NOT AN ARTIST
Discovering the professions of contemporary art
NOT AN ARTIST is an investigation project led by IED and Accademia di Belle Arti “Aldo Galli” Como, involving professionals of the world of contemporary art and culture.
The concept arises from the observation of the contemporary art and culture scenario, which is evolving and opening up the market for new opportunities.
The goal is to foster a conversation and a discussion about the role and future evolution of all the “side-professions” that accompany and complement the work of Artists and Designers as well as the definition of the blurring borders between Art and the Design disciplines.
The result was not a clear answer but rather the need of deeper understanding under two research lines:
NOT AN ARTIST AS A PROFESSIONAL:
Discovering the professions of Contemporary Art
Interviews
WHAT DOES THE CURATOR DO?
Defining the figure of the curator means defining a complex figure. Since the 1990s, we have inevitably been involved in what has been defined as the "Curatorial turn", a turning point which has led, among other things, to the official introduction of the term curator and the verb associated with it, to cure, even outside the artistic language. Therefore, museums, art institutions, and galleries have opened up to the curatorial turn in multiple forms and, more specifically, requiring precise profiles: from curating exhibitions as their central and perhaps more traditional role for a curator to curators of public programs, also collection managers, archive curators, gallery managers, artist liaisons specialists, VP program coordinators, and the list might go on and on. The curator today is a producer of knowledge, a pivotal figure in our contemporary society that interprets reality and its complexities through the creation of bodies of knowledge that can have different forms such as exhibitions – complex organisms made of multiple tensions- , or producing multiple typologies of narrations.
Curators can, as said, also create public programs to deepen the visual language of the artists, or can engage in participative projects that negotiate with different social groups and dense realities. To be a curator today means to have a
direct relation with artists, thinkers, cultural managers; means to engage, negotiate and propose a new form of visual and discursive construction of reality.
WHAT DOES THE ARTS MANAGER DO?
In the last twenty years, public institutions have been raising their investments in culture.
Art, design, fashion, and audiovisual are today instruments of economic and social growth.
Cities and territories are establishing their identity through cultural activities that enhance them.
At the same time companies are linking their brand to cultural interventions, needing to create contents with which to communicate their brand values.
Hence, the complexity of the culture and contemporary communication system are strongly requiring skilled managers, able to handle both the technological progress that suggests new storytelling metrics, and the several steps for managing complex creative projects.
WHAT DOES THE REGISTRAR DO?
Even obsessive museum goers may not be familiar with the role of the registrar, an obscure word that comprises different responsibilities. The job varies according to size, history, and mission of the institution. There are permanent collection registrars and registrars for temporary exhibitions. Collection registrars are responsible for the movement of the art objects and keep track of their location. They arrange and coordinate the safe transfer of artwork on loan to other museums including the organization of transportation, security, insurance. They may act as courier and supervise installation at the borrowing institution. Registrars assist with the completion of condition reports and generate documentation needed for acquisitions.
WHAT DOES THE CONSERVATOR/RESTORER DO?
Being a restorer means to preserve works of art for the future, respecting the constituent materials and the passing of time. This job often requires some research to define the best action to take, without changing the original materials in any way. However, there are also many other tasks that can be involved in this position, such as, Examining, studying and treating artworks, performing conservation treatments to the highest standards, developing and maintaining standards for storing, handling, installing, packing, and shipping artworks, collaborating with scientists, department colleagues, and others on complex projects, publishing and presenting research ON new green materials and solvents that that have less impact on the planet and less toxic for the operator, advise curators and other staff on any technical issues related to potential acquisitions and current collections. Restorers and conservators typically spend their time in a museum workroom, handling artwork or in a lab using cleaners, and tools to repair works of art. The meaning attributed to the definitions of “restoration” and “conservation” has changed over the years, and is subject to continuous revisions due to the complex relations with artistic, social, philosophical and historical issues.
Events
In the framework of International events and partnering with renowned institutions IED invites the protagonists of the cultural world to share their own experiences presenting practical examples, case studies and best practices in order to enrich the debate and provide participants with an overview of the future career opportunities in the artistic and cultural field.
What does it mean to be NOT AN ARTIST?
What is the role of Institutions and different professionals in the changing scenario?
Where does the border between art and design lie?
The answer to these questions, and more, was given in the events.
NOT AN ARTIST - Istanbul
The talk revolved around the role of not-artists in the cultural world and highlighted: the role of not-artists in scouting and giving artists the opportunity to display their art internationally the role of not-artists as a vital player in the contemporary cultural scene balancing the finances between diverse disciplines the role of not-artists as common ground between artists, public institutions, and audience to share ideas on social issues through entertainment the role of not-artists and institutions as cultural bridges and soft diplomatic tools.
