About
Throughout my life, I have divided my time between Europe and Asia. I have a PhD in Oriental languages and cultures from Ghent University and a Management degree from Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management. I have worked in academic, corporate, governmental, and artistic contexts in Europe and in Asia. The combination of ongoing research and wide practical experience have made me who I am today. I have managed numerous projects in Asia, trained and coached thousands of people, including C-level managers, professors, diplomats, and I have built an extensive knowledge network.
Writing, photographing, and painting are different expressions of my engagement with the world. I am interested in power, discourse, rituals, and symbols. My name in characters is 包德贞. My paintings are part of public and private collections in Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, USA, Sweden, Belgium, Germany, UK, The Netherlands.
Key Publications
– Contemporary Chinese Art. Post-socialist, Post-traditional, Post-colonial, Academic and Scientific Publishers, Brussels 2014, Punct, Brussels 2024: Download PDF
– 高士明, 关于 耿建翌:
包德贞, 笑对生活 – 解读耿建翌回顾展,中国美术学院出版社, 杭州 In Gao Shiming, ed., About Geng Jianyi: Jeanne Boden, A Smile at Life – A Reading of Geng Jianyi Retrospective, China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, China 2015
– 杨福东的美学天, Yang Fudong’s Aesthetic Paradise, World Art, 世界艺术 Beijing, China 2009
– Escaping the room. A Post-socialist reading of 王兵 父与子 Wang Bing’s Father & Sons, Intellect Ltd. 2015, Journal of Contemporary Chinese Art, Vol 2, Nr 2&3, sept 2016: More info
– Ancestors and photography in China. Wang Youshen, Before and After Grandmother passed away 王友身, 我奶奶去世前后, Image & Narrative 2015/16.2: More info
– Mass Media: Playground of Stereotyping, Sage Publishing, International Communication Gazette, Vol 78, 1-2, 2016: More info
– China: de comeback van Confucius, Sampol, sept, 2008: More info
Grants
2025 Corporate Vision Award: Best Cross-Cultural Training Provider 2025
2017 Pascal Decroos Fund: Grant for One Belt One Road Project
2011 CCAA Contemporary Chinese Art Critic Award: PhD research on contemporary Chinese art nominated for CCAA Contemporary Chinese Art Critic Award 2011 (established by Uli Sigg in 1997)
2011 Association of Research Journalism: Xinjiang. De nieuwe grens van China nominated for De Loep 2011 award and VVOJ yearbook
2009 Pascal Decroos Fund: Grant for Investigative Journalism for Xinjiang Project