Display is an inherently political practice. Design and art are constantly evolving disciplines which shifting framework and overlapping boundaries necessitate persistent negotiation and (re)definition. To emphasise that this is not a new phenomenon, this module introduces exhibition examples of the last 100 years to show how such modifications have been communicated and challenged through creative and innovative curatorial approaches. Most importantly, this exhibition history demonstrates that defining the field has always been closely connected to political, social and economic aspects such as the consideration of national identities, movements, technology, culture and consumption. Investigating in historic and current adaptations of curatorial practice will directly influence how you formulate your own concept for your major project. Experimentation with formats and creative approaches are encouraged making full use of Kingston School of Art's workshops and curatorial sides. Guest lectures and tutorials will stimulate, motivate and support your independent or group work, and ensure the application of theoretical and methodological thinking.
On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
This module is delivered through lectures, seminars, tutorials, workshops and visits where appropriate. Guests will be invited for special lectures or workshops. Weekly readings of key texts are a requirement and students are expected to initiate and lead the discussion within the timetabled seminar programme and reflection sessions.
The module will make use of the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) Canvas for communication and dissemination of information between students and staff as well as making online learning materials available to all. Students should check this site on a daily basis for module information, timetables, sign-ups, updates and additional information and teaching materials.
All courses based in the Kingston School of Art offer students free access to the online video tutorial platform Lynda.com. This provides a wide range of subjects to choose from, many with downloadable exercise files, including software tutorials covering photography, graphics, web design, audio and music, CAD and Microsoft Office software, as well as courses on Business and Management skills. Some of these are embedded in the curriculum and offer additional self-paced learning, others may be taken at will by students wishing to broaden their employability skills in other areas.
All courses based in the Kingston School of Art offer students free access to the online video tutorial platform Lynda.com. This provides a wide range of subjects to choose from, many with downloadable exercise files, including software tutorials covering photography, graphics, web design, audio and music, CAD and Microsoft Office software, as well as courses on Business and Management skills. Some of these are embedded in the curriculum and offer additional self-paced learning, others may be taken at will by students wishing to broaden their employability skills in other areas.
| Definitive UNISTATS Category | Indicative Description | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled learning and teaching | Lectures, seminars, workshops, visits and tutorials | 45 |
| Guided independent study | 255 | |
| Total (number of credits x 10) | 300 | |
Assessment will be based on the development of a 15-min group presentation of project work and a 3,000 word essay developed through the module. Class participation is key for students to gain skills in debate and thorough argumentation. Students will also demonstrate that they can apply knowledge that they gained from reading, lectures and visits. The essay serves as a reference point against which the development of independent thinking of students with regards to their understanding of the fields (design and curatorial practice), the application of theory and methodology and the formulation of arguments can be measured. Students will be expected to draw on, incorporate and further develop skills in curatorial practice, knowledge and experience through readings and debates, acquired through previous modules. The essay should interrogate, challenge and, where relevant, question current curatorial practice and thinking. Students will be encouraged to experiment with alternative formats either in text form, such as design fiction, or as proposal for performance, video or other. Formative, and where appropriate summative, feedback and feed forward will be provided in seminars, workshops and tutorials, especially in connection with presentations and project work.
| Learning Outcome | Assessment Strategy |
|---|---|
| 1) Critically evaluate and asses the development and current state of design and curatorial practices in contemporary culture | Formative feedback in seminars and tutorials. Summatively assessed though the essay. |
| 2) Recognise and identify the role of design as a significant cultural activity in a complex geopolitical context and understand the implications of its changing nature for curatorial practice | Formative feedback in seminars, workshops and tutorials. Summatively assessed through the essay and group presentation of project work. |
| 3) Identify the varying approaches to design curation in a contemporary context and experiment creatively with its formats | Formative feedback in seminars, workshops and tutorials. Summatively assessed through group presentation of project work. |
| 4) Connect the project brief to the changing needs of the sector with employability in mind. | Formative feedback in seminars. Summatively assessed through essay submission and group presentation of project work. |
| 5) Identify the varying approaches to design curation in a contemporary context. | Formative feedback in seminars. Summatively assessed through essay. |
| Description of Assessment | Definitive UNISTATS Categories | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Essay (3,000 words) | Coursework | 60% |
| Group presentation for project work (15 min) | Practical exam | 40% |
| Total (to equal 100%) | 100% | |
It IS NOT a requirement that any element of assessment is passed separately in order to achieve an overall pass for the module.
Benjamin, Walter (1935/ 2008) The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. London: Penguin
Bennett, T. (1995) The Birth of the Museum: History, Theory, Politics. London: Routledge.
Berger, J. (1972). Ways of Seeing, Penguin Books, London.
von Bismarck, Beatrice and Benjamin Meyer-Krahmer (Eds.) (2016) Cultures of the Curatorial 3. Hospitality: Hosting Relations in Exhibitions. Berlin: Sternberg Press
Clark, Judith and De La Haye, Amy (2014) Exhibiting Fashion: Before and After 1971. Yale University Press.
Debord, Guy (1968/1992) Society of Spectacle. London: Rebel Press.
Dunne, Anthony and Fiona Raby (2013) Speculative Everything; Design, Fiction and Social Dreaming. MIT Press. Cambridge, Mass.
Farrelly, L, and Weddell, J. (eds) Design Objects and the Museum. London: Bloomsbury.
Graham, B., Cook, S. (2010). Rethinking Curating: Art after New Media. Cambridge: MIT Press.
Huber, Joerg et al (ed) (2011). It's not a Garden Table: Art and Design in the Extended Field. Zurich
Karp, Ivan and Steven D. Lavine (ed) (1991). Exhibiting Cultures: The Poetics and Politics of Museum Display. Washington and London: Smithonian
Kraus, Rosalind, 'Sculpture in the Expanded Field', In: October, Vol.8, Spring 1979, pp. 30-44.
Latour, Bruno & Peter Weibel (ed).(2005) Making Things Public: Atmospheres of Democracy or How to Make Things Public. Karlsruhe; Cambridge, Massachusetts; London, England: ZKM; The MIT Press.
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O'Doherty, B. (1999). Inside the White Cube: The Ideology of the Gallery Space, expanded edition. University of California Press, London.
Smith, Terry (2012) Thinking Contemporary Curating. New York: Independent Curators International.
Staneszewski, Mary A (2001) The Power of Display: a history of exhibition installations at the Museum of Modern Art MIT Press
Wade, Gavin (2002) Curating in the 21st Century Walsall