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Exploring the intersection of contemporary art with abandoned spaces, ‘Resonance of Ruins’ investigates how artists reinterpret and revitalize neglected areas, reflecting on themes of memory, decay, and regeneration.
Contact with ruins or abandoned spaces can lead to profound reflection and discovery. Travelling through ruins can evoke thoughts about history, memory and personal identity (Solnit, 2006). At the same time, ruins can evoke reflections on romantic beauty, historical depth, and presence (Dillon, 2014). These spaces offer alternative ways of experiencing, history and decay, facilitating a reassessment of what is considered valuable and meaningful in society (Edensor, 2005).
Independent Curatorial Project Research:
At the same time, I hope that my curatorial programme can have a strong connection with contemporary art, and I’ll use Tate Modern as an example.The article discusses how Tate Modern was transformed from the former Bankside Power Station into a museum of modern art, a case study that exemplifies how derelict industrial spaces can be creatively reused and transformed into art spaces.Also includes examples of creative centres in China(Cano and Juan, 2022).
TATE MODERN
References:
Cano Sanchiz, J. M. (2022) Spaces and roles of contemporary art in industrial and technological ruins. Arte, individuo y sociedad. [Online] 34 (1), 85–107.
Dillon, B. (2014) Ruin lust : artists’ fascination with ruins, from Turner to the present day / Brian Dillon. London, England: Tate Publishing.
Edensor, T. (2005) Industrial ruins : spaces, aesthetics and materiality / Tim Edensor. Oxford: Berg.
Solnit, Rebecca. (2006) A field guide to getting lost / Rebecca Solnit. Edinburgh: Canongate.
My curatorial practice emphasizes inclusion and diversity and deeply connects with the core values of community. It explores issues related to community engagement and social justice (Lawton & Harris, 2019) and aims to raise public awareness about abandoned Spaces. My original intention is not only to create art exhibitions, but also to build a platform for education and social engagement to promote public understanding and participation in abandoned Spaces and social practice art (Sanders-Bustle, 2020).
Why are these issues so pressing?
The exploration of abandoned Spaces is extremely important, as numerous studies have shown that the importance, significance and utility of urban wild landscapes are far greater than commonly recognized (Jorgensen, 2012). In the case of the project “Never Can Say Goodbye,” artists take over an abandoned Tower Records store to both celebrate the history of the Tarr record label and explore its demise through the interaction between visual art and music.
How would you actively encourage change?
I hope I can actively encourage change by organizing diverse artist groups and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration. This includes the use of new media and technology to broaden the audience and participation of the arts. Such as Arts Without Borders (AWB), they promote artistic practice among artists and the wider community, in particular encouraging creative activities that bring together different members of the cultural and creative community.
Who would you collaborate with to facilitate this change?
Yves Marchand & Romain Meffre’s ‘Gunkanjima’ series: photographs exploring abandoned islands that echo Edinburgh’s maritime history. Robert Polidori’s photography of urban ruins: shows the transformation of historic buildings and abandoned Spaces, prompting reflections on urban development and memory. Doris Salcedo’s installation: Telling stories of forgetting and loss through everyday objects, forming a dialogue with community engagement projects.
There are also local artists in Edin exploring abandoned Spaces.
How would you ensure that these changes had longevity?
While longevity can be difficult to guarantee, we can conduct regular assessments to ensure projects are aligned with community needs and expectations, and adjust strategies as appropriate.
What would be your guiding principle?
Caring is the antidote to violence.(Gary and Ja’tovia, 2020).This means that by focusing on and engaging with abandoned Spaces, we not only re-examine their role in urban life, but also provide a platform to promote community engagement and social justice through artistic intervention, education and social practice.
In the group discussion this Wednesday, I took notes, clarified the requirements of BLOG, and explored the name of the collective project within the group.
Gary, J. (2020) PROJECT JA’TOVIA GARY: Care is the ANTIDOTE TO VIOLENCE. Vol. 58. Artforum International Magazine, Inc.
Jorgensen, Anna. & Keenan, Richard. (2012) Urban wildscapes / edited by Anna Jorgensen and Richard Keenan. London ; Routledge.pp 170-236.
Lawton, P. H. (2019) At the Crossroads of Intersecting Ideologies: Community-Based Art Education, Community Engagement, and Social Practice Art. Studies in art education. [Online] 60 (3), 203–218.
