Institute of Contemporary Arts

Salon Discussion, ICA, 14 July 2008. Photo: benedictjohnson.com

Independent publishing and critical discourse

Monday 26 May

For the first salon Afterall - an arts research and publishing organisation - led a discussion on the status of the independent voice within critical art discourse. Speakers included Pablo Lafuente of Afterall and Matthew Arnatt of Rachmaninoff's.

Independent spaces and emerging forms of connectivity

Monday 23 June

June's salon was organised by Gasworks, a non-profit art and studio space in South London. The discussion looked at new models and emerging forms of connectivity within the system of art presentation. Speakers included Anna Colin from Gasworks, Joe Scotland and Sarah McCrory from Studio Voltaire, and Emily Pethick from The Showroom.

You talkin' to me? Why art is turning to education?

Monday 14 July

July's discussion was organised by Dr Paul O'Neill and Mick Wilson whose practices span art, curating, writing and teaching. The event explored the significance of a recent 'educational turn' in criticism, art and curatorial practice, one that has directly addressed the state of art education, and the pedagogical as a curatorial model.

Listen to a recording of You talkin' to me? Why art is turning to education? (mp3)

Salon of Salons

Monday 25 August

August’s debate interrogated the re-emergence and effectiveness of the Salon as a mode of private discourse. Miss B led a discussion on the significance of the ‘private salon’: asking whether it was evidence of increasingly visible social networks, or a dynamic closed forum in which to develop discourse and share ideas. Participants were Miss B (Chair), Sebastian Craig (i-cabin), Russell Martin (artist and Artquest Programme Co-ordinator), Jen Thatcher (curator, writer, and Director of Talks at ICA), Markus Miessen (writer and architect), Bettina Pousttchi (artist).

Contemporary art, music and fashion

22 September 2008

September's monthly salon discussion was organised by Francesca Gavin, writer and Arts Editor of Dazed and Confused magazine. The participants in this discussion included Nina Manandhar (co-director of social enterprise Hardcore is More Than Music), Craig McCarthy (artist and author of Fly By Night; The New Art of the Club Flyer), Christabel Stewart (Arts Editor of SHOWstudio and Tank magazine, and co-director of HOTEL Gallery) and Matthew Stone (artist and founding member of !WOWOW! collective). This discussion explored contemporary art's relationship to the music and fashion scenes, looking at the critical and creative potential within these overlaps and asking if the crossover between social and creative networks equal style over content, or a means to move beyond the exclusivity of the art world and find new spaces for production.

Nought to Sixty in Pictures: Salon Discussion, ICA, 14 July 2008.