Dr. Ken Lum

Biography

Ken Lum is the Marilyn Jordan Taylor Presidential Professor and Chair of the Department of Fine Arts at the University of Pennsylvania's Stuart Weitzman School of Design. Originaly from Vancouver, Canada, Lum has contributed significantly to contemporary art and public space through various initiatives. He was a graduate program head in studio art at the University of British Columbia from 2000 to 2006 and has been part of the faculty at Bard College since 2005. His international teaching experience includes visiting positions at notable institutions such as the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris and the California College of the Arts in San Francisco. Lum co-founded the Yishu Journal of Contemporary Chinese Art and has published extensively, including essays that explore themes in the art world. His notable projects include serving as Project Manager for Okwui Enwezor’s influential exhibition The Short Century: Independence and Liberation Movements in Africa, 1945–1994. Lum's artwork has been widely exhibited in important venues like the São Paulo Biennial and the Whitney Biennial. He has also realized numerous permanent public art commissions in cities around the world, further establishing his role as a key figure in public art discourse.

Research Interests