SIGHT UNSEEN A proposal by Marcy B. Freedman
“Message to curators: Whatever you’re doing right now, do something else next.” Roberta Smith (New York Times, February 14, 2010)
THE CONCEPT: SIGHT UNSEEN is intended to challenge traditional notions of curatorial practice. The project establishes a new “balance of power” between curator and artist and explores a new relationship between curator and public.
THE MOTIVATION: Elements of chance and absurdity have played an important role in many 20th century art movements. SIGHT UNSEEN will bring these elements into the realm of curatorial practice. The curator will be faced with an unpredictable assortment of artworks, some of which she may abhor. And yet, she will be compelled to incorporate these works into an exhibition with her name on it! It is really a “no-win” situation for the curator. If the exhibition happens to turn out well, she will receive little praise, because she did not perform the duties of selection that are normally associated with the role of curator. If the exhibition is a disaster, the curator will – nevertheless - receive the blame. How wonderfully illogical and unreasonable!
THE PROCESS: The first step has already been taken. Hundreds of postcards containing the following message have been distributed:
I DON’T WANT TO SEE YOUR ART . . .
but I do want others to see it!
Please allow me to explain:
I am working on a project called
SIGHT UNSEEN.
This project consists of a
performance and an exhibition.
The exhibition will contain artworks
that I have never seen – until they
are dropped off for installation.
The performance will be a public
presentation of my installation
process – as I struggle to fashion
a meaningful show with works
that I did not select.
If you would like to participate,
please contact me ASAP.
The intermediate steps will involve email communications between the curator and the participating artists about logistical matters only. No information about the particular artworks to be included in the exhibition will be discussed. The performative step: After the participating artists have brought or sent their works to the exhibition venue, the curator and members of the public will be admitted to the space. The curator will peruse the artworks, and then install the show -- in the presence of a live audience. Optional steps: During the run of the exhibition, the curator (who has undergraduate and graduate degrees in art history) will present a series of lectures about the works on view, freely expressing her opinions – both positive and negative -- about the artworks.
THE IMPLICATIONS: In the situation described above, artists will be accorded an unusual degree of control: regardless of their level of talent or accomplishment, they will be able to show their work in a “curated exhibition.” Correspondingly, the curator will be denied the authority to select artworks for the show. Her role will be that of an exhibition designer -- and performance artist. Her aesthetic and conceptual sensibilities will be challenged by the random assortment of artworks with which she must work and by the pressure of working under the scrutiny of an audience.
Note: This transformation of curator into performer contains an additional “twist.” As it happens, the curator of SIGHT UNSEEN is actually a performance artist who will assume the role of curator for this project. Absurdity triumphs!
“I have always maintained that it is important to try new approaches.” Harald Szeemann (Interview with Hans Ulrich Obrist, 1995)
CONTACT INFORMATION: Marcy B. Freedman 35 Sunset Drive Croton-on-Hudson, NY 10520 (914) 271 5891 mbf @ bestweb.net
SIGHT UNSEEN A proposal by Marcy B. Freedman
“Message to curators: Whatever you’re doing right now, do something else next.” Roberta Smith (New York Times, February 14, 2010)
THE CONCEPT: SIGHT UNSEEN is intended to challenge traditional notions of curatorial practice. The project establishes a new “balance of power” between curator and artist and explores a new relationship between curator and public.
THE MOTIVATION: Elements of chance and absurdity have played an important role in many 20th century art movements. SIGHT UNSEEN will bring these elements into the realm of curatorial practice. The curator will be faced with an unpredictable assortment of artworks, some of which she may abhor. And yet, she will be compelled to incorporate these works into an exhibition with her name on it! It is really a “no-win” situation for the curator. If the exhibition happens to turn out well, she will receive little praise, because she did not perform the duties of selection that are normally associated with the role of curator. If the exhibition is a disaster, the curator will – nevertheless - receive the blame. How wonderfully illogical and unreasonable!
THE PROCESS: The first step has already been taken. Hundreds of postcards containing the following message have been distributed:
I DON’T WANT TO SEE YOUR ART . . .
but I do want others to see it!
Please allow me to explain:
I am working on a project called
SIGHT UNSEEN.
This project consists of a
performance and an exhibition.
The exhibition will contain artworks
that I have never seen – until they
are dropped off for installation.
The performance will be a public
presentation of my installation
process – as I struggle to fashion
a meaningful show with works
that I did not select.
If you would like to participate,
please contact me ASAP.
The intermediate steps will involve email communications between the curator and the participating artists about logistical matters only. No information about the particular artworks to be included in the exhibition will be discussed. The performative step: After the participating artists have brought or sent their works to the exhibition venue, the curator and members of the public will be admitted to the space. The curator will peruse the artworks, and then install the show -- in the presence of a live audience. Optional steps: During the run of the exhibition, the curator (who has undergraduate and graduate degrees in art history) will present a series of lectures about the works on view, freely expressing her opinions – both positive and negative -- about the artworks.
THE IMPLICATIONS: In the situation described above, artists will be accorded an unusual degree of control: regardless of their level of talent or accomplishment, they will be able to show their work in a “curated exhibition.” Correspondingly, the curator will be denied the authority to select artworks for the show. Her role will be that of an exhibition designer -- and performance artist. Her aesthetic and conceptual sensibilities will be challenged by the random assortment of artworks with which she must work and by the pressure of working under the scrutiny of an audience.
Note: This transformation of curator into performer contains an additional “twist.” As it happens, the curator of SIGHT UNSEEN is actually a performance artist who will assume the role of curator for this project. Absurdity triumphs!
“I have always maintained that it is important to try new approaches.” Harald Szeemann (Interview with Hans Ulrich Obrist, 1995)
CONTACT INFORMATION: Marcy B. Freedman 35 Sunset Drive Croton-on-Hudson, NY 10520 (914) 271 5891 mbf @ bestweb.net