Paul Gladston

Contact

• workRoom C2a Trent Building
  University Park
  Nottingham
  NG7 2RD
  UK
• work0115 823 2264
• paul.gladston@nottingham.ac.uk

Biography

Paul Gladston is Associate Professor of Critical Theory and Visual Culture in the Department of Culture, Film and Media at the University of Nottingham. He was trained initially in fine art, gaining a degree in drawing and painting from Edinburgh College of Art. During his undergraduate studies he was the recipient of an Eileen Stoekel-Batell Scholarship (which involved an extended period of study at Yale University in the USA), an Andrew Grant Traveling Scholarship and a prestigious Greenshield Award for drawing. Paul subsequently gained an MA and a PhD in critical theory from the University of Nottingham. Between 2005 and 2010, Paul served as inaugural head of the Department of International Communications and director of the Institute of Comparative Cultural Studies at the University of Nottingham Ningbo, China. In 2009 he was Visiting Professor in Critical Theory at the Sichuan Academy of Arts, Chongqing. He has given papers as an invited speaker at a number of universities and cultural institutions, including the University of Pittsburgh, the University of Maryland, the University of Westminster, the Fundacion Francisco Godia in Barcelona, the Royal Asiatic Society, Shanghai and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Shanghai. He has written extensively on the theory and practice of contemporary Chinese art for numerous journals and magazines including Modern China Studies, Culture and Dialogue, Yishu, Leap, Art Review, Contemporary Art and Investment, Artworld, Wink, Broadsheet and Eyeline. He has also written numerous essays for exhibition catalogues including catalogues published in support of exhibitions at the Flowers Gallery, London, the Jaeger-Bucher Gallery, Paris and the Boers-Li Gallery, Beijing. His book length publications include Art History after Deconstruction (Magnolia, 2005), China and Other Spaces (CCCP, 2009) and Contemporary Art in Shanghai: Conversations with Seven Chinese Artists (Blue Kingfisher-Timezone 8, 2011). He is currently preparing a monograph on Chinese avant-garde art groups and associations of the late 1970s and 1980s as well as, in collaboration with Katie Hill and Chris Smith, a guest edited edition of The Journal of Contemporary Art Practice with the theme "Contemporary Chinese Art and Criticality". Paul Gladston is a member of the editorial board of the academic journals Modern China Studies and Culture and Dialogue. He is also a contributing editor to the website Randian which posts articles and reviews related to contemporary Chinese art and visual culture.

To see Paul Gladston's public lecture 'An Introduction to Contemporary Asian Art or, What makes Today's Asian Art so Different, so Appealing', which was given at the New Art Exchange, Nottingham on March 1, 2012, go to: http://www.youtube.com/newartexchange

To see an abstract of Paul Gladston's recent essay for the journal Modern China Studies, 'Problematizing the New Cultural Separatism: Critical Reflections on Contemporaneity and the Theorizing of Contemporary Chinese Art', go to http://www.modernchinastudies.org/us/issues/current-issue.html

From January to June 2012 Paul will be academic in residence at the Nottingham Art Exchange. Paul Gladston is also co-organiser of a conference to be held at Tate Modern in June 2012 entitled 'Current Research into East-Asian Visual Culture: Art - Design - Photography - Film'.

Paul Gladston is the Director of the Centre for Contemporary East-Asian Cultural Studies founded in March 2012

Expertise Summary

- Modern/Contemporary Visual Art in Theory and Practice

- Modern/Contemporary Visual Art and Criticality

- Modern/Contemporary Chinese Visual Art Since 1979

- Critical Theory and Visual Culture

- Cultural Translation

Teaching Summary

Teaching and Learning Interests

- Visual Culture

- Cultural Translation

- Cultural Analysis and Critical Theory

- Contemporary Art Practice

Modules Currently Taught

- Visual Culture V94028 and V94033

This module will provide students with a general introduction to visual culture by offering a critical assessment of related visual practices, theories and research methodologies. The module will also encourage students to assess the political and social significance of visual culture particularly in relation to contemporary globalized societies and trans-national cultures. Students will have an opportunity to present their own critical readings in both written and oral form.

