About
Christine Lai is a British-born Chinese cultural producer/curator. Her independent practice is founded upon interrogating the processes within knowledge production and exploring social-cultural histories through participatory art projects. Currently, she is Public Programme Curator at London Borough of Waltham Forest and the William Morris Gallery.
Christine has worked at a wide range of cultural institutions including Serpentine, Tate, National Galleries of Scotland, Kakilang (formerly Chinese Arts Now) and curated exhibitions across the U.K. and The Netherlands. Her work has been featured in various media outlets including BBC, The Guardian, i-D, Bricks Magazine, and Gal-Dem. She is also 1/7 of the collective Baesianz, a London-based collective and platform dedicated to celebrating artists of Asian heritage.
Education:
MA Heritage Studies: Museum Studies
University of Amsterdam 2017 - 2020
MA(Hons) History of Art, First Class
University of Glasgow 2013 - 2017
Costume Construction
National Youth Theatre 2012 - 2013
Exhibitions/Commissions:
Wild Wired!, HERVISIONS, London (2023)
Baesianz presents ME2U: A Collective Manifesto, Bow Arts, London (2022)
Baesianz X Grubber: Roots, Arthub, London (2021)
Input - Bauhaus - Output, Tate Britain, London (2019)
Capturing Class Struggle, Tate Britain, London (2019)
Rebel Girls: Illustrating Identity, Bijzondere Collecties, Amsterdam (2018)
For the Welfare of My Children: Stories of a Jewish Mosaic in Syria, Allard Pierson Museum, Amsterdam (2018)
Public Programming:
Radical Landscapes, William Morris Gallery/ LBWF, London (2023-24)
Baesianz X TAPE Collective presents Lingua Franca, Prince Charles Cinema, London (2022)
Baesianz X SET Artist Residency, SET Woolwich, London (2022)
Breaking News, Peckham24, London (2021)
Baesianz x Grubber presents FujiFlow, Art Hub, London (2021)
Baesianz x Grubber presents Speaking in Elements, Art Hub, London (2021)
Baesianz x Grubber presents Petit Oiseau, Art Hub, London (2021)
Late at Tate Britain: From Tomorrow, Tate Britain, London (2020)
Philanthrobeats: The Landfills Have Eyes, Berkeley Suite, Glasgow (2016)
END FGM NOW, Proud Mary, Glasgow (2016)
BP Loud Tate, Tate Britain, London (2016)
Philanthrobeats: Dante's Inferno, Berkeley Suite, Glasgow (2015)
Leave Your Vote at the Door, Subclub, Glasgow (2014)
Mother Care India, La Cheetah, Glasgow (2014)
Talks:
The Artist as Storyteller, London College of Fashion, London (2023)
Pondering the loos at the Met Gala – Photography and its role in rendering counter-narratives in the bathroom, Network for Developing Photographic Research, online (2021)
Futures in Reality, Tate Britain, London (2020)
Publications:
How We Hold: Rehearsals for Art and Social Change, Serpentine Galleries, London (2023)
Assistant Editor
Young Londoners’ Perspectives on Steve McQueen Year 3, A New Direction, London (2021)
Co-author
Work Experience:
Public Programme Curator
William Morris Gallery/London Borough of Waltham Forest Nov 2022 - Present
Assistant Curator, Education
Serpentine Galleries Nov 2021 - May 2022
Production Assistant (Freelance), Public Programes
Tate Sept 2021 - Nov 2021
Assistant Producer (Freelance), JUMP festival July 2021 - Sept 2021
Assistant Producer (Freelance), Kakilang (fka Chinese Arts Now) Feb 2021 - July 2021
Programme Co-ordinator
Troy House Art Foundation July 2020 - Feb 2021
Project Curator, Late at Tate Britain: From Tomorrow (Freelance)
Tate Dec 2019 - Feb 2020