Art as intervention: Protests on urban transformation in China and Australia

ABSTRACT

Participation in public space is widely recognized as a means for deepening social inclusion. Recent developments in urban participation have seen an intertwining relationship between art, technology, and activism. This article presents a comparative study of two protests regarding the transformation of two public spaces: Donghu in Wuhan, China, and Federation Square in Melbourne, Australia. We aim to compare and contrast how art functions in the processes and results of the protests in each country’s socio-political contexts. Both possessing artistic and activist components, the Donghu protest played out as a disguised form of occupation that failed eventually. The case of Federation Square engaged with both artist activism and direct political engagement that ended in triumph for the activists. In both cases, art was mobilized to mediate a broader range of communications and prompt social change. The latter case took a relatively elitist approach than the former by relying on informed activists and working within a liberal democratic framework. Nonetheless, both protests showcase public agency and subjectivity despite different socio-political contexts. This paper argues that analyzing the role of art in urban protests can provide new insights into the esthetic modes of resistance in conflicts over the transformation of urban space.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/0Nf6Lrm0zSrIQYMCX-rGrg.

2. Douban.com (Chinese: 豆瓣; pinyin: Dòubàn), launched on March 6, 2005, is a Chinese social networking service website that allows registered users to record information and create content related to film, books, music, recent events, and activities in Chinese cities.

3. The interview Tao is a BMX fan and artist.

4. The National Trust (Victoria) is the state’s premier community-based heritage advocacy organization.

5. A political party based in Melbourne.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jian Xiao

Jian Xiao (PhD, Loughborough University) works as an associate professor (One Hundred Talents Program) at the School of Media and International Culture, Zhejiang University. She has published in International Journal of Communication, Cultural Critique, Journal of Popular Music Studies, European Journal of Cultural Studies, Chinese Journal of Communication, Space and Culture, Journalism Practice and so on. She has also published a monograph, “Punk Culture in Contemporary China,” with Palgrave Macmillan. Her research interest is focused on urban politics, new media, and cultural studies.

Isabel Fangyi Lu

Isabel Fangyi Lu is a PhD Candidate in the School of Culture and Communications, University of Melbourne. Her PhD thesis on digital placemaking examines the intersection of digital technologies, public participation and urban governance. Her interests include digital democracy and social innovation policy of the Asia Pacific region. She is a recipient of the Australian Government Research Training Program (2018–2021). Her PhD is part of a collaborative Australian Research Council Discovery Project on arts precincts.