This past weekend we installed and opened the exhibition a trimmed tree is no place for song birds, featuring works by MA CAP artists/students Kato’one Koloamatangi, Mitsuki Nakatani, and Alvi Östgård. This pivotal moment of curating the show alongside Ellie Lodge was highly informative as to how I approach my ISCP, which I will discuss in depth in the critical reflection text.

a trimmed tree is no place for song birds installation views. Images courtesy author.

Image of ephemera wall.

Ephemera Installation

In the exhibition, Ellie and I wanted to include an installation that brought together all 3 of the artists’ research, notes, material studies, and studio ephemera in one place to put their practices directly in dialogue with each other. The exceedingly positive response to this installation reflects a desire in audiences for deeper insight into the working practices of these artists and demonstrates the immense power of making artists’ research/archives public in a de-authored, heterogenous manner. In many ways, this installation points to the archive “as found yet constructed, factual yet fictive, public yet private”(Foster 5).

Grammel’s essay in this week’s reading also resonates with my personal ethos inspiring my approach to the curation of this exhibition; that “curatorial practice should deliberately create unstable constellations contradicting the notion of truth as something accomplished” (Grammel 34).

Public Programming & ISCP

This week’s theme on Publics & Programming is perfectly fitting given the public program is a crucial aspect of my project. I highly resonate with Alistair Hudson’s goal to “rescue the ideology of art from itself” in his work at the Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art (MIMA) (Hudson, 2017). Aspects of MIMA’s civic programming could apply to my project — inviting local schools to participate in a workshop with Out of the Blueprint or an accessible open day featuring free lunch, inspired by MIMA’s ‘community days’.

Highlighted text from Hudson, A. (2017) ‘Building a user-generated museum: a conversation with Alistair Hudson’, OpenDemocracy, 5 May. Available at: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/building-user-generated-museum-conversation-with-alistair-hudson

Initial sketch of floor plan, demonstrating shifting plans in what works to be included.

Changes in Selected Works

As the space has shifted from my initial concept of Dalmeny Street Park to Out of the Blue Drill Hall, the included works have changed due to the project existing indoors and a re-consideration of how certain works will exist in the space. Whilst ihsan saad ihsan tahir’s  outdoor marble slab installation is not suitable for the exhibition given this shift, his stained glass work WESTERN SUNRISE (the fifth column) explores similar themes & will be much more effective in the indoor space.

Another notable shift is that I have chosen to commission a new performance and installation from Nidhi Bodana rather than a previously made work. This performance would take place on the opening night of the exhibition and the installative remnants will remain throughout the duration. Below are details of new works selected for the project.

Images of Nidhi Bodana’s works You Make Up Me (right image) and Until When (left). These images are of the artist’s previous performances & installations, and serve as precedents for the newly commissioned work. Images courtesy Nidhi Bodana, https://bodananidhi.co.uk/#gallery

Installation view of Kato’one Koloamatangi’s sculpture Blueprint, 2026. Image courtesy author.

Collage of previously chosen work by ihsan saad ihsan tahir from WESTERN SUNRISE and new work for the ISCP, WESTERN SUNRISE (the fifth column). Images courtesy ihsan saad ihsan tahir, https://ihsansaadihsantahir.com/

References

Foster, Hal. “An Archival Impulse.” October (238 Main St., Suite 500, Cambridge, MA 02142-1046, USA) 110, no. 110 (October 2004): 3–22. https://doi.org/10.1162/0162287042379847. 

Grammel, S. (2011) ‘A Series of Acts and Spaces’, in Richter, D. and Wolfs, R. (eds.) ‘Institution as Medium. Curating as Institutional Critique? Part 1’, On Curating, 8, pp.33-38. Available at: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1QlprJ8Zu7SGn9TJex3Y4uJQ6z8Aq-YUA

Hudson, A. (2017) ‘Building a user-generated museum: a conversation with Alistair Hudson’, OpenDemocracy, 5 May. Available at: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/building-user-generated-museum-conversation-with-alistair-hudson

Week 10: a trimmed tree is no place for song birds / Preston Taylor / Curating (2025-2026)[SEM2] by is licensed under a