The Schaeffer Library is delighted to showcase highlights from recent curatorial projects led by postgraduate students in collaboration with Dr. Yvonne Low for the ARHT6937: Exhibiting and Collecting Asian Art unit, part of the Master of Art Curating program at the University of Sydney. This practice-led initiative has resulted in four outstanding exhibition proposals selected for the Schaeffer Library Exhibition Series, giving students the opportunity to transform their research into dynamic, audience-facing displays.
The Schaeffer Library's Japanese collection
Rachel Chau and Maple present a thoughtful dialogue between Yoko Ono and Yayoi Kusama, exploring how these groundbreaking Japanese artists have navigated labels, self-definition, and agency in Western art contexts. Their project blends archival depth with contemporary resonance, inviting audiences to consider how women artists resist and reshape cultural narratives.
The Archive in Diaspora John Young Zerunge and the Sherman Galleries Collection at Schaeffer Library
Sarah Clayton’s project, focuses on John Young’s work through the lens of diaspora and archival practice. Drawing on the Sherman Galleries archive, it reveals how archival materials themselves can tell powerful stories of migration, identity, and artistic development. This exhibition offers both scholarly richness and a moving exploration of Asian Australian creativity.
Anxiety and Identity
Grace Sugden-Partridge takes audiences on a journey through Sri Lanka’s visual and cultural history, tracing the transformation of Buddhist symbols from colonial times to the present. Her project highlights how symbols can embody both resilience and conflict, weaving personal heritage into broader questions of identity, trauma, and reconstruction.
Wu Guanzhong and Modern Ink
Erato Zhang turns to the work of Wu Guanzhong, positioning him as a bridge between tradition and modernity. The exhibition illustrates his innovative approach to ink painting and transnational identity, balancing rigorous scholarship with accessible interpretation. It is a celebration of artistic innovation across cultural boundaries.