Proposals should address current issues in provenance research on Asian art and reflect the symposium’s theme Sharing Stories, Building Connections.
Preference will be given to proposals that demonstrate collaborative inquiry and innovative perspectives.
We welcome proposals that engage with a wide range of topics, including but not limited to:
- Case studies of individual objects, collections, or networks that highlight shared research efforts across institutions and/or disciplines
- Provenance research projects that exemplify cross-institutional or interdisciplinary partnerships, and thoughtfully consider the dynamics, challenges, and benefits of this approach
- Dealer histories that illuminate the roles of specific individuals or networks in the circulation of East, South, and Southeast Asian art, especially when researched in partnership with archives or other scholars
- Public engagement strategies that examine how museums, galleries, and cultural institutions co-develop and share provenance narratives with wider audiences
- Ethical challenges in provenance research, including collaborative approaches to address illicit trade, colonial-era acquisitions, and wartime seizures
- Innovative methodologies and tools that support shared research practices and open access to provenance data
- The future of objects, with a focus on shared stewardship, storytelling, and questions of restitution and community involvement
- Critical reflections on how provenance histories are shaped, narrated, and shared
- Interdisciplinary partnership and how conservation scientists, archivists, legal experts, policymakers, activists, and others contribute to provenance research through shared expertise and dialogue
Please submit a 250-word maximum proposal and a 150-word maximum biograpical statement as a single Word document titled “LAST NAME_Asia Provenance Symposium” to AsiaProvenance@si.du by midnight EST on 15 January 2026
