James presented a tour and discussion of The Accursed Share exhibition with us.It made me recall to the third week of workshops with James. During the third week, he guided us on how to set up the exhibition from a curator’s perspective and gave us a deeper understanding of the exhibition from every detail. For instance, he introduced us to the reception area of Talbot Rice Gallery – an empty, sunlit and echoing space. Compared to the present, the space in reception has been significantly reorganized from before – it houses Sammy Baloji, ‘Untitled’, 2018-2023. installation art. In my opinion , this is the most appropriate space for the artwork. The plants need enough sunlight every day, and a large and bright space is better for them to grow.
In addition, the other works of art in the space fit the environment very well. This again illustrates the importance of environment to artworks. A suitable exhibition space not only presents and preserves the artworks better, but also allows the audience to immerse themselves in the world of the artworks, thus triggering empathy.
This has given me food for thought in my choice of curatorial space. Most of the artworks I choose are video-based. They required a room dark enough to present the artworks. But initially I chose a room that was well-lit and had a bright interior. This would undoubtedly give the viewer the wrong idea of the artwork and a bad viewing experience, which in turn would affect the viewer’s emotional experience.
Thus, I began to look for a more suitable space to carry out my curatorial project..
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