FREE and open to the public
What is Contemporary Curatorial Thought?
As part of the Thinking Contemporary Curating international book tour, Terry Smith and Julian Myers will speak at the College Art Association's 101st Annual Conference. In a series of recent publications, Terry Smith has attempted to profile some prominent perspectives in contemporary art, art criticism, and art history, while at the same time seeking to intervene within them. His new book, Thinking Contemporary Curating (New York: Independent Curators International, 2012) poses the question “What is contemporary curatorial thought?” He distinguishes the (usually unstated, rarely systematized) constituents of contemporary curatorial discourse by comparing them to the (frequently stated, usually contested) concerns of certain art theorists and critics, and to the practices that make up the nascent, burgeoning field of contemporary art history. This conversation with art historian and curatorial educator Julian Myers will explore the picture of contemporary curating that emerges from this approach, and from other, recent efforts to theorize and historicize curatorial practice.
Thinking Contemporary Curating is the first book to offer an in-depth analysis of the volatile territory of international curatorial practice and the thinking—or insight—that underpins it. In five essays, renowned art historian and critic Terry Smith describes how today curators take on roles far beyond exhibition making, to include reimagining museums; writing the history of curating; creating discursive platforms and undertaking social or political activism, as well as rethinking spectatorship.
CAA’s 101st Annual Conference will take place February 13–16, 2013, at the Hilton New York in midtown Manhattan. Join over 6,000 artists, art historians, students, educators, critics, curators, collectors, librarians, and gallerists for four days of presentations and panel discussions exploring the study, practice, and history of art and visual culture. The conference program boasts more than 200 sessions, a variety of career-development workshops for professionals at all stages of their careers, mentoring and networking opportunities, and prospects for interviews with colleges, universities, and museums.
All 1.5-hour sessions at CAA are free and open to the public. More information on the conference here.
Please RSVP to rsvp@curatorsintl.org with CAA in the subject line. For more information, please contact ICI’s Public Programs & Research Coordinator Misa Jeffereis at misa@curatorsintl.org.
