The Research Group AGI presents the fourth edition of the Training Seminar ON MEDIATION, a theoretical and practical study program on curatorship. The three first experiences of the seminar gathered a large number of artists, art historians, critics, writers and cultural producers, who collectively generated five curatorial projects in collaboration with institutions such as Cercle Artistic Sant Lluc, the plataform IDENSITAT, the Fundació Antoni Tàpies Archive, the Guasch Coranty Foundation, ADN Platform and àngels barcelona-espai 2.

From the Research Group AGI and as a result of the recent professionalization of the figure of the curator, we believe it is necessary to deepen into the notion of contemporary curatorial practices understood as a mediation mechanism, ‘thinking beyond the specialized role’ and creating a space for debate ‘on the cultural location of this mediation’ (Lars Bang Larsen & SorenAndresen, 2006). The ON MEDIATION initiative seeks to respond the need to provide an educational programme from the Academia. This seminar supplies necessary tools for the process of creating an exhibition.

ON MEDIATION/4 Seminar on Curatorial Theories and Practices is a training seminar, where various perspectives are addressed in order to identify different methodologies to promote the curatorial practice towards a multidisciplinary scenario. It is according to this will that we want to provide a space for interdisciplinar dialogue and debate, within the articulation of a twofold programme: on the one hand the theoretical phase, with lectures led by curators of recognized international experience, and on the other hand, the practice phase, where the participants develop an exhibition project through working sessions, which enhance knowledge intertwining and give the chance for shared working processes and mutual decision-making. Within the practical phase, the working group will have the opportunity to develop the ideas presented at the seminar by means of the materialization of a supervised curatorial project, which will be presented at Arts Santa Mónica in June 2017.

This seminar is addressed to artists, curators, art critics, students, researchers, art historians or any other collectives interested in developing their curatorial concerns beyond disciplinary scope, deepening the practice of cultural mediation and questioning imposed models. All registered participants will receive a certificate of attendance, on-line work material and project-based supervision.

Workshop:
Lars Bang Larsen

Lars Bang Larsen is an art historian and international curator based in Barcelona and Copenhagen. His books include The Model: Palle Nielsen’s A Model for a Qualitative Society and, with Søren Andreasen, The Critical Mass of Mediation. He has co-curated group exhibitions such as Pyramids of Mars at Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh (2000), Populism at Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam (2005), La insurrección invisible de un millón de mentes at Sala Rekalde, Bilbao, Spain (2005), and A History of Irritated Material at Raven Row, London (2010). His publications include Sture Johannesson (NIFCA/Lukas & Sternberg, 2002), a monograph about Palle Nielsen’s utopian adventure playgrounds, The Model: A Model for a Qualitative Society, 1968 (MACBA, 2010), and the essay series Kunst er Norm (Art Is Norm) (Aarhus, Denmark: Jutland Art Academy).