Jens Hoffmann: (Curating) From A to Z

by Jens Hoffmann, Claire Fontaine

"(Curating) From A to Z" offers a summary of the development of curatorial practice over the last two decades, seen through the eyes of curator, author and Deputy Director of the Jewish Museum, Jens Hoffmann (born 1974). In this new publication, each letter of the alphabet evokes a particular word related to the world of exhibition making--from A (as in Artist) and B (as in Biennial) to R (as in Retrospective) and W (as in White Cube). Employing a diaristic style, the curator presents his personal curatorial alphabet with a similar transparency and the same idiosyncratic character revealed in many of his exhibitions. The entries are not only stimulating and intellectually rigorous, but also emotionally engaging.

Genres: Art

64 pages, Paperback

First published October 31, 2014

About the author

Jens Hoffmann é escritor e curador de arte. Nascido em 1974, em San José, Costa Rica, atualmente vive em Nova York, onde é diretor de Exposições e Programas Públicos do Jewish Museum. Também é curador-chefe da galeria Susanne Feld Hillberry no Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit. Anteriormente, foi diretor do CCA Institute for Contemporary Art, em São Francisco, e diretor de exposições e curador-chefe do Institute for Contemporary Art, em Londres. Seus trabalhos incluem a curadoria da 9a Bienal de Xangai (2012/2013), a 12aBienal de Istambul (2011) e a 2a Trienal de San Juan (2009). Também é co-diretor artístico do FRONT International: Trienal de arte contemporânea de Cleveland (2018) e diretor artístico da 2a. Bienal de Honolulu (2019). É editor fundador do The Exhibitionist: Journal on Exhibition Making, e editor da Mousse Magazine, de Milão. Escreveu uma série de artigos para publicações como Artforum, Frieze, Parkette Texte zur Kunst. Desde 2004, é professor associado na Noveo Academia de Bella Arte, em Milão. Em 2016, ganhou o prêmio de excelência curatorial da Associação Americana de Curadoria.

Reviews

[Jordan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Definitely more of an index than a book. A very brief introduction, probably more useful to someone curious about the general state of curation than to someone interested in curatorial studies. A breeze to read but not a lot to be gained from it. It should also be noted that Hoffmann has recently faced multiple sexual harassment allegations.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this, it sparked something in me, but I think it needed to be a little more critical of the gallery and the curator. I did however like the section discussing art and the galleries role in gentrification. Artists being gentrified and gentrifiers.

Lovely book design.