[Commlist] Call for Papers · Spring Seminar 2025 · Politics of Curatorship

Spring Seminar 2025

Politics of Curatorship

May 7-9, 2025

Escola das Artes, Universidade Católica Portuguesa

Call for Papers: until February 21, 2025.

Publication of results: February 28, 2025.

Format: in-person. Language: English 

+info: https://artes.porto.ucp.pt/en/art-center/conferences/spring-seminar-2025-politics-curatorship/call-papers 


Keynote Speakers

Mark Peranson (former curator of Berlinale and Locarno IFF)

(more tbc)

Curatorial processes, prevalent across diverse artistic domains, have 
emerged as the focal point of contemporary artistic research practices. 
Although this movement is not novel, its significance has become evident 
as the curator’s role has become pivotal in shaping the connection 
between artistic works and the community. Consequently, the term 
“curator” has transcended the visual arts, finding its way into other 
fields such as cinema and critical thinking. This Spring Seminar aims to 
delve into these curatorial practices, drawing insights from case 
studies, historical references, and contemporary experiences, 
particularly in fields where curatorial practices have assumed central 
importance.

At the core of curatorial practice lies a multifaceted process that 
merges theoretical research, a deep understanding of the unique 
histories of various art forms, and the meticulous crafting of an 
immersive experience for potential audiences. Whether it’s presenting a 
film in a cinema or assembling disparate objects in a gallery, this 
experience forms the very essence of the curator’s work and their 
profound connection with the works of art and the community they engage 
with. Curators occupy an interdisciplinary position, adept at navigating 
fields such as visual and intermedia poetics, historical research, and 
the intricate convergence of critical thinking. They embody the spirit 
of their time and place, serving as political agents who initiate 
discourse within the polis, fostering dialogue and confrontation.

In addition to these definitions and the concept’s openness in various 
artistic practices, it is also crucial to consider curatorial practice 
in a world undergoing significant change, particularly in areas such as: 
the climate crisis; the rise of nationalist and far-right agendas; 
decolonial thinking and debates on historical reparation, which compel 
us to redefine our understanding of the world; and finally, the 
emergence of artificial intelligence technologies and the revolution in 
cultural consumption practices due to our new digital lives.

How can curatorial practice be transformed in these new contexts? How is 
it perceived as a community practice? What does it mean to reflect on 
the curatorial process in today’s world? What practices are currently 
shaping curatorial thinking? How can curating maintain a critical 
perspective? In recent years, various events in the art world have 
brought the more immediate political dimension back into museum and 
cinema spaces. This reflection is also a crucial aspect of this Spring 
Seminar.

The conference aims to be a platform for questioning curatorial 
practices and proposing discussions on various topics, including:

·         Defining and understanding curatorship and its epistemologies.

·         Analyzing critical case studies of curatorial practices.

·         Examining the critical historiography of curatorship.

·         Exploring curatorial models and methodologies.

·         Considering curating in diverse artistic contexts, such as 
cinema, music, sound art, new media art, and traditional museum spaces.

·         Investigating the relationship between curatorial practice and 
the community.

·         Analyzing the connection between curatorship and institutional 
stakeholders, including museums, cinemas, and cultural institutions.

·         Exploring the relationship between curatorship and educational 
and pedagogical practices.

·         Addressing the challenges posed by generative AI technologies.

·         Considering curatorship in the context of the decolonial debate.

·         Examining the role of curatorship as a gesture in the 
construction of theory itself.

A joint initiative:  School of Arts, Universidade Católica Portuguesa; 
CITAR – Research Centre for Science and Technology of the Arts; PUC – 
Rio; CAPES Print; Grupo de Arte, Autonomia e Política. With the support 
of FCT – Foundation for Science and Technology.

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