Lesson video

Hello everyone, how are you today? I hope you're feeling good.

My name is Miss Afzal and I'll be your art teacher for this lesson which I'm feeling very pleased about.

Today we're looking at curators.

I wonder if you know much about curators.

I wonder if you've met a curator.

I have a friend who's a curator which is really really interesting.

I love hearing from her about her role.

So today that's what we will be exploring.

Our lesson is called, The Role and Impact of Curators and it comes from the unit of work Curating and Exhibition.

So if you're ready with some focus, energy and enthusiasm, we'll begin our lesson.

The outcome for today's lesson is I can analyze, explain and apply curatorial principles.

We have some keywords in our lesson, let's go through them.

Curation, exhibition and layout.

So what do these keywords mean? Well, curation is the process of selecting and organizing items in a collection like artworks, objects or digital content.

Exhibition, a display of items such as artworks or objects, usually in a space such as a museum or gallery.

And layout, the way things are arranged in a space.

These are our keywords, curation, exhibition and layout.

Let's look out and listen out for them, they'll be coming up in our lesson today.

Our lesson is called the role and impact of curators and it has two learning cycles.

First of all, understanding curation and next, key principles and strategies used in curation.

Let's begin by understanding curation.

When we visit an exhibition in a big gallery or museum, who decides what we see and how we see it? Pause here and share with someone, who do you think that is.

Thanks for sharing.

Let's hear what Alex has to say about this exhibition.

I don't find the layout of this exhibition inviting.

It doesn't make me want to get closer and look at the objects.

Pause here and share with someone, how do you feel about the layout of this exhibition? Is it something that you find easy and accessible or perhaps it's not so inviting for you as Alex has shared? Thanks for sharing.

In most traditional exhibition contexts, such as museums, galleries, biennales or institutional shows, curators are primarily responsible for selecting the artworks or objects.

They also decide on the layout, order and presentation, which influences how visitors view the work, feel in the exhibition and move through the space.

So here's our keyword curation.

The word curation comes from the Latin word curare, which means to careful.

It's about carefully choosing and looking after things like artworks or objects in a display.

Let's have a check for understanding.

Curators are responsible for, A, Making the artworks or objects in an exhibition.

B, Selecting the artworks or objects in an exhibition.

C, Commissioning the artworks or objects in an exhibition.

D, Buying the artworks or objects in an exhibition.

Pause here while you decide, which of these responsibilities does a curator have? Well done if you selected answer B, indeed curators are responsible for selecting the artworks or objects in an exhibition.

Curators often work in museums or galleries and might have specialist training in art, history or museum studies.

Many museums, galleries and institutions work with curators that are changing how work has traditionally been curated.

For example, they might invite local communities or young people to co-curate exhibitions.

Expand their collections and exhibitions to include previously marginalized voices.

Include virtual tours, augmented reality, AR and digital labels.

Reassess collections gained through colonialism or looting, with many returning artifacts or providing fuller context for how they were acquired.

Focus on audience experience, encouraging reflection, participation and critical thinking.

Pause here and share with someone if you have had any of these experiences that we can see on the screen.

Co-created an exhibition, been to an exhibition which includes previously marginalized voices, had a virtual tour, seen how collections have been reassessed or where there's been a focus on audience experience.

Pause here and share with someone.

Thanks for sharing.

Let's have a check for understanding.

When you visit an exhibition at a gallery, the layout has likely been decided by, A, All the artists in the show.

B, The curator or curators.

C, Every single member of staff at the gallery.

Pause here while you decide who the layout of an exhibition at a gallery has likely been decided by.

Well done if you selected B.

It's the curator or curators who decide on the layout for an exhibition at a gallery.

Anyone can curate an exhibition.

An exhibition may take place in a school, community center or even online.

Curation should involve thoughtfully selecting and arranging items to share a story or message.

Being a curator is about more than just loving art.

It's about telling stories, sharing culture and helping others see the world in new ways.

In different circumstances, places, cultures or historical periods, curation might be done by artists, elders, religious leaders or community groups.

