<interview> Art Management in China (1)
Different countries and regions use the same word but mean differently. Today, Chisai will write about art management in China that everyone doesn't know unexpectedly.
Today, I am going to interview Jianlun Qin (覃剑伦).
After studying art management at the Sichuan Conservatory of Music, he came to Japan in 2016. After learning Japanese at a language school, he also majored in art management at Shizuoka University of Culture and Arts in 2019. As of 2023, he lives in Guangzhou, China and works at a theater while providing art web magazine "Arts Management View (艺管界)".
Sichuan Conservatory of Music graduation photo
Chisai
My specialty is contemporary art. Until now, in China, I have resided in a museum, given lectures at two universities and I think I have been there more than 10 times, including one day trip (lol). Every time I went to China, I met someone, got introduced to the person who was there, exchanged WeChat (Chinese SNS), and we continue to communicate. I personally feel that the Chinese are very friendly. However, some Chinese have anti-Japanese feelings. The Japanese only care about World War II, but the Chinese remember the Sino-Japanese War. When I was in China, several people pointed to me as "Guizi (Japanese devils)". Needless to say, Japan and China have been friends and rivals since ancient times.
Qin
I see. I'm a Chinese person who likes Japan. I studied in Japan because it was close. And there are many things that are a little bit ahead of China in Japan.
Chisai
Thank you. And I'm learnning Chinese because it is inconvenient that there is hardly English spoken in China. I found that I feel that there are many Chinese art students studying in Japan, but I have rarely seen Japanese art students studying in China. And when I say "China" to Japanese art people, they are generally close to breaking off relations! If I said "galleries in New York/Berlin", they would start taking notes. I have experienced that many times.
Whenever I go to China and interview Chinese artists, they always say, "We have different national principles". However, when I look at the Chinese art scene from a Japanese perspective, I think that there are many freelance curators who are active and their works are more social than in Japan.
Qin
Certainly, for me, the good thing about studying abroad in Japan was that I was able to understand such differences.
Chisai
You studied art management in both Japan and China and know the field. Please tell me the difference between the educational content of Japan and China from your point of view.
Qin
I have studied management of music and theater halls. The university (the Sichuan Conservatory of Music) I graduated from has a music hall. There are many concerts and musicals, and I was able to gain actual field experience. Also in Japan, I studied at graduate school and my professor Satoko Nagai is specialist “Theaterwissenschaft (theater studies)”. Under many online classes in Covid-19, but thanks to my professor's influence, I was able to learn about theaters and halls in Japan.
Therefore, rather than comparing China and Japan, I began to realize the difference. There are three main differences, "Operation", "Management", and "Education System".
Chisai
Please tell me specifically.
Qin
"Cultural policy" is a national policy on culture. "Art management" is the actual field system. Japan values "cultural policy" and China evaluates "art management".
Chisai
Oh! That's unexpected. It may be a selfish impression, but Chinese museums and theaters are all state-run facilities with national cultural policy. That's China, and that's communist art management. Everyone thinks so, but it is their fault!!
Qin
Yes. The study called "Art Management" in China refers to practical education on what to do at art museums and theaters. Rather, "Cultural Policy" rarely appears in China. But we learn "Cultural Industry Management", it came from England.
On the other hand, "Art Management" is included in "Cultural Policy" at Japanese universities. Perhaps, I think, it is because many of the teachers who teach Japanese art management are related to "Cultural Policy".
Chisai
Certainly, "Art Management" in Japan equals/near equals cultural policy. What about " Operating theater" and "Facility Management" between Japan and China?
Qin
Of course, they are different, too.