Ding Yi
DY: Hmmmm… we both use each other and we both serve each other (laugh).
Gong Yan
GY: I hope a curator, while facilitating artists, can also be a good art promoter.
GY: Today we give the curator too little to do. Today’s curators are only responsible for finding artists and thinking of a good theme, that’s all. Actually, the curator in my imagination should also engage in fundraising. And even more importantly, he should promote his ideas though all types of channels, whether education or media.
Liu Dahong
LD: I think it has to do with the lack of ideals among artists. Also, they set for themselves too low a standard. They think doing well economically is good enough for them. He is not there to pursue artistic ideals.
LD: …artistic ideals… lots of exhibitions are like this, that is, you must include this person and that person and this person, etc. Otherwise the relationship becomes sour and it is not good for the future.
LD: Some people can never be changed. He is of this caliber only. If you really want to change anything, you do this yourself. You can only do your own work, and you cannot control how other people do their work. The most powerful way to change things is to do your own thing well.
Liu Jianhua
LJ: But it depends on the attitude of the artists. When an artist is just starting out, if he cannot meet a proper curator or gallery which can promote his art works, then he will probably lose confidence after a certain period of time. Nowadays art has changed on a fundamental level. Working hard in your studio does not mean you can succeed, or you can produce good works. Now the institution of art is related to the entire social system.
Li Xiangyang
LX: A good curator should know art history, know about the artists, and know the current activities and trends of the art world. Certainly they have to have knowledge concerning exhibitions, such as proposing themes, deciding on the exhibition structure, the design of the show, the flow of the exhibition, installation, signing of agreements, transportation, packaging… But people with these qualities are rare.
Qiu Anxiong
QA: It depends on their conscience.
Shen Fan
SF: Both. He will not last long if he’s only a user, but he’s in danger if he’s only a facilitator. (Laugh…) So he needs to be both.
Song Tao
ST: If you talk about it in a more polite way, they help each other.
Tang Maohong
TM: Well it depends on what kind of artist he is. There are some that are willing to be used.
TM: Well, at least they must bear the hardship with the artists together as well as enjoy the success. This is relatively important.
Xu Longbao
XL: Can you say that the actor is the director and the director the actor? You cannot say that. They are an organic entity.
Yu Xiaofu
YX: There are lots of cases where the curator and the artist do things which are against their conscience.
Zhang Enli
ZE: A new gallery wants to use good artists, because only with a good artist can it attract people’s attention to the gallery. But artists struggle to enter good galleries. The concept of the elite does exist in society.
Zhang Haitian
ZH: But sometimes the curator does not understand you. He just categorizes you as a certain type of artist, and he puts you together with other artists under the same category, and then he curates a group exhibition. Sometimes, I would accept this, as long as he is not without Feng Du.
Zhang Peicheng
ZP: (Jokingly) “Taking advantage” is a derogatory word in the Chinese language. Actually the artist and the curator have to rely on each other. If the curator chooses you for an exhibition but you do not cooperate with him, then his show will never materialize. If you are an artist and the curator never comes looking for you, then you do not have good opportunities to show your work either.
Zhou Tiehai
ZT: I think each curator is different. Some are considerate of artists. Of course, ultimately they care about themselves first. Some of them care about themselves first and forget the artists.
