Lessons Learned?

Online and in-person at the Japanisches Palais, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden (SKD), conceptualised and organised by Heidelberg University’s team of Worlding Public Cultures: The Arts and Social Innovation
As the drive to expand, explore and inform museum collections through global histories gains momentum, a pressing question remains: what is the role of art historical pedagogy in the museum? The concept of pedagogy is etymologically posited on the distinction between an adult and a child, and privileges teaching over learning. In past decades, there has been a decisive move to rethink the role of museums away from teaching through visuality (Svetlana Alpers) towards becoming sites of emancipatory and critical learning. Exhibitions such as the Documentas X and XI (curated by Catherine David in 1997 and Okwui Enwezor in 2002 respectively) or the iteration of Havana Biennale directed by Gerardo Mosquera in 1989, adopted open transactions across curating, learning and teaching. In addition, a growing number of cross-disciplinary platforms and collectives across the Global North and South—small in scale, locally anchored, and horizontally organized—have brought forth radical modes of cultural critique and transnational networks opposing exploitation, precarity, homophobia, militarisation and xenophobia. The radicalism of such “micro-organizations” (Marion von Osten) has now begun to rebound on larger institutions. Presently, a number of museums, particularly in Europe and North America, are introducing forms of self-reflection about audiences and collections.

The international Academy, “Lessons Learned? Transcultural Positions in Curating and Pedagogies,” explores the successes and failures of existing pedagogical practices in museums, and potentials for new transcultural and “worlded” approaches. Conceptualised by Heidelberg University’s team of the international research platform, Worlding Public Cultures: The Arts and Social Innovation, this Academy unfolds as a three-day series of on-site and virtual discussions and exhibition visits around the SKD from July 14–16 2022. The SKD museums hold amongst the most important and expansive present-day collections in Germany that speak to histories of transcultural collecting and conservation since the 16th century. Given its commitment to critically reflecting historical as well as contemporary collecting and curatorial practices, SKD will hold a “Transcultural Academy” at the Japanese Palace later in 2022. This cross-collections initiative aims to rethink curatorial presentations, current debates around decolonization and audience engagement via an artist residency programme.

The programme around Lessons Learned? will conclude with a seperate lecture and e-workshop on July 20, 2022 (4–6pm CET on Zoom). This will feature a guest lecture by Prof. Emerita Claire Farago, two invited responses and a public discussion on how to (un)learn “global” art history through university teaching.

Welcome remarks & Introduction to Worlding Public Cultures
July 14, 1:30–1:45pm
With Monica Juneja (Heidelberg University/WPC), Doreen Mende (SKD), Ming Tiampo (Carlton University/WPC), Paul Goodwin (University of the Arts London/WPC)

Panel 1: Emerging Research on Reciprocal Learning across Art Institutions—Futures of Transcultural Knowing
July 14, 1:30–5:15pm
With Seung Hee Kim (Heidelberg University/WPC), Noura Dirani (SKD), Pansee Atta (Carlton University (WPC), Nathalie Lavigne (University of São Paolo), Silvia Gaetti (GRASSI Museum of Applied Arts), Di Liu (University of Cambridge), Varda Nisar (Concor

Impulse Discussion: What are Alternative Forms of Research in the Museum?
July 14, 7–8pm
Friedrich von Bose (SKD) in conversation with Birgit Hopfener (Carleton University/WPC)

Panel 2: Recuperating Voices through Museum Collections
July 15, 1:30–3pm
With Ruth B. Philipps (Carlton University/WPC), Cristina Juan (SOAS, University of London)

Panel 3: [Re]Thinking through Exhibitions
July 15, 3:30–5pm
With Claira Farago (University of Colorado Boulder), Maria Silina (Université du Québec à Montréal)

Impulse Discussion: How do Cultural Institutions Interact with Society?
July 15, 7–8pm
With Léontine Meijer-van Mensch (SKD), Larissa Förster (German Lost Art Foundation), Chiara de Cesari (University of Amsterdam/WPC)

Panel 4: Identifying Problem Spaces and Absences in Archives
July 16, 10–11:30am
With Eva Bentcheva (Heidelberg University/WPC), Carine Zaayman (Vrije University Amsterdam/WPC), Doreen Mende (SKD)

Panel 5: Situating Art in Communities and Contexts
July 16, 11:45–12:30am
Sarah Hegenbarth (Technical University Munich), Nuraini Juliastuti (University of Amsterdam/WPC)

Impulse Discussion: Lessons Learned? How to “World” our Epistemes
July 16, 7–8pm
Paul Goodwin (University of the Arts London/WPC), Monica Juneja (Heidelberg University/WPC), Franziska Koch (Heidelberg University/WPC), Doreen Mende (SKD), Ming Tiampo (Carleton University/WPC)

Lessons Learned? (Part 2)
July 20, 4–6pm
A guest lecture by Prof. Emerita Claire Farago (University of Colorado Boulder) and e-workshop on “[un]learning global art history”

Register here. 

The conference will also be broadcast live via zoom. Code: 776935 

View the program here.