Pick the Right Thing: GenAI-Supported Design and Production Workflows of Curators

Jingling Zhang; Yan Xiang; Yuanjin Zhao; Xiaofu Jin; Jia Sun; Tong Xin; Mingming Fan; Ray LC

doi:10.1145/3769534.3769605

Pick the Right Thing: GenAI-Supported Design and Production Workflows of Curators

Jingling Zhang (Co-first Author)
, Yan Xiang (Co-first Author)
, Yuanjin Zhao
, Xiaofu Jin
, Jia Sun
, Tong Xin
, Mingming Fan
, Ray LC

School of Creative Media

Research output: Chapters, Conference Papers, Creative and Literary Works › RGC 32 - Refereed conference paper (with host publication) › peer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

7 Downloads (CityUHK Scholars)

Abstract

Curators face challenges in selecting, ideating, coordinating, and publicizing exhibited works. Recent advances in GenAI has shaped the role of curators in the exhibition design and production process, leading to new adaptations in the exploration, design, planning, and dissemination phases. To explore the impact of GenAI on curatorial practice, we interviewed 13 curators and followed an additional 3 curators in real-world online exhibition production process. We found that GenAI can support theme selection, space design, topic research, artwork selection, and element production. However, GenAI may also stifling critical thinking, perpetuate inaccuracies, leading to fragmented workflows, misperceptions of feasbility, and concerns about copyright. The effectiveness of GenAI tools often depends on the curator's understanding of their roles and limitations. This work offer practical design recommendations for curators and suggest future research to design for adopting the use of GenAI in technology-mediated curatorial workflows. © 2025 the owner/author(s).

Original language	English
Title of host publication	The 18th International Symposium on Visual Information Communication and Interaction, VINCI 2025
Editors	Günter Wallner, James She, Michael Burch, Hai-Ning Liang
Place of Publication	New York, NY
Publisher	Association for Computing Machinery
Number of pages	8
ISBN (Print)	9798400718458
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1145/3769534.3769605
Publication status	Published - Dec 2025
Event	18th International Symposium on Visual Information Communication and Interaction (VINCI 2025) - Linz, Austria Duration: 1 Dec 2025 → 3 Dec 2025 https://vinci2025.games.cg.jku.at/

Publication series

Name	International Symposium on Visual Information Communication and Interaction, VINCI

Conference

Conference	18th International Symposium on Visual Information Communication and Interaction (VINCI 2025)
Abbreviated title	VINCI ’25
Place	Austria
City	Linz
Period	1/12/25 → 3/12/25
Internet address	https://vinci2025.games.cg.jku.at/

Bibliographical note

Full text of this publication does not contain sufficient affiliation information. With consent from the author(s) concerned, the Research Unit(s) information for this record is based on the existing academic department affiliation of the author(s).

Research Keywords

Co-creation
Curatorial practice
Design and production workflows
Generative AI

Publisher's Copyright Statement

This full text is made available under CC-BY 4.0. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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10.1145/3769534.3769605

406126223.pdfFinal Published version, 1.27 MBLicence: CC BY

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Cite this

Zhang, J., Xiang, Y., Zhao, Y., Jin, X., Sun, J., Xin, T., Fan, M., & LC, R. (2025). Pick the Right Thing: GenAI-Supported Design and Production Workflows of Curators. In G. Wallner, J. She, M. Burch, & H.-N. Liang (Eds.), The 18th International Symposium on Visual Information Communication and Interaction, VINCI 2025 Article 48 (International Symposium on Visual Information Communication and Interaction, VINCI). Association for Computing Machinery. https://doi.org/10.1145/3769534.3769605

Zhang, Jingling ; Xiang, Yan ; Zhao, Yuanjin et al. / Pick the Right Thing : GenAI-Supported Design and Production Workflows of Curators. The 18th International Symposium on Visual Information Communication and Interaction, VINCI 2025. editor / Günter Wallner ; James She ; Michael Burch ; Hai-Ning Liang. New York, NY : Association for Computing Machinery, 2025. (International Symposium on Visual Information Communication and Interaction, VINCI).

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abstract = "Curators face challenges in selecting, ideating, coordinating, and publicizing exhibited works. Recent advances in GenAI has shaped the role of curators in the exhibition design and production process, leading to new adaptations in the exploration, design, planning, and dissemination phases. To explore the impact of GenAI on curatorial practice, we interviewed 13 curators and followed an additional 3 curators in real-world online exhibition production process. We found that GenAI can support theme selection, space design, topic research, artwork selection, and element production. However, GenAI may also stifling critical thinking, perpetuate inaccuracies, leading to fragmented workflows, misperceptions of feasbility, and concerns about copyright. The effectiveness of GenAI tools often depends on the curator's understanding of their roles and limitations. This work offer practical design recommendations for curators and suggest future research to design for adopting the use of GenAI in technology-mediated curatorial workflows. {\textcopyright} 2025 the owner/author(s).",

