W3-Rethinking My Curatorial Project: From Symbolic Power to Decentralized Ecologies

🎨 Introduction: A Shift in Perspective

Over the past week, my curatorial approach has gone through a major transformation. Initially, my project was an extension of last semester’s research, focusing on value construction and symbolic power in the art market 🎭, particularly how auctions shape the perception of cultural value. This was a familiar territory for me, something I had explored during my time at Sotheby’s.

But after diving into this week’s readings 📚—especially on archival studies, decentralization, and participatory curation—I started to realize: my curatorial approach could be bolder, more open, and more experimental.

I found myself increasingly drawn to decentralized curation and the NFT market 🔗💡—especially how they challenge the traditional role of curators and redefine audience participation. This realization pushed me out of my comfort zone , but it also led me to a more dynamic, experimental direction that better connects with my background in the art market. So, I decided to shift my curatorial framework and develop “Fluid Curating: Experimenting with Decentralized Art Ecologies and Archiving” .

💡 What Changed My Thinking?

Throughout my readings, a few key texts and ideas significantly influenced my thought process:

1️⃣ Curation is a Dynamic Process, Not a Static Product

Reading The Curatorial: A Philosophy of Curating by Jean-Paul Martinon (2013) really struck a chord with me. I was particularly drawn to his idea that curating is not just about putting works of art together, but a constantly changing, continuous process of generation. This got me thinking, why can’t the exhibition be more “fluid”? Could it be a space shaped by multiple forces, rather than a framework decided unilaterally by the curators? 🤔

2️⃣ Curation as a “Living Archive” Instead of a Static Record

In Living Archives (Färber, 2007), I saw a new way of curating – that archives could not only be static records but also evolving active ecology. It dawned on me that curation could actually become an open “archival system” in which audiences, artists, and even AI could contribute to its evolution.🏛️➡️💻

3️⃣ NFTs and the Decentralization of Curatorial Power

I used to think of NFTs mainly as digital collectibles, but after reading Issues in Curating Contemporary Art and Performance (Rugg & Sedgwick, 2007), I began to think: Can NFT be a curatorial tool? If the way artworks are displayed can be recorded via blockchain, then the exhibition itself becomes a transparent, traceable process, giving the audience greater decision-making power.🤯

4️⃣ The Potential of AI in Curating

Refik Anadol’s work and Algorithmic Curation (Golding, 2011) made me rethink AI’s role in exhibitions. AI can analyze market trends, generate curatorial texts, recommend artworks, and even predict future artistic movements 🔮. What does that mean for curators? Could AI become a co-curator rather than just a tool?

“Fluid Curation” : My new curatorial concept

“Curating on the Move: Experiments and Archives in Decentralized Art Ecology” is an experiment in future curatorial approaches. This project combines the NFT art market, AI curatorial models and audience co-curation to create an exhibition model that is not restricted by traditional institutions. Its key features include:

🔹 Living archival curation

Every curatorial decision will be recorded on the blockchain, resulting in an open and transparent curatorial history.

The exhibition will not be fixed, but will evolve with the contributions of the artist and the audience.

🔹 Audience as co-curators

Viewers can vote on which works are shown or removed.

Interactive installations allow visitors to generate curatorial texts either on-site or online.

🔹 AI combined with NFT market

AI analyzes NFT market trends and predicts future art genres.

Exhibition works circulate directly on the NFT market, making the exhibition not only a display space, but also a trading space.

🔹 Experimental market curation

Viewers and collectors can trade art directly through smart contracts.

Set up a real-time bidding system to test how the market influences curatorial decisions.

🚀 Next Steps: Making This Vision a Reality

🔍 What’s next?

1️⃣ Deepening my research on blockchain-based curatorial models to refine the decentralization aspects.

2️⃣ Sketching out exhibition layouts and interactive tools to create an immersive experience.(leveraging technology partnerships for implementation 🤝💡)

3️⃣ Sharing my ideas in group discussions to explore potential challenges and refine my approach.

✨ Final Thoughts:

The process of writing this blog has made me more clear about my curatorial direction. I hope my project is an exploration of future curatorial possibilities. Through NFT, AI and audience co-curation, I wanted to see: How can curators work in a more decentralized curatorial model? How does the dynamic nature of the art market fit into the exhibition?

