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

4.4 Development of a curatorial framework
The beginning of the exhibition that forms the centrepiece of this research
project can be dated to not long after the submission 66 of the Regional Arts
Lottery Programme (RALP) final report for the exhibition ‘Intersculpt:uk 03’ 67 .
‘Intersculpt:uk 03’, was presented by Fast-uk 68 which is based in Manchester 69
in the North West of England. This previous exhibition consisted of 18 works by
both emerging and established artists working with various technologies. These
artists were selected from a pool of forty-seven applicants from an open call.
Additional works were chosen from the international ‘Intersculpt’ participant
sites and project partners. Although this exhibition was generally successful the
researcher was left with the notion the curatorial vision for the exhibition had
been compromised by the inclusion of certain works in return for institutional,
financial and in-kind support. The choice of venue had also had major
implications on the audience for the exhibition. While we exceeded
expectations for visitors (1650) we had hoped to attract more of a gallery-going
audience as well as the existing museum visitors.
Having reflected on this experience the researcher set out some objectives for a
themed exhibition exploring 3D practices in digital art to be exhibited at CUBE
(Centre for the Urban Built Environment), Cornerhouse or another suitable
exhibition space. The researcher’s intention was to commission new works as
part of this exhibition and move away from the ‘Intersculpt’ model - possibly by
making partnerships with other organisations. Nevertheless, in this outline the
exhibition was targeted to coincide in November, 2005 with the next
‘Intersculpt’ event. This was primarily because participation in an international
activity had been viewed as favourable in previous funding applications. The
general idea was to try to set a higher standard curatorially and to have a more
coherent exhibition that reflected the creative use of 3D computer technologies.
66 Completed 01/03/2004.
67 Intersculpt:uk 03 was held from 10-26/10/2003 at the Museum of Science and Industry in
Manchester (MSIM). http://www.fastuk.org.uk/is03.htm
68 Fast-uk is an artist-led organisation dedicated to promoting and encouraging artists that use digital and or
electronic technologies in some part of their practice. The organisation’s board consists of Keith Brown as founder
and president, the researcher as vice president and Cezanne Charles as treasurer.
69 Where the researcher was living at the time.
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