Cautionary Tales: Critical Curating is a resource
text for students and others interested in the curatorial
field. It will provide reflection for both established curators
as well as those just beginning to be involved in contemporary
art and cultural production.
Rather than invite curators to assess
how their roles have changed, we asked academics, writers
and a few curators to consider how the proliferation of "cultural
producers" has changed the definition, evolution, and
purpose of the curator over the last ten years. Each of the
ten authors provides a unique perspective on the evolution
and practice of the curator, drawing from a wide range of
disciplines: the authors are critics, curators, museum directors,
curatorial program directors, university professors and philosophers,
writers and thinkers from Germany, India, Korea, Sweden, New
York, Las Vegas, San Francisco, and Cleveland.
Drawing from a wealth of exhibitions
as examples of successful curating and the changing role of
the contemporary curator, the authors present subjects such
as balancing artistic vision and expectations of funders or
institutions, as well as considering potential ethical dilemmas
in dealings with artists and collectors. Some authors touch
on the growing numbers of "independent curators"
who graduate each year from the many curatorial programs around
the world, while others address the difference between working
within the institution and being an outside influence. A few
essays mention the more practical aspects of independent curatorship,
including fundraising, administration, and the need for good
and open communication. And as an interesting commentary on
the times, many of the papers speak to the importance of taking
risks.
It is the diversity, personal comments
and compelling observations by people of note that make this
edition a unique and noteworthy book for anyone interested
in art. |