Have you visited any memorable exhibitions? What do you recall about the curation? Pause here and share with someone.

Thanks for sharing.

One of my favorite galleries is a place called Louisiana Museum of Modern Art.

It's outside Copenhagen and something I love about the curation there is that it's all been so carefully thought out.

So every time you turn a corner or look down a new corridor, you see something at the end and also you might see something just outside the window that's been specifically placed there.

There's a lot of inside and outside curation going on in this Museum of Modern Art.

It's very memorable.

Long before modern museums, many cultures displayed art, objects and treasures in temples, palaces and public spaces.

In ancient Egypt, tombs of pharaohs were carefully curated with art and objects to reflect beliefs about the afterlife.

The Forbidden City, Beijing, housed highly curated imperial collections of painting, porcelain and calligraphy.

Though not open to the public, these were intentional displays of taste and power.

In Aztec and Mayan cultures, ceremonial objects and carvings were displayed in sacred spaces to communicate religious narratives.

Let's have a check for understanding true or false.

Curating and displaying art and objects only happens in big museums and galleries.

Pause here and decide, is this true or false? Well done if you selected false and now I'd like you to say a little more about your answer.

Pause here while you do this.

Perhaps you said something like this, anyone can curate an exhibition and long before modern museums, many cultures displayed art, objects and treasures in temples, palaces and public spaces.

And now it's time for your first task.

I would like you to find and present an example of an exhibition that was particularly celebrated.

You should present your findings verbally, written or in any other suitable format.

Select an exhibition that is not simply known for what is displayed but for the curation of the work.

Consider how the curators told stories, challenged norms, included global voices, made viewers think and feel differently.

So pause here while you have a go at this task.

Finding and presenting an example of an exhibition that was particularly celebrated.

It's good to be back with you.

How did you get on with that task of finding and presenting an example of an exhibition that was particularly celebrated? There are many possible outcomes but you might have found.

Magician de la Terre was a groundbreaking exhibition held in Paris that aimed to challenge the dominance of western art in galleries and museums. Curated by Jean-Hubert Martin, it presented contemporary artists from across Africa, Asia, Latin America and indigenous communities alongside western artists.

The curation was carefully designed to offer a global balanced view of what contemporary art could be.

This exhibition is often cited as a turning point in a push for more inclusive, decolonized curating practices.

Thanks for sharing Aisha.

And here's Sophia.

Zoe Whitley, former director of Chisenhale Gallery, 2020 to 2025, previously co-curated one of the most influential exhibitions of the decade called "Soul of a Nation, Art in the Age of Black Power" at Tate Modern 2017.

It showcased over 150 works by more than 60 artists centering African-American artistic responses to the civil rights and black power movements.

It even had a QR code for a playlist you could listen to as you moved around the exhibition.

And now on to our next learning cycle, key principles and strategies used in curation.

There are many things that curators consider.

Some include theme and narrative.

Pause here and share with someone what else are some considerations that curators have.

Thanks for sharing.

So alongside theme and narrative, curators consider selection of artworks, layout and presentation, contextual information, inclusivity and accessibility, and presentation and care.

Perhaps you came up with some of these things.

Let's take a look at each of these.

Theme and narrative.

Every curated exhibition should have a purpose, theme, story or message.

This might be personal, political, cultural or purely aesthetic.

GCSE consideration.

Themes are already set, e.

g identity, environment, urban textures or growth and decay.

A curator might reflect on what is the main purpose, theme, story or message in this exhibition.

Are there any additional considerations? Selection of artworks.

Curators must choose which pieces best represent the theme or concept.

GCSE consideration.

You might focus on choosing the strongest outcomes and sketchbook pages that show development and refinement.

A curator might reflect on which of the artworks best show a journey and idea development.

Pause here and share with someone what are your impressions of the journey and idea development of the artworks that we can see on the screen.

Thanks for sharing.

Layout and presentation.

The physical or digital layout of work in the space influences how it is experienced.

This includes spacing, sequence and positioning.

GCSE consideration.

