"curated by 2021": Cornelis van Almsick on the Vienna Gallery Festival
The "curated by" festival enters a new round this year and presents itself not only in physical but also digital space. Making art tangible and opening up new spheres has been more important than ever since Covid-19 to keep it going. The organising committee consisting of Cornelis van Almsick, Helga Krobath, Robby Greif, and Natascha Burger has taken up this challenge.
What criteria were used to select the participating galleries?
First of all, we wanted a democratic approach, so that newcomers get a chance and previous participants are not necessarily entitled to participate again. In addition, we wanted all participating galleries to meet a certain standard, including the quality of the program, participation in fairs, regular opening hours, etc. During the application phase, the previous participants of the festival decided who should be added, or whether they themselves should continue to participate. In the end, the choice of galleries should not be related to popularity, but rather decisively to a strong program.
What positions have been taken with regard to the focus on comedy?
Here, too, it was important to us that the theme be democratically negotiated by all participating galleries. With comedy, we have found a contemporary theme that has been taken up in as many different ways as it corresponds to the character of the individual galleries.
How will the festival be experienced in the digital realm and what can we look forward to?
With our partner treat.agency we have managed to develop various formats that take into account today's times. These include an archive that can be accessed via curatedby.at, a well-developed social media presence, and live streams of tours.
Why is physical engagement with art nevertheless so precious?
Humans are sensual creatures and after the limits of the digital in art and architecture have been far overstretched, there is a return towards the honesty of the material to the craft that underlies the works. Furthermore, scale is a component that many artists consciously deal with.
Contemporary art has made a home for itself in Vienna and attracts many international artists. What is the best way to operate in this environment as a festival?
Since its founding 13 years ago, "curated by" has managed to be a beacon project for Vienna on the international stage, to show great independence. The selection of participating galleries and their curators speak for themselves with their diverse languages and thus the festival itself is a point of attraction for the international scene.
A general question that must be asked in view of the existing crisis: What answers or help can art offer in difficult times?
The question of the social responsibility of art remains open. Art may depict the problems of our time, but the responsibility for finding solutions lies more with politics or possibly social design.
