Curatorial Fellowship for young curators from Russia
dOCUMENTA (13) and V-A-C Foundation (VICTORIA — the Art of being Contemporary) have created a fellowship that will offer young curators from Russia the opportunity to work on the realization of dOCUMENTA (13)
The fellowship will support the team of the Maybe Education and Public Programs of dOCUMENTA (13). It is offered to young arts professionals from Russia focused on contemporary art. The fellow will have the opportunity to gain work experience by realizing and participating in different projects of Maybe Education and Public Programs. Candidates should have an interest in working with artists in the creation of art that is activated by the participation of different groups of people. Fellows will assist in developing a diversified and interdisciplinary program for visitors in a wide context of art, science and research. The tasks will comprise all areas of planning and implementing the Maybe Education and Public Programs of dOCUMENTA (13).
About documenta
documenta is a periodic exhibition, which began in 1955 as an attempt to re-establish culture and the visual arts as a primary focus of society, and to reconnect Germany with the field of international art at the time, after the trauma of World War II. Since then, every five years, it has become both an exhibition of contemporary art worldwide and a moment of reflection on the relation between art and society. In this age of complexity, instability, simultaneity, collapse and recovery, the Artistic Director of dOCUMENTA (13), Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev, would like to focus on where we are, where we come from, and where we might be going through a program of activities and experiences that, together with the artworks, is experienced as moments of depth, awareness, embodiment, delight, entanglement, intensity and poetry.
Interested in broadening the perspective of the project to culture generally and its relations with the world at large at this moment in history, towards a more just and peaceful “becoming with,” dOCUMENTA (13) positions the engagement of the participating artists alongside ideas and questions faced not only by contemporary art, but by societies and cultures across the globe today. Participants from a range of disciplines, such as art, science, including physics and biology, bio-architecture and bio-agriculture, philosophy, anthropology, economic- and political theory, language- and literature studies, including fiction and poetry, contribute to a space of dOCUMENTA (13) that aims to explore how different forms of knowledge lie at the heart of the active exercise of re-imagining the world.
About V-A-C Foundation
V-A-C Foundation (VICTORIA — the Art of being Contemporary) is a new institution founded in Moscow in 2009 committed to providing contemporary art in Russia. Focused towards contemporary art and cultural practice with the aim of providing a ground for creativity in a wider sense of the word, V-A-C strives to be actively engaged in artistic production, rather than to make patronage or sponsorship of ongoing artistic processes. It has strong institutional commitment to the growing importance of art made in Russia and abroad.
This partnership is intended to further the mission of V-A-C Foundation (VICTORIA — the Art of being Contemporary), which is to establish understanding and awareness of contemporary Russian art scene outside the borders of Russia and to engage young art professionals in international contemporary art context. Through grants and partnerships, V-A-C Foundation supports the professional development of Russian artists, curators and scholars. Recent initiatives include, among others, the Olga Lopukhova Grant, which provides opportunities for young Russian curators and scholars to complete their MA at Courtauld Institute of Art in London, and for young artists to reside and work within the UNIDEE in Residence International program of Cittadellarte Pistoletto Foundation (Italy).
Further information and guidelines
Time Period
This fellowship has a duration of 6 months, February 1 – July 31, 2012.
Stipend
The selected applicant receives a fellowship of 10,000 EUR to defray costs of travel, accommodation and expenses (6 months, February 1 – July 31, 2012).
Eligibility & Application Guidelines
Interested applicants must provide:
a) at least 2 years of work experience in the contemporary art field, e.g. museums, galleries, nonprofit organizations, artist’s studio, etcetera; and ideally with the production of participatory art work and programs;
b) excellent writing skills, and strong communication and organizational skills;
Language requirements: fluent in written and spoken English, written and spoken German is an advantage;
c) reside in Kassel during the entire duration of the fellowship, and
d) be not older than 35 years old.
Application Guidelines
Applicants should send the following materials in English only
(one single PDF with max. 3 pages in total):
1st page: Cover letter (with e-mail and skype-name in the letterhead) explaining your interests in contemporary art and curatorial endeavors, and your motivations for applying to this Fellowship within the context of the MaybeEducation and Public Programs of dOCUMENTA (13) (max. 500 words);
2nd page: Resume, including bibliography if articles/texts have been published;
3rd page: List of 3 references, including names, titles, and contact information.
Please name the file in latin letters according to the following logic: vac_surname_name.pdf.
Send complete application via email only and in PDF only to: maybeeducation@documenta.de
Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please do not include additional materials than those requested above.
Application Deadline
December 7, 2011
Late applications will not be considered.
Interviews of Short-listed Candidates
Mid-December, 2011
Short-listed candidates will be asked for an interview with the selection committee via video Skype.
Notification of Awarded Curatorial Fellowship
End of December, 2011