Research on publications
We investigate the theory of publishing as curatorial practice and analyze its impact on artistic practice, using three case studies (The Phone is the Keyhole; The Penpot, The Heart; How We Hold, Serpentine Civic and Education; Publishing/ Curating: Under-theorised). Adam emphasised the importance of publishing as curation. He emphasizes that publishing may be utilized as a curatorial tool, allowing curators to broaden their scope to include debates of artistic practice, the link of artworks to time, and the impact of societal change. However, this raises the risk of “reterritorialisation”, which can result in new power structures. In addition, he explores the impact of queer phenomenology on publishing as art practice. Publishing as curating as a means of establishing non-mainstream and free practices that can build progressive imaginative communities, as opposed to standard publishing models.
In Seminar, we looked at the opportunities that the publication format provides for ephemeral events. First and foremost, the publication form’s primary function is to record and preserve, to permit review and research, and to extend the lifetime of ephemeral activity. However, it has the potential to undermine the short-lived aspect of the activity, robbing it of its original value. Distortions or omissions in the recording of ephemeral activities during the archiving process may alter and misinterpret the original meaning. Second, publishing, as a new creative form, generates new artistic opportunities. However, printing and archiving take more human and financial resources, putting some strain on the organizers.
In this week’s reading, the publication Give Birth to Me Tomorrow provides an extended introduction to the artist’s Moving Image Festival through three video works, in which the author refers to the concept of “postponements,” a term he evokes by recalling his mother’s frequent digressions from her storytelling. Postponements are the ongoing reinvention of a project through delays and pauses in order to adapt to changing events and conditions. Delays and pauses are both normal parts of project development and can help it achieve its goals and vision more effectively. The audience can be stretched the attention during this process.
Reference:
Benmakhlouf, A. and Taal, T., Give Birth to Me Tomorrow (Glasgow, Scotland: LUX Scotland, forthcoming).
Anne Gilbert (ed.), Publishing as artistic practice, (Berlin, Germany: Sternbery Press, 2016), Introduction pp. 6-39.
Amal Khalaf et al. (ed.s) How We Hold (London, United Kingdom: Serpentine, 2023), 9-54.
Delphine Bedel (2020), “Publishing as Artistic Practice”, Publishing as Artistic Practice. ‘One day I’d like to see artists’ books… | by Delphine Bedel | Medium
Individual Project Progress
Publishing could be used as a curatorial method in my individual proposal ‘The Food Funeral’, expanding the choices for artwork selection and allowing the curator to deliver a deeper introduction to the project. This would break the link between the artwork and time, extending its influence beyond the term of the offline show.
I created the brochure for The Food Funeral by utilizing the styles available on the web:
