Week 11 Peer Review
Thanks very much for reading my Blog.
I would like to receive your suggestions and comments on my exhibitions, and if there are any questions please ask them too.
What I would also like to receive is some insight into curatorial theory, in terms of the clarity of my exhibition concept.
I am also interested in receiving feedback on how to engage with a wide range of artistic and curatorial projects.
Thank you
Hi, Borui. I have thoroughly reviewed your curating portfolio, and I must commend you on its coherence and reflection of the in-depth research you conducted for your curating project. I particularly appreciate your focus on the theme of “first love” and your inclusion of diverse art forms, as well as your willingness to curate different types of artworks with bravery, which is refreshing to see. Additionally, your mention of incorporating interactive elements in your exhibition to emphasize audience engagement in Week 8 is noteworthy, as I think it sets your exhibition apart from others.
However, there are a few areas where I would suggest strengthening your curatorial approach. Firstly, there seems to be a lack of connection between the literature and practical reflection you have studied and your own curatorial approach. For example, in your reflection on “The Curatorial Turn: From Practice to Discourse” in week 2, you mentioned that “The curator can enter a virtual view of the world and the viewer may follow in the curator’s footsteps, making the exhibition more tangible and continuous in its engagement with the viewer.” Could this text be a theoretical basis for your emphasis on the emotional experience of the audience in your curatorial approach? I believe this could also help address Beth’s question in week 5 about the basis for your curatorial rationale in the contemporary context. Additionally, your reflections on “Artists Running: 50 Years of Scottish Cultural Devolution” and the “Embassy Workshop” in week 4 highlighted the importance of collaborative engagement with artists. You may consider incorporating this approach in your own curatorial practice by organizing events that foster communication among invited artists. Another approach could be using a game-like approach to encourage audience participation in the artworks, as demonstrated in the case study “How to Love Many in Many Ways” that you mentioned in week 7.
Secondly, In your Week 5 presentation, you expressed uncertainty about how to connect different artworks. The idea of connecting them based on different stage of falling in love, which you mentioned in week 10, is brilliant. However, I can also offer another perspective based on the art form. To me, the appeal of your exhibition lies in its portrayal of various art form that tell stories about love and evoke common emotions among viewers through diverse expressions. The photography piece “Love You” and the illustration “Embracing in the Snow” can be seen as capturing a static moment in the process of falling in love. It’s fascinating to see how the artists convey a sense of beauty through these two different mediums, allowing the audience to potentially relate based on their own experiences. On the other hand, The installation artwork “Love Letter,” the printmaking piece “I Love You,” and the performance art “Take My Tears” all focus on depicting the dynamic nature of love, with three different artists exploring various approaches, such as using mechanical devices to create the effect of gushing love, describing psychological changes through gradually fading patterns, conveying personal understanding of love through performances.
Thirdly, the experience is particularly important in your exhibition, and therefore, it is crucial to design visitor experiences that evoke emotional resonance. The article “Exhibiting with Emotion” may be helpful to you, as it considers the nature of emotion and its role in the design and staging of exhibitions. (Boyd, Candice P, and Rachel Hughes. “Exhibiting with Emotion.” Emotion and the Contemporary Museum. Singapore: Palgrave Macmillan UK, 2019. 11–21. Web.)
There are several curated projects centered around the theme of love that may serve as a source of inspiration. One example is the international group exhibition titled “Modern Love (or Love in the Age of Cold Intimacies)” which delves into the state of love and intimate relationships in the modern era, influenced by the Internet, social media, neoliberal capitalism, and globalization. Another example is the “Data Dating”, which explores how digital interfaces are reshaping our personal relationships. These exhibition cases demonstrate how curators use art to respond to the theme of love and create unique and immersive experiences for visitors.
Overall, Borui, your curating portfolio is impressive and showcases your comprehensive research related to your theme. I am looking forward to experiencing your exhibition firsthand
Here are some links to the text and curating examples I mentioned:
“Exhibiting with Emotion”: https://link-springer-com.ezproxy.is.ed.ac.uk/chapter/10.1007/978-981-13-8883-5_2
“Modern Love (or Love in the Age of Cold Intimacies)”: https://www.e-flux.com/announcements/401249/modern-love-or-love-in-the-age-of-cold-intimacies/
“Data Dating”: https://contemporarylynx.co.uk/what-does-it-mean-to-love-in-the-internet-age