Friday September 27, 2024 | 1:00pm
Residency Unlimited
360 Court Street (main green church doors), Brooklyn NY 11231 (map)
Curating exhibitions that resonate deeply with diverse audiences is a challenge that curators continuously navigate. In this presentation, curator Zhiheng Ashely Zhang (currently in residency at RU) will draw on her past curatorial experiences, and discuss how her curatorial approach has been shaped by the ongoing pursuit of fostering meaningful engagement with audiences.
For Zhang, curating goes beyond presenting meaningful artistic and cultural content—it involves crafting unique and fulfilling experiences for the audience. Audience-centered exhibitions benefit all stakeholders by fostering deeper connections. When audiences are thoughtfully considered, they not only engage more meaningfully but also amplify the recognition of artists’ work, align more closely with the institution’s mission, and contribute to a richer understanding of the curatorial concept.
While the goal of curating for audiences is clear, curatorial projects often face constraints—be it budget, organizational demands, or other logistical considerations. In this presentation, Zhang will share behind-the-scenes strategies she has employed to overcome these challenges and create exhibitions that not only satisfy but surprise and captivate audiences, all while navigating practical limitations.
About
Zhiheng Ashely Zhang is a curator and writer based in New York and Beijing. Zhang’s past projects include the NFT exhibition “Virtual Niche – Have You Ever Seen Memes in the Mirror” at Beijing UCCA Lab and Shanghai Jinghua Art, “Where Aphrodite Bleeds, Red Roses Bloom” at Spatium Ginza, Tokyo, Japan, “Attention! Please Scan!” at New York Sojourner Gallery and “But to Bestow Meanings Upon Flowers” at Accent Sister in New York.
In addition to her curatorial work, Zhang writes bilingually for galleries and art media. She authored the bilingual press release for Xinyan Wang’s solo exhibition “Metamorphosis” at Nicodim Gallery. She also contributed articles to Art China on the 2024 Armory Show, IDEAT China on artist Dongrong Xu, and Beijing Youth Net on Tutu Gallery in Brooklyn.
