John James Marshall thesis.pdf - OpenAIR @ RGU - Robert Gordon ...

theme/brief). The researcher’s aim was to move away from the ‘Intersculpt’
model - possibly by making partnerships with other organisations. The general
idea was to try to ‘raise the bar’ curatorially and in terms of the quality of the
work shown than had been done by the researcher previously and to have a
more cohesive exhibition that reflected the creative use of computer-based
technologies.
The researcher hoped to gauge response to this research proposition in a live,
peer-reviewed context. From the open call for submissions the researcher
intended to gain access to professional practitioners and test critical language
and criteria. By this means the researcher also aimed to examine the response
to the research proposition with funders and project partners and expose the
central ideas of this thesis to public scrutiny. The researcher secured support
from Arts Council England (ACE), MIRIAD (Manchester Institute for Research
and Innovation in Art and Design) and Lancaster City Council to develop an
exhibition, symposium and a catalogue (Marshall, 2008). Fast-uk and folly copresented
this exhibition.
The curatorial team consisted of Keith Brown, Cezanne Charles and the
researcher for Fast-uk and the Creative Director and Programme Manager of
folly. folly is a digital arts organisation committed to enabling new audiences to
explore art through technology in Lancashire and Cumbria. Besides being a
project partner folly was contracted to undertake the project management of the
exhibition. This project management would entail: securing additional project
funding as match to the ACE grant; creating an evaluation plan for the
exhibition; coordinating publicity and public relations activities; providing
administrative support and coordinating volunteers.
The researcher made a presentation to clarify the aims and objectives of the
exhibition to the curatorial team. This presentation included a ‘wish list’ of
practitioners the researcher indicated would be appropriate for inclusion in the
exhibition. Additional practitioners were suggested by the representatives of
folly. The researcher set up a collaborative website (wiki) that was used by the
members of the project team. This was used to keep track of information about
the selection process for the commissions and the open call. The curatorial
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