Testimonials Visiting Curators Vienna 2018
The Visiting Curators programme by Verein K is a highly professional and useful programme for international curators. Verein K has been extremely helpful and supportive in making my stay as comfortable and productive as possible. Because of this, the programme allowed me to get a very good introduction into the Vienna art scene. Besides meeting artists related to my own interests and field of research, there was a good balance of other players in the field; artists as well as curators and other art professionals. I am happy to look back at a short but valuable time that will undoubtedly have an effect in future projects.
I had the pleasure and the honour to be one of the participants of Visiting Curators Vienna 2018 organized by Verein K.
Verein K gave me the opportunity to become a curator-in-residence and dive into Vienna’s contemporary art scene. I received a personalized program that served as a guide for artist studios, smaller and bigger institutions to off spaces, commercial galleries and academies. The team behind Verein K is well informed about the Austrian art scène and eager to share their insights and critical thoughts. My residency in Vienna was the starting point for 3 new collaborations that I will further develop in the near future. I would highly recommend this short-term residency to every curator who wants to discover the very dense and interesting contemporary art scene Vienna is.
During my stay in the curatorial research residency in Vienna with Verein K I was able to meet curators and artists based on my particular research, and that was very helpful to my current PHD studies and related projects. I believe that many ties will continue and that there is much potential for collaborations. One of the reasons for that is the good organisation which allowed a combination of private custom made meetings along with group meetings with the other curators. This has enabled a possibility to make changes along the way and add meetings that seemed important based on the every day encounters. The meticulous, yet flexible and generous hosts took care of the schedule in a way that was efficient but not too stressful, answered sensitively to all our needs and arranged great content throughout the residency. From personal reasons I couldn’t attend the residency until the end and I felt that there was much more to discover.
Thank you for a meaningful experience!
The 10 day curatorial residency organized by Verein K was a very intensive learning experience providing deep insight into the sparkling contemporary art scene of Vienna. The professionally compiled program was set according to the personal preferences of each participant which allowed us to gain as much information and knowledge as possible. Visiting artists in their studios as always was the most fruitful and inspiring part of the curatorial work, which I will utilize for future projects for sure. Next to the studio visits, for me, the most valuable part of the residency was the access to institutions and alternative spaces, the meetings and discussions with curators and other professionals. Thanks to the engaged team behind Verein K I got an outstanding opportunity to become acquainted with the Austrian art scene as well as to build up a network with other participants of the program.”
“Zato što oni imaju dušu ima dušu (Because they have souls)” this sentence in Serbian is echoing in my mind when I am thinking of my stay in Vienna with Verein K team, as they were not only colleagues who were there to hold the visiting curators project, but also they became great friends very soon, and enhanced our work relation to a genuine human and friendship one. This intimate and easy going atmosphere helped all the residents to feel relaxed and made them to express freely their ideas. Another positive factor was the self-orianted nature of the methodology i.e every resident could effectively follow what s/he demanded and expected from the project beside the pre-defined studio and art venues visits. For me as the representative of KAAF institute in Tehran, it was more about to expand my network to academic scene and also define programs with established art museums and organizations that were covered very properly during my stay in Vienna. It is great to see that I had the opportunity to meet curators of major art institutes in Vienna and define the programs between Tehran and Vienna that our audiences will hear about them very soon. Many thanks to Verein K team who were always there, kind, professional, responsive and responsible, and also for making our 10 days stay in Vienna memorable in every imaginable aspect.
Verein K is an independent arts and cultural organization from Vienna, founded in January 2018. Verein K focuses on projects in the field of contemporary art and culture connecting diverse cultural and social interests: critical approaches to contemporary art, creating curatorial platforms as well as enabling innovative cultural practices including diverse social groups.