The exhibition space might be a classroom or hall and display resources might be tables, easels, wall space or display boards.

A curator might reflect on how will the viewer move through the exhibition? What do I want them to notice first? Let's have a check for understanding.

It's important for an exhibition to have, A, A painting, drawing, sculpture or print.

B, A purpose, theme, story or message.

C, A poster, social media post, advert or flyer.

D, A famous artist, theme, story or message.

Pause here while you decide.

What is it important for an exhibition to have? Well done if you selected answer B.

Indeed, it's important for an exhibition to have a purpose, theme, story or message.

Contextual information.

Providing clear, relevant labels or notes that help the viewer understand the work is an important part of curating an exhibition.

GCSE consideration.

Where will labels be displayed? Will each person make their own label? And if so, will there be guidelines? A curator might reflect on what should the audience know to understand the work better? Inclusivity and accessibility.

Good curating considers a broad range of audiences and perspectives.

GCSE consideration.

Think about how you might see the exhibition, other pupils, parents, the local community and how to make it engaging and understandable.

A curator might reflect on, can as many people as possible visit this exhibition and understand the work? Professionalism and care.

The presentation of work should be tidy, intentional and reflective of effort and respect for the work.

GCSE consideration.

Leave enough time and resources to properly mount work, ensure labels are consistent, etc.

A curator might reflect on, does the exhibition presentation showcase the work well enough without distracting from it? Let's have a check for understanding.

True or false? Good curating does not need to be inviting for too many people.

Pause here and decide, is this true or false? Well done if you selected false and now I'd like you to say a little more about your answer.

Pause here while you do this.

Perhaps you said something like this.

Good curating considers a broad range of audiences and perspectives.

And now it's time for your next task.

I would like you to select and arrange four to six objects from the classroom to make a mini exhibition on your desk.

You should, select a theme, choose a quick theme based on your mood, surroundings or imagination.

Examples, order and chaos, learning tools, forgotten items. Select the art, use safe movable objects, e.

g pens, rulers, books, glue sticks, scissors, tissues to represent your artworks.

So pause here while you complete this first part of the task of selecting your four to six objects from the classroom to make a mini exhibition on your desk.

I'll see you when you've selected those items. It's good to be back with you and now I would like you to arrange your four to six items to make a mini exhibition on your desk.

You should, think about layout, symmetry, contrast, flow and presentation, neatness and balance.

Add labels, including the exhibition title and context for the selected objects.

Use small slips or sticky notes as labels.

So pause here while you have a go at this part of your task, arranging your four to six objects from the classroom to make a mini exhibition on your desk.

Enjoy your task and I'll see you when you're finished.

It's good to be back with you.

How did you get on with your task of selecting and arranging four to six objects from the classroom to make a mini exhibition on your desk? There are many possible outcomes that you might have created something like this.

The theme is learning tools.

I selected 3D shapes used for maths lessons.

I considered the height and color of each object when arranging them to create balance and flow.

I've chosen the title the shape of understanding.

I love that Izzy.

"The Shape of Understanding" brings attention to 3D forms that are more than just plastic props.

They're gateways to abstract thinking and essential tools in maths education.

This exhibition invites viewers to appreciate how tactile visual learning supports problem solving, creativity and the building blocks of knowledge.

Pause here and share with someone your mini exhibition, but don't yet share the title of your exhibition or theme and see if they can attempt at guessing what the title or theme of your exhibition is.

Pause here while you do this.

Thanks for having a go at that.

In our lesson, The Role and Impact of Curators, we've covered the following.

Curation involves selecting, arranging and presenting work in a way that tells a story or shares a message with an audience.

Applying key curatorial principles such as theme, layout and contextual information helps create an exhibition.

Even simple classroom objects can be thoughtfully curated to create a meaningful exhibition experience.

Well done everyone for joining in with this lesson.

It was great to explore curators and curatorial principles and then of course to become curators yourselves and create your own meaningful exhibition.

I hope you've enjoyed this lesson.

I've really enjoyed teaching you and I'm looking forward to seeing you at another art lesson soon.

Until then, stay creative.