- Translating Cultures V92CCC

This module introduces students to the key concept of translating between cultures as part of inter-cultural communication. The commingling of national and regional cultures in the light of increased flows of people, goods, capital and information is rendering the study of the impact of cultural difference on communication indispensable. This is particularly so for management theory, advertising and marketing, public relations and international news. Using a range of examples and case-studies, this module enables students to apply comparative analyses that isolate cultural effects on communication (for example, how does the same advert 'play' in collectivist as opposed to individualist cultures; how might 'high-context' communication in a Chinese context effect a business negotiation; how might cultural differences around conceptions of truth challenge Western liberal principles of freedom of speech, etc.). A balance is struck between the ideal of harmonious inter-cultural communication on the one hand, and the richness of cultural diversity on the other.

- Cultural Analysis V92SEM

This module focuses concepts, theories and approaches explored in first year modules on the analysis of actual cultural phenomena. In the first half of the module we will look at a number of historically important cultural analyses, and in the second half of the module we shall concentrate on the analysis of contemporary culture. Students will be encouraged to understand various methods in cultural analysis (e.g. semiotic, sociological, aesthetic) and their relation to cultural critique (one of the forms analysis often takes) with a view to undertaking a cultural analysis of their own.

Approach to Teaching

Paul Gladston's approach to teaching and learning has developed as the result of considered reflection on the teaching of students at post-graduate, undergraduate and pre-degree levels including significant numbers from disadvantaged backgrounds. This has led to an approach toward teaching and learning that seeks to uphold academic excellence while taking account of the individual needs of the active learner. He believes that post-graduate and undergraduate teaching should be strongly informed by current academic research. This not only enables students to have a fuller grasp of their subject, but also fosters an actively critical approach toward the production of knowledge. Paul uses a wide range of teaching methods including multi-media presentations and interactive group work. He also understands the value of using experiential or practical learning―including projects that produce knowledge by replicating subject specific research―alongside more conventional forms of pedagogic teaching.

Post-graduate Research Supervision

Paul Gladston is currently supervising five doctoral research students. He welcomes doctoral research proposals related to contemporary visual culture and especially contemporary Asian visual art/visual culture.

Community Engagement/Outreach Related to Teaching

Paul Gladston is currently academic in residence at the New Art Exchange Nottingham. The residency includes a number of public presentations related to contemporary Asian art as well as an interactive project involving public responses to artworks.

Paul Gladston has given numerous public presentations outside the university including talks for the Royal Asiatic Society and commercial art galleries.

Between 2003-2004, as an external consultant, Paul Gladston established the widening participation strategy for the then School of Modern languages and Cultures. As a continuing strategy of the School of Cultures, Languages and Area Studies, this includes active outreach into schools and colleges as well as public presentations/lectures by members of CLAS outside the university.

Teaching Awards

Nominated for the Dearing Award 2006-07 for the development of as innovative media production module involving students in the actual production and editing of news videos and newspaper articles. Developed jointly with Professor Greg Philo of the Glasgow Media Unit at the University of Nottingham Ningbo, China.

BA International Communications at the University of Nottingham Ningbo, China awarded special degree status by the Zhejiang Government Education Bureau

Research Summary

Paul Gladston's current research focuses on four related interests:

- The relationship between contemporary visual art practice and criticality within the People's Republic of China

- The relationship between contemporary visual art practice and criticality within diasporic Chinese communities

- The theorising of differing cultural perspectives on the significance of contemporary Chinese art

- The development of multi-voiced ways of writing that problematise the assumed boundary between critical texts and artworks

His published writings on the theory and practice of contemporary Chinese art draw on extensive field research within the PRC between 2005-10 including a series of recorded interviews with artists, curators and critics.

