department of art – apsu

The Acuff Chair of Excellence: Ian Berry

Ian Berry is Associate Director and The Susan Rabinowitz Malloy Curator of The Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery at Skidmore College. A specialist in contemporary art, Berry has organized several exhibitions for the Tang that combine collections of antique maps, scientific equipment, Edward Curtis photographs, Rube Goldberg cartoons, and Shaker furniture with new works of international contemporary art. Among his many solo contemporary projects Berry has produced exhibitions and catalogues on artists such as Amy Sillman, Jim Hodges, Alyson Shotz, Lee Boroson, Joseph Grigely, Shahzia Sikander, Nina Katchadourian, Martin Kersels, and Nayland Blake.

I am. Amen.

What is the class about?

The class will explore experimental curatorial projects and students will think a great deal about the role of the curator as cultural producer.  The artist’s role (include curators here – something that will be debated in the class) is more important than ever as we are witness to huge economic, political, and inspirational shifts.  Ezra Pound said that “artists are the antennae of the race,” and as artists of all stripes from a wide variety of disciplines continue to be on the front lines of cultural criticism they will be looked to in these times of change.

We will study the history and practice of avant-garde exhibition practices driven by artists that pushed against the constraints of the modern museum, in many cases moving outside their walls.

Questions that will be asked:

Who speaks to whom and for whom under what conditions?
Who is the audience?
What is a laboratory? How to make the curatorial process and exploratory process?
How does a curator communicate with the audience and what is it all for?

The class will be taught by Dr. Sharon Laor-Sirak and Barry Jones. Ian Berry will visit us in Clarksville four times (each time bringing a visiting artist) and will meet the class in New York City during spring break.

Who May Enroll:

The class is limited to 15 students and will require a great deal of time and energy for those involved. We ask that students interested in taking the class submit a brief statement of interest to Barry Jones ( jonesb@apsu.edu ). Please indicate why you would like to take the class and your ability to commit the necessary time to the class. Submit the statement (e-mail please) by 4:30 pm on Wednesday Nov. 11.