CURATORIAL FORUM

From September 19–21, 2019, the Curatorial Forum offered 40 curators the opportunity to engage with their colleagues, gain exclusive insights into the fair’s curated elements, and explore among peers significant issues relevant to curating, programming, institution-building and audience engagement.

Developed in partnership with EXPO CHICAGO, the 2019 Curatorial Forum opened with a keynote presentation by Zoe Butt, Artistic Director, The Factory Contemporary Arts Centre, Ho Chi Minh City. Five peer-led, closed-door sessions focused on topics including “Race, Gender, Representation,” “Architecture” (as part of an expanded partnership with the Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts, to coincide with the 2019 Chicago Architecture Biennial), “Placefulness,” “Accessibility,” and “University Galleries in the Era of Globalized Knowledge.” These were led by C. Ondine Chavoya, Professor of Art History and Latina/o Studies, Williams College, Williams; José Esparza Chong Cuy, Executive Director and Chief Curator, Storefront for Art and Architecture, New York; Sara Raza, independent curator, New York; Cara Starke, Director of the Pulitzer Arts Foundation, St Louis; and Dominic Asmall Willsdon; Director of the Institute for Contemporary Art at Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond. Participants included:

Wassan Al-Khudhairi, Chief Curator, Contemporary Art Museum (St. Louis); Joseph Becker, Associate Curator of Architecture and Design, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; Giovanna Borasi, Chief Curator, Canadian Centre for Architecture; Maite Borjabad, Assistant Curator of Architecture and Design, Art Institute of Chicago; Anthony Carfello, Independent Curator; Claire D’Alba, Curator, Art in Embassies, U.S. Department of State; Dina Deitsch, Director and Chief Curator, Tufts University Art Galleries; Don Desmett, Interim Curator, Kalamazoo Institute of Arts; Grace Deveney, Assistant Curator, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago; Catherine Futter, Ph.D, Director of Curatorial Affairs, Nelson Atkins Museum of Art; Kimberli Gant, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, Chrysler Museum of Art; Jia Gu, Director and Curator, Materials & Applications; Mary Heathcott, Executive Director, Blue Star Contemporary; Carmen Hermo, Curator of Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Brooklyn Museum Associate; Kaytie Johnson, Bruce Kammerling Curator, San Diego History Center; Ross Jordan, Curatorial Manager, Jane Addams Hull-House Museum; Veronica Kessenich, Executive Director, Atlanta Contemporary; Emily A. Kuhlmann, Director of Exhibitions & Curatorial Affairs, Museum of the African Diaspora; Leslie Laird Luebbers, Director, Art Museum of the University of Memphis; Barbara London, Independent Curator; Diana Nawi, Independent Curator; Monica Obinski, Curator of 20th and 21st Century Design, Milwaukee Art Museum Demmer; Meg Onli, Philadelphia Assistant Curator, Institute of Contemporary Art; Marina -Teresa Otero Verzier, Architect and Director of Research, Het Nieuwe Instituut; Heather Pesanti, Curator

and Director of Curatorial Affairs, The Contemporary Austin Chief; Allison Quinn, Director of Exhibitions and Residencies, Hyde Park Art Center; Wil Ruggiero, Independent Curator; Anne-Claire Schmitz, Director and Curator, La Loge; Claudia Schmuckli, Curator-in-Charge of Contemporary Art and Programming and de Young Museum Curator for Contemporary Art, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco; Lorelei Stewart, Director, 400 Gallery, University of Illinois at Chicago; Irene Sunwoo, Director of Exhibitions, Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation; Valentine Umansky, Curator of LensBased Arts, Contemporary Arts Center; Max Weintraub, Senior Curator, Aspen Art Museum; Abigail Winograd, MacArthur Fellows Program 40th Anniversary Exhibition Curator, Smart Museum of Art; and Tanya Zimbardo, Assistant Curator of Media Arts, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

Support of the 2019 Curatorial Forum was provided by Heritage Auctions; Marjorie and Louis Susman/the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago; the Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Art; the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation; Willis Towers Watson; and Terry Dowd Incorporated.

2019 Curatorial Forum closed-door session at the Graham Foundation. Courtesy of ICI and EXPO Chicago.

2019 Curatorial Forum and Exchange participants at the Graham Foundation. Courtesy of ICI and EXPO Chicago.