Friday, 29 June 2018, 07 pm

One of the most prominent characteristics of Harald Szeemann’s curatorial practice is its self-referential structure: He repeatedly collaborated with artists who since the late 1960s had belonged to a core group; and what runs like a common thread through the history of his exhibitions are not only individual works but entire arrangements of works. From the onset of his career, he additionally pursued intensive self-documentation, be it in the form of photos, films or publications. Moreover, the diligence with which he established and expanded his archive and its use bears witness to the special relevance he attributed to the potential of self-referentiality within his curatorial practice. This specific disposition had an impact on the production of meaning in Szeemann’s exhibitions, but was also a key factor in the shaping of his professional role in the art field, that of the independent curator.

This lecture by Beatrice von Bismarck (art historian, curator, Leipzig) is part of our current exhibitions.