Student Curatorial Team: A Currency of Ideas

On Thursday 8th November Katie Reid and I met the Exhibitions DJCAD Student Curatorial Team (SCT), introducing them to exhibition methods and structures through the workshop 'A Currency of Ideas'. This workshop is devised in two parts, covering both examples of University, local, national and international projects, the practical and conceptual logistics involved in devising exhibitions and providing a space for SCT to discuss the direction they would like to take this opportunity. 

The SCT is made up of both new and existing members, some of whom Katie and I have worked with in the past, through being the "guinea pigs" of SCT or at other DJCAD related exhibitions. It was a really good mix of students, ranging from Fine Art, APCP, MFA, TBA, Product Design, Jewellery and Illustration.

Katie and I planned part 1 around our relationship and the projects and institutions we have been involved with. We scattered the DJCAD Board Room table with books//articles//exhibition handout materials of both examples of our own work, related projects such as May Meet In Mutual and the work of other artists and curators we have researched over the years. 

We gave an outline of how we approach curatorial projects and included discussion on how to avoid errors we had made in the past. Previous Cooper Gallery projects, particularly A CUT A SCRATCH A SCORE, provided opportunity to consider the curatorial decision to programme multiple events and how in doing so is a challenging prospect but often beneficial in aiding the reception, meaning and critical discourse surrounding a project.

Our collaborative project barter brought forward conversation about how significant a curator's role is in bringing recognition to the practitioners whose work comprises the exhibition. Next week, part 2 will be held on Tuesday 13th with the SCT invited to bring their initial ideas as well as some images//articles//gallery handouts that they could barter - exchanging thoughts on how to develop their projects for the coming months. 

In part 1, some really good curatorial ideas were discussed and we look forward to hearing how these might have further evolved over the next few days and seeing these ideas come to fruition!

- Holly