Art Lies, Volume 28, Fall 2000 Page: 11
This periodical is part of the collection entitled: ArtLies and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the UNT Libraries.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Abdel Hernandez: Curatorial practice operates through
epistemes because there is an intrinsic understanding of
how language operates. The awareness stems from the fact
that, in the end, you are working with genres and lan-
guage, not only in terms of the works-which in them-
selves constitute language in the form of text and inter-
text-but in terms of the curatorial act which in itself
entails a proposition.
Mari Carmen Ramirez: I agree that curatorial practice ulti-
mately involves the translation, comparison, and confronta-
tion of discursive operations. In this case it refers to the
visual and tactile language of objects. And yet, many people
fail to see it in those terms. Some think that curating is
merely collecting a group of works and hanging them on
the wall or arranging them in space. Others consider that
curators are mere promoters of facilitators of artists' careers,
a role which many of them indeed fulfill. What I am argu-
ing for, instead, is the idea of a curator who produces theory,
a theory which is embodied, not illustrated, by the exhibi-
tion itself. I believe it is time that we concretely envision the
full potential of this kind of operation. A turning point that
avoids confusion and commonplaces while firmly reseting
our practice along creative and intellectual parameters.
However, having said that, I must also clarify that
what I am proposing is very different from having an apri-
ori idea or theory and then illustrating it with objects in
space. From my point of view, that strategy doesn't work
because the works become tools to illustrate a broader the-
sis or idea. On the contrary, I'd rather start with the prem-
ise that the work dictates what other work will be its com-
panion on the wall. I believe in the visual ordering and
reading of the works since the way perception operates in
the exhibition space is pivotal to both our particular rela-
tionship to the object and our general understanding of the
exhibition's argument. "Curators are curated by the works
themselves," as Paulo Herkenhoff says.
Abdel Hernandez: The concept of the creative curator
seems more imposing at first glance because this type of
curator presupposes that his/her project is a propositional
discourse and is thus aware of how it constitutes a scenic
enunciation. Paradoxically, this perspective puts forth a
more critical and dialogic vision, therefore, more participa-
tory, interactive, in terms of the artists as well as the com-
munity. For example, many artists today intentionally use
multimedia, performance and installation art to make their
own discoursive proposals in response to the themes or
problems posed by those that invite them to participate in
exhibitions or events. Here we note a relationship between
curator and artist which, in turn, renders the relationship
between the work and the social context-and ultimately
between the micro and macro narratives of the social and
political order--more flexible.
Mari Carmen Ramirez: I agree with you, yet this is not
the vision that underlies many curators' conception of theirpractice, at least as it unfolds itself in the exhibition space.
It is important to consider that even though history and
context are always there, they should not overpower thedemis buscando una totalidad que no puede ser abarcada
por ninguna exposici6n.
Surpik Angelini: El curador parece estar orquestando e
interpretando las piezas de la exposici6n, como lo hace un
misico cuando interpreta y performa una partitura, con la
conciencia de que su interpretaci6n es contingente a una
6poca y a una determinada circunstancia. A mi parecer,
6sta es una comprensi6n creativa y maleable de la practice
curatorial, que contrasta con otros planteamientos basados
en constructos fijos, presuntamente hist6ricos.
Mari Carmen Ramirez: Tocas un punto sensible que es
parte de un debate en este momento, particularmente con
respeto a lo que muchos artistas consideran que es el rol
del curador. Yo creo que, efectivamente, la labor curatorial
tiene una dimensi6n creativa paralela a la del artista,
aunque esto no implica que el curador deba suplantar el
lugar del artista. El curador siempre debe trabajar con
aquel, quien en ultima instancia es siempre el punto de
partida de toda curadurfa. Es innegable que la producci6n
curatorial es tambien una labor creativa e intelectual. Yo
defiendo este punto de vista porque frecuentemente no esta
bien entendido. Aunque muchas personas no lo ven asi, las
exposiciones, de hecho, son como producciones filmicas,
en el sentido de que cuentan con sus propios guiones,
donde los personajes son los artistas y las obras. En reali-
dad, el gui6n de la exposici6n es como un ensayo: si le
quitas un parrafo o una pigina, deja de tener sentido, sobre
todo cuando se trata de dicotomfas y/o de antinomias.
Abdel Hernandez: La practice curatorial opera por
epistemes; por una comprensi6n intrinseca sobre c6mo se
articula el lenguaje. Es una conciencia que surge del hecho
de que, en ultima instancia, se esta trabajando con generos
y lenguajes, no solo en t6rminos de las obras --que consti-
tuyen el lenguaje en la forma de texto e intertexto-- sino
tambien en el sentido del acto curatorial, que en si mismo
es una proposici6n.
Mari Carmen Ramirez: Estoy de acuerdo en que la practi-
ca curatorial involucra traducir, comparar y confrontar
operaciones discursivas. En este caso se refiere al lenguaje
visual y tactil de los objetos. Sin embargo, muchos no lo
ven asi. Hay quienes creen que la curaduria consiste en
coleccionar un grupo de obras y colgarlas en la pared o
colocarlas en el espacio. Otros consideran que los
curadores son promotores o facilitadores de las carreras de
los artistas, un rol que, de hecho, muchos han jugado. Yo
abogo, en cambio, por la idea de un curador que produce
teoria, una enactuada, mas no ilustrada, por la misma
exposici6n. Es hora de que visualicemos todo el potencial
de este tipo de operaci6n, que evita la confusi6n y los
lugares comunes, en tanto que orienta nuestras pr~cticas en
una direcci6n creativa e intelectual.
Sin embargo, tambidn debo aclarar que lo que pro-
pongo es muy diferente al hecho de contar con una idea apriori o una teoria, para luego ilustrarla con los objetos en
el espacio. Desde mi perspectiva, esa estrategia no fun-
ciona, pues las obras se convierten en instrumentos paraARTL!ES Fall 2000 I 11
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Angelini, Surpik & Hernández, Abdel. Art Lies, Volume 28, Fall 2000, periodical, 2000; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth228058/m1/13/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .