ARTH 648B-2

Envisioning Digital and Virtual Forms of Exhibitions:

The Curatorial Translation of Theory into Practice
Tuesday - 18:00-21:00 EV-3-760
loren.lerner@sympatico.ca

Note: The seminar room is available at 5:00 to give you time to set up your presentations.
Office hours: Tuesday, 3:00-5:00, and by appointment.

Wednesday Sept 5
Introduction
Researching Contemporary Canadian Artists
Invited Speaker: Melinda Reinhart, Visual Arts Librarian

Week of Sept 5 and 11: Loren meets individually with students

Sept 11
Museum Websites, Virtual Exhibitions, Digital Media and New Technologies
Invited Speakers: Dina Vescio, Concordia MA Art History graduate and Department Assistant, Art History;
Wendy Thomas, Senior Heritage Information Analyst, Canadian Heritage Information Network (CHIN); Michel
Hardy-Lavalle, Concordia PhD Art History student

Wednesday Sept 12
Contemporary Art Knowledge: Production and Dissemination
Invited Speakers: Martha Langford, professor, Art History / Research Chair and Director, Gail and Stephen
A. Jarislowsky Institute for Studies in Canadian Art / Editor-in-chief, Journal of Canadian Art
History/Annales d'histoire de l'art canadien

Readings:
*Mller, K. "Museums and Virtuality." Curator: The Museum Journal, 45 (2002): 2133.
*Soren, B.J. & Canadian Heritage Information Network. "Best Practices in Creating Quality Online
Experiences for Museum Users," Museum Management and Curatorship 20, no. 2 (2005); 131-148.
*Hargittay, C. "Bill Kirby [internet archive of Canadian professional artists]." Canadian Art, 18 (Fall 2001):
42-43.
*Styliani, S., et. al. Virtual Museums, a Survey and Some Issues for Consideration. Journal of Cultural
Heritage 10, no. 4 (October 2009), 520-528.

NO CLASS Sept 18 and Sept 25

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Part One
Oct 2 Virtual Exhibition with Artists from the CCCA website: Student Presentations

Oct 9 Virtual Exhibition with Artists from the CCCA website: Student Presentations

Oct 16 Draft of assignment for Part One due, paper and email attachment, in WORD.
Week of Oct 9 and 16: Loren meets individually with students

Oct 16
Curatorial Initiatives and the Transformation of Exhibition Practices
Invited Speakers: Donigan Cumming, artist; Erin Silver, PhD candidate in Art History and Gender & Women's
Studies at McGill University and curator of Coming through the Fog: les rencontres de Matthieu Brouillard
et de Donigan Cumming...

Readings:

*Coming through the Fog: les rencontres de Matthieu Brouillard et Donigan Cumming Curated by Erin
Silver. FOFA Gallery, Concordia University, Montral, Qubec March 19 April 20, 2012. (reserve, Webster
Library)

*Kihm, Christophe, and Charles, tr. Penwarden." "Que font les commissaires? / A Study of Curators and
Curating."" Art Press no. 364 (2010): 55-62.

*Princenthal, Nancy. "Party of Two." Art in America 97, no. 10 (2009): 112-117.

Part Two

Oct 23
Virtual Exhibition with Other Artists: Student Presentations

Oct 30
Virtual Exhibition with Other Artists: Student Presentations

Oct 30 7:40
Invited Speaker: Bill Kirby, founder and executive director of the Centre for Contemporary Canadian Art
(CCCA)

Nov 6 Draft of assignment for Part Two due, paper and email attachment, in WORD and
one-paragraph tentative description of the two-artist exhibition
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Nov 6 Conceptualizing Exhibitions: The Interrelations of Real and Virtual Productions
Invited Speakers: jake moore, Gallery Director, FoFa Gallery / Sara Morley, Director, Design, Postimage

Readings:
*Gagnon, Vicky Chainey. "From the Populist Museum to the Research Platform: New Art Exhibition Practices
Today." Etc no. 95 (February 2012): 32-34.

