Bloomsbury Academic publishes 'Contemporary Queer Chinese Art' anthology with 14 essays on queer history

'Contemporary Queer Chinese Art,' a hardcover anthology edited by Hongwei Bao, Diyi Mergenthaler, and Jamie J. Zhao, has been published by Bloomsbury Academic, retailing for £85. This collection features 14 essays from artists, activists, and curators that highlight pivotal moments in the queer history of China. Notable contributors include Xiyadie, Shi Tou, and Si Han, who were responsible for the 2012 exhibition 'Secret Love,' the first institutional showcase of queer Chinese art. The book discusses events from the decriminalization of homosexuality in 1997 to its depathologization in 2001, along with a 2016 ban on specific television portrayals. Key references include the UN's Fourth World Conference on Women (1995) and the Beijing Queer Film Festival (2001–15), though some essays have been described as lacking clarity.