Course detail

On Curating. Theory and Practice.

FaVU-OK-LAcad. year: 2020/2021

A course is divided into two parts: lectures and workshops. The lectures will introduce several topics: important curators, important exhibition projects, exhibition formats, institutionalisation of curating, or the “low-cost curating”. The workshops will be based on presentations of selected curators (followed by Q&As), there will also be a field trip.

Language of instruction

Czech

Number of ECTS credits

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

doc. Mgr. Jan Zálešák, Ph.D.

Department

Department of Art History and Theory (KTDU)

Learning outcomes of the course unit

Students are oriented in the history and contemporary practice of curating. They are able to identify key figures of curating both in the international context and within the Czech art scene of the last 20 years; they know the important exhibitions and exhibition formats.

Prerequisites

A solid knowledge of the context of contemporary art and its theory.

Co-requisites

Not applicable.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Combination of lectures, presentations of invited guests concluded by a controlled discussion, and presentations of students related to selected topics covered during the semester.

Assesment methods and criteria linked to learning outcomes

A credit. Based on presentation of the conception of a curatorial project.

Course curriculum

Lectures:
1. Key curators-authors since the post-war era up to now (Harald Szeeman, Lucy Lippard, Pontus Hultén, Nicolas Bourriaud, Maria Lind...).
2. Curating in the Czech republic after 1989: important representatives, important curatorial projects.
3. Exhibition formats (one-man show, collective shows, thematic exhibition, biennial etc.) and the roles to be adapted or created by curators within these formats.
4. A relationship between curating and theory; a relatedness of curating and art practice.
5. “Low-cost curating”: off-spaces, artist-run spaces, artist as curators.
6. Institutionalisation of curating within the academy; theoretical reflextion of curating.

Workshops:
Presentations of the selected Czech or foreign curators.
Field trip(s): selected exhibitions, where the variety of curatorial strategies and approaches can be seen in flesh.

Work placements

Not applicable.

Aims

The aim of the course is to develop a deeper understanding of curating, both in its history and up-to-date practice. Students will be informed about the important representatives of the curatorial, about the key exhibition formats; they will meet curators and in discussion with them they will be able to reflect on the specific nature of the curatorial practice.

Specification of controlled education, way of implementation and compensation for absences

Compulsory attendance (3 absences allowed).

Recommended optional programme components

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

Not applicable.

Type of course unit

Lecture

13 hod., optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

doc. Mgr. Jan Zálešák, Ph.D.

Seminar

13 hod., optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

doc. Mgr. Jan Zálešák, Ph.D.