NOT AN ARTIST - Venice
The main topic of the talk was the evolution of the professions in the Contemporary Art scene: The evolution of the role and duties of the Curator as a seal of quality in a cultural manifestation. The evolution of the role of the communication manager from support figure to protagonist of the definition of content plus the curator of the exchange between artist and audience in a twoway flux. The importance of the art managers to ensure sustainability of the projects, the raise in need of communication skills for all the protagonists of the arena and the creation of new professional figures The role of educators in providing the necessary skills to the new generations.
NOT AN ARTIST - Lugano
The talk was about new trends in the professions of contemporary art and included highlights on the new skills necessary to be a Curator, on the profession of registrar, on the evolution of the profession of restorer/conservator.
NOT AN ARTIST AS A DESIGNER:
Exploring the blurring borders between disciplines
Art and Design
NOT AN ARTIST - Toyboyz edition - Los Angeles
The talk explored the different Professions involved in the business of Toy Design and highlighted the following topics: The artist as a multi-tasker needing executive help in production, communication, PR, sales. The need of the art market as an enabler of the arts. The common tools and skills shared by artists and designers. The need of Design companies to source from artists for special collections.
NOT AN ARTIST - Toyboyz edition - Los Angeles
Art and Fashion
NOT AN ARTIST - Las Manuelas Art Series Blurring Borders - Copenhagen
Las Manuelas - Art Series is the newest edition of the Las Manuelas Project created by the Peruvian organization Movimiento Manuela Ramos in 2012, with the goal to empower Peruvian women in rural areas. IED has supported its mission since the beginning,creating a co-design platform and with the constant collaboration of its Students and Alumni. Based on an unprecedented collaboration between Las Manuelas, the collective of Peruvian alpaca herders and artisans from Puno, south of Peru, and eleven contemporary artists, Las Manuelas - Art Series collection came to life from the collaboration between opposite worlds that also seem to complement each other, such as urban and rural, artisan and artist.
Blurring Borders - NAA - Las Manuelas Art Series
BLURRING BORDERS: Las Manuelas Art Series exhibition/installation In cooperation with Adorno IED presents BLURRING BORDERS an exhibition/installation dedicated to Las Manuelas Art Series: a collaborative journey integrating a diverse community of artisans, street artists and institutions resulting in eleven scarves handcrafted by a group of Peruvian alpaca breeders. Eleven textile pieces were co-designed and realized with the precious natural wool of alpaca, hand-dyed and knitted, with soul and care, based on the artwork of: Solomostry (Milan, Italy) SatOne (Munich, Germany) Seikon (Gdynia, Poland) Zebu (Berlin, Germany) HuskMitNavn (Copenhagen, Denmark) Broken Fingaz (Haifa, Israel) Bicicleta Sem Freio (Goiânia,Brazil) L’Atlas (Paris, France) Revok (Los Angeles, California) Rekaone (Sydney, Australia) Lakwena (London, United Kingdom) an exciting selection by David Lapof, Curator and Project Manager in IED Centro Ricerche.
STUDENTS OF THE IED ART COURSES HAVE WORKED WITH PROFESSIONALS OF THE FOLLOWING INSTITUTIONS AND GALLERIES
Fondation Pinault - Fondazione La Biennale di Venezia Peggy Guggenheim Collection - Aurora Museum - Fondazione Prada - MoCP Museum of Contemporary Photography - Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia - La Quadriennale di Roma - MUVE Fondazione Musei Civici Venezia - Istanbul Museum of Modern Art - Courtauld Institute of Art - Centro Pecci per l’Arte Contemporanea - Galleria d’Arte Moderna di Roma - Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi - MART Museo d’Arte Contemporanea di Trento e Rovereto - Christie’s - Bologna Artefiera - Ikon Gallery - Alberta Pane Gallery - Manifattura Tabacchi - Fondazione Querini Stampalia - MAXXI - MUSE Factory of Projects - DRAF David Roberts Art Foundation Limited - Associazione Arte Continua/Galleria Continua
Watch the interview to Mario Cristiani, founder of Galleria Continua
Success stories
Highlights
IED is Educational Partner of the exhibition Anish Kapoor. Untrue Unreal
IED is Educational Partner of the exhibition Anish Kapoor. Untrue Unreal, a major exhibition devised and produced with the celebrated artist who has revolutionised the notion of sculpture in contemporary art.
An exclusive talk with Formafantasma inaugurates the partnership between IED and Centro Pecci
IED Firenze students and teachers had the opportunity to visit an exclusive preview of 'Eccentrica', the permanent collection of the Centro Pecci Pecci, where they met Formafantasma, the designers who have worked on setting up the exhibition.
Lucy Orta mentor for IED
English artist Lucy Orta is the special mentor for a group of IED network students working on a large installation on the theme of "transition" for Pitti Uomo 104.
Masterclass with Cecilia Alemani: A journey through "The milk of dreams"
In the framework of the activities organized by the Master in Curatorial practice, IED Firenze - Cecilia Alemani will hold a Masterclass to the IED Community
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