*Manovich, Lev. "The Practice of Everyday (Media) Life: From Mass Consumption to Mass Cultural
Production?" Critical Inquiry 35, no. 2 (Winter 2009): 319-331.

*Sholette, Gregory. "Fidelity, Betrayal, Autonomy: In and Beyond the Contemporary Art Museum." Third
Text, 16, no. 2 (2002): 153-166.

*Trezzi, Nicola. "The Art of Curating." Flash Art (International Edition) 43 (2010): 62-66.

Week of Nov 6 and 13: Loren meets individually with students

Nov 13
The Exhibition Catalogue: Digital versus Print Publishing
Invited Speaker: Pata Macedo, Graphic Designer

Readings:
*"The Aesthetics of Publishing: The Art Book as Object from Print to Digital." Visual Resources: An
International Journal of Documentation, 24, no. 1 (2008): 39-58.

*Lyon, Christopher. "The Art Book's Last Stand?" Art in America 94, no. 8 (2006): 47-55.

*Whalen, Maureen. "What's Wrong With This Picture? An Examination of Art Historians' Attitudes About
Electronic Publishing Opportunities and the Consequences of Their Continuing Love Affair with Print." Art
Documentation 28, no. 2 (2009): 13-22.

Nov 20
Interviewing Artists and Writing about Art
Invited Speaker: Joanne Latimer, freelance journalist

Readings:
*Anastas, Rhea. "A Response." Art Journal 64, no. 3 (2005): 78-83.

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*Burton, Johanna, and Lisa Pasquariello."Ask Somebody Else Something Else: Analyzing the Artist
Interview." Art Journal 64, no. 3 (2005): 46-49.

*Griffin, Tim. "'Method Acting': The Artist-Interviewer Conversation," Art Journal, 64, 3 (2005): 70-77.

*Hudson, Suzanne. "Why and How Do We Work on Living Artists." Art Journal 67, no. 4 (Winter 2008): 8-11.

*Meyer, Richard. "Artists Sometimes Have Feelings." Art Journal 67, no. 4 (Winter 2008): 38-55.

*Tuchman, Phyllis. "Two or Three Things I Know about Artist Interviews." Art Journal 67, no. 4 (2008): 33-
37.

Nov 27
Two Artist Virtual Exhibition: Student Presentations

Dec 4
Two Artist Virtual Exhibition: Student Presentations

Dec 11 Draft of assignment for Part Three due, paper and email attachment.

Dec 21 Final assignments, Part One, Two and Three, due

DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNMENTS

Part One Virtual Exhibition with Artists from the CCCA website

Part Two Virtual Exhibition with Other Artists

For Part One the focus is on two to three artists from the CCCA website.

For Part Two preference is given to two to three artists from:

Oh Canada (exhibition catalogue on reserve, Webster Library)

It is What It Is; It Was What It Was (exhibition catalogue on reserve, Webster Library)

Spotlight on 40 Years Artworks from the Canada Council Art Bank: http://www.artbank.ca/en/40th;
winners of the Governor General Awards for Visual Arts
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Governor General Awards in Visual and Media Arts
http://ggavma.canadacouncil.ca/
http://www.artbank.ca/en/The%20Collection/Award%20Winning%20Artists/Governor%20Generals%20Award
s%20in%20Visual%20and%20Media%20Arts.aspx.

For Part One and Part Two the presentation of 15 minutes focuses on the artists and works of art and
explores the formal aspects and content - the subjects, themes, concepts, etc. - that bring the artists
together in a group exhibition.

A class discussion of 10 to 15 minutes follows each presentation.

The written portion of this assignment is in the range of four pages (double-spaced). This consists of a title;
an introduction of one page; four to five images with citations; a descriptive, exploratory paragraph of four
to five sentences for each of the images; endnotes; bibliography. Style and format: Times New Roman, 12
point, standard margins, double-spaced, MLA style manual.