Sanders-Bustle, L. (2020) Review of Art as Social Action: An introduction to the principles and practices of teaching social practice art. Art/Research International. [Online] 5 (1), 223–232.
This week I have learned about the unique strengths and limitations of ARI through my study of ARI, which has reinforced the fact that ARI and large organizations interact with each other.ARIs is developed and managed by unpaid artists, not professional managers. Artists are responsible for all aspects of the organization. In contrast, large art institutions are characterized by strong hierarchical relationships, with responsibilities divided through chains of authorization(Brown et al., 2018).
Independent Research based on lecture:
Arts development now focuses on how ARI and existing organizations can and do negotiate with each other, as well as recognizing the interpenetration between arts organizations of different sizes (Jackson and D. 2014). Such interactions can help facilitate collaboration, knowledge exchange, and resource sharing between arts organizations of different sizes and natures. This is because even though the presence of ARI artists can be a good judge of the cultural vitality of a community, for small and medium-sized cities, artists are highly mobile, and large cities with good facilities and ample space tend to be more attractive to artists (Keeley and M. A. 2008). For larger organizations, this can be remedied. This is because ARI lacks the resources and visibility that major public art organizations usually have (Blessi, et al, 2011).
Meanwhile, after my research, I found that a fusion of ARIs and major organizations is in the form of the Lacey Prize established in Canada, which was set up by Dr. John Lacey in conjunction with the National Gallery of Canada and supported by the National Gallery of Canada Foundation to honor artist-run centers and other small arts organizations (Anon, 2019). There is also the Ideas City program at the New Museum in New York which works with artist-led organizations to explore urban development and creative practice. This project encourages ARI participation and provides a platform for experimental and socially oriented art to be presented and in dialogue.
I believe that these forms of collaboration allow arts organizations of different sizes and natures to complement each other, grow together, and contribute to the diversity and inclusiveness of the arts ecology.
Individual Curatorial Project and collective project:
Lastly, During this Wednesday’s panel discussion, we established the curatorial mission statement that belongs to our group:
As curators, we will be responsive, experimental, innovative, open, inclusive and flexible in our approach. We will see ourselves as mediators.We will always aim to engage new audiences and underrepresented communities and cultures, with a focus on inclusion. Our goal is to engage with audiences both locally and globally.We intend to pay special attention to multimedia art works that exist both inside and outside the gallery space.Our forms of communication will include online and physical Spaces, as well as various blends of text and non-text outputs.
References:
Anon (2019) The Lacey Prize for Artist-Run Centres in Canada. Ottawa: PR Newswire Association LLC.
Blessi, G. T. et al. (2011) Independent artist-run centres: an empirical analysis of the Montreal non-profit visual arts field. Cultural trends. [Online] 20 (2), 141–166.
Brown, D. et al. (2018) Artists Running: Fifty Years of Scottish Cultural Devolution. Visual culture in Britain. [Online] 19 (2), 139–167.
Jackson, D. (2014) Shifting focus of the traditional centres of contemporary art : Scotland’s evolving position from periphery to prominence. The University of Edinburgh.
Keeley, M. A. (2008) The Benefits And Limitations Of Artist-Run Organizations In Columbus, Ohio. The Ohio State University / OhioLINK.
In Terry Smith’s paper Mapping the Contexts of Contemporary Curating: the Visual Arts Exhibitionary Complex, we gain deep theoretical insight into contemporary curatorial practice and the Visual Arts Exhibitionary Complex (VAEC). Smith argues that the VAEC, which includes diverse exhibition venues ranging from large museums to temporary installations and web postings, demonstrates how curatorial practice can transcend its traditional boundaries (Smith, 2017). By systematically mapping the evolution of the VAEC, Smith reveals a complex interweaving of historical developments, power hierarchies, and internal dynamics, offering new perspectives for understanding the role of the contemporary curator. At the same time, we researched different organizations, giving me a grounded understanding of how organizations operate with each other.
