Terry Smith - Conceiving Contemporary Composition


Influential art theorist, critic and historian Terry Smith will present the key concepts underlying his most recent books: One and Five Ideas: On Conceptual Art and Conceptualism (2017), The Contemporary Composition (2016), and Talking Contemporary Curating (2015). He will explore questions such as the following: How central was conceptualism to the historical transition from modern to contemporary art?

 
DateThursday, March 16, 2017 - 7:00pm

Cost

Free

Email

jdrobnick@faculty.ocadu.ca

Location

Room 190, 100 McCaul Street

CONCEIVING CONTEMPORARY COMPOSITION 

TERRY SMITH

Influential art theorist, critic and historian Terry Smith will present the key concepts underlying his most recent books: One and Five Ideas: On Conceptual Art and Conceptualism (2017), The Contemporary Composition (2016), and Talking Contemporary Curating (2015). He will explore questions such as the following: How central was conceptualism to the historical transition from modern to contemporary art? What kinds of contribution are curators making to the task of conceptualizing our contemporaneity? How might we speak, now, of contemporary composition, when art being made today seems so diverse in all of its aspects as to defy coherent categorization, when the world situation presents itself, day after day, as spinning into confused chaos, structural disintegration, and violent disorder -- that is, a state of unfathomable decomposition?

 

Terry Smith is Andrew W. Mellon Professor of Contemporary Art History and Theory in the Department of the History of Art and Architecture at the University of Pittsburgh, and Professor in the Division of Philosophy, Art, and Critical Thought at the European Graduate School. From 1994-2001 he was Power Professor of Contemporary Art and Director of the Power Institute, University of Sydney. In the 1970s he was a member of the Art & Language group (New York) and a founder of Union Media Services (Sydney). His recent books include The Architecture of Aftermath (2006), Antinomies of Art and Culture: Modernity, Postmodernity and Contemporaneity (with Nancy Condee and Okwui Enwezor, 2008), What is Contemporary Art? (2009), Contemporary Art: World Currents (2011), Thinking Contemporary Curating (2012), Talking Contemporary Curating (2015), The Contemporary Composition (2016) and One and Five Ideas: On Conceptual Art and Conceptualism (2017). A foundation Board member of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, he is currently a Board member of the Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, and of the Biennial Foundation, New York. See: www.terryesmith.net/web/

 ___________________________

This lecture is organized by the MA Program in Contemporary Art, Design and New Media Art Histories at OCAD University. CADN gives special thanks to the Office of Graduate Studies, the President's Office, the Faculty of Art, and the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences/School for Interdisciplinary Studies for their generous support.

Seating for this event is limited. 

For more information, contact Jim Drobnick, CADN Program Director, jdrobnick@faculty.ocadu.ca

___________________________

The MA program in Contemporary Art, Design and New Media Art Histories prepares students to investigate the breadth and complexity of today's cultural landscape. Through historical contextualization, scholarly rigour, and cross-disciplinary methods, this program trains students to produce pioneering research into newly emerging art and design practices. CADN offers three fields of specialization: contemporary art history, design history, and new media art history. Working with an extensive core of over fifty faculty members, students are encouraged to generate their own insights into the ever-shifting world of contemporary art and culture.



Terry Smith Lecture
DateThursday, March 16, 2017 - 7:00pm

Cost

Free

Email

jdrobnick@faculty.ocadu.ca

Website Location

Room 190, 100 McCaul Street

Terry Smith
Thursday, March 16, 2017 - 7:00pm

CONCEIVING CONTEMPORARY COMPOSITION 

TERRY SMITH

Influential art theorist, critic and historian Terry Smith will present the key concepts underlying his most recent books: One and Five Ideas: On Conceptual Art and Conceptualism (2017), The Contemporary Composition (2016), and Talking Contemporary Curating (2015). He will explore questions such as the following: How central was conceptualism to the historical transition from modern to contemporary art? What kinds of contribution are curators making to the task of conceptualizing our contemporaneity? How might we speak, now, of contemporary composition, when art being made today seems so diverse in all of its aspects as to defy coherent categorization, when the world situation presents itself, day after day, as spinning into confused chaos, structural disintegration, and violent disorder -- that is, a state of unfathomable decomposition?

 

Terry Smith is Andrew W. Mellon Professor of Contemporary Art History and Theory in the Department of the History of Art and Architecture at the University of Pittsburgh, and Professor in the Division of Philosophy, Art, and Critical Thought at the European Graduate School. From 1994-2001 he was Power Professor of Contemporary Art and Director of the Power Institute, University of Sydney. In the 1970s he was a member of the Art & Language group (New York) and a founder of Union Media Services (Sydney). His recent books include The Architecture of Aftermath (2006), Antinomies of Art and Culture: Modernity, Postmodernity and Contemporaneity (with Nancy Condee and Okwui Enwezor, 2008), What is Contemporary Art? (2009), Contemporary Art: World Currents (2011), Thinking Contemporary Curating (2012), Talking Contemporary Curating (2015), The Contemporary Composition (2016) and One and Five Ideas: On Conceptual Art and Conceptualism (2017). A foundation Board member of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, he is currently a Board member of the Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, and of the Biennial Foundation, New York. See: www.terryesmith.net/web/

 ___________________________

This lecture is organized by the MA Program in Contemporary Art, Design and New Media Art Histories at OCAD University. CADN gives special thanks to the Office of Graduate Studies, the President's Office, the Faculty of Art, and the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences/School for Interdisciplinary Studies for their generous support.

Seating for this event is limited. 

For more information, contact Jim Drobnick, CADN Program Director, jdrobnick@faculty.ocadu.ca

___________________________

The MA program in Contemporary Art, Design and New Media Art Histories prepares students to investigate the breadth and complexity of today's cultural landscape. Through historical contextualization, scholarly rigour, and cross-disciplinary methods, this program trains students to produce pioneering research into newly emerging art and design practices. CADN offers three fields of specialization: contemporary art history, design history, and new media art history. Working with an extensive core of over fifty faculty members, students are encouraged to generate their own insights into the ever-shifting world of contemporary art and culture.

Venue & Address: 
Room 190, 100 McCaul Street
Email: 
jdrobnick@faculty.ocadu.ca
Cost: 
Free
Terry Smith Lecture
Ignite Imagination - The Campaign for OCAD U

Please be advised that OCAD U hosted events may be documented through photographs and video. These images may be used by the University for promotional, advertising, and educational purposes. By participating in our events, both on campus and off-site, you consent to allowing OCAD University to document and use your image and likeness. However, if you do not want us to use a photo or video of you or your child, please don’t hesitate to let us know when you arrive at the event. You’re also welcome to get in touch with OCAD University’s Marketing & Communications office: communications@ocadu.ca.

Be mindful of those in our community who have scent sensitivities; please help OCAD U maintain a healthy, scent-free campus.