Curators
Carol Dunn, Claude Chan, Hannah Braithwaite, Shalmali Shetty
Participating Artists/ collectives
Kate Coyne, Ashanti Harris, Lydia Honeybone, Glasgow Zine Library
Date and Venue
30th March 2020
Kelvin Hall, Glasgow
Cover and featured image:
Ashanti Harris, An Archive: The Rehearsal; Video-still, 2018. Image courtesy of the artist, Glasgow.
This event had to be cancelled due to COVID-19.
SUMMARY
Inspired by the works of Jimmy Robert and Georgina Starr and as a pre-event to the Glasgow International 2020, the one-day event will be focusing on the idea of visibility/ presence and invisibility/ absence within a gallery space. We have divided the day into four sections: a zine-making workshop in collaboration with the Glasgow Zine Library; a film screening of Looking for Langston (Isaac Julien, 1989) organized by Glasgow-based curator Lydia Honeybone; a talk by London-based Michael Clark Company’s principal dancer Kate Coyne, and display of video-works by Glasgow-based artist and performer Ashanti Harris. We see all of these elements working together to speak of the themes of visibility and invisibility.
The research will further be compiled into a publication.
THE HUNTERIAN PROJECT
The Hunterian Project is an annual curatorial event undertaken by four Master’s students selected from the MLitt Curatorial Practice (Contemporary Art) program at the Glasgow School of Art in collaboration with the University of Glasgow and supported by the Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery. This year’s event has been put together by Hannah Braithwaite, Claude Chan, Carol Dunn and Shalmali Shetty.
CURATORIAL RATIONALE
This project focuses on dance and performance, one of the most significant and developing art historical fields in this century. “A new performance turn” has emerged, its correlations with shifts in performance, discourses, and the broader society, especially in today’s world of divisive politics. This project is extremely important within the current political climate, especially within the context of the Windrush generation and Brexit, and the current feeling of imposed isolation. As curators, we felt it was important to explore contemporary dance and its history within a gallery space and use it as a lens through which we can better understand bodies in a gallery and the challenges of existing within an art/institution. What does that mean for someone who does not feel as welcome within this capacity? How can we help people feel accepted?
With this we are trying to unravel the related history of performance as part of visual art, and in the process point out and extend the boundaries of what is possible in the paradigm of art and performance today. The project hopes to introduce a new type of audience to an educational yet historical space at the Kelvin Hall Complex[1] and aims to break down the barriers by showing that everyone deserves a chance to feel welcome in an art setting.
IN/VISIBLE is inspired by the artistic practices of Jimmy Robert[2] and Georgina Starr[3] where we proposed to organize a one-day event focusing on the idea of visibility and invisibility within a gallery space. We aim to achieve this through programs scheduled through the day divided into four categories: a zine-making workshop followed by its display, a film screening, a talk followed by a Q&A session, and display of visual materials/ artwork through the day. We see all of these elements working together to speak of the idea of visibility and invisibility.
The day begins with a zine-making workshop, facilitated by the Glasgow Zine Library. The motivation behind the workshop is to allow participants an opportunity to explore the idea of visibility and invisibility and what that means to them on a personal level. This 2 hours event is free but ticketed, limited to 20 participants.
Image Source: Tate
The film screening will be led by Glasgow-based curator Lydia Honeybome[4], also organizer and founder of Queer Classics film screenings. The scheduled film screening Looking for Langston (Isaac Julien, 1989) focuses on the idea pertaining to queerness and performance. Drawing inspiration from Jimmy Robert’s own work as a gay black performer, the curators want to highlight this facet of performance art and history and demonstrate works of other queer performers. This functions well within the concept of ‘making visible’, or present that which is often left out. This 2-hour long event has factored in a post-screening for an informal conversation.
Courtesy of Michael Clark Company. Photographer: Hugo Glendinning
London-based Kate Coyne[5] is due to lead the final event of the day, a 2-hour session with a talk followed by a Q&A. Coyne is the principal dancer for the Michael Clark Company[6] (one of the leading contemporary dance companies in the UK) and formerly a principal ballerina. Coyne’s talk also focuses on the theme of visibility and invisibility within professional dance. She will speak of her experience in the many areas of the dance world, as well as showcase the invisible labour of professional dance through behind-the-scenes footage. Following this will be a brief question and answer session or a long-table discussion encouraging engagement from the audience.
Image Source: GSA Twitter
The visual displays and artworks for the event is provided by Glasgow-based artist and performer Ashanti Harris[7]. Harris’ video-work deals with the idea of presence and visibility through an interactive video-loop. Not only is Harris’ presence as a black performance artist important and significant within the context of this event, but the piece itself will allow for visitors to become participants and be made visible in the gallery through the artwork. The displays will be showcased throughout the day.
The curators are seeking to engage with an audience that includes Glasgow’s dance, queer, and art loving communities, and aim to involve people who otherwise may not feel welcome in a historically academic/ colonial space of a formal art gallery like the Hunterian.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
[1] https://kelvinhall.org.uk/
[2] https://pinupmagazine.org/articles/interview-jimmy-robert-chicago-architecture-biennial-performance-descendances-du-nu-harry-burke
[3] http://www.georginastarr.com/cv.php
[4] http://www.thebothyproject.org/blog/lydia-honeybone-william-grant-foundation-funded-graduate-residency/
[5] https://www.dancefund.org.uk/trustees_bio/kate-coyne/
[6] https://www.michaelclarkcompany.com/current.php
[7] https://www.ashantiharris.com/
Additionally, due to the vast amount of collaborative research into the practices of Georgina Starr and Jimmy Robert as well as a variety of text, films and other media, the curators were able to delve into texts and movies such as:
Books
1. Andrew Hewitt, Social Choreography: Ideology as Performance in Dance and Everyday Movement
2. Hunter Victoria, Moving Sites: Investigating site-specific dance performance
3. Miranda Tufnell and Chris Crickmay, Body space image: notes towards improvisation and performance
4. Susan Sontag, Notes on Camp
5. Sue-Ellen Case, Feminist and Queer Performance: Critical Strategies
Films/Musicals/Shows
1. ‘Queer of Lost Souls’ (punk musical about Berlin’s queer cabaret community)
2. ‘Farewell My Concubine’ (Chinese Queer Peking Opera)
3. ‘Paris is Burning’ (would need to acknowledge problematics)
4. ‘Kinky Boots’ (musical)
5. ‘Pose’ (television show)
6. The works of Wu Tsang and Boychild
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We would like to thank our course convenor Alexandra Ross, and Dominic Paterson of The Hunterian Museum & Galleries and the University of Glasgow, as well as the entire Hunterian team who assisted us in putting together this event. We would also like to thank the contributors to this event who promptly offered their time and advice throughout the process.
SHALMALI SHETTY 