ARTISTS TALKING
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Curating the prize
Based on interviews with curators Sarah Brown and Laurence Sillars, Lara Eggleton uncovers the nature of their relationships with exhibiting artists and the processes they use in curating two high profile exhibitions with cash prizes and media attention attached.
Art prizes differ from the typical art exhibition in a number of respects, particularly in terms of their selection and curatorial processes. In early November I spoke with Sarah Brown, curator of the Northern Art Prize in Leeds, and Laurence Sillars, curator of the Turner Prize in Gateshead, to get a sense of their respective roles and approaches to working with shortlisted artists. A distinguishing feature of the Northern Art Prize is its extensive nomination and selection procedure, which begins with a longlist of twenty-three artists selected by a large committee of artists, academics and arts professionals. Brown chairs the panel, but her curatorial task begins once the final list has been decided. She describes her primary role as 'creating a coherent exhibition that allows artists to articulate themselves as individuals', while at the same time allowing for interesting juxtapositions between their respective works. Using her knowledge and experience working within the Leeds City Gallery spaces, she works closely with each artist to best facilitate their work. Contact with the artists begins with a visit to each of their studios, where Brown asks them what they would like...
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