Part Three Two-Artist Virtual Exhibition

This two-artist exhibition consists of one artist from the Part One assignment (CCCA website) and one artist
from the Part Two assignment..

This virtual exhibition includes in the range of six to ten works. Additionally, support material, such as
photographs, artefacts and other types of visual media can complement the selection of works. The form,
content and presentation of the exhibition will be determined by the student in consultation with Loren.
The intention is to explore the concept of an exhibition and modes of on-line presentation and display.
This study takes into account developments in contemporary art theory and practice, the challenges of
defining a two-artist exhibition, and the opportunities offered by a web environment.

Note: The design of the virtual exhibition is a theoretical exercise. You are not expected to have the
technical expertise to create this exhibition. In conceptualizing this show you are welcome to experiment
with various digital and visual ways of organizing an on-line exhibition. Or you can argue that a virtual
exhibition is not significantly different from a show in a gallery and that there are numerous examples of
innovative exhibitions in physical spaces that can be adapted to the web environment. For this assignment
you will want to consider the concept of the exhibition catalogue in how its appearance and content relates
to the exhibition. Will the catalogue be a discrete component or will it be seamlessly integrated into the
composition of the exhibition? You may also want to consider sharing the tools that assisted you in
developing your exhibition. This may include: a story board; an exhibition model; some on-line, and, or in-
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gallery exhibitions; exhibition catalogues; and writings on contemporary art, exhibitions, and curatorial
practices.

Students, two to three per panel, present their findings as if this is a conference. One of the students is the
moderator who introduces the session and speakers, and presides over the panel discussion that follows the
presentations of that session. Each presentation is 20 minutes. You are to define the concept, form,
content and design of the exhibition, and provide an analysis of the artists and works.

The written part of this assignment includes a one page description of the exhibition plan and design
concept for the web designer; the exhibition title; a curatorial essay of three to four pages; six to ten
works with complete citations; a descriptive, exploratory paragraph of four to five sentences for each of
the images; endnotes; bibliography.
The textual component is in the range of eight to ten pages (double-spaced). Style and format: Times New
Roman, 12 point, standard margins, double-spaced, MLA style manual.

Assignment marks:

Part One: 25 marks

Part Two: 25 marks
Part Three: 40 marks
Class participation: 10 marks

You can present and write your work in French.

Note: Exhibitions for this graduate seminar will likely result in a website publication.
The website will be developed in Winter / Spring 2013.

Required Readings / Recommended Readings

Required readings: Bring to class "Discussion Points," a one page-document for distribution to your fellow-
students and Loren. This document consists of a scan of two to four excerpts from the required reading/s
(indicate title of article, page and paragraph numbers). Each excerpt is followed by a brief question or
comment to stimulate class discussion. These observations will also help you respond to the invited
speakers and ask them questions.

See Concordia libraries- databases - e-journals. Search journal title; then author or title.

Museum Websites, Virtual Exhibitions, Digital Media and New Technologies

Boucher, Brian. "From the Studio to Your Monitor." Art in America 96, no. 10 (November 2008): 34..
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Cash, Stephanie. "PSST, STEP INTO MY BOOTH." Art in America 99, no. 1 (2011): 22.

Chambers, Christopher Hart. "Rising Tide of Artist-Led Art Fairs." Flash Art (International Edition) 44, no.
278 (May 2011): 94-96.

Fraistat, Neil, and Steven E. Jones. "Immersive Textuality: The Editing of Virtual Spaces." Text 15 (2003):
69-82.

Gerber, Elizabeth M. and Caitlin K. Martin. "Supporting Creativity within Web-based Self-services."
International Journal of Design 6, no. 1 (April 2012): 85-100.

Hirsch, Faye. "THE EVERYONE ART WORK." Art in America 99 no. 5 (2011): 140-147.

Langill, Caroline. "New World Evolutions: Transmute." ETC (Montreal, Quebec) no. 89 (March 2010): 35-39.

