Curating Nation

Curating Nation is a series of three workshops co-convened by the Black British Art Research Group (BAN) & UAL Decolonising Arts Institute

Over a series of three workshops, Curating Nation will explore how existing narratives of British art might be expanded through curatorial and art historical interventions.

It is the first public event organised as part of the Curating Nation project conceived by Hammad Nasar, hosted by UAL Decolonising Arts Institute, and has been developed in collaboration with British Art Network’s Black British Art Research Group led by Alice Correia, Elizabeth Robles and Marlene Smith.

In conversation with the British Art Show 9 (which will travel between Wolverhampton, Aberdeen, Plymouth and Manchester in 2021-2), Curating Nation invites artists, curators and scholars to consider three primary strands of enquiry:

1. How are national collections formed, and where do we encounter them?

2. What stories of nation do touring exhibitions circulate?

3. What is the role of international constituents, particularly in former colonies, in the co-production of British art histories?

By paying attention to the role of curatorial and institutional agency we aim to focus on the possibility for more expanded and diverse narratives of British art that account for current socio-political debates around ‘the nation’. The event asks what does the ‘national’ look like, and what roles can art, artists and arts organisations play in shaping national self-perceptions in the 21st century?

Workshop I: What does a national collection look like?

Wednesday, 21 April 14.00-17.00 GMT

14.00-14.15 Welcome & Introductions

14.15-14.35 Opening statements from:

Andrew Ellis, Director of Art UK

Ann Gallagher, curator and former Director of Collections, British Art, Tate

Marguerite Nugent, Manager of Arts & Culture, City of Wolverhampton Council

14.35-14.45 Respondent: Sara Wajid, Co-CEO Birmingham Museums Trust

14.45-15.30 Discussion & Questions

15.30-15.45 Break

15.45-15.50 Welcome back & Introductions to Propositions/Provocations

15.50-16.05 Anjalie Dalal-Clayton, Our civic collections are our national collections

16.05-16.20 Ingrid Pollard and Corinne Fowler, Exploring Britain’s Colonial Countryside: Co-Curation, Creative Commissions and Child Leadership

16.20-17.00 Discussion & Questions

Workshop II : What stories of British art travel?

April 28, 14.00 - 17.00 BST

14.00-14.15 Welcome & Introductions

14.15-14.35 Opening statements from:

Emma Dexter, Director, Visual Arts, British Council

Roger Malbert, curator, writer and former Head of Hayward Touring

Francis Morris, Director, Tate Modern

14.35-14.45 Respondent: Abbas Zahedi, muti-disciplinary artist based in London

14.45-15.30 Discussion & Questions

15.30-15.45 Break

15.45-15.50 Welcome back & Introductions to Propositions/Provocations

15.50-16.05 Wing Chan, 'Moving Images, Moving Sculptures: performing monumental Henry Moore Abroad'

16.05-16.20 Zehra Jumabhoy, 'Brangwyn and the 'British' Empire Panels'

16.20 - 17.00 Discussion & Questions

Workshop III : What narratives of British art are being coproduced internationally?

Wednesday 5 May, 10:00 - 13:00 BST

10.00-10.15 Welcome & Introductions

10.15-10.35 Opening statements from:

Nick Aikens, Curator, Van Abbemuseum (Eindhoven, NL)

Annie Fletcher, Director, Irish Musuem of Modern Art

Fiona Kearney, Director, Glucksman Gallery (Cork, IE)

10.35-10.45 Respondent: Erika Tan, artist, curator and lecturer, Central St Martins

10.45-11.30 Discussion & Questions

11.30-11.45 Break

11.45-11.50 Welcome back & Introductions to Propositions/Provocations

11.50-12.05 Adele Tan, Senior Curator, National Gallery Singapore

12.05-12.20 Laura Castagnini, Independent Curator

12.20-13.00 Discussion & Questions

For additional details or queries, please contact: curatingnation@gmail.com

Image courtesy of Ingrid Pollard , 2020