The Guangdong Times Museum and the institutional critique: a new curatorial approach

The museum devoted only to art is a relatively novel concept in China. Nevertheless, in the last few years, thousands of contemporary art museums have flourished all over the country. Today, this sector is facing different challenges and the institution of the museum itself is searching for its own identity. Within this context, some artists, curators and museum directors are exploring new ways of conceiving the museum, and are attempting to develop new strategies of exhibiting and curating. One such example is the Guangdong Times Museum. Some of the museum’s most interesting projects are focused on the institutional critique, conceived as a way of exploring anew the relationship between artists, curators, artworks, museums and the public. This article aims to examine this new curatorial approach, and some of the most recent and innovative exhibition projects will be described as a case study.