Friday 27 April 2007

The Golden Mugs proposal

Hi,

Just a little note to let you know that we have sent an email around with the details of the project to all of the artists that were on the sign up sheet. If you have signed up for this project but have not received this email, please contact me at va602sb@gold.ac.uk and I will forward you the information.

Best,
Stephanie
For the Golden Mugs curatorial team

Thursday 26 April 2007

INTERIM MEASURES
UPDATED PROPOSAL FOR THE PUBLICATION

CONCEPT
The publication is conceived as a document and as an alternative way of exhibiting the artists work. The theme of the publication will follow that of the interim show based on the idea of branding and merchandizing. The title of publication is “Interim Measures”: ‘A necessary feature of international arbitration is the ability to obtain measures of interim’ this formal description of procedure is used ‘to maintain or restore status quo; to prevent or require action to prevent immanent harm’. The term “Interim Measures” will be employed in this unconventional context as a functioning and self-questioning personality. In this context it features as the ludic representive of Goldsmiths, reframed as a brand under demand. Within this case it will be applied at as an allegorical of a self-critical and questioning personality type.
The idea is asking the artists participating what they think about exhibiting in an interim show in which they become products of a system and in which future expectation are put forward on them and their art work. Is Goldsmiths a secure investment for a future career as international artists? The same issue will be raised in the texts the curators will ask the international art critics and curators involved. “IM” being the interviewer. How does the art world respond to artists coming out of Goldsmiths? Who gives authority to an art school? Is it all a question of branding?
The publication can become a constructive critique to reflect upon the art system from the inside and question the artists/curators choice.

FORMAT
The idea is to create a publication made of a very large foldable poster. We are getting help and advice with a contact for a graphic designer and a printing company. The material on the front will contain artist’s print/exhibition space in response to the context of Interim Measures.
The back will contain:
- interviews to curators, dealers, gallerists, art critics, artists, architects. We are asking three questions per person and texts dealing with Goldsmiths searched in the wider cultural field.

TEXTS
1. Statement of intent
2. Questions asked by “IM” to:
We are in contact with the following people:
- Shumon Basar, architect
- Daniel Birnbaum, Staedel Schule, Frankfurt
- Louisa Buck, art counsultant
- Giacinto Di Pietrantonio, Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera
- Leire Vergara, curator of Rekaide
- Dan Graham, artist
- Kate MacGary, gallerist
- Michele Robecchi, editor Contemporary
- November Paynter, curator
- Rebecca Wilson, editor, Saatchi Online Magazine
- Danny Rolph, artist
- Damien Hirst, artist
- Andrea Viliani, curator, Mambo, Bologna
- Andrew Smaldone, editor, Art Seen Magazine
- Elpida Karamba, curator
- Stefano Chiodi, art critic

IMAGES
The curators will be working with the artists offering them this contextualised print space to implicitly exhibit a free response. They will contribute with visual or textual response to the question proposed. This will be formatted appropriately to the context.


PRACTICALITIES

1. DISTRIBUTION:
Distribution locations. We are contacting: ICA, Tate Modern, Barbican, Hayward, Camden Art Centre, Whitechapel, Serpentine. We will distribute at the Venice Biennale, Documenta, Munster, Basel.

2. FUNDING
This publication will be self-funded, meaning that we will ask to get even contributions from all the artists and the curators from Interim Measures. We are asking for under £25. If we get any sponsorship your money will reimbursed.

3. TIME PLAN
The art works should be selected by May 8.
The texts should be collected by May 14.
The editing of the texts should be done by May 18.
The publication should be ready by May 25.

Depending on the choice of type of publication the time plan might change.



CURATORIAL TEAM
Louisa Adam
Yannis Arvanitis
Hyunjoo Byeon
Ilaria Gianni
Nazli Gurlek
Hahn Ho
Jungmin Kwon
Rosa Lleo
Gaia Tedone

Wednesday 25 April 2007

Show n' Tell

Starting May 7th 4-6pm is a student lead opportunity to present new works/work in progress, or to discuss ideas and writings with other students. We were thinking of meeting on Mondays and discussing up to 3 artists' works per week. This just an informal meeting to talk about ideas with eachother, and to catch up. The plan is to go to the Pub afterwards at 6pm.

