Creating Spaces: Contemporary Art & Exhibitions

In this course, we will explore contemporary art as it exists in many different institutional contexts, from artist groups and collectives to alternative non-profit spaces, arts foundations and curatorial initiatives. What are the models currently used? How have historical spaces changed over time? How can we become involved? Or actively create new spaces for contemporary art? Course readings will focus on the relationship between contemporary art and exhibition spaces from the nineteen sixties and to the present. Early artist groups and significant historical artist-run nonprofit organizations like The Kitchen, the AiR Gallery, Franklin Furnace, and others will be discussed in relation to contemporary non-profit art spaces and organizations, including The Drawing Center, Creative Time, and more. We will study and learn about other more recent initiatives, such as the Laundromat Project, Art in Odd Places, and the CUE Foundation, which will all provide us with new alternative models and strategies for how exciting new ideas can develop and turn into more fully-formed organizations. Themes in contemporary art and art practices as they pertain to exhibition spaces will be covered through a selection of literature, student presentations and class discussions. Field trips, site visits and meetings with art professionals in the field will be integral parts of this course.