The Weltmuseum Wien in Vienna, Austria. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Chinese contemporary artist reinterpreted the artifacts and spatial structure of the permanent Chinese exhibition hall in the Weltmuseum Wien in Austria with Chinese "Qi" philosophy during the guided tour last Friday.
Collaborating with the museum and the University of Applied Arts Vienna, Chinese contemporary artist and art researcher Zhu Hui combined physical performance, painting, and live commentary, providing over 30 visitors from diverse cultural backgrounds—including professionals in art and humanities—with an exhibition experience entirely distinct from traditional Western ethnographic displays.
Draped in a 10-meter-long transparent scroll she had personally created and painted, Zhu served as a "mobile vessel of memory" while guiding visitors. Through walking, pausing, and viewing, she helped them weave a vibrant network of the present moment involving the artifacts, the exhibition space, and the guide.
Employing contemporary Chinese "Qi" philosophy as a methodological framework, Zhu systematically elucidated the relationships among key exhibits in the permanent galleries—including ivory carvings of the Four Heavenly Kings, a compass, an imperial robe with cloud-patterned embroidery, and Chinese character imagery—further extending to the holistic Chinese understanding of space, time, and order, as well as the historical and cultural evolution of traditional Chinese "Qi" philosophy.
The Weltmuseum Wien in Vienna, Austria. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Zhu emphasizes that museum artifacts are not merely repositories of history but cultural memories awaiting reactivation, noting that only by connecting and interacting with audiences within the present context can these memories truly endure.
This practice not only addresses how Chinese culture is understood and presented in Western museums but also demonstrates contemporary Chinese art researchers' proactive engagement with the European museum system and participation in public cultural discourse. It showcases to Western audiences the reflections and commitment of contemporary art researchers toward Chinese culture within the Weltmuseum Wien.
This tour format, blending cultural interpretation with artistic performance, has been widely hailed.
Multiple visitors from different countries said that this reinterpretation of the museum shattered their preconceptions of ethnographic museums as "static displays" and sparked profound interest in China's "Qi" culture.
Chinese contemporary artist and art researcher Zhu Hui enters the exhibition hall draped in a transparent scroll. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
The Weltmuseum Wien expressed hope for continued collaborations to further explore possibilities between museums, contemporary art research, and cross-cultural dialogue, noting that this approach, centered on the interplay between people, images, and the live setting, offers a new pathway for the contemporary presentation of ethnographic exhibitions.
In March 2026, the Weltmuseum Wien will host a thematic exhibition titled REGENERATION featuring its archival collections and artifacts.
Zhu, who conducts long-term research focusing on how to engage with Chinese "Qi" philosophy within a global context, will act as a co-curator of this project and further engage in dialogue with diverse world cultures through the core logic of Chinese "Qi" philosophy.
Wu Xinxin contributed to this story.
Art researcher Zhu Hui reinterprets the Chinese permanent exhibition hall for the live audience. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Art researcher Zhu Hui reinterprets the Chinese permanent exhibition hall for the live audience. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Audience participates in knowledge interaction. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
