Within the article it explains how Winfried Stürzl and Ramona Wegenast realised a symposium by Kunstbüro der Kunststiftung Baden-Württemberg on the subject ‘Why artist’ curate.’ This was established from an article by the magazine Monopol that discussed artists who would curate, focussing the reader’s attention on the rise in artists as curators, but not explaining the development adequately.
The South west of Germany began taking on the idea of artist as a curator through Kunststiftung Baden-Württemberg’s sphere of influence; the idea that you must take on an omnipresent role in context to their gallery, therefore aiming to improve artist professionalism.
Sturzl and Wegenast invited artists-curators from varied fields to collaborate for the symposium which took place in the Kungsthalle Ravensburg of the Columbus Art Foundation on the 8th and 9th of July 2011.
The German Association of Artists made an ‘art report’ focusing on the distribution of roles in the art system, leading them to ask questions about ‘whether artists as curators could make a different contribution or whether curators were perhaps making use of artistic strategies in their work that had led to their rise in the first place.’
Sturzl then goes on to talk about how Curation is much more popular, and professionalised. Curating is now offered within universities, residencies and awards worldwide, and is even realised as a concept outside of the field of art. Mentioning that just shortly before the symposium DIE ZEIT weekly newspaper commented on curators being the “dream job of the youthful avantgarde”.
In june 2012, Texte zur Kunst, questions were posed about the relationship between artist and curator. Yet Sturlz states that it was purely informative and attention was shifted to the ‘curatorial field, opposed to the role. Whereas in the symposium they took consideration into looking at artists motivations to work on a curatorial basis.
He references some people that speak throughout the symposium some of these are
Andreas Schlaegel who referred to the concept of curating being devalued, as the work of curators who collect and preserve being seen as obsolete. Yet, the role of artist curator could also be attributed to an extension of their artistic work. Seeing the importance of artist-curator for self presentation.
Byung Chul Kim made performances appearing to the public that the structure was made by the contributing artist while the ‘power of organisation’ was the curators alone. At the end of his appearance he exclaimed :
“Now you know why I became a performance- curator.”
Whereas, Andreas Baur gave examples form his experience as a curator that it is possible for some aspects of an exhibition to be ‘left in the hands of the artist’
Overall, The symposium gave a strong argument for artistic-curatorial practice. He concludes by stating that the claim that artists are fundamentally better suited to curating than others should be banished. Yet from this we can take the idea that partners must cooperate for the full possible success of an exhibition, therefore allowing the artistic-curatorial intention to be viewed by the public, a challenge in need to be mastered for every new exhibition.
Bibliography:
References
Oncurating-journal.org. 2013. Between Hype and Attitude. Motivations, Presentation Strategies and Fields of Conflict for “Curartists” – ONCURATING.org. [online] Available at: http://www.oncurating-journal.org/index.php/issue-19-reader/between-hype-and-attitude-motivations-presentation-strategies-and-fields-of-conflict-for-curartists.html#.UpygCmRmX88 [Accessed: 16 Oct 2013].
Artist As Curator 