8/19/2015

Acuratingcollectivesguidetocuratingacollection|CuratingtheContemporary(CtC)

Acuratingcollectivesguidetocuratinga
collection
PostedbycuratingthecontemporaryMarch16,2015

Acuratingcollectivesguidetocuratingacollection
PreparationTherapyfortheAspiringCurator
Howtoremainsanewhencollectivelycuratingacollection
Below we present a composition of advisory points, derived from our experience of curating
Partial Presence, an exhibition presented with the Zabludowicz collection as a part of Testing
Ground2015.PartialPresencewasanexhibitionthatinvolvedtenstudentcuratorsfromTheCASS
and Goldsmiths MA Curating, who together were given the opportunity to work with the vast
ZabludowiczCollectionofcontemporaryartworks.Wehadthreemonthstoplanandexecutethe
projectandthroughthisexperiencewehavelearnedmorethanwecouldhaveanticipated.
Bewareofartistabandonment
Considerequallythecontentandcontextofawork
Avoidforgettingitsprecollectionhistory
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Acuratingcollectivesguidetocuratingacollection|CuratingtheContemporary(CtC)

Athumbnailleavesalottotheimagination
Neveroverestimate/underestimatethescale/aestheticqualityofa
collectionwork
Readdetails
Lookclosely
Measure
Donotdevelopemotionalattachmentstothework
Itisnotyours
Tasteisalwaysinvolved
Acceptit
Dontoverconceptualise
Ordobutdontexpecteveryconceptualdetailtotranslatefluently
toyouraudience,norshouldit
Aconceptisatool(sometimes)
Dontpredictoutcomes
Questionthem
Acollectedartworkisacollectedartwork
Allareequallyprecious
Comepreparedtoalteryourvaluesystemaccordingly
Someartistsare
Verypicky/demanding
HowshallIputit?Indecisive?
Neurotic
Chill
Allocatespeakingtime
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Whenyourtimeisup,itsup
Prioritisethingsrealistically
Dontquestionyourselftoomuch
Thecollectivevoicecaneasilyandunnecessarilyoverpowerthe
individual
Butallowyourselftobequestionedanddonttakeittoheart
Thinkaboutthecollectivegood,ratherthanindividualpreferences
Keepanopenmind
Abandoningoneideameansspaceismadeforanother
Thereisnotsufficientroomforegosorselvesinthecuratorialcollective
Itsaboutcooperationnotcompetition
Developatalentforreadingandrespondingtoemailsdaily
Whatyouthoughtwerepettyissuesarenolongerpettyissues
Remember,thisisacollectiveproject
Donttaketoomuchortoolittleresponsibility
Yourconductaffectsalotofpeople
Itsnotonlyaboutyou
Knowyourstrengthsweaknesses(andotherpeoples)
Thereisalwaysmoreworktobedonethanyouthinkthereis
Dontsettletoocomfortablyintorelaxation.
Conductyourselfknowingthatyouwillmeetagainprofessionally
Theshowisnotoverwhentheysayitsover

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WrittenbyEilidhMcCormick,AnnaVianiandEmmaWarburton,threestudentsoftheMA
CuratingtheContemporarycourseatLondonMetropolitanUniversityandtheWhitechapel
Gallery
EilidhMcCormickgraduatedfromGraysSchoolofArtwithafirstclasshonoursdegreeinSculpturein
2014.HavingmovedherefromScotlandtostudysheisalsoworkingasanInternattheCynthiaCorbett
GallerywiththeYoungMastersArtPrize.
Emma Warburton graduated with a BFA in Painting and Drawing from Concordia University in
Montreal,Canada.HavingresidedinAsiaforthepastfouryears,sheisnowstudyinginLondon,while
simultaneouslymaintaininganartpracticeinvolvingsmallsiteinterventionsinthecity.
AnnaVianigraduatedinPerformingArtManagementatCaFoscariUniversityofVenice,Italy.Aftera
shortworkingexperienceinAustria,shemovedtoLondontocontinueherstudiesinCurating.In2012she
cofoundedthecuratorialcollectiveSomethingHumanwithwhichshecollaborateduntilDecember2013.

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Acuratingcollectivesguidetocuratingacollection|CuratingtheContemporary(CtC)

AllimagescourtesyofEmmaWarburton
Postedin:Exhibitions&Openings,HappeningsTagged:Art,artist,collectionworks,
Contemporaryart,curating,curatorialcollective,ExperimentalWriting,MACC,manifesto,partial
presence,testingground,TheWhitechapelGallery,zabludowiczcollectionPermalinkLeavea
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