Erandy Vergara-Vargas Methods, Theories and Tools for Emerging Media Arts Curators
OBORO
Towards the end of the 20th century, the notion of “new media” burst into the creative community with so-called “new” technologies. If new media has been mainly limited, in the last twenty or thirty years, to video, photography and experimentation with robotics, the increasing accessibility of personal and portable workstations, programming software and digital development languages has increased the possibilities for designing interactive environments or works whose technical components are based on digital creation. From multimedia was born hypermedia, robotics, interactivity, and digitization, not to mention many important works that circulate in international fairs and exhibitions.
This workshop aims to present the tools and methodologies necessary to accompany artists in media or digital art as a curator, author or agent. What are the methodologies, strategies, policies and ethics surrounding the creation of exhibitions using technology? What are the challenges presented by online exhibitions and what can we learn from the examples that emerged during the Covid-19 epidemic? This will be followed by a series of open discussions on the different histories of curating from a variety of perspectives. Participants will be invited to bring individual projects in development for which they will receive individualized support from the facilitator.
This training is rooted in a feminist and postcolonial approach that seeks to develop an acuity for inclusion and representation of the multiple discursive and critical perspectives present in the digital arts milieu.
Among the topics covered are
– The role of the media arts curator and its challenges;
– Exhibition venues;
– Is the medium the message?
– The basics: research, selection, commissioning, dissemination;
– Developing stimulating theoretical discourses;
– Preparing a schedule and budget;
– Developing projects that are far-reaching;
– Feminist and postcolonial methods;
– Exhibition planing, editing, technical equipment;
– Working with the venue team.
The workshop aims to provide emerging curators with practical and theoretical skills to develop their own curatorial projects. It will provide a historical overview of significant exhibitions in media and digital arts.
The workshops will be spread over 6 weeks, from January 15 to February 19, 2021: 6 meetings of 3 hours, a group visit of 3 hours, and one hour of personalized guidance.
Number of participants: maximum 12
Registration period: December 8, 2020 to January 14, 2021
Contact the New Media Laboratory by phone or by email: 514-844-3250, ext. 230 or lab@oboro.net.
Workshop: 22 hours
Fridays from 1pm to 4pm January 15, 22, 29 and February 5, 12, 19
Due to the pandemic, the workshops will take place via video conference.
The workshop will be given in French, but English comprehension is recommended.
Cost: $125 plus taxes
POLICY
Reservation / Payment
Reservations can be made by phone or email. Full payment must be made for reservations to be valid. Participants will also have to complete a form on Emploi-Québec’s online portal, instructions will be given upon registration. You can pay by credit card (Visa or MasterCard), cheque or cash. Registration for a workshop is non-transferable.
Cancellation / Refund
OBORO does not refund registration fees except in case of illness (with a medical note) or of absolute necessity. In such cases, registration fees are transferable to another workshop or service offered by the New Media Lab. Workshop Cancellation OBORO reserves the right to cancel workshops at any time and without advance notice. In this case, registration fees are completely refunded.
OBORO
Erandy Vergara-Vargas is a curator and researcher based in Montreal. Her main research interests include feminism, global art histories, curatorial studies, and postcolonialism, with a particular interest in remix cultures, artificial intelligence, and the ethics and aesthetics of participation. She holds an MA from Concordia University and a PhD in art history from McGill University.
