Ways of Curating

Starred review from July 28, 2014
With more than 250 shows to his credit, art curator, critic, and historian Obrist (Ai Weiwei Speaks), a director at London’s Serpentine Galleries, is an international force. His latest book provides an accessible and entertaining consideration of curatorial practices, in which the author describes the museum experiences, meetings with artists, and exhibitions that have most influenced his thinking, while occasionally touching upon the broader history of museums and exhibitions. Of course, because Obrist is responsible for some of the most game-changing exhibitions in recent decades, the line between personal history and general art history is thin. Obrist collaborates with cultural figures ranging from artists Félix González-Torres and Gilbert and George to the architect Cedric Price and the writer Doris Lessing. However, rather than name-dropping, his insistence on collaboration reflects one of his overarching themes, namely his “belief... that curators follow artists, not the other way around.” Despite his considerable influence, Obrist doesn’t fit comfortably into the mode of curator-as-artist that increasingly dominates the marketplace, but instead turns, with respectful deference, to the work of others. Biennials excite him because they might be a “spark or catalyst for something else in the local scene,” while the best shows highlight history as well as the present. Obrist educates and delights, with the simple goal of sharing his life’s joy.