Between Image and Space: A Curator's Practice

Is the curator a gatekeeper who decides what enters the gallery? Or a magician who transforms two-dimensional images, objects, and fragile ideas into a spatial experience that audiences can step inside?

This workshop invites artists, students, writers, and curious community members to step into the world of contemporary curatorial practice. Participants will discuss questions surrounding institutional curation, the challenges of working as an independent curator, and the practical realities of writing exhibition proposals. The workshop will also consider how curators translate artworks from studio visits into exhibition spaces and how curating can function as a collaborative practice rather than simply a system of selection.

The workshop will unfold in three parts:

First, an introductory session will provide an overview of contemporary curatorial practice, exploring different curatorial models, exhibition strategies, and the evolving role of the curator in today’s art world.

Second, participants will engage in a hands-on exercise where they will develop a curatorial proposal. Through guided discussion and collaborative brainstorming, participants will learn how to shape an exhibition concept, articulate a curatorial statement, and consider spatial relationships between artworks.

Finally, participants will have the opportunity to present their curatorial ideas on the Pier Wall section at Forest City Gallery. This informal presentation allows participants to share their proposals, receive feedback, and gain first-hand experience in articulating curatorial concepts within a gallery context.

No prior curatorial experience is required—only curiosity and an interest in how exhibitions come to life. This workshop is free and open to the public. All materials will be provided.

Facilitated by Yijing Li, a Ph.D. Candidate in Art and Visual Culture (curatorial stream) at Western University. She has curated group exhibition, Ommatidia at Tap Centre, Becoming Otherwise at artLab Gallery, solo exhibition My Diary—Seven Days after the 2019 Hong Kong Protests at Satellite Project Space and Roots & Branches: Walking Through the Fifty Years of Forest City Gallery at Forest City Gallery.

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Host or Publisher Forest City Gallery