The Curator
When I was in school there was a tiny little record shop called Dr Disc that I used to visit to buy my music from. The thing I liked most about it for choosing new music was the little blurb they used to put with new imports. Usually it was a comment on the artists involved or the style or something else that gave some insight into what the music was like. I found this way more useful than just purchasing music based on the look of the sleeve or some other “judge a book by its cover” approach.
By the same token I really appreciate a decent book synopsis or review of food, wine or anything. Without hearing about someone else’s experience of something that would otherwise be impossible to discover without actually trying it we’re at a loss for deciding on whether to consume it or not. In the same way, I’m really beginning to appreciate the role of curator or selector when it comes to art – in all forms.
This applies to almost everything in our lives. We appreciate the referral from a friend who has similar tastes or similar situation just as we come to like certain radio stations, or DJ’s who bring their particular predilection when presenting music. The same can be said for anyone who assembles a collection of things. And now more than ever, as we are more and more connected with each other and able to share our own personal collections of things, are we able to reap the benefits of curation.
I value the curator because they assemble collections creating order from the massive chaotic maelstrom of all possible things. The curator groups things with a specific goal in mind – a comment, a style, a theme – something, anything – just as we assemble groups and collections in our own lives typically with the theme of “I like this”. I feel that much of what I do with my artwork when I edit and choose what images to present is curation on some level. I am deciding which of my work best represents my theme or idea in a cohesive manner.
I’m choosing to put my best foot forward to present the images that are truly mine. I’m creating order.