Abstract
Since 2015, the School of Design at Universidad de Los Andes has organized two exhibitions to showcase student work: Andando, which presents undergraduate course projects, and Volarán, which highlights notable degree projects. Although curatorship has rotated among professors, a repetitive exhibition format, the absence of a generational voice, and limited leadership and student involvement in the setup of the exhibitions, were identified as key challenges. To address these issues, the study proposes a curatorial methodology that actively involves students in every stage of the process. The approach was structured into three stages: a closed call for submissions directed to top students; a series of activities with the selected participants to define thematic lines; and a joint curatorial and museographic process led by two faculty curators. The aim of this process was to consolidate the exhibitions as spaces for collective learning, where students collaboratively constructed curatorial discourses, while dynamically and progressively appropriating the exhibition space. Over the course of two years and four cohorts, the method was implemented proved to succeed in fostering students’ curiosity and imagination by highlighting their inquiries and discoveries; showcasing their proposals in both exhibitions, while celebrating the diversity of their perspectives and creative dialogues; and transcending curricular structures, reflecting the students’ persistent desire to better understand the world around them, from a disciplinary perspective. Thus, the initiative redefines the concept of curatorship as a pedagogical device with a professionalizing orientation, recognizing speculation and practice as fundamental components of academic formation.
Presenters
Melanie MayAssistant Professor, Design Department, Universidad de los Andes, Cundinamarca, Colombia Elsa Franco Franco
Assistant Professor, Design, Universidad de Los Andes, Cundinamarca, Colombia
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Curatorial Pedagogy, Collaboration Method, Design Education, Student Involvement, Collective learning
