Co-Creation Art as Curatorial Method: A Case Study of the Bin 2.0 Art Exhibition

Abstract

This study examines co-creation art as a curatorial method through a case study of The Bin 2.0 Art Exhibition, a communitybased initiative involving youth participants from Kampung Muhibbah, Sarawak Malaysia community, curators, artists from FACA Art Gallery and Aftermath Thinker collective. Guided by the Value of Co-creation Model—co-experience, co-definition, co-elevation, and co-development—the research investigates collaborative dynamics in art-making and curatorial practice. Adopting a qualitative case study approach informed by phenomenological inquiry, data were collected through participatory observation, documentation, and reflective accounts of participants. The study aims to (1) extend current understandings of contemporary curatorial practice through co-creation; (2) critically examine the applicability of co-creation as a theoretical framework for sustainable community-art based practices; and (3) analyze the lived experiences of participants within collaborative curatorial processes. The project resulted in six co-created artworks, foregrounding process-based practice over object-based outcomes. Findings indicate that co-creation reconfigures conventional hierarchies between artist, curator, and community, fostering shared authorship, increased accessibility, and situated meaning-making. The study contributes to the discourse on socially engaged art by demonstrating how co-creation can function as a viable curatorial methodology that supports sustainability and cultural value production in community-driven contexts.