About the centre
Initially founded as the Centre for Chinese Visual Arts (CCVA) in 2007, the research cluster has been hosted at Birmingham City University. It aims to generate new understandings and perspectives of Chinese contemporary arts, design, media and culture through interdisciplinary practices and theoretical studies. With extensive regional to international partnerships, it brings together artists, designers, curators and researchers to share expertise, exchange and innovate.
Having been positioning Chinese contemporary art in an inter-Asian context in the recent years, and working with important art institutions and organisations in Asia, we decide to evolve. While we consolidate our strength in Chinese contemporary art and visual culture as a leading research cluster in the UK, it is our vision to extend our research beyond China, with a focus on East Asia in the coming years, in particular, Japan and Korea.
Granted our established track record of intercultural exchange, we relaunch CCVA as Contemporary Visual Arts Asia (CVAA), whilst maintaining its primary roots in China. Furthering its transcultural dialogues by questioning the existing histories of contemporary arts, CVAA fosters innovative ways of thinking and modes of knowledge in the globalised art world.
Building on our research legacy, CVAA enjoys a strong cohort of senior academics, post-doctoral research fellows, PhD students, and welcomes contributions from our Research Associates and Visiting Scholars. As a vibrant research environment, we continue to host the Journal of Contemporary Chinese Art (Intellect) and our influential annual conference that attracts researchers worldwide. In addition, we develop and disseminate our research in the forms of book, journal publications as well as curated exhibitions. With its substantial network partnerships of renowned art galleries and museums, research institutes, and artist studios, CVAA provides academic support and supervisions for research degree studies.
Our main research expertise
- Contemporary Chinese art and visual culture
- Contemporary art in East Asia (particularly, Japan, and South Korea)
- Transcultural curatorial practice
- Urban art, design and culture in contemporary China
- Art and the everyday in Chinese society
- Chinese modern art and the avant-garde
- Arts of the Chinese Cultural Revolution