Institutional thinking: conversations during THE -ING FORM

During spring 2023, a series of conversations takes place between the Index team and key figures connected to Index and institutional thinking. These discussions are arranged in relation to THE -ING FORM: a working situation and how we work with the past, present and future tense.

The following is an organic and growing list of cultural actors that Index has invited so far:

Conversations around institutional desire
Manuel Segade, Director CA2M (3 March 2023, 13:00)
Madeleine Andersson, Artist and writer (9 March 2023, 14:00)
Jacob Fabricius, Director Art Hub Copenhagen (10 March 2023, 13:00)
Dragos Olea, Apparatus 22 art collective (16 March, 12:00)
Elvira Dyangani Ose, Director at MACBA, formerly of The Showroom, London (17 March, 12:00)
Clara Amaral, Artist (17 March, 16:00)
Izabella Borzecka, Curator, producer, editor, organizer (24 March 2023, 12:00)
Ar Utke Acs, Performance artist, choreographer (24 March 2023, 13:00)
Elena Tzotzi and Carl Lindh, Signal – Centre for Contemporary Art (30 March 2023, 10:00)
Julia Morandeira, BAK (30 March 2023, 13:00)
Stefanie Hessler, Director Swiss Institute New York (21 April, 16:00)
Paul O’Neill, Director Publics, Helsinki (27 April, 11:00)
Julie Robiolle, Ring Art Space. Maria Elena Guerra Aredal, Mega Foundation (28 April, 11:00)

Conversations about Index history and voices for a meta archive
Joanna Nordin, Director of Bonniers Konsthall: formerly Curator of Learning, Producer at Index 2015-2017 (9 March 2023, 12:00)
Saskia Holmkvist, Artist and former Chair of Index Board (31 March, 13:00)
Bronwyn Bailey-Charteris, Curator and research; formerly Curator / Curator of Learning at Index 2013-2019 (21 April, 10:00)
Johanna Gustafsson Fürst, Artist and former Chair of Index Board (28 April, 14:30)

While these talks are not communicated as public events, they will take place at Index during opening hours.

Here are some lingering reflections from conversations:

“I’m not working for the museum that is, but for the museum that will be” – Elvira Dyangani Ose

“It is not that we are a social center, we are just working with contemporary art, and working with contemporary art means dealing with these issues” – Manuel Segade

“Is the art space a display space, a production space or a research space?” – Madeleine Andersson

“Curators are very keen to say they understand my research. Rather than asking questions, they are focused on the object they will exhibit and how they can communicate it.” – Madeleine Andersson

“I can’t just throw a stone and not know what happens to it.” – Diana Baldon

“Hey, we happen to be in an art space, let’s make a language!” – Joanna Nordin

“Imagine a museum that could invent a new type of dance.” – Manuel Segade

“We’re interested in finding the edge of an idea, not the in middle of the idea.” – Dragos Olea

“At that point, there was no place in the museum where we could really relinquish control.” – Elvira Dyangani Ose

“You cannot start from pragmatism, pragmatism comes last.” – Elvira Dyangani Ose

“How does the institution navigates those different modes of understanding? It cannot be a form that you apply to all artists” – Clara Amaral

“If you want the audience to be not only the art public them of their context has to be worked” – Izabella Borzecka

“The dialogue and the meeting points, these kind of more immaterial aspects of what makes an institution” – Ar Utke Acs