PhD Candidate HUI WANG (KATT)

Hui Wang studies Global Art History at the Center for Asian and Transcultural Studies (CATS) and is a member of the Heidelberg Graduate School for the Humanities and Social Sciences (HGGS). Her PhD research investigates the cartoon neo-pop art, titled Cartoon Art at the Turn of the Millennium: Art, Counterculture, Globality, and Metaverse of the Spectacle. It examines the cartoon expressions and practices in contemporary art, focusing on key figures such as Murakami Takashi, The Cartoon Generation, and KAWS, as well as new production modes like art toys and collaboration. 

Her research positions cartoon as a method of self-reflection and subversion within contemporary visual ecology, demonstrating its capacity to critique and intervene in aesthetic-political and socio-economic relations. By analyzing this genre in depth, Hui investigates how cartoon art addresses crises in contemporary culture and redefines art's role in envisioning new “avant-garde” possibilities amid shifting social and technological landscapes. Her study contributes to global art history while incorporating a sociocultural analysis of art production, media, and the visual-attention economy. With a particular focus on East Asia, her work offers fresh perspectives on evolving globalism and cultural perceptions during a time of profound transformation and precarity. 

Hui holds a Master’s degree (1.3) in Transcultural Studies from Heidelberg University, studying art histories of Japan and Tibet-Himalayas, with coursework at Kyoto University and Ca’ Foscari University of Venice (30 e lode). She holds a diploma certificate in Entrepreneurial Innovation and Sustainability from Sorbonne University and BA in Russian and Central Asian Studies.

Beyond academia, Hui has worked with UNESCO’s Culture Program and multiple innovative curatorial projects, bridging entrepreneurial innovation with creativity. Her work integrates her interest in art history, cultural economics, and creative industries, reflecting a strong commitment to connecting scholarship with impactful social contributions.