Casebooks.
Maziere’s curatorial output is a cross-disciplinary project based around a 17th-century archive. The project brought together scientists, artists and scholars to innovate approaches towards a complex historical subject. Developed with University of Cambridge, who were digitising a huge archive devoted to the work of 17th-century astrologer-physicians Simon Forman and Richard Napier, the project paved the way for six contemporary artist commissions, an exhibition at Ambika P3, a catalogue and series of talks and events. It was funded by The Wellcome Trust and Pro Helvetia. See Portfolio Booklet for documentation of research dimensions.
- Submitting institution
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The University of Westminster
- Unit of assessment
- 32 - Art and Design: History, Practice and Theory
- Output identifier
- qqq60
- Type
- T - Other
- DOI
-
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- Location
- Ambika P3, London, March 17–April 23, 2017.
- Brief description of type
- Other: Curation
- Open access status
- Out of scope for open access requirements
- Month
- March
- Year
- 2017
- URL
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- Supplementary information
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- Request cross-referral to
- -
- Output has been delayed by COVID-19
- No
- COVID-19 affected output statement
- -
- Forensic science
- No
- Criminology
- No
- Interdisciplinary
- No
- Number of additional authors
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0
- Research group(s)
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- Proposed double-weighted
- No
- Reserve for an output with double weighting
- No
- Additional information
- Curatorial research with the Cambridge team addressed the breadth of the 80,000 cases, within the 30,000 pages that had been digitised since 2007. The collaboration led to an exploration of the belief systems underpinning these medical narratives, in order to provide context and data for the artists’ responses to the material. The curatorial strategy included an International interdisciplinary peer-reviewed process with the appointment of an advisory panel, leading to the commissioning of experimental works by international artists Cibic, Díaz, Hershman Leeson, Markowitsch, Seers and Tunga. As the curator, Maziere’s role was as the intermediary, guiding the artists and scientists whilst collaboratively designing the exhibition within the vast space of Ambika P3. Working with such significant resources, the process led to innovations in both the artists’ and the curatorial work, which were key to an exploratory rather than didactic engagement framework. The result was an exhibition that prompted and empowered audiences to ask meaningful and nuanced questions.
The curatorial research and practice underpinning Casebooks challenged conventions in science-led exhibition and eschewed science communication. As a re-conceptualisation of historical and medical texts, the research indicates how contemporary artist commissions responding to archival material provide a rare model for future developments and new connections between research, history and contemporary art practice.
- Author contribution statement
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- Non-English
- No
- English abstract
- -
