A distinguished professor under Hunan Normal University’s Xiaoxiang Scholars programme, vice president of the Chinese Ancient Ceramics Society and a recipient of the State Council special allowance. Li previously served as Party secretary and deputy director of the Hunan Museum and has more than three decades of experience in museum exhibition planning.
Curatorial Expert
Li Jianmao
Professional background & selected work
Curatorial approach
Li uses objects as evidence for historical interpretation. His work connects academic research, cross-disciplinary innovation and the contemporary interpretation of cultural heritage. He brings his curatorial experience into teaching and regards education as the ultimate purpose of an exhibition.
Selected practice
Li led the curatorial outline for the Hunanese: An Exhibition of Hunan History and Culture, developing a historical narrative led by objects. The exhibition received national awards.
His work includes Roots and Soul: Stories of Chinese Civilisation, a special exhibition for International Museum Day 2019, and Xiaoxiang Ceramics, a permanent exhibition at the Hunan Normal University Museum that provides a comprehensive account of Hunan’s ceramic history.
He has advised on the exhibition design of the Changsha Tongguan Kiln Museum, curated an exhibition on Shang-dynasty bronzes from southern China, and provided exhibition positioning advice for the conservation and study of the Liye Qin bamboo slips.
