| Unit name | Curating the Object |
|---|---|
| Unit code | HART20029 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Miss. Brace |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | Department of History of Art (Historical Studies) |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
This unit will introduce students to the practice and theory of the exhibition as a central strand of the discipline of art history and as a fundamental tool for communicating art historical research to the wider public. Art historians based in the university are frequently involved in exhibitions as both curators and as contributors to catalogues. This involvement requires close collaboration between museum professionals and academics. Students taking the unit will learn about the history and theory of exhibitions, as well as being introduced to the practical aspects of curating an exhibition and writing interpretative text aimed at the general public. The unit will draw on staff involvement in curatorial practice in collaboration with national institutions as well as local institutions with curatorial expertise. As part of the assessment for this unit, students will collaborate in groups to produce a virtual exhibition, which they will present as a group by actively guiding the assessor through their exhibition, just as a curator would do. Students will be expected to organise group work sessions independently, in addition to attending formal supervision sessions.
By the end of the unit, students will be able to demonstrate:
Classes will involve a combination of long- and short-form lectures, class discussion, investigative activities, and practical activities including work toward a virtual exhibition. Students will be expected to engage with readings and participate on a weekly basis. This will be further supported with drop-in sessions and self-directed exercises with tutor and peer feedback.
One 750-word exhibition review (40%) [ILOs 1-4]
One project portfolio (60%) [ILOs 1-6]
Hans Ulrich Obrist, A brief history of curating, edited by Lionel Bovier (Zurich: JRP / Ringier ; Dijon: Les Presses du rel , 2011)
On Curating: interviews with ten international curators, interviews by Carolee Thea; ed. Carolee Thea and Thomas Micchelli. (New York: D.A.P./Distributed Art Publishers, 2009)
Ten Fundamental questions of Curating, ed. Jens Hofman (Milan, Mousse Publishing, Fiorucci Art Trust, 2013)
What Makes a Great Exhibition?, ed. Paula Marincola (Philadelphia: Philadelphia Exhibition Initiative, 2006)
Thinking about Exhibitions, ed. Reesa Greenberg, Bruce W Ferguson and Sandy Nairne (Abingdon, Routledge, 1996)
Mary Anne Staniszewski, The Power of Display: a history of exhibition installations at the Museum of Modern Art (Cambridge, Mass.; London: MIT, 1998)