*Mller, K. "Museums and Virtuality." Curator: The Museum Journal, 45 (2002): 2133.

Plagens, Peter, Regina Hackett, Tyler Green, Jeff Jahn, Roberta Fallon, Libby Rosof, and Edward
Winkleman. "REPORT FROM THE BLOGOSPHERE." Art in America 95, no. 10 (2007): 61-69.

Proctor, N. "Digital: Museum as Platform, Curator as Champion, in the Age of Social Media." Curator: The
Museum Journal, 53 (2010): 3543.

Rhodes, R. "Ab Ex Gets a Life Online." Canadian Art, 28 (2011), 188.

Russo, Angelina. "Transformations in Cultural Communication: Social Media, Cultural Exchange, and
Creative Connections." Curator 54, no. 3 (July 2011): 327-346.

*Soren, B.J. & Canadian Heritage Information Network. "Best Practices in Creating Quality Online
Experiences for Museum Users," Museum Management and Curatorship 20, no. 2 (2005); 131-148.

Soren, B. J. and Lemelin, N. "Cyberpals!/Les Cybercopains!: A Look at Online Museum Visitor

Experiences." Curator: The Museum Journal 47 (2004): 5583.

Contemporary Art Knowledge: Production and Dissemination

Chong, Derrick, and Elisabeth Bogdan. "Plural Public Funding and Canada's Contemporary Art Market
System." Cultural Trends 19, no. 1-2 (2010): 93-107.

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Drucker, Johanna. "Digital Ontologies: The Ideality of Form in/and Code Storage: Or: Can Graphesis
Challenge Mathesis?" Leonardo 34, no. 2 (2001): 141-145.

*Hargittay, C. "Bill Kirby [internet archive of Canadian professional artists]." Canadian Art, 18 (Fall 2001):
42-43.

McDermott, Irene E. "Digital Gallery: Image Collections on the Web." Searcher 13, no. 5 (May 2005): 8-12.

Osmolovsky, Anatoly. "Rejection of Museums!" Third Text, 18 (2004): 645-648.

Osthoff, Simone. "Elsewhere in Contemporary Art: Topologies of Artists' Works, Writings, and Archives." Art
Journal 65, no. 4 (Winter 2006), pp. 6-17.

Pantalony, R.E. "Museums and Digital Rights Management Technologies." Museum International 54, no. 4
(December 2002): 13-20.

Stogner, Maggie Burnette. "The Media-enhanced Museum Experience: Debating the Use of Media Technology
in Cultural Exhibitions." Curator 52, no. 4 (October 2009): 385-397.

*Styliani, S., et. al. Virtual Museums, a Survey and Some Issues for Consideration. Journal of Cultural
Heritage 10, no. 4 (October 2009), 520-528.

Wilson, R.J. "Behind the Scenes of the Museum Website." Museum Management and Curatorship 26, no. 4
(2011): 373-389.

Curatorial Initiatives and the Transformation of Exhibition Practices

*Coming through the Fog: les rencontres de Matthieu Brouillard et Donigan Cumming
Curated by Erin Silver. FOFA Gallery, Concordia University, Montral, Qubec
March 19 April 20, 2012. (on reserve, Webster Library)

Blackson, Robert. "Once More... with Feeling: Reenactment in Contemporary Art and Culture." Art Journal.
66, no. 1 (Spring 2007): 28-40.

"Curating Now: An Informal Report." Art Papers 29, no. 5 (2005): 33-37.

Irvin, Sherri. "Museums and the Shaping of Contemporary Artworks." Museum Management and Curatorship
21, no. 2 (2006): 143-156.

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*Kihm, Christophe, and Charles, tr. Penwarden." "Que font les commissaires? / A Study of Curators and
Curating."" Art Press no. 364 (2010): 55-62.

Nagler, Christian, and Joseph del Pesco. "Curating in the Time of Algorithms." Fillip no. 15 (Fall 2011): 52-
63.

*Princenthal, Nancy. "Party of Two." Art in America 97, no. 10 (2009): 112-117.

