Editorial: The Long and Difficult Path to Democratic Curating

In an editorial for artpress, Catherine Millet reflects on the shift from the artist-curator model epitomized by Harald Szeemann to a more democratic approach in major international exhibitions. She notes that curators now engage in extensive protocols of meetings, surveys, seminars, and debates across five continents before selecting artists. This is exemplified by the preparation for the Venice Biennale and Documenta in Kassel, both opening in June 2007. Robert Storr, director of the Venice Biennale, states, "We must transform discourses into debates." Jean-Hubert Martin, organizer of "Magiciens de la terre," warns, "It will be long and difficult." In Kassel, organizers Roger M. Buergel, Ruth Noack, Georg Schöllhammer, and Rike Frank use vocabulary reflecting established theories, focusing on "production," "expertise," the "artist-unionist" relationship, and "new modes of community beyond artistic individuality as defined by the market." Inspired by Lenin, they emphasize public education. Millet concludes that while artists continue to invent forms and images, the public may be distracted by these theoretical frameworks.