📌 What are your thoughts on decentralized curation? Feel free to discuss in the comments! 💬

📖 References

Brown, Stephen, and A. Patterson. 2007. Imagining Marketing Art, Aesthetics and the Avant-Garde. Routledge.

Deleuze, Gilles, and Félix Guattari. 1994. What is Philosophy? Columbia University Press.

Deleuze, Gilles, and Félix Guattari. 2004. A Thousand Plateaus. Bloomsbury.

Färber, Alexa. 2007. “Exhibiting ‘Science’ in the Public Realm.” In Exhibition Experiments, edited by Paul Basu and Sharon Macdonald, 211–232. Blackwell Publishing.

Golding, Johnny. 2011. “Fractal Philosophy (And the Small Matter of Learning How to Listen): Attunement as the Task of Art.” In Deleuze and Contemporary Art, edited by Ian Buchanan and Nicholas Thoburn, 37-72. Edinburgh University Press.

Martinon, Jean-Paul. 2013. The Curatorial: A Philosophy of Curating. Bloomsbury Academic.

Rugg, Judith, and Michele Sedgwick. 2007. Issues in Curating Contemporary Art and Performance. Intellect.

Feb 3, 2025

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W3-Rethinking My Curatorial Project: From Symbolic Power to Decentralized Ecologies / Hanyun Xue / Curating (2024-2025)[SEM2] by is licensed under a

Your first blog post opens with a deeply personal narrative, drawing readers in as you expertly weave together the experiences that have shaped your interests over time. You reflect on your educational background and past experiences, providing rich insights into the journey that has led you to this point. Additionally, you articulate your ambitions with clarity, detailing your aspirations for the blog and the impact you wish to have. With finesse, you outline your goals and the thoughtful strategies you intend to implement, making it evident that you have a well-considered plan to achieve your aims.

In your second blog post, you introduce your initial idea and how it has been shaped by your personal experience of working in an auction house. You introduce the theory of “Value Construction and Symbolic Power in the Art Market.” I suggest you investigate theories relating to the production of value and institutional critique and look at artists who question this. You may find the work of Andrea Fraser and Merlin Carpenter of interest. Your idea is ambitious. It is important to research other exhibitions that have managed to engage the audience in participatory actions.

Your third post clearly articulates the journey you are on. It’s great to see how the lectures and your research are shaping your ideas. Making connections between traditional models of exchange, such as art auctions, and new models, like NFTs, could raise some interesting questions. You highlight key parts of your research and reflect on them critically, which is something I encourage you to continue doing. You also present your new concept for the exhibition well. Your inclusion of “What’s next?” is a clear indication that you know what you need to do to develop and achieve your ideas. It’s nice that your final thought ends with a question, as this provides evidence that you know what you want to pursue next.

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alewisj

Your first blog post opens with a deeply personal narrative, drawing readers in as you expertly weave together the experiences that have shaped your interests over time. You reflect on your educational background and past experiences, providing rich insights into the journey that has led you to this point. Additionally, you articulate your ambitions with clarity, detailing your aspirations for the blog and the impact you wish to have. With finesse, you outline your goals and the thoughtful strategies you intend to implement, making it evident that you have a well-considered plan to achieve your aims.

In your second blog post, you introduce your initial idea and how it has been shaped by your personal experience of working in an auction house. You introduce the theory of “Value Construction and Symbolic Power in the Art Market.” I suggest you investigate theories relating to the production of value and institutional critique and look at artists who question this. You may find the work of Andrea Fraser and Merlin Carpenter of interest. Your idea is ambitious. It is important to research other exhibitions that have managed to engage the audience in participatory actions.

Your third post clearly articulates the journey you are on. It’s great to see how the lectures and your research are shaping your ideas. Making connections between traditional models of exchange, such as art auctions, and new models, like NFTs, could raise some interesting questions. You highlight key parts of your research and reflect on them critically, which is something I encourage you to continue doing. You also present your new concept for the exhibition well. Your inclusion of “What’s next?” is a clear indication that you know what you need to do to develop and achieve your ideas. It’s nice that your final thought ends with a question, as this provides evidence that you know what you want to pursue next.

6 February 2025