École du MAGASIN Curatorial training program

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2 École du MAGASIN Curatorial training program The École du MAGASIN: historical context and philosophy The École du MAGASIN was established in 1987 within the newly opened art center le MAGASIN Centre National d Art Contemporain in Grenoble. This combination provided the institutional setting of an art center for a new type of pedagogical program, one that was aware of the nascent schools of thought linked to contemporary curating. Up until that time there were few such programs regarding contemporary curating in general. In France for example, there was no official field of study on the subject curating could be learned only by experience. Historical context The École du MAGASIN s approach would allow the new, emerging figure of the independent curator (Harald Szeeman being a major example of this figure) and the concurrent development of contemporary artists who were considering exhibition-making from several methodological perspectives to be taken into account. As a consequence, boundaries which had conventionally defined the roles of the independent curator and the artist were challenged. Due in part to certain points of overlap, new openings within the presumably closed definitions occurred. New correspondences could be introduced between contemporary artists and curators, allowing engagement with a sense of discourse shared on several levels, regarding theory, practice as well as training. Central to the discourse was a new understanding of the exhibition as more of an open platform, drawing from different fields, disciplines or strategies of representation, as one flexible format or as an «information-bearer». In this period, new approaches placed demands on the independent curator particularly when a commission situated them between the more static, institutional requirements and the rapidly changing contemporary arts discourse. p.2

3 The École du MAGASIN today In 30 years, the initial independant curator s role significantly evolved. Since a decade independent curating as a methodological focus has developed its own set of varied teaching institutions. More recently, curating has been the subject of a renewed interest as seen by the different attempts to codify a set of examples through developing histories of exhibitions in publications as resources for further curatorial studies. The École du MAGASIN reflects this new dynamic in several ways: As part of a French institution, the program is unique in that it is conceived with an international perspective and intention. An English-language requirement is introduced to allow international participants and lecturers as well as French participants to interact with the current international discourse in regards to the curatorial field. Over the timeframe of nine months the daily pedagogical sessions are dedicated to theory, discourse and training, the outcome of which is the realization of a curatorial project. p.3

4 Tutorial committee Béatrice Josse : Director of MAGASIN CNAC and the École du MAGASIN The director is responsible for the final decisions concerning the execution of the school program. This covers all decisions related to the Session including the educational program, the budget approval and the validation of the final curatorial project proposal. Anaëlle Taluy : Coordinator The coordinator is responsible for overseeing the program, and is in charge of the school structure. Through weekly meetings with the Session participants, she follows and contributes to the development of the research. The role of the coordinator is also to relate with the rest of the staff working within the art center: in this regard, she takes part in weekly meetings, within which she reports the activities of the École. Session advisor : to be named every two years The advisor s role is focused on seeing that the Session group completes the first phase and project proposal in the given time frame. Due to the specific nature of the group format, this begins by first introducing a structuring form with dialogs on individual and group levels. This is supplemented when required by further online meetings. He is responsible (with the coordinator and the director of the École) for the main advisory role, both in relation to the fixed aims of the École du MAGASIN and the changing requirements specific to each Session in process towards a final project. p.4

5 Program The program is centered on the development of one or various curatorial projects. The project can be focused on a theme proposed by the tutorial committee or can evolve in directions proposed by the participants. Working in a collective environment is an essential and specific dimension of the training offered by the École du MAGASIN. Each Session lasts nine month and is divided into two stages. First stage: Research This phase develops specifically with each Session group s particular sensibility. A shared framework and methodology should emerge during the process. It is assisted through the monthly block of visits scheduled by the advisor: lectures, presentations and group / individual dialogs all lead to the formulation of the curatorial proposal. A selection of screenings, readings, and formal presentations are proposed and carried out by the participants themselves. Professional visits are organized in the region, and the participants are engaged in a research program of the École Supérieure d Art et Design de Grenoble-Valence. Participants also develop a web project that presents all activities of the on-going Session. A main issue of the first phase is to establish a shared understanding of the terminology of independent curator. From there, participants are asked to produce a project proposal, which is formerly presented to the staff of the École du MAGASIN mid-december. The final decision is made by the École in regards to a number of factors (i.e. schedule / budget, actual pertinence to the project proposal). Second stage: Concretization of the project The second stage focuses on the production of the curatorial project. During a five-month period, Session participants define the means of the project s materialization and presentation, select the contributors, seek potential institutional or commercial partners, edit a press release and public relations material, and monitor the budget. To strengthen the proposal, participants can suggest guest presentations that should be shown to fit clearly with the research topic. The École is a dialog partner with a set of operating protocols that define the program space. These are necessary for a measurement of factors made from a vantage point both in and out of the Session and required for a curatorial project with many curatorial members, which is in process, in order to observe real constraints (budget, time-frame, realizability, etc.) and as well, to push for a certain level reflecting nine months of process. Regarding the production of the project, indeed, one of the most challenging issue is to understand the scale and economy of the time and conditions. The second stage also includes building the archive of the working material used during the Session in the elaboration of the project, as a resource for the main program. As a relevant issue of curatorial process, resource constitutes a main focus of the École s pedagogy. In this regard, resource must be understood as a library, an archive, a collection, a data base, and above all the material produced by the participants. The program is completed with a public presentation of the project. p.5

6 Candidates The École du MAGASIN training program is open to candidates who have obtained the equivalent of a master s degree or who attest to relevant professional experience. Candidates should have a general knowledge of the production and mediation of contemporary art and be open to the diversity of current artistic positions, spaces and languages. The capacity to find solutions to a wide variety of challenges is very important. Strong personal motivation, creative and enterprising mind-set as well as the capacity to work in a team are characteristics that are highly valued. Candidates must be fluent in English and have basic notions of French. Admission to the École du MAGASIN is approved in two stages: A pre-selection based on an application, which includes a current resume, a cover letter (maximum two pages), two letters of recommendation (written by teachers or any professionals from the art world), a portfolio presenting previous curatorial projects (maximum ten pages, A4 format). An interview with a jury in Grenoble or via Internet. The training will receive up to 10 participants. Each participant signs a contract that provides him/her the professional trainee status. The École du MAGASIN is an independent training program. Course completion does not grant university credit or a diploma. A certificate of participation is provided at the end of the year. It is a free tuition program. p.6

7 MAGASIN Centre National d Art Contemporain Site Bouchayer-Viallet 8 esplanade Andry-Farcy Grenoble Cedex 1 France Anaëlle Taluy Coordinator a.taluy@magasin-cnac.org Tel : +33 (0) Fax : +33 (0) The MAGASIN-CNAC is a non-profit organization chaired by Mrs Anne-Marie Charbonneaux, subsidized by the Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication D.R.A.C. Auvergne - Rhône-Alpes, the Région Auvergne - Rhône-Alpes, the Département de l Isère, the Ville de Grenoble. The École du MAGASIN receives support from the Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication D.R.A.C. Auvergne - Rhône-Alpes, and the Région Auvergne - Rhône-Alpes.