About individual curatorial project:
For my independent research, I looked at another of Smith’s articles Thinking Contemporary Curating, where the curatorial landscape is changing in the context of contemporary art, with less obvious but increasingly concerning issues including rethinking audience identities, engaging the audience as co-curators, and the challenges of curatorial contemporaneity itself (Smith. 2012). At the same time, research has shown that there is now a growing interest in the history of exhibitions, how their appreciation changes over time, and remembering their original context (Leonardi, 2021). The participatory paradigm consolidates the museum’s position as a tool for social progress (Robinson, 2020). It follows that audience participation is a very important branch of contemporary art curation, regardless of the size of the pavilion.Therefore, in my personal curatorial projects, improving the audience’s participation is one of my curatorial interests.
Case study:
I think the CCA provides a good direction for research in this direction, demonstrating how these theoretical challenges can be addressed in practice. The CCA, as a multi-functional cultural facility, is not only a venue for art exhibitions but also a platform for community events and creative exchanges. This diversity and openness reflect the importance of the VAEC in contemporary curatorial practice and how curators can adapt to the needs of diverse public and changing forms of artistic expression. The case of CCA Glasgow emphasizes the importance of community and participation in contemporary curation. By working with the local community and artists, CCA creates an environment that is both an exhibition space and a public forum, a model that provides useful insights into how social engagement and dialogue can be fostered through art.
Leonardi, F. (2021) Curating the context: re-enacting and reconstructing exhibitions as ways of studying the past. Museum management and curatorship (1990). [Online] 36 (2), 172–188.
Robinson, H. (2020) Curating good participants? Audiences, democracy and authority in the contemporary museum. Museum management and curatorship (1990). [Online] 35 (5), 470–487.
Smith, T. (Terry E. ) (2012) Thinking contemporary curating / Terry Smith. New York: Independent Curators International.
Smith, T. (2017) Mapping the Contexts of Contemporary Curating: The Visual Arts Exhibitionary Complex. Journal of curatorial studies. [Online] 6 (2), 170–180.
Through last week’s study, I have gained a certain understanding of the role and characteristics of the curator, in last Wednesday’s seminar, I also learned about the different experiences of visiting exhibitions of the students in the group, so I learned something I hadn’t known before, and we all come from different majors have their specialty, which makes me full of interest in the next study life.
At the same time, I visited Zarina Bhimji’s exhibition ‘Flagging it Up’ at the Edinburgh fruitmarket, for me, this exhibition was visually stunning, her work is born of observation and feeling, rooted in careful use of color and light. It contains lapses and ambiguities, its rhythms, contexts, and moods are evocative rather than descriptive or documentary. Zarina Bhimj’s father is Indian, so India and East Africa are repeat locations for her forays into local archaeology. I also see elements with Indian overtones in her artwork. Bhimji is driven by the ability of art to recreate an experience in the mind of the viewer, and I believe that this is something she has done, by viewing her visual artwork it does give one the feeling of being in the dust.
Moreover, by learning the characteristics of SVAO, I think the fruitmarket is a typical SVAO, first of all, the exhibition is free and dedicated to the dissemination of art. At the same time, Bhimji wants to build a bridge through her work by speaking directly to the audience.
In the preview assignment, I learned about the role that visual arts play in curation, showing four interpretations related to contemporary art.
Modified：
Independent Research:
In the history of exhibition production of contemporary art, SAVOs presents a curatorial model that is different from that of large-scale biennials and ‘White Cube’ Spaces. These smaller organizations provide a more relaxed atmosphere that promotes a more direct interaction between art and the audience (Bilbao, 2018). O’Neill (2012) points out that a curator-centric discourse is emerging that effectively advocates and empowers new independent curatorial practices, thereby changing the curatorial landscape of contemporary art.
I had the pleasure of visiting Zarina Bhimji’s exhibition “Flagging it Up” at the Edinburgh Fruitmarket. Bhimji’s work presents a visual shock based on observation and feeling through the careful use of color and light. As O’Neill (2012) emphasizes in the Culture of Curation and the Curation of Culture, the curatorial practice of contemporary art has gone beyond simple exhibition production to involve a broader set of cultural practices. Bhimji’s work, with its unique use of color and light effects, embodies this trend in contemporary art to seek depth perception and emotional resonance.[Edited with 10 March 2024 ]
References:
Bilbao Yarto, A. E. (2018) Micro-Curating : The Role of SVAOs (Small Visual Arts Organisations) in the History of Exhibition-Making.
O\’Neill, P. (2012) The culture of curating and the curating of culture(s) / Paul O’Neill. Cambridge, Mass. ; The MIT Press.
TATE MODERN
