the Research-Based Curatorial Project. Exhibitions that occupy only one gallery will be awarded 150,000 RMB (tax-inclusive). Any expense in excess of this shall be covered by the candidates themselves. All expenditures shall be audited, approved by OCAT’s financial department, and within financial guidelines, in compliance with relevant state regulations.
4. The OCAT Institute will assist the final selected candidate(s) in the editing and production of exhibition brochures and other publications.

Submission

1. Submission Deadline: 24:00 (GMT+8), March 31, 2019.
2. Submission Method: Send the submission package files to curating@ocatinstitute.org.cn, with the email subject heading of “Curatorial Project 2019 and author’s name.”

Further Info

Contact: Liu Qiuxu
Email: liuqiuxu@ocatinstitute.org.cn
Tel: 86-10-67375518, 86-10-67375618

* OCAT Institute reserves the right of final decision on the interpretation of all terms and conditions.

About Research-Based Curatorial Project

The Research-Based Curatorial Project is a program launched by OCAT Institute with the aim of encouraging curatorial research in conjunction with exhibition curating. Since its inauguration in 2015, OCAT Institute has organized and presented a number of research-based exhibitions, including “La Mémoire Brûle,” “Ten Years of OCAT,” “An Exhibition about Exhibitions” and “Big Tail Elephants: One Hour, No Room, Five Shows,” as well as their related academic research activities, and has been devoted to the collection, organization and preservation of archives of contemporary art and exhibitions. Dedicated to discovering and facilitating art research programs and comprehensive exhibition of the research results, this curatorial project aims to provide institutional guidance and resources for outstanding young scholars and curators in the fields of contemporary art and art history, and build a platform that promotes communications in the arena of the arts.