Research Question

This research examines artist residencies through the lens of curatorial practice, aiming to develop a replicable method for infusing exhibition processes at contemporary art museums with a research-oriented approach. These processes focus on collections, criticism, communities, and the local area, and are directly related to the visual and performing arts. The greatest peak in the development of residencies from 2009 to the present has occurred since the onset of COVID-19, highlighting the need for an investigation into their potential role for the contemporary art museum and their impact on today’s curatorial practice in museum research.

Methodology for Achieving Objectives

The practice-led and arts-based methodology examines artist residencies across different types of institutions, with a focus on contemporary museums that embrace the diversity of current trends, identifying roles and the evolution of exhibition processes, and compiling project proposals to derive residency-based curatorial and museum models. Data collection was based on three elements (parameter, observation, evaluation) to compare institutions both within and outside the EU, such as ARoS, Kunsthalle Basel, and Wiels. Structured interviews with head/chief curators and artists are used to collect direct data on professional profiles. The research is complemented by a focus on the past experiences of H. Obrist, M. Hansen, I. Kokko, and A. Serino, as well as a constantly updated bibliography on international curatorial practices.

Case Studies

The curatorial methodology described here begins with an understanding of the contemporary art museum’s exhibitions and collections. It proceeds through the ‘visit’ method, identifying artists and research projects to be included in collaborative and museum-specific initiatives. Spending at least one month at the museum, along with meetings and critical dialogue with visiting professionals and activities designed for the community and the local area, such as critiques and workshops, builds programs in which the residency becomes a museum practice. Through this, research unfolds across different levels of knowledge, ultimately allowing for the definition of exhibition processes not aimed exclusively at traditional exhibitions, but rather at presentations that mark the artists’ engagement with reinterpretations of the collections and their interaction with the community.

Data Analysis and Interpretation of Results

Although the museum tends to position itself as a relational space, in some cases, it maintains a distance from artistic-experimental projects. While acknowledging practices that reinterpret collections and programmes involving local areas and communities, the residency is proposed as a catalyst for the contemporary museum’s relational and research-oriented approach. Based on the potential of the models under observation, we plan to develop non-traditional exhibition processes oriented toward the museum’s research and development, though the replicability and systemic-economic impact remain to be verified to enable this potential future for the residency.