Spring Seminar 2025
Politics of Curatorship
May 7-9, 2025
School of Arts, Universidade Católica Portuguesa

Call for Papers: until February 21, 2025.
Publication of results: February 28, 2025.
Format: in-person. Language: English

Submission of proposals via this link (Title + Abstract + Biographical Note; the Abstract and Biographical Note should be no longer than 500 characters).

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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 This Spring Seminar aims to delve into these curatorial practices, drawing insights from case studies, historical references, and contemporary experiences, particularly in fields where curatorial practices have assumed central importance.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.

The Microsoft CMT service was used for managing the peer-reviewing process for this conference. This service was provided for free by Microsoft and they bore all expenses, including costs for Azure cloud services as well as for software development and support.