Curatorial Models / Experimental Contexts

Graduate seminar in Art History / Arts Administration and Policy
Taught at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Fall 2016–present

This reading-heavy course focuses on all aspects of art curating in its most contemporary form, from the methodological underpinnings of curatorial practices to their practical manifestations. We draw from the most recent discussions in the field – the majority of readings were published after 2010 – as well as look into historical practices since the 1960s (and occasionally earlier) to see how various curatorial models have evolved together with paradigmatic changes in art itself. Leaving aside more traditional exhibition production that occurs in museums and large institutions, we look at alternative models that have questioned, challenged, and transformed exhibition making and knowledge production in the recent decades. We learn about curators’ multifaceted roles and analyze the body of work of particular individuals, investigate various sites of curatorial practice and exhibition formats as well as look for alternatives that abandon exhibition-making altogether. In order to do that, we discuss experimental publishing, collecting and archiving – both in classroom and during hands-on viewing at the Harald Washington with visiting professor Marc Fischer of Public Collectors. In addition, we discuss academic curating , talk about curatorial activism and community engagement on the local and global levels, and examine current communication models of the increasingly global art world.  

Please contact me for a copy of the syllabus.