The course will equip students with critical and analytical skills on curating contemporary art in its relationships with the social and political domains in which the curatorial practices are grafted. Other aims include:

• Acquisition of knowledge around recent debates in the domain of contemporary art;
   
• Acquisition of an understanding of the values and qualities of cultural activities, involving those taking place in official institutions such as museums, art fairs and biennials, or unofficial settings such as various subcultures and scenes;
   
• Development of abilities in critical analysis and reflection upon the diverse historical, social and ethical contexts that determine the conceptualization and the implementation of a curatorial project;
   
• Recognition of the diverse curatorial practices within the context they are produced as well as the responsibilities and discourses that lie within these practices.

On successful completion of the course the student will be able to:

• Describe central themes in the contemporary cultural debate and contemporary art world in their relationships with different political approaches;
• Compare different political perspectives on contemporary art on the basis of specific text sources, specific works of art and curatorial practices;
• Use visual material to communicate an interpretation and give critical response to works of art, curatorial practices and political debates;
• Evaluate distinctive features of specific works of art by means of critical analysis;
• Identify ethical responsibilities in curatorial practices.