Lu Jie is the director of ICAST and the founder of the Long March Project and Long March Space. A pioneer in the field of contemporary Chinese art, Lu Jie’s work over the past three decads as a curator, editor and art critic has explored the intertwining issues of art, society, and education. He examines contemporary visual economy through the methodological lens of the “Long March” to emphasize local context. The Long March Project has been widely exhibited at international venues including The National Gallery of Norway, Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon, Shanghai Biennale, Taipei Biennial, Yokohama Triennale, Vancouver Art Gallery, São Paulo Biennial, Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art, Auckland Triennial, and Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum.

Lu Jie is the author and editor of multiple artist monographs, comprehensive art volumes, and art historical publications, as well as curator of several contemporary art exhibitions and academic forums. He has lectured and taught at art schools, museums, and art institutions worldwide and has served as a consultant and juror for international and Chinese contemporary art foundations and art institutions.

In 2001, Lu Jie and Zheng Shengtian wrote a joint letter to Xu Jiang, Vice President, China Academy of Art (CAA), proposing to establish The Curator Training Course Project, a first-of-its-kind art curator training course at CAA to cultivate professional curatorial talent. In 2003, CAA established the Visual Culture Research Center, the predecessor of ICAST. Over the next 20 years, Lu Jie collaborated with ICAST through the Long March Project, resulting in the production of the Ho Chi Minh Trail (2010) and A Proposal for Sheng Project (2015-2021). He has also contributed to several ICAST core projects and curatorial initiatives such as the Capital: Film Action workshop (2012). Appointed Director of ICAST in 2021, Lu Jie guides the curatorial education program and contemporary art initiatives ICAST Contexts and Actions, ICAST Reflects, and ICAST Report.