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Zhang, J, Xiang, Y, Zhao, Y, Jin, X, Sun, J, Xin, T, Fan, M & LC, R 2025, Pick the Right Thing: GenAI-Supported Design and Production Workflows of Curators. in G Wallner, J She, M Burch & H-N Liang (eds), The 18th International Symposium on Visual Information Communication and Interaction, VINCI 2025., 48, International Symposium on Visual Information Communication and Interaction, VINCI, Association for Computing Machinery, New York, NY, 18th International Symposium on Visual Information Communication and Interaction (VINCI 2025), Linz, Austria, 1/12/25. https://doi.org/10.1145/3769534.3769605

Pick the Right Thing: GenAI-Supported Design and Production Workflows of Curators. / Zhang, Jingling (Co-first Author); Xiang, Yan (Co-first Author); Zhao, Yuanjin et al.
The 18th International Symposium on Visual Information Communication and Interaction, VINCI 2025. ed. / Günter Wallner; James She; Michael Burch; Hai-Ning Liang. New York, NY: Association for Computing Machinery, 2025. 48 (International Symposium on Visual Information Communication and Interaction, VINCI).

Research output: Chapters, Conference Papers, Creative and Literary Works › RGC 32 - Refereed conference paper (with host publication) › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - Pick the Right Thing

T2 - 18th International Symposium on Visual Information Communication and Interaction (VINCI 2025)

AU - Zhang, Jingling

AU - Xiang, Yan

AU - Zhao, Yuanjin

AU - Jin, Xiaofu

AU - Sun, Jia

AU - Xin, Tong

AU - Fan, Mingming

AU - LC, Ray

N1 - Full text of this publication does not contain sufficient affiliation information. With consent from the author(s) concerned, the Research Unit(s) information for this record is based on the existing academic department affiliation of the author(s).

PY - 2025/12

Y1 - 2025/12

N2 - Curators face challenges in selecting, ideating, coordinating, and publicizing exhibited works. Recent advances in GenAI has shaped the role of curators in the exhibition design and production process, leading to new adaptations in the exploration, design, planning, and dissemination phases. To explore the impact of GenAI on curatorial practice, we interviewed 13 curators and followed an additional 3 curators in real-world online exhibition production process. We found that GenAI can support theme selection, space design, topic research, artwork selection, and element production. However, GenAI may also stifling critical thinking, perpetuate inaccuracies, leading to fragmented workflows, misperceptions of feasbility, and concerns about copyright. The effectiveness of GenAI tools often depends on the curator's understanding of their roles and limitations. This work offer practical design recommendations for curators and suggest future research to design for adopting the use of GenAI in technology-mediated curatorial workflows. © 2025 the owner/author(s).

AB - Curators face challenges in selecting, ideating, coordinating, and publicizing exhibited works. Recent advances in GenAI has shaped the role of curators in the exhibition design and production process, leading to new adaptations in the exploration, design, planning, and dissemination phases. To explore the impact of GenAI on curatorial practice, we interviewed 13 curators and followed an additional 3 curators in real-world online exhibition production process. We found that GenAI can support theme selection, space design, topic research, artwork selection, and element production. However, GenAI may also stifling critical thinking, perpetuate inaccuracies, leading to fragmented workflows, misperceptions of feasbility, and concerns about copyright. The effectiveness of GenAI tools often depends on the curator's understanding of their roles and limitations. This work offer practical design recommendations for curators and suggest future research to design for adopting the use of GenAI in technology-mediated curatorial workflows. © 2025 the owner/author(s).

KW - Co-creation

KW - Curatorial practice

KW - Design and production workflows

KW - Generative AI

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105026272119

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105026272119#tab=impact

U2 - 10.1145/3769534.3769605

DO - 10.1145/3769534.3769605

M3 - RGC 32 - Refereed conference paper (with host publication)

SN - 9798400718458

T3 - International Symposium on Visual Information Communication and Interaction, VINCI

BT - The 18th International Symposium on Visual Information Communication and Interaction, VINCI 2025

A2 - Wallner, Günter

A2 - She, James

A2 - Burch, Michael

A2 - Liang, Hai-Ning

PB - Association for Computing Machinery

CY - New York, NY

Y2 - 1 December 2025 through 3 December 2025

ER -

Zhang J, Xiang Y, Zhao Y, Jin X, Sun J, Xin T et al. Pick the Right Thing: GenAI-Supported Design and Production Workflows of Curators. In Wallner G, She J, Burch M, Liang HN, editors, The 18th International Symposium on Visual Information Communication and Interaction, VINCI 2025. New York, NY: Association for Computing Machinery. 2025. 48. (International Symposium on Visual Information Communication and Interaction, VINCI). Epub 2025 Dec 18. doi: 10.1145/3769534.3769605

Pick the Right Thing: GenAI-Supported Design and Production Workflows of Curators

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

Bibliographical note

Research Keywords

Publisher's Copyright Statement

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