Recently, Associate Professor Wang Jing's monograph Resonance: Sound in Contemporary Chinese Art was published by Zhejiang University Press.
Synopsis
Resonance: Sound in Contemporary Chinese Art is the first scholarly work, both domestically and internationally, to systematically trace the trajectory of sound art from a Chinese perspective. Beginning with the '85 New Wave movement, the book traces how sound established its status as a medium within the emergence and evolution of contemporary art, emphasising the unique and irreplaceable significance of the Chinese context within the global history of sound art.
The book is divided into two parts: Part One (Chapters 1–4) returns to the contemporary Chinese art scene, redrawing the intricate network of key works, events, figures and platforms, while establishing a clear chronological timeline of practice through exhibitions and archival materials; Part Two (Chapters 5–7) broadens the perspective internationally. Beginning with ‘auditory installations’ such as voices/tape recorders/headphones within theatrical contexts, it distils core concepts including ‘silence-sensibility-chimera’ and outlines the disciplinary landscape of sound studies.
Methodologically, the book offers readers four keys to unlocking sound art—“Intent-Space-Materials and Technology-Subject Matter”—examining both the physical transmission of sound and its resonance within specific sites, while also addressing its role in generating issues across social, cultural, and political dimensions. This establishes a practical critical framework for evaluating and documenting sound art.
Author Biography
Wang Jing is an Associate Professor and doctoral supervisor at the School of Communication and International Culture, Zhejiang University. She is a 2023–2024 Bogu Scholar, a visiting professor in anthropology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a visiting scholar at the School of Creative Media, City University of Hong Kong. Resident Artist at Pro Helvetia (Swiss Arts Council) (2022–2023). Research interests encompass sound studies, sensory studies, and anthropology of the arts. Author of the monograph Sound and Sensibility: An Anthropological Study of Chinese Sound Practices (Zhejiang University Press, 2017). Serves on the International Editorial Board of the SSCI journal Social Science Information, and as Editorial Board Member for Sound Studies: an Interdisciplinary Journal, Bloomsbury Music and Sound, and Sound Studies.
Co-curated sound art projects including ‘Sound Hearing’ (2013–2014), ‘Sound Curator: Thirty Years of Sound Creation in Chinese Contemporary Art’ (2021–present), and ‘Summoning Sound’ (third instalment of ‘Is “Landscape” Useful Today?’, 2023). In artistic practice, he focuses on field recordings, voice-based installations and performances, and multimedia works. His pieces have been exhibited at institutions including the Museum of Contemporary Art Shanghai, Shanghai Contemporary Art Museum, and Chengdu Art Museum.