Submission deadline: November 30, 2026
38 Museum Drive
Hong Kong
Tradition remains a pivotal force in shaping the evolution of contemporary Chinese art. The late 1970s and 1980s marked both the waning of the political fervour of the Cultural Revolution and a widespread cultural revival. In their search for new contemporary art languages, artists looked not only to Western influences but also back to their own traditions. In the meantime, traditional Chinese symbols have frequently been appropriated within art markets and diplomatic discourses, raising concerns that ‘tradition’ may be reduced to a cliché strategy exploited for commercial and political gain. Contemporary art practice is actively revisiting and reinterpreting traditional Chinese concepts, imagery, and symbols. However, academically speaking, this endeavour lacks, despite fragmented interventions, a connection to existing historical and theoretical narratives of Chinese contemporary art which placed excessive emphasis on the tensions among the socialist legacy, the influence of Western art, and the growing market economy.
To bridge this gap, this edition of the Sigg Fellowship explores the relationship between the traditional and the contemporary in Chinese art practices since the 1980s, repositions the role of Chinese tradition within global art production and the art system, and re-examines artist agency.
Potential research directions include, but are not limited to:
–The role of ink art and related aesthetics and practices within contemporary art;
–The re-examination and re-contextualisation of relevant art-historical theories, terminologies, and discourses;
–The interweaving and boundaries between art and craft (e.g. materiality and craftsmanship in contemporary art making);
–The ways in which Chinese art practice responds to the dynamic interplay between tradition and the contemporary, grounded in the analysis of under-studied case studies and trends.
We welcome applications from individuals or research groups of all nationalities, with no age requirement. The provision of the fellowship, however, depends on whether the fellow can obtain a visa for Hong Kong. Applicants should either hold a postgraduate degree in a relevant discipline or an undergraduate degree with a minimum of three years of relevant professional work or academic research experience. Proficiency in spoken and written Chinese or English is also required.
The fellowship proposal must be related to visual arts and must be based on new research or be an expansion of earlier research that has not been previously published. Preference is given to entirely new research projects. The fellow must grant M+ exclusive priority to publish the research following the completion of the project.
Shortlisted candidates might be invited to an in-person or remote interview. Results will be announced in early 2027. Members of the Jury are:
–Peggy Wang (Associate Professor of Art History and Asian Studies, Bowdoin College)
–Ying Kwok (Senior Curator, Head of Visual Art, M+)
–Wu Mo (Sigg Curator, M+)
The awarded fellow is expected to be attached to M+ for a period of three to six months. They will develop their proposed project in response to the research theme and will be able to access the M+ Collections both onsite and online, consult library and archival materials, deliver several internal presentations, and take part in discussions with curators and other staff members. The fellowship will conclude with a public lecture in Hong Kong and an essay in Chinese (at least 5,000 characters) or in English (at least 7,500 words) to be published on M+ Magazine.
The fellow will be awarded a grant of 200,000 HKD to cover all expenses, including travel, living, insurance, and research-related costs.
How to apply
Applicants are required to provide (in English or Chinese):
–A research proposal (no more than 1,000 words)
–A full curriculum vitae covering education, professional experience, honours, awards, and publications
–Two letters of recommendation (academic or professional) submitted directly from the referees
Please submit your application (research proposal and full curriculum vitae) in digital format here.
Referees should submit their letters of recommendation (academic or professional) directly to siggfellowship@mplus.org.hk.
The deadline for submitting the application is November 30, 2026, 11:59pm (UTC +8).
For more information, please visit here.
