EXHIBITION AS MEDIUM: END SYMPOSIUM

EXHIBITION AS MEDIUM: END SYMPOSIUM

Ruth Beale, Dave Beech, Desmond Church, Noel Cluet, Andrew Cross, Karen Di Franco, Janna Graham, Lily Hall, Toby Huddlestone, Sue Jones, Bob Levine, David Martin, Paul O'Neill, No Fixed Abode, Mette Kjaergaard Praest, Matthew de Pulford, Neal White
 
24 June 2012 at , London

This was the final element of the programme. Beginning with Start Symposium in early 2011, the programme and organisation was always perceived as an ongoing active conversation delving into alternate exhibition formats, thinking about the exhibition as one co-authored artwork rather than a space in which to show separately authored works. The programme has attempted to bridge the chasm between the discussion generated through research and process, and the 'final' exhibited product. 

This symposium presented two keynote presentations on possibility and spectatorship by Janna Graham and Dave Beech respectively. Each project as part of the Exhibition as Medium programme was reviewed and discussed by those involved, including Andrew Cross, Bob Levene, Paul O'Neill and Neal White..The symposium ended with a discussion chaired by Paul O'Neill, leading to an open dialogue inviting questions and thoughts from all attendees.

The symposium focused on the research undertaken through the programme via the following questions:

/ How can we breakdown existing hierarchies between organisations, curators and artists, instead finding some commonality of practice and expression?
/ Can we mould collective ideas together in order to co-author and co-produce exhibitions, events and artworks?
/ How can we explore a shift in authorship and control between curators and artists?
/ How can we express artistic practice, rather than just artistic product?
/ Is it more interesting and freeing to ignore ideas around the catagorisation of rigid art practices?
/ Is it more interesting to say 'I am the artist, curator, exhibition, programme and organisation' rather than 'I am the artist'?
/ What is the role of our public(s) when working on conversation-driven programmes? Can we become our own public(s)?
/ What kind of impact do programmes such as Exhibition as Medium have on audience, the art world and culture?

Over 80 thinkers including artists, curators and writers have contributed to the seven separate projects making up Exhibition as Medium, unearthing research and adopting new processes in order to investigate shifts in what the exhibition can be.