Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Curating and a Few More Questions

This course is part of the Salzburg International Summer Academy of Fine Arts's 2020 programme.

Course leader

Marina Fokidis

Target group

anyone interested

Course aim

How can we “curate” together in times of a recurring hyper-corporeality? What have been the major changes in the role of the curator over the last twenty years? How has the role of the “museum” or that of any kind of art institution transformed over the same period of time? What kind of exhibitions or other type of projects could and should be implemented today? For whom do we curate and to whom we are accountable? Is the architectural form of the exhibition vessel still valid, especially in times like ours, where the “public space” of the streets has become the major point for people’s togetherness and interconnectedness? What is the role of contemporary art in shaping a democratic public sphere? How can we learn from each other? Who needs us curators, anyway?

Conceived with the task of formulating as many questions as possible, the course will explore the ever-changing nature of curatorial practice within the rapid socio-economic, political and environmental transformation of our times. Through a series of readings and conversations, participants will be invited to reflect on curatorial methodologies and challenges, as these occur in the particular case studies that will be presented by a set of invited guest speakers and the teachers. The aim is to be able to formulate a set of ten core questions (in analogy to the ten commandments) which might add to the overall pursuit of the advancement of curatorial research and praxis. This "decalogue" will be visualised in ways selected by the participants, and will be presented at the final Open Day.

The classes will include group readings, seminars, guest curators’ presentations and a few field visits followed by discussions and private tutorials. Participants may choose to work in smaller groups or collectively towards the formation of their final project/idea.

Fee info

EUR 616: regular fee
EUR 488: reduced fee for students

Scholarships

Grant applications can be sent before 1 April.