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One of the best-known facts about H.U.O. is that for some time, he subscribed to a reduced-yet-still-insane version of Balzac’s 50-or-whatever cups of coffee a day, and subjected himself to the da Vinci method (15 minutes of sleep every three hours). And for good reason: it’s not only hard to believe that a human being can have that much sheer energy, it’s also pretty hard to believe that a person can enjoy conscious life that much. “Ways of Curating” collates mini-essays on some of the projects...
Interesting and a good resource for the different exhibitions, projects and ideas spanning Obrist’s career. The second half of the book was mostly a lot of name dropping with a distinct lack of diversity and an obvious preference for working with other rich white men. Maybe that’s something Obrist can work on for his next book.
I found this book both fascinating and incredibly frustrating, and I don't think it was all Hans Ulrich Obrist's (HUO's) fault. (No really, it's me not you.) It started off good: talking about the nature of art and curating, the history of exhibitions and name checking some compelling and sometimes surprising inspirations such as Edouard Glissant, Alighero Boetti and JL Austen, to name a few. I liked HUO's discussions of how knowledge is - and has been - created through exhibitions, and his desc...
I quite like this book, as it did open my eyes to the fact that the curating world is a fairly multi-layered world, and it goes way beyond just hanging pictures on a wall. What I like is the rather simple manner in which he writes, and this kept me somewhat engaged throughout. There is a lot of name-dropping, and this does spoil the book somewhat. Also, when he uses terms like 'the greatest artist' etc, I cannot help but think that he, like many Western writers, cannot see beyond the Western / N...
Great almanac to open the world of art and curating. I advice this book to everyone who wants to make a list of artists and books to explore the topic of Art.
When this book starts off, it begins with early influences in Obrist's curatorial career and a history of curation highlighting how recent public exhibition was considered a part of curatorial work, as opposed to care-taking, which has been relevant as long as people had things to preserve. It promises a kind of development of ideas about different ways of curating, but very quickly steers away from this. Instead, what develops is a relentless repointing from any promise of coherent ideas about
A fun and accessible read highlighting some of the most memorable experiences of Hans Ulrich Obrist. Of particular interest where the chapters 'Collecting Knowledge' and 'Of Libraries and Archives'. Ways of Curating offers a broad overview of curating as a practice and as a personal way of life for the author.
A book full of ideas that will transform our ways of thinking about arts, exhibitions, and curating. Hans Ulrich Obrist generously shares how he connects artists, thinkers and scientists from different disciplinary, creates a medium for their collaborative works, and sparks waves of changes in our mindset one ripple at a time with each exhibition - despite the sizes - that he curates.
Quick to read but packed with fascinating ideas and references - I'm currently reading the NY Review of Books release of Felix Feneon's 3 sentence newspaper stories thanks to this book. Loved it!
I loved this book. The author is one of the most interesting curators of our time. He tells stories from his exhibitions and introduces his influences and muses. If you want to read more about his groundbreaking ways, such as curating an exhibition in his own kitchen...organizing a symposium with artists and scientists that consists only of the coffee breaks that traditional symposiums have... or giving artists time to exhibit their art rather than space... well then this is the book for you 🖤
quite an informative book for a person who is new to curating. the evolution of "curating" from a care-taking function to an enterprise that is embedded in our ways of life is captivating. i speak, i curate. i write, i curate. i hold exhibitions, i curate. there are different ways of curating arts in different settings that is not confined to putting "objects" in "exhibitions", especially in the contemporary dynamic world. curating does not give meaning to art but expands and transcends it throu...
Meh. Not worth reading, which is a disappointment because the beginning chapters about the history of curating really grabbed me. For example, on the topic or Wunderkammer or cabinet of wonders eclectic, esoteric collections of the rich... “Even if we have, today, split apart the scientific from the artistic, the Wunderkammer reminds us that the two are both essentially forms of taking pleasure in the task of understanding the world, provoked by a stimulating object or idea” (p42). Obrist has so...
The skill of curating is really putting two or more ideas together and placing it in a space. Beyond that it can mean anything. Generally speaking when we hear the word "curate" that means someone with a point-of-view, or subjective thoughts puts something together so we can explore that curator's thinking or world. Well, at least, in theory. Without a doubt one of the more interesting curators in contemporary art is Hans Ulrich Obrist. I have never seen any of his exhibitions, but I do know him...
Interesting look at the practical approaches to curating art exhibitions. For art enthusiasts the various names and exhibitions would probably have been fascinating, but to a novice like me it was kind of overwhelming.
A good introductory book to curation and the contemporary art world, that is held back by blurry writing style and messy execution. This short but dense book is an interesting read, full of information both about Hans Ulrich and the world of exhibition and art curation. There is no real structure to the text: it starts as a small autobiography, then becomes a series of mini art history lessons, then artist biographies and then comes back to HUO and his contemporary work. While the information it...
Half biography of Obrists lifelong oeuvre, half history of the exhibition as we know it today, the book is seemingly reaching towards Richard Feynman-esque levels of inquiry into all things, it’s author drawing experience from things as seemingly disparate as 13th century alchemists and modern scholars of economic theory in his practice. In this regard, Obrist puts forward not only a splendid view of curatorial practice at large - describing how the essence of any curators work should be in the
The pleasure of finding junctions between different facets of art, science, culture, economics, and daily life is palpable from Curator Hans Ulrich Obrist's tone, which makes him a poet of spaces. Openness and curiosity, conversation and questions both permeate his practice and have led him to a surprising and unconventional approach to his celebrated career. I found the ideas in this book inspiring and directly applicable to my work as an interdisciplinary artist often skirting the line of inst...
Interesting use of memoir to talk about the history of curation and art museums. Learnt a lot about the history as a whole as well as about Obrist.
I enjoyed the first half of the book, as it gives a great overview over the the history of curation, in addition advise by artists and curators are included! The second half of the book feels rather rushed (which is okay considering how short it is), but it ruined the overall pleasant experience I had with it in the first place!However, it is a great little collection of exibitions and curators one should know (one point off, as it is very eurocentric, but I am assuming that is because the autho...
Although not a history of curating nor even a "handbook" to the practice, Obrist's book is nonetheless the perfect introduction to the subject as he talks almost AROUND the issue. Emphasizing the conceptual and innovative concerns over logistics and technical elements, "Ways of Curating" is filled with anecdotes and names that will be at least partially familiar to readers who have even a bit of a background in art. To be fair, Obrist writes from a very particular situation/set of circumstances