About
Denise holds a doctorate from the University of Westminster funded by UoW, an MA in Curating Contemporary Art (Inspire) from the Royal College of Art, London funded by Arts Council England; and a BA (Hons) in Fine Art Sculpture from the University of Brighton.
Working with ideas of embodiment in context of the Chinese diaspora and gender in the UK, her PhD research explored the use of social practice and material culture with two generations of British Chinese women. This project was centred on situating the agency and desires of British Chinese women through the lens of their material worlds and this material archive was curated into a digital platform at www.objectstories.co.uk. Passionate about methodology and the process of making, she facilitated an 8 month bi-lingual Cantonese-English art school with the Chinese women’s group at Haringey Chinese Community Centre, North London. In 2019, she was awarded the Early Careers’ Researcher Prize from the British Journal of Chinese Studies (BJCS).
Working with ideas of embodiment in context of the Chinese diaspora and gender in the UK, her PhD research explored the use of social practice and material culture with two generations of British Chinese women. This project was centred on situating the agency and desires of British Chinese women through the lens of their material worlds and this material archive was curated into a digital platform at www.objectstories.co.uk. Passionate about methodology and the process of making, she facilitated an 8 month bi-lingual Cantonese-English art school with the Chinese women’s group at Haringey Chinese Community Centre, North London. In 2019, she was awarded the Early Careers’ Researcher Prize from the British Journal of Chinese Studies (BJCS).
Denise approaches her practice from a spatial and creative methodological perspective, she responds to a desire to co-create and hold space for under-represented communities to craft alternative and speculative narratives to think and feel. These intentions accumulate in a range of collaborative projects and workshops with a range of communities, artists and writers.
Her work has been published by a range of arts and academic platforms such as Multilingual Matters, Art Review, RCA and BJCS, her writing can be found in a variety of forms ranging from essays, journal articles, artist interviews, zines, experimental text work and poetry. Denise has delivered numerous talks around her research in the UK and internationally including the Oxford University, the Hepworth Wakefield and the Wuyi University Jiangmen, China.
Since her curatorial work at BALTIC, Gateshead (2009-2011), Denise maintains a dedicated teaching practice and has taught for over a decade at UK and European art institutions in studio and theory modules. Currently, she is a Senior Lecturer at Bristol UWE and at Camberwell, UAL London.
LANGUAGES
EDUCATION
EDUCATION
English & Cantonese
2016- 2020. University of Westminster, Doctorate PhD
2009-2011. Royal College of Art, London Curating Contemporary Art, MA
2006-2009. University of Brighton, Fine Art Sculpture BA (HONS), First Class
2005-2006. Swansea Metropolitan University Foundation Art and Design, Distinction
2016- 2020. University of Westminster, Doctorate PhD
2009-2011. Royal College of Art, London Curating Contemporary Art, MA
2006-2009. University of Brighton, Fine Art Sculpture BA (HONS), First Class
2005-2006. Swansea Metropolitan University Foundation Art and Design, Distinction
PRESS
PRIZES
Early Careers’ Researcher Award from the British Journal of Chinese Studies | 2018
Shortlisted for Life/Art Writing by curator Marie-Anne McQuay, Wales in Venice | 2019
Winner of Harmonious Society Award for Art Criticism from Centre of Contemporary Chinese Art | 2015
Art Criticism Prize Winner for essay text of Richard Rigg, WORKPLACE Gallery, Gateshead awarded by BREESELITTLE, London | 2010
Fine Art Sculpture Prize, Michael Hickson scholarship, University of Brighton | 2009
Shortlisted for Life/Art Writing by curator Marie-Anne McQuay, Wales in Venice | 2019
Winner of Harmonious Society Award for Art Criticism from Centre of Contemporary Chinese Art | 2015
Art Criticism Prize Winner for essay text of Richard Rigg, WORKPLACE Gallery, Gateshead awarded by BREESELITTLE, London | 2010
Fine Art Sculpture Prize, Michael Hickson scholarship, University of Brighton | 2009
FUNDING
University of Westminster Doctoral Scholarship | 2016-2020
AHRC Funding Small Grants Award from ‘Language Acts and Worldmaking’ to support a social practice partnership with the Haringey Chinese Women’s Group, Chinese Community Centre | 2018
AHRC Funding Small Grants Award from ‘Language Acts and Worldmaking’ to support a social practice partnership with the Haringey Chinese Women’s Group, Chinese Community Centre | 2018