Geuntae, Park
School of Culture and Creativity at BNU-HKBU United International College
Zhuhai, China
Dr. Geuntae Park is Associate Professor at School of Culture and Creativity, BNU-HKBU United International College (UIC). He was a curator for architecture at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, which is the only national museum dedicated to arts, design, and architecture in the country. He curated Young Architects Program from 2014 to 2016 and worked on a couple of renowned Korean architects’ exhibitions (Jong Soung Kimm and Tai Soo Kim). Before joining UIC, he was Associate Professor at School of Art and Design, Guangdong University of Technology. His research interests cover museum planning, exhibition development, cultural space and industries, culture and urban strategy, museum and heritage management, and public art/architecture in Asian contexts. He has published articles in Cultural Trends, Curator: Museum Journal, Museum Worlds: Advances in Research, The Design Journal, and International Journal of Arts Management, and is currently working on a monograph about adaptive reuse of industrial heritage for Creative Industry Parks in China.
How we work together in China to create museums
It is not surprising that new museum projects are complete daily in China. China has witnessed amazing museum growth over the last decade, owing to its economic development and policy support. According to the National Bureau of Statistics of China, the number of museums in China has increased from 3,069 in 2012 to 6,091 in 2022. It is 302 new museums per year, which means a birth of new museum almost every day during this period. China has obviously been a museum platform for architects and designers. In particular, the collaboration between European and Chinese professionals (architects, designers, consultants, etc.) is certainly a distinctive feature of the phenomenon. The presentation will explore this collaboration through three interviews with European professionals: two with architecture firms and one with a founding director for a museum. They are from Bao’an Public Culture and Art Center (Shenzhen), Zhuhai Museum (Zhuhai) and Sea World Culture and Arts Center (Shenzhen). Through the conversations, the challenges in creating partnerships and contributions from European side would be unveiled. For example, the European professionals indicated that fundamental difference in design, taste, vision, communication problems, language barrier, and budget handling are some challenging issues. At the same time, aesthetic quality and further (and more professional) knowledge of institutional programme are discussed as their contribution. It is commonly highlighted that open discussion and appreciation of different perspectives are critical for a successful delivery of the collaborative museum project in China.
Chinese museum development; Collaboration between Chinese and European professionals in museum architecture; Bao’an Public Culture and Art Centre; Zhuhai Museum; Sea World Culture and Arts Center