Meet in the front of the Baths on Monday at 4pm if you are interested and we will find a place depending on the number of people turning up.

This for all Visual Arts students (curators, 2nd years, etc.)

Lisa, Tina, Bona, Christel, Kate, Hyemin

Offsite project: Further Details

Fall-In-Theatre: Further details...

The intended result of Fall-In-Theatre is 24 hours of fleeting performances and installations within a designated off-site location. The 24-hour show will take place from 6pm on the 7th June, until 6pm on the 8th of June (Thursday/ Friday)
The project effectively suits performance, live work and temporary installations

Brief to Artists
For this event, artists are asked to respond to the spatiotemporal challenge of producing work, which exists in its entirety, within a 24-hour timeframe.
All works will exist only within the set space and time frame.
Work should not exist outside of these 24 hours and should leave only the most minimal and ambiguous traces behind.

Using the 24 hours
Artists are invited to use the 24 hours in which ever way functions best.
This can include:
• Using the space for a full 24 hours
• Breaking the time and work into manageable acts.
• Using the space for just one hour.
• Installing work that can only survive for 24 hours and which disappears after this time.
• A performance relay to accommodate additional interested artists.
• Any use of the space will be acknowledged in a program of events.

Program of events
A program of events will be produced for the live show, which will allow artists to break their work into manageable ‘acts’ or parts, if required.
• The program will become a navigational tool for visitors, enabling them to follow the progress of the show.
• It could also be understood as the marathon’s catalogue
• It will eventually begin to function as another residual trace of this temporary challenge

The Seminar Show
For the interim show, we are required to exhibit for a week in the seminar room show at Goldsmiths. This will happen before the 24 hour event.
• In this show, we will be exhibiting the preparatory traces of the 24-hour performance.
• These traces will provide a visual indication that a live event of this nature will be taking place.
• The traces could be understood as the live event’s ‘index’.
• These traces should be as ambiguous as possible and should only make sense in retrospect; after the 24 hour show has taken place.
• The preparatory traces will be displayed in the seminar room between Monday 21st May – Sunday 27th May, two weeks before the live 24-hour performance

Tuesday 24 April 2007

The Golden Mugs proposal - important info

Hi,

Please note the following important details regarding The Golden Mugs proposal:

1) While the sign up sheet only accommodates 18 names, there are no restrictions as to the number of artists who can participate. Please add your names to the bottom of the sheet if there are no more designated lines.

2) Artists who have signed up for this project will receive an email by the end of the week notifying them of the image’s required format. The due date for the submission of images has been postponed to Friday, May 4th rather than May 1rst. Further details will be sent via email.

3) Everyone participating in the project (curators and artists) will each be asked to contribute 15 pounds in order to cover mug production costs. However, as mentioned in the proposal, proceeds of coffee/tea and Ebay sales will communally go towards the reimbursement of this initial cost.

Monday 23 April 2007

Publication

PROPOSAL FOR THE PUBLICATION

CONCEPT
The publication is conceived as a document and as an alternative way of showing the artists work. Every artist can apply to take part in the publication. The theme of the publication will follow that of the interim show based on the idea of branding and merchandizing (Sainsbury): #1 Brand that produces #1 Future artists. The idea is asking the artists participating what they think about exhibiting in an interim show in which they become products of a system and in which future expectation are put forward on them and their art work. Is Goldsmiths a secure investment for a future career as international artists? How important is it to come out of an art school as Goldsmiths? The same issue will be raised in the texts the curators will ask the international art critics and curators involved. How does the art world respond to artists coming out of Goldsmiths? Who gives authority to an art school? Is it all a question of branding?
The publication can become a constructive critique to reflect upon the art system from the inside and question the artists/curators choice.

FORMAT
The idea is to create a publication made of postcards, image on the front, text on the back (the cheapest way to create an original format of quality, if we want to avoid photocopies) to tie all together with a rubber band. One postcard/page per artist. The images chosen will be the ones that most represent the artist’s practice, that will emerge during the discussion and confrontation between artists and curators, or one created purposely for the publication.
The texts (max 250 words) on the back of the postcards can be written by:
- the artists
- the curators
- an art critic chosen by the artist
Throughout the publication there will be 4 texts written by 4 different curators or art critics on the idea of brand and merchandizing that is at the base of the whole interim show. These texts will be approximately of 700 words and will be written on the front and the back of a postcard.
The authors of these texts will be chosen by the curators together with the artists.


