Are Curators the Gandalfs of the Art World?

It’s spring semester finals time here at MICA and in recent weeks, I have seen a number of student and faculty exhibitions.   I walk into my office building and I’m immediately surrounded by inspiration.  I marvel at the careful assembly and placement of artwork;  I’m impressed by these imaginative shows designed to take a viewer on a journey.

Curators of exhibitions are like Gandalf from J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings.   Gandalf created a fellowship out of a diverse band of characters from various lands in Middle-Earth and set them on a journey.  The journey ended badly for a few (Boromir, Gandalf the Grey) but in the end, the plan that was set in motion by Gandalf the “Curator” truly initiated some real change in Middle-Earth.

Sunday, April 29, 1-4pm at Area 405 in Station North, you have the chance to attend a panel and discussion about curatorial practices in Baltimore titled, CURATING TO PROVOKE: DANGEROUS IDEAS, DANGEROUS PLACES. Inspirations for this discussion include the Occupy Wall Street movement, politically charged artwork and
community art.  Featured curators include Anita Durst, Maiza Hixson, Hannah Brancato, Rebecca Nagle and Adam Void.

Do you believe curators the Gandalfs of the art world?  Is this how we provoke real dialogue about change?  Who is allowed to go on the journey? Who is forced into the journey just by the nature of where the curating takes place?  Is provoking an idea the same as creating change?

Add your voice to mix.