A lecture focusing on published texts by Paul Gladston makes up part of a doctoral module on interdisciplinary research at Shanghai International Studies University

Recent Publications

• GLADSTON, PAUL AND HILL, KATIE, ed., 2012. Journal of Visual Art Practice (Special Edition): Contemporary Chinese Art and Criticality Intellect. (In Press.)
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2012. Traces of Empire: Critical Reflections on the Significance of Contemporary Chinese Art. In: KUO, JASON, ed., The Status of Theory in Contemporary Chinese Film and Visual Culture first. New Academia. (In Press.)
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2012. Beyond Contemporaneity: Towards a Polylogue of Chinese and International Contemporary Art Theory. In: HERNANDEZ, LILI, ed., China and the West: Encounters with the Other in Culture, Arts, Politics and Everyday Life first. Cambridge Scholars. (In Press.)
• QUADRIO, DAVIDE AND GLADSTON, PAUL, 2012. State of the Art: Davide Quadrio in Conversation with Paul Gladston. In: HOPFENER, BIRGIT; KOCH, FRANZISKA; LEE-KALISCH, JEONG-HEE; NOTH, JULIANE, ed., Negotiating Difference: Contemporary Chinese Art in the Global Context first. VDG.

• View all publications

Past Research

Paul Gladston's past research focuses on three related interests:

- The relationship between art-historical discourse and the theory and practice of deconstruction

- The development of contemporary visual art practice within post-war Germany

- Theories of the avant-gardes

Future Research

Paul Gladston's future research will explore the wider relationship between contemporary visual art practice and criticality as part of the development of multi-voiced ways of writing that problematise the assumed boundary between critical texts and artworks

• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2012. Problematizing Contemporaneity. In: MINGLU, GAO, ed., The Writing of History of Contemporary Art: CARI International Symposium at TAFA (In Press.)
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2012. Pervasive (and Resistant) Silence: Incomplete Notes Towards an Essay about Painting(s by Renny Tait). In: Renny Tait: A New Perspective Flowers Galleries, London and New York.
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2012. Problematizing Contemporaneity: Towards a Polylogue between International Postmodernist and Chinese Contemporary Art Theories Culture and Dialogue. (In Press.)
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2012. Problematizing the New Cultural Separatism: Critical Reflections on Contemporaneity and the Theorizing of Contemporary Chinese Art Modern China Studies: Art and Politics in Today’s China and Taiwan II.
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2012. Locating Displacement: Envisioning the Complex “Diasporization” of Contemporary Chinese Art. In: HOPFENER, BIRGIT; KOCH, FRANZISKA; LEE-KALISCH, JEONG-HEE; NOTH, JULIANE, ed., Negotiating Difference: Contemporary Chinese Art in the Global Context first. VDG.
• QUADRIO, DAVIDE AND GLADSTON, PAUL, 2012. State of the Art: Davide Quadrio in Conversation with Paul Gladston. In: HOPFENER, BIRGIT; KOCH, FRANZISKA; LEE-KALISCH, JEONG-HEE; NOTH, JULIANE, ed., Negotiating Difference: Contemporary Chinese Art in the Global Context first. VDG.
• PAUL GLADSTON, 2012. A Concise Series of Statements (that may or may not be) About the Work of the Artist Han Feng. In: MING MING, ed., Han Feng: Works Aroundspace Gallery, Shanghai.
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2012. Beyond Contemporaneity: Towards a Polylogue of Chinese and International Contemporary Art Theory. In: HERNANDEZ, LILI, ed., China and the West: Encounters with the Other in Culture, Arts, Politics and Everyday Life first. Cambridge Scholars. (In Press.)
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2012. Traces of Empire: Critical Reflections on the Significance of Contemporary Chinese Art. In: KUO, JASON, ed., The Status of Theory in Contemporary Chinese Film and Visual Culture first. New Academia. (In Press.)
• PAUL GLADSTON, 2012. Somewhere (and Nowhere) Between Modernity and Tradition:. In: STEPHANIE ROSENTHAL, ed., New Directions in Contemporary Chinese Art Southbank Centre. (In Press.)
• GLADSTON, PAUL AND HILL, KATIE, ed., 2012. Journal of Visual Art Practice (Special Edition): Contemporary Chinese Art and Criticality Intellect. (In Press.)
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2011. Lost in Translation: Contemporary Chinese Art and the Waning of Criticality Yishu: Journal of Contemporary Chinese Art.
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2011. The 14th Month (After the Great Flood): Towards an Alternative Reading of Yang Jiechang's Stranger than Paradise. In: KOPPEL-YANG, MARTINA, ed., Yang Jiechang: Tale of the 11th Day Galerie Jaeger-Bucher, Paris.
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2011. The Double Way: Contemporary Chinese Art and the Waning of Criticality Contemporary Visual Art+Culture Broadsheet: Criticism|Theory|Art. 40(3),
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2011. Silence and Recuperation: The Pitiable Sacrifice of the Artist Ai Weiwei Contemporary Visual Art+Culture Broadsheet: Criticism|Theory|Art. 40(3),
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2011. Scholarly captions for artworks by Zeng Fanzhi, Zhang Huan and Weng Peijun. In: PUIG, SARA, ed., Barcelona Colecciona/Col-lecciona Fundacion Francisco Godia, Barcelona.
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2011. Low Resolution: Towards an Uncertain Reading of the Art of Zhang Peili. In: PECKHAM, ROBIN, ed., Certain Pleasures: A Zhang Peili Retrospective Timezone 8 - Blue Kingfisher/ Mingsheng Museum, Shanghai.
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2011. Violence of the Mind: A Conversation with Sun Yuan and Peng Yu Eyeline: Contemporary Visual Arts.
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2011. A Conversation with Liang Shaoji Eyeline: Contemporary Visual Arts.
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2011. Rezension Zu Ai Weiweis "Sunflower Seeds" Wink. 13(11), 10-11
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2011. Contemporary Art in Shanghai: Conversations with Seven Chinese Artists first. Timezone 8 - Blue Kingfisher.
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2010. Permanent (R)Evolution: Contemporaneity and the Historicisation of Contemporary Chinese Art – Part 1 Yishu: Journal of Contemporary Chinese Art.
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2010. Permanent (R)Evolution: Contemporaneity and the Historicisation of Contemporary Chinese Art – Part 2 Yishu: Journal of Contemporary Chinese Art.
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2010. Searching for the Truth (Within the Facts): The Art of Wei Chu Yu. In: Transvision: The Art of Wei Chu Yu Sunbow Gallery, Shanghai.
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2010. Cultural Translation and the (Visible) Tragedy of Contemporary Chinese Art Leap: The Bilingual Art Magazine of Contemporary China. 2010(6),
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2010. Towards a Discursive Polylogue of Chinese and Western Contemporary Art Criticism Contemporary Art and Investment. 8(44),
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2010. Revelation and Resistance: A Review of the Exhibitions Bourgeoisified Proletariat and History in the Making–Shanghai 1979-2009 Eyeline: Contemporary Visual Arts.
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2010. Locating Displacement: Envisioning the Complex 'Diasporization' of Contemporary Chinese Art Transit Labour: Circuits, Regions, Borders. 19-20