PRACTICALITIES

1. PRODUCTION: There could be two ways to produce the publication

a) It could be produced in 5500 copies, and distributed freely throughout London (strategic locations: major museums and institutions, selected galleries) and during the major summer art events (see section distribution). Produzioni NERO (www.neromagazine.it), a new Italian publishing company, who has already worked in collaboration with the Ratti Foundation, Como, and the Olivetti Foundation, Rome, is willing to publish the book and take care of the graphic design and the printing. In this case we would need to fundraise at least £ 1,500.
b) The publication could become an artist book and be manually made (we will all help). In this case the expenses would be much less and it would be made in less copies (500?). The publication would become an edition and could be sold or distributed for free, depending on the policy and attitude curators and artists decide together.

2. DISTRIBUTION: Produzioni NERO (www.neromagazine.it) is willing to take care of the distribution of the publication during the openings of the Venice Biennale, Art Basel, Documenta and Münster, attached in the special issue of NERO magazine they will be distributing during the events. This will need quite a bit of fund raising activity. They are distributing 30,000 copies. We should at least have 5,000 copies of the publication to obtain a response from the audience. Why not show the #1 supposed Brand that produces #1 artists during the #1 International art events, showing #1 artists and curated by #1 curators?

3. FUND RAISING: find quickly private sponsor. Alternative ways of fund raising? Suggestions? Please…

4. TIME PLAN:
The artists interested in the project should submit their application by April 25.
The art works should be selected by May 2.
The texts should be collected by May 11.
The editing of the texts should be done by May 14.
Depending on the choice of type of publication and consequent distribution (of course depending on the fund raising results) the time plan might change.
The publication should be ready by May 22.





CURATORIAL TEAM
Christine
Gaia
Hanh
Hyunjoo
Ilaria
Jungmin
Louisa
Rosa
Yannis

Offsite Project

Fall-In-Theatre

Fall-In-Theatre is an offsite project that operates as a live group show.
For this event, artists will be invited to produce work, which should manifest within a specific timeframe, at an offsite location.
The intended outcome is a collection of fleeting performances and installations.

These works will only exist within the agreed space and time frame, and should leave only minimal, residual traces behind.

The aim of the offsite project is to facilitate and explore the production, presentation and documentation of unrepeatable live experience.

There is one event scheduled: This event could be understood as a 24-hour Performance Marathon.

For this event, artists will be invited to producework, which exists in its entirety, within a 24-hour timeframe.
The show will be open for a full 24 hours.

Preparatory traces of the event will be displayed in a formal show in the seminar room, some weeks before the live event.

The traces will provide a visual indication of the pending offsite event.

They will function as an ambiguous index.

The residual traces of the live event may be presented formally at a later date, as an archive,

The 24 hour show begins on the 7th June.

NOTES:
There is one secured offsite location which will be used for the 24 hour run. This can feasibly accommodate 8 artists, possibly moredepending on the requirements of the work. In fairness it accordingly requires about 4 curators* (*the equal ratio of artists to curators appears to be two to one)
The inclusion of more artists will mean that curatorsmust find additional offsite spaces.
There is absolutely no budget for this project.
All other sites should use this proposal as a template(including the format of the seminar show).
Cally Spooner
T : 07769944444

Sunday 22 April 2007

Silent Debate: Proposal (Interim show)

1. Title:

Silent Debate
Motion: “That this debate is not a dialectic”

2. Description of concept of project/ Statement of Intent:

In a debate, an individual or team will publicly engage in a spoken dialogue with another within a given time frame, each contending antithetical positions with the intention of proving one ’truth’. Silent Debate aims to provoke argument about the nature or necessity of the curator by asking curators to begin contributing only after the exhibition has begun. Each proposition will be presented visually at either end of the week.

