Dr. Shiyu Gao, awarded Leverhulme Early Career Fellow at Birmingham School of Art, has created a unique art exhibition Under the Cyber Eyes, exploring the role of surveillance and digital media in shaping contemporary Chinese art.
Curated by Dr. Shiyu Gao, awarded Leverhulme Early Career Fellow, Under the Cyber Eyes is an exhibition that investigates the complex intersections of virtual identity, digital surveillance, and contemporary art. This exhibition showcases multimedia works by artists including Yizhi Chen, Zhiyi Kwong, LODTALOD, Shangyang Yu, and Meng Zhao, that challenge the boundaries between physical and virtual spaces, exploring how technology shapes identity and subjectivity in the digital era. As both an artist and art historian, Dr. Gao brings a unique perspective to the curation of this exhibit, drawing on their extensive research in contemporary art, digital culture, and technoscience.
Find out more and visit the virtual exhibition here
The Inspiration Behind the Exhibition
The inspiration for Under the Cyber Eyes stems from Dr. Gao’s post-doctoral research at Birmingham School of Art, where they are investigating the role of surveillance and digital media in shaping contemporary Chinese art.
"My work is deeply engaged with the rapid development of digital technologies in China and the increasing concerns around privacy, surveillance, and control. These issues are central to the exhibition, which asks how virtual representations of the body can create alternative identities that transcend systemic inequalities," Dr. Gao explains.
Dr. Gao’s research is rooted in the concept of expanded media art, a critical approach developed in their PhD thesis, Beyond the Binary Body: Reconstructing Subjectivity and Identity in Chinese Expanded Media Art, 1988 to the Present. This framework explores the breakdown of binary distinctions—such as human vs. non-human, nature vs. culture, and local vs. global—and seeks alternative subjectivity beyond existing categories.
Shiyu’s Artistic Practice and Research Focus
As a scholar, Dr. Gao’s research areas are diverse, encompassing the body, ecology, asymmetry, feminism, and queer technoscience. Their work often addresses contemporary issues in East Asian art, particularly the ways new media and technology intersect with identity and ecology.
"My practice as an artist and curator has always been intertwined with my academic research," Dr. Gao notes. "I use art as a medium to question the power structures embedded in digital technologies and to challenge the surveillance systems that expanding every aspect of lives today."
Dr. Gao’s curatorial experience spans internationally renowned institutions such as the Stills Gallery (Edinburgh), CAFA Art Museum (Beijing), and the Victoria and Albert Museum (London). Their background in both artistic practice and academic research allows Gao to bring a nuanced perspective to the exhibition, rethinking the role of art in the informatics time.
Collaboration with the Centre for Chinese Visual Arts and Birmingham City University
At Birmingham City University, Dr. Gao collaborates with the Centre for Chinese Visual Arts (CCVA), an institution for fostering research and dialogue around contemporary Chinese art and culture. Working with CCVA and BCU allows Dr. Gao to engage with a vibrant community of scholars. It’s a space for critical exchange that enriches both Dr. Gao’s academic and curatorial work.
Looking Ahead
Looking forward, Dr. Gao is eager to expand their research on surveillance, technology, and identity, with plans for further exhibitions and collaborations. "I hope the work I do encourages people to think critically about the digital world we live in—how it shapes our identities and the ways we interact with each other," Dr. Gao reflects. "As I continue my fellowship, I aim to explore new forms of expanded media art that transcends the existing norms and restraints of institutional asymmetries and power inequalities."
Dr. Gao hopes to use the platforms at Birmingham City University to contribute to wider conversations around art, technology, and identity. With ongoing projects in development, Under the Cyber Eyes is the beginning of a larger exploration into the implications of digital surveillance in art and society.