WEEK 9

I was very excited to be there again at The Talbet Rice Gallery, especially when I saw “The Accursed Share.” Since I have always known that the University of Edinburgh is committed to colonial and anti-colonial issues and this topic is discussed in various academic Settings. So I was looking forward to learning something from this visit.

When I saw the “Naming Money” exhibition, I felt the change of identity brought about by colonization. For behind each piece is an introduction of the painted figure: “What was my name, what am I now called, what did I do, what do I do now.” The four lines directly express the change of identity of these people after colonization and colonization — not only the change of occupation, but also the reshaping of individuals. Because their names have changed, names are the first step of a person’s self-cognition while the colonized exhibtees lost their original names, that is to say, they lost their self-dominance and they have to serve the colonists from now on. Identity changed from freedom to bondage.

When listening to JL’s introduction of exhibition details and paying attention to the setting of boundary lines to protect fragile and dirty works, I realized that as a curator, I should not only think about art、human beings and personalities, but also observe details to provide a comfortable and convenient viewing environment for every visitor.

But I felt a little bit disappointed in this course. Because I expected James to introduce the steps of curating an exhibition or share his experiences as a curator on how to communicate with artists and determine themes. I thought I could learn something about planning and layout. However, in fact, James only gave us a comprehensive introduction to each exhibit. I was like a tourist, not a student of curation. Hope to make some changes in the course planning and content arrangement in the future.