3 Practicalities for artists and for curators:

Participating artists will be asked to deliver and display artworks (max. 3/ person) to the seminar room at the beginning of the exhibition (7th May). Artists working in performance/ video or other non-object based practice are asked to participate in the initial stages of the exhibition in whatever way they deem appropriate. All participating artists will be required to engage with a team of MFA curators and other MFA artists throughout the week developing a second format, theme and/ or content of the exhibition in preparation for its concluding night.

4. What will be the outcome?

Unknown.

5. Timeframe of Silent Debate:

Monday 7th May – Works/ elements of works are to be left in the Seminar space by participating MFA fine art and textile students.
Friday 11th May – ‘Curated’ exhibition opens, Silent Debate concludes.

6. How you will employ the seminar space for the week of your project?

Displaying/ removing/ moving artworks and equipment, the exhibition space will be open to the public at all times, will press releases available.

If you have any queries about the Silent Debate before or after signing up please contact the MFA Silent Debate curatorial team via Isobel on va601ih@gold.ac.uk, or call 078 5433 1418. A list will be posted on the curating studio walls, Laurie Grove Baths, on Monday morning 23rd April for all MFA Curating, Fine arts and Textiles students interested in participating.

Friday 20 April 2007

Sainsbury's Proposal

SAINSBURY'S

Due to the subtle relationships between Sainsbury's and the market of art, to which art schools -and therefore Goldsmiths- seem to be more and more directed, and in relationship with the idea of branding, we have decided to reflect it directly and to form an exhibition divided in sections à la Sainsbury's.

The sections will be:
Organic - Exhibition in Seminar Room (preferably site/theme-specific works, not obligatory though)
Toiletry - Exhibition in Curating Space (same as above)
Fresh Meat - Performance/s during the opening day
Crisps and Chips - Screenings, divided in two parts: videos with sound will be screened on Friday of the week of the exhibition; videos without sound will be shown in an ongoing basis on the wall of the coffee-shop during the week of mugs/publication.
We keep Beers, Wine and Spirits free for propositions. One proposition by a fellow curating student was to call it W(h)ines and Spirits, in the sense of whiners who never get something done but complain instead and focus it on unrealized proposals or conceptual/immaterial work.We are open for more propositions.

Artists have to think which section they feel their work fits better into.They can also participate in two sections, but artists who haven't signed up for any section will have preference.

The exhibition will take place on the week of the 15th of May. We hope that there will be a bit of discussion and debate around the subject between us too. We will hang this same explanation with an inscription list in the curating studio by Monday. If you have any questions or proposals for further sections, please do contact us here or at va601hbg@gold.ac.uk.

Curating team (by now): Haizea Barcenilla, Ana Garcia-Pineda

The Golden Mugs proposal

THE GOLDEN MUGS PROPOSAL

TITLE: #1 Brand
SUB-TITLE: Consume it while it’s Hot

PREMISE: Given the rapid turnover and limited resources at our disposal for this show, why not capitalize on the best one we have: the fact that Goldsmiths was recently voted one of UK’s coolest brands. To commemorate this commercial coup and play with the current art market interest for multiples (the value of which defies basic economic laws of rarity that privilege the aura-invested original), we propose to release a series of limited edition mugs – destined to become real collectors’ items.

PRACTICALITIES: Every participating artist should submit an image by May 1rst. Each image will be printed on 3 mugs alongside the title and sub-title of the show. Bare in mind that neither the Goldsmiths name nor logo will appear (thus the image will be substituted for the brand). 2 of the mugs will be auctioned off on the quintessential silent/virtual auction house: Ebay.

The last mug, which will randomly but officially be declared as the Original of each series, will be used to serve coffee/tea in the seminar room. The latter will be transformed into a makeshift coffee shop for a week during which time visitors will be invited to come in and enjoy coffee/tea while reading the outcome of the publication proposal. The artists as well as the curators involved will be asked to volunteer a few hours of their time at the coffee shop. Proceeds of the mug and coffee/tea sales will go towards the reimbursement of production costs while profit, if any, can be put towards next year’s show.

TIMELINE: This project will take place during the last week of the rotation (May 29th to June 5th, 2007) in order to allow for enough time to produce the mugs.

CURATORIAL TEAM: Stephanie Bertrand; Suzie Gladwin; Rahila Haque; Sonya Yu.

Wednesday 18 April 2007

nurjahan akhlaq

nakhlaq@gmail.com