With the global rise of a politics of shock driven by authoritarian regimes that subvert the rule of law and civil liberties, what paths to resistance, sanctuary, and change can cultural institutions offer? In this book, more than twenty leading curators and thinkers about contemporary art present powerful case studies, historical analyses, and theoretical perspectives that address the dynamics of activism, protest, and advocacy.

This catalogue presents an art-historical angle on Chen Zhen’s unique way of questioning his experience of globalization through art. It includes documentation of the eponymous exhibition at Rockbund Art Museum (May 30–October 7, 2015), along with detailed sketches of both existing and unrealized projects.