UNDER CONSTRUCTION
December 13, 2021 § Leave a comment
The absence of updates has, in part, been due to the focus on finally building a new website.
The intention is that the site will, simultaneously, be an archive and repository of the cycle of projects, to date, including, SOUTHERN CROSS (1999-2002), The Breathing Factory (2002-2006), Ausschnitte Aus EDEN/Extracts from Eden (2003-2009) and THE MARKET (2010-) and a means to update on a new project, alongside ongoing events, publications etc. All material will be available and made accessible to download. It is always appreciated when people check here and so thank you for your interest and your patience.
The website can be accessed at markcurran.org.
Due to personal circumstances, there has been a delay, but website will go live soon. Thank you.
June 9, 2021 § Leave a comment
DOCUMENTARY FUTURES: : New Ecologies, Science and Aesthetics
International symposium happening Thursday, June 10th. Speakers include Eline Benjaminsen & Elias Kamaiyo, Lebohang Kganye, Sheng Wen Lo, Maija Tammi, Iris Sikking & Mark Curran.
Organised by Lisa Barnard, Salvatore Vitale & Professor Mark Durden, European Centre for Documentary Research, University of South Wales in collaboration with Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts.
The event is free (online) but booking required, please see link.
‘Addressing documentary futures, this one-day international symposium explores the ways in which photographers are now collaborative and expansive in their research as they seek to give visual forms to key aspects of contemporary ecologies, economies, science and aesthetics.’
Further information and how to register here.
Art In The Age of Financial Crisis (New York)
February 15, 2017 § Leave a comment
Part of the College Arts Association 105th Annual Conference being held in New York, the panel, convened by Marisa Lerer (Manhattan College) & Conor McGarrigle (DIT) includes Amy Whitaker, Elena Shtromberg, Derek Curry/Jennifer Gradecki & Mark Curran
The recent release of the Panama Papers revelation is just one in many that highlight the link between art and ethically (if not legally) corrupt financial markets. The relationship between financial speculators and emerging artists is another example of the complicated and compromised control that finance holds on the art market. In addition, historically and recently artist activists have been calling attention to and transforming the relationship of corporate patronage within art institutions. This session aims to explore patronage, collaboration, and alternative systems in art and finance. This panel seeks papers that examine specific aspects of the financial crisis and projects that critique existing models and present alternatives such as crypto-currency models to financial infrastructures and calls for divestment. Can there be a system of ethics surrounding art’s role within the exchanges of capital? How have artists working in public art in the expanded field translated, shifted and reframed financial structures? What is the arts and art institutions’ role in visualizing the complex networks of successive financial crises and presenting alternatives that may rebuild systems of trusts between the public and global financial markets? Case studies are welcome as are proposals for future projects.This session encourages participation from artists, art historians, curators, and theorists.
Full information available here on the CAA website. Participation has been generously supported by IADT.
THE SOCIAL – IAVC2016@Boston
September 26, 2016 § Leave a comment
THE SOCIAL is the title of the 4th International Association for Visual Culture Biennial Conference (IAVC2016@Boston) to be held at Boston University September 28, 29, 30 and October 1, 2016.
The conference IAVC2016@Boston will present papers and artworks on post-democracy, post-society, future visions, crisis, social media, post-capitalism, post-data, social evolution, revolution, actionism, post-state, interventionism, post-colonialism, economic vampirism, globalized thievery, art activism and social exploitation.
Keynote speakers include, Professor Vincent Brown (Harvard University), Professor Nicholas Mirzoeff (New York University), Professor Vera Ingrid Grant (Harvard University), Professor Lanfranco Aceti (Boston University) & Professor Mieke Bal, University of Amsterdam.
Along with Violeta Vojvodic Balaz, Daniel Feinberg, Rob Aitken, as part of the panel titled, Post-society and Financial Exsanguination, Mark Curran will present on the formulation of his research project, THE MARKET.
The conference is free for speakers and attendees. If you wish to join us please register here. The program of THE SOCIAL can be accessed here.
Participation has been supported by the Institute of Art, Design & Technology (IADT).
#DataRush – Commission & Installation NOORDERLICHT/NEPN
August 21, 2015 § Leave a comment
This post is to announce the generous awarding of a commission by NOORDERLICHT in collaboration with the North East Photography Network (NEPN), University of Sunderland (UK) to elaborate on my ongoing project, THE MARKET, on the functioning and condition of the global markets,
The resulting research was undertaken in the Zuidas Financial District on the southern periphery of Amsterdam with emphasis on the central role of the Netherlands in the Global Shadow Banking System and Algorithmic/High Frequency Trading (HFT).
It will be presented as an installation in the main exhibition, #DataRush at NOORDERLICHT 2015 opening Saturday, 22 August at the Old Sugar Factory, Groningen (the Netherlands).
#DataRush continues until 11 October.
On Sunday, 23 August, there will be a public event at the Old Sugar Factory
organised by WAMS titled DEBATE DATA RUSH involving participating artists and scientists. Full details are available here.
The installation will later be presented at Photoville in New York in the Autumn and the UK in 2016.
Acknowledgments
Algorithm Design & Sound Composition Ken Curran, Data Visualisation Damien Byrne, Script adapted from text by Brett Scott Editor Lidia Rossner, Voice Claudia Schäfer, Collaborator Helen Carey
PROGRESS REPORT
May 15, 2014 § Leave a comment
It has been some time since the last post. This followed an intensive series of events around THE MARKET , most recently being a very successful installation at the Centre Culturel Irlandais. The public and media response in Paris, further underscored the profound interest in, and indeed a need to discuss, the subject matter of the project, a subject matter that continues to grip the world.
In addition, the time away from posting has provided a chance to reflect upon where the project finds itself. The intention is to now make a further research trip later in the summer to a site in Asia that has always been viewed as a pivotal location for the project. As elsewhere, this is dependent on securing access. To date, the process of negotiation has taken almost 2 years. However, a central conceptual framing has been both how access embodies a state of relation and condition of the functioning of the markets.
In anticipation of securing access, the plan is then is for a significant publication of the complete project to appear in 2015.
In the meantime, this blog/gathering place will continue to host posts in relation to THE MARKET. Enabling a means to reflect on the research process and indeed how the mechanism/momentum of financial capitalism continues to play itself out. Perhaps to completion.
Finally, as part of this post. Here is a short video of the first installation, which includes the audio of the algorithmic soundscape, The Normalisation of