Claire Shea Appointed Deputy Director at Para Site

Claire Shea has been announced as Para Site’s new deputy director, commencing August 25.

Shea will be working closely with Cosmin Costinas, Para Site’s executive director, to develop the independent arts center’s exhibition and education programs, as well as its publications aimed at forging critical understandings of local and international phenomena in art and society. In an email to ArtAsiaPacific, Shea says about her appointment, “I’m thrilled to be joining Para Site at the start of its third decade as one of the most active independent art organisations in Asia. I’m looking forward to contributing to its growth and development, as it continues to produce extraordinary programming on an international scale.” Costinas adds, “We are extremely excited to welcome Claire into our team. Her spirit, experience and skills will be leading forces in helping Para Site consolidate and further develop into one of the most respected institutions on the international arena.”

Shea was previously curatorial director for Cass Sculpture Foundation in Goodwood, United Kingdom, where she oversaw the strategic development of the institution and managed curatorial projects including the commissioning of works. Shea has also lent her expertise in outdoor, site-specific projects to non-profit organizations such as Bold Tendencies, selecting artists for their annual summer programs that transform a disused multi-storey car park in southeast London’s Peckham district with visual art, music and literature. Shea was a member of Bold Tendencies’s selection and steering committee, and also served as advisor to Chinese Arts Space, London, which presents contemporary Chinese performing and visual arts via festivals and public artworks.

More recently, Shea took up the role of associate curator at the 8th Shenzhen Sculpture Biennial at OCT Contemporary Art Terminal, Shenzhen, which featured works by Cao Fei, Cheng Ran, Morgan Wong, Adrian Piper and Polit-Sheer-Form Office. Shea will continue to contribute as a researcher to the Institute of Public Art at Shanghai University. 

Chloe Chu is ArtAsiaPacific’s associate editor.

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