Voyages of Discovery - Curation, Commissioning and Collaboration

Join us for the latest in our research seminar series when we welcome Nima Poovaya-Smith, Director of Alchemy and new Senior Visiting Research Fellow in the School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies.

From a niche rather opaque function, confined to museums and galleries and jealously guarded for over two centuries, curation is now a mainstream concept. Be it the selecting of a playlist for one’s iPod or the stylish organising of an event with meticulous attention to detail, curation has become a signifier of quality across a surprising number of activities.

Nima Poovaya-Smith explores in this inaugural seminar how her own approach to curation has fundamentally altered through the commissioning of artists from different disciplines and collaborating with diverse arts organisations. Curatorial principles and methodologies have proved to be unexpectedly effective for the succinct telling of complex narratives.

The talk is illustrated with a wealth of images and mini-case studies such as The Hidden Diamond and From the Shadows of History. Interventions by writer, poet and librettist Rommi Smith and musician, composer and vocalist Christella Litras performing works specially commissioned by Alchemy with one of its principal partners The Leeds Library.

The venue for Nima's inaugural seminar is Room G19 in the Old Mining Building at the University of Leeds.

It is free to attend and all are welcome. Booking is required as places are limited: please register here via Eventbrite.

Canapes and wine will be served after the seminar.

For more information, email ccsmghinfo@leeds.ac.uk

This event is organised by the Centre for Critical Studies in Museums Galleries and Heritage in the School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies as part of the spring research seminar series.

Image:
Salima Hashmi,
Rain 1, 2005
Mixed media on paper
Collection of the Peace Museum
©Salima Hashmi