• GLADSTON, PAUL, ed., 2009. China and Other Spaces: Selected Essays from the Research Seminar Series of the Institute of Comparative Cultural Studies, Ningbo 2005-07 first. CCCP.
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2009. Recurring Intimations of Disorder: A Conversation with Zhang Peili Yishu: Journal of Contemporary Chinese Art.
• GLADSTON, PAUL AND QUADRIO, DAVIDE, 2009. State of the Art: Davide Quadrio in Conversation with Paul Gladston Yishu: Journal of Contemporary Chinese Art.
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2009. Spoiling at the Margins: A Critical Review of Re-writing Culture in Taiwan Yishu: Journal of Contemporary Chinese Art.
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2009. Shu Qun in Conversation with Paul Gladston. In: Shu Qun: Collected Works The OCT Art and Design Gallery at the He Xiang Ning Art Museum, Shenzhen.
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2009. “Elusive and vague as it is”: Towards an Uncertain Reading of the Art of Geng Jianyi Eyeline: Contemporary Visual Arts.
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2009. Image Dialectic: The Art of Shu Qun Art Review.
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2009. Sun Yuan and Peng Yu in Conversation with Paul Gladston Artworld.
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2009. Low Resolution: Towards an Uncertain Reading of the Art of Zhang Peili Eyeline: Contemporary Visual Arts.
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2009. Non-Positive Affirmation as Political Incision: Corey McCorkle in Conversation with Paul Gladston Artworld.
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2009. Critical Reflections on the Staging of the Third Guangzhou Triennial, 'Farewell to Post-colonialism: Towards a Post-West Society' Printed Project: Farewell to Post-colonialism: Querying the Guangzhou Triennial 2008. 64-66
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2009. Inclining towards Reversion: Gu Dexin's 2007.04.14. In: GLADSTON, PAUL, ed., China and Other Spaces: Selected Essays by Contributors to the Research Seminar Series of the Institute of Comparative Cultural Studies at the University of Nottingham Ningbo, China, 2005-2007 first. CCCP. 203
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2009. Bloody Animals!: Reinterpreting Acts of Violence against Animals as Part of Contemporary Chinese Artistic Practice. In: Crossing Cultural Boundaries: Taboos, Bodies and Identities first. Cambridge Scholars. 208
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2008. Song Ling in Conversation with Paul Gladston Yishu: Journal of Contemporary Chinese Art.
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2008. Chan-Da-da(o)-De-construction or, The Cultural (Il)Logic of Contemporary Chinese ‘Avant-Garde’ Art Yishu: Journal of Contemporary Chinese Art.
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2008. A(n) (In)Decisive Act of Disclosure: Reflections on the ‘85 New Wave Exhibition at the Ullens Centre for Contemporary Art in Beijing Yishu: Journal of Contemporary Chinese Art.
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2008. Zhang Peili in Conversation with Paul Gladston. In: Artistic Working Manual of Zhang Peili The OCT Art and Design Gallery at the He Xiang Ning Art Museum, Shenzhen.
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2008. Something (and Nothing) Beyond the Text: An Essay on the Work of Song Kun. In: PECKHAM, ROBIN, ed., Fragments: Xijia River Lethe Boers-Li Gallery/Timezone 8, Beijing.
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2008. Writing On The Wall – (and Entry Gate): A Critical Response to Recent Curatorial Meditations on the ‘Chineseness’ of Contemporary Chinese Visual Art Tsinghua Arts: Contemporary Chinese Art Criticism. 7(June, 2008),
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2008. Reflections on the Uncertain Aesthetics of Contemporary Chinese Visual Culture Urban China: Creative China: Counter-Mapping the Creative Industries.
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2008. Non-Romantic Realism: A Conversation with Luc Tuymans Artworld.
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2008. Geng Jianyi: Excessive Transition Eyeline: Contemporary Visual Arts.
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2007. (More Writing on) The Wall: Reshaping (Gao Minglu’s Vision of) Contemporary Chinese Art Yishu: Journal of Contemporary Chinese Art.
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2007. Writing On The Wall – (and Entry Gate): A Critical Response to Recent Curatorial Meditations on the ‘Chineseness’ of Contemporary Chinese Visual Art Yishu: Journal of Contemporary Chinese Art.
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2007. An Interview with He Sai Bang. In: WENDER, KAREN AND WENDER, LEON, ed., He Sai Bang: Listening to Shapes - Works on Paper / 2007 China 2000 Fine Art, New York.
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2007. Overcoming the Anxiety of Displacement: Song Tao and B6's Video Installation, Yard. In: HEWITT, NICHOLAS AND GEARY, DICK, ed., Diaspora(s): Movements and Cultures First. CCCP. 210
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2006. No Matter From Which Side It Is Still Possible To See: A Review of Karen Smith’s Nine Lives: the Birth of Avant-Garde Art in New China Yishu: Journal of Contemporary Chinese Art.
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2006. Sublime ruins - Monumental Follies: The Photo(historio)graphy of Erasmus Schroeter. In: DEMARIA, CRISTINA AND WRIGHT, COLIN, ed., Post-Conflict Cultures: Rituals of Representation first. Zoilus Press. 356
• GLADSTON, PAUL, 2005. Art History After Deconstruction: Is There Any Future for a Deconstructive Attention to Art History? first. Magnolia.