The Act of the Opening (Anslagets kunst) will examine the beginnings of an exhibition. I want to explore how a curator can orchestrate the impact of an exhibition through title, work, seminar, publication, as well as extend and/or distort it through social media. The beginning of the exhibition is relevant to examine because it is an overlooked aspect of the exhibition's dramaturgy. How can a curatorial method set the tone of an exhibition? I will investigate how the curator can influence the audience in terms of mood and physicality in the exhibition's approach, and already at the beginning stage and outline an exhibition's theme.
I will examine the following areas:
1. The power of the work - how does the curator display works to underline the theme in the opening of exhibitions?
2. Discursive spaces - How do you create a discursive space before the opening of the exhibition? Can the curator create a pre-experience that reinforces the understanding of the concept and content? Where is the boundary between the exhibition space and the societal space?
3. Initiating titles - How is it possible to strengthen the ouvreture with an exhibition title?
Based on these questions, I will identify, analyze and, through curatorial practice, examine The Act of the Openingand its significance to the audience.
Through articles, a seminar at Den Frie, and a series of (artist/curator) interviews I want to research and look at how curators can create friction and dynamic viewer experiences in the beginning of exhibitions. Last but not least I will curate the exhibition The Act of the Opening, an exhibition consisting of 10 opening works (and the structure behind these opening works), at Malmö Konstmuseum, Sweden.
Interviews already accomplished: Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev, Cécile Debray, Massimiliano Gioni, Haeju Kim, and Hans Ulrich Obrist. Coming up José Roca.
