Contemporary Art and the Art of Curating, An Interactive Experience

Exhibition Walkthrough: Friday, April 29, 5-6pm, ICA Members Only, join on-site
Opening Reception: Friday, April 29, 6 - 8pm

February 28, 2005

Photo by Johanna Plummer

The Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA), in conjunction with the History of Art and Cinema Studies departments at the University of Pennsylvania, is pleased to announce an upcoming exhibition curated by students enrolled in a year-long undergraduate seminar: "Contemporary Art and the Art of Curating." The class focuses on curatorial studies in contemporary art. Throughout the year, ten selected students from art related majors visit various museums, galleries, private collections, and artist's studios around the country. Drawing on these experiences, the students are curating a show in ICA's project space and ramp. Entitled "Framing Exposure: Process and Politics" this exhibition questions the nature of how the term exposure is understood today. One can think of the mechanical exposure of a camera, the indecent exposure of an exhibitionist, or socio-political exposure via contemporary mass media. The students are considering a range of works from interventionists such as Craig Baldwin and Michael Rakowitz to the 'photo-respirations' of Japanese artist Tokihiro Sato. The show will be on view through July 31, 2005.

The seminar gives students firsthand exposure to the contemporary art world and the complex relationships within it. Through personal interaction with curators, museum directors, gallery owners, artists, and private collectors (many of whom are Penn alumni); students come to understand the challenges behind the curatorial process.

Professor Karen Beckman instructs the class with teaching assistant Beck Fibelman. They are working with various ICA staff members including Director, Claudia Gould, Curator of Education, Johanna Plummer, and Whitney-Lauder Fellow, Sara Reisman. The university funded course takes place every two years and accepts students through an interview process.

The class consists of weekly meetings and a variety of site visits. The course travels to New York, Boston, Washington D.C., Pittsburgh, Marfa and Dallas Texas. With a selective eye, students decide upon which pieces will ultimately be included in the exhibition. "I feel like we have all gotten a lot more comfortable with the work. Being able to think and speak about contemporary art in an informed and critical manner requires genuine experience and exposure to the world of art now…this is what our class is all about " says student Roman Petruniak '06.

By second semester, students intern in the curatorial, marketing, development, and education departments under the guidance of ICA staff members. Because of the transient nature of contemporary art, students rely on experiential learning supplemented by careful analysis of scholarly literature on the subject. This class is the only undergraduate class of its kind in the country, providing students with the opportunity to curate their own show at an institution as esteemed as the ICA, and the students are excited by the challenges that lie ahead.

The opening reception, which is free and open to the public, is scheduled for Friday, April 29 from 6 to 8pm. The reception will be preceded by a gallery walkthrough at 5pm, for ICA Members only.

ICA acknowledges primary funding from the Dolfinger-McMahon Foundation. Additional support has been provided by The Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, The Dietrich Foundation Inc., the Overseers Board for the Institute of Contemporary Art, friends and members of ICA, and the University of Pennsylvania. (Information complete as of 3-3-05.)

The exhibition brochure was generously funded by the Department of the History of Art at the University of Pennsylvania with support from the Hyde Foundation.

All programs subject to change. Please visit the ICA website, www.icaphila.org, for more information on programs in conjunction with "Framing Exposure: Process and Politics."

ICA is located at 118 South 36th Street at the University of Pennsylvania. ICA is open to the public, except during installation, from 12:00pm to 8:00pm on Wednesday through Friday and from 11:00am to 5:00pm on Saturday and Sunday. Admission is $6 for adults; $3 for students over 12, artists, and senior citizens; and free to ICA members, children 12 and under, PENN card holders, and on Sundays from 11:00am to 1:00pm. For more information, call 215-898-7108/5911.

Institute of Contemporary Art
Founded in 1963 as part of the University of Pennsylvania, ICA presents a year-round exhibition schedule that defines, analyzes, and explores the contemporary visual arts. A non-collecting museum, ICA offers one-person, thematic, and group exhibitions, including commissioned works. ICA diversifies its examination of art to include interdisciplinary work such as film, video, performance, architecture, and design. ICA plays a vital role in introducing American audiences to rising international artists and is also committed to the regional arts community. ICA has been at the forefront of contemporary art for 40 years, presenting the first museum solo exhibitions of artists Andy Warhol, Robert Indiana, Lisa Yuskavage, Charles LeDray and many others.

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