Ari Larissa Heinrich

Ari Larissa Heinrich (he/they) serves as Professor of Chinese Media and Literature and Director of the Gallery at the Australian Centre on China in the World within the School of Culture, History & Language at Australian National University. A Fellow of the Australian Academy of Humanities, Heinrich holds advanced degrees from Harvard University (MA in Chinese Literature) and UC Berkeley (PhD in Chinese Studies).

Heinrich's research centers on experimental visual cultures from China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, with distinctive focus on biological materials including body parts, pathological specimens, and organic chemicals. Their work intersects queer theory, medical illustration, and transnational art practices, examining phenomena like the exhibition of Chinese cadavers in global anatomical displays and the use of melanin in posthuman art. Key research areas include cyborg aesthetics, modern Chinese literature, and queer visual culture as evidenced by fingerprint analysis showing 100% China Arts/Humanities concentration.

Research outputs reveal significant scholarly impact with 43 publications since 2004, including books, translations of Taiwanese queer literature, and peer-reviewed articles. Recent work trends show intensified activity since 2020, particularly in posthuman studies and queer Chinese art. Heinrich's 2024-2022 publications demonstrate methodological innovation blending medical humanities with experimental media.

• Fellow of the Australian Academy of Humanities
• ARC Future Fellowship recipient
• Andy Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant awardee

Heinrich leads research projects including the 2023 ARC-funded "Team Translation of Ta-wei Chi's A Queer Invention in Taiwan," supervises research students in Chinese visual culture, and directs gallery exhibitions at the Australian Centre on China in the World. Current work engages with Lu Yang's digital art transformations and melanin-based posthuman aesthetics through international collaborations.