Conceptualizing Exhibitions: The Interrelations of Real and Virtual Productions

Adamson, Betsy. "Shared Creativity in Exhibit Development." Dimensions 25 (January 2012): 34-35.

Chan, Carson. "Measures of an Exhibition." Fillip no. 13 (2011): 28-37.

Dimitrakaki, Angela, "Art, Globalisation and the Exhibition Form," Third Text 26, no. 3 (2012): 305-319.

Dunham, Donald. "Inclusivity, Objectivity, and The Ideal: The Museum as Utopian Space." International
Journal of the Inclusive Museum 3, no. 3 (2011): 39-47.

*Gagnon, Vicky Chainey. "From the Populist Museum to the Research Platform: New Art Exhibition Practices
Today." Etc no. 95 (February 2012): 32-34.

Hsiang-Yi Liu, Alison. "Using Online Communities to Attract Museum Visitors." International Journal of
Education Through Art 4, no. 3 (January 3, 2008): 259-274.

*Manovich, Lev. "The Practice of Everyday (Media) Life: From Mass Consumption to Mass Cultural
Production?" Critical Inquiry 35, no. 2 (Winter 2009): 319-331.

*Sholette, Gregory. "Fidelity, Betrayal, Autonomy: In and Beyond the Contemporary Art Museum." Third
Text, 16, no. 2 (2002): 153-166.

*Trezzi, Nicola. "The Art of Curating." Flash Art (International Edition) 43 (2010): 62-66.

The Exhibition Catalogue: Digital versus Print Publishing

*"The Aesthetics of Publishing: The Art Book as Object from Print to Digital." Visual Resources: An
International Journal of Documentation, 24, no. 1 (2008): 39-58.

Kouwenhoven, Bill. "Vom Glck des Selbstverlegens / Self-Publish, Express Yourself, and Be Happy!"
European Photography 31, no. 88 (2010): 68-73.
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Liu, Alan. "The End of the End of the Book: Dead Books, Lively Margins, and Social Computing." Michigan
Quarterly Review 48, no. 4 (October 15, 2009): 499-520.

*Lyon, Christopher. "The Art Book's Last Stand?" Art in America 94, no. 8 (2006): 47-55.

*Whalen, Maureen. "What's Wrong With This Picture? An Examination of Art Historians' Attitudes About
Electronic Publishing Opportunities and the Consequences of Their Continuing Love Affair with Print." Art
Documentation 28, no. 2 (2009): 13-22.

Interviewing Artists and Writing about Art

Allen, Gwen. "Against Criticism: The Artist Interview in Avalanche Magazine, 1970-76." Art Journal 64,
no. 3 (October 15, 2005): 50-61.

*Anastas, Rhea. "A Response." Art Journal 64, no. 3 (2005): 78-83.

Burton, Johanna. "Response: Proximal but Divided." Art Journal 67, no. 4 (2008): 56-59.

*Burton, Johanna, and Lisa Pasquariello."Ask Somebody Else Something Else: Analyzing the Artist
Interview." Art Journal 64, no. 3 (2005): 46-49.

Grant, Catherine. "A Narrative of 'What Wishes What It Wishes It To Be': An Introduction to 'Creative Writing
and Art History'." Art History, 34, no 2 (2011): 230-243.

*Griffin, Tim. "'Method Acting': The Artist-Interviewer Conversation," Art Journal, 64, 3 (2005): 70-77.

*Hudson, Suzanne. "Why and How Do We Work on Living Artists." Art Journal 67, no. 4 (Winter 2008): 8-11.

*Meyer, Richard. "Artists Sometimes Have Feelings." Art Journal 67, no. 4 (Winter 2008): 38-55.

*Tuchman, Phyllis. "Two or Three Things I Know about Artist Interviews." Art Journal 67, no. 4 (2008): 33-
37.

Books on Reserve, Webster Library http://clues.concordia.ca/search/p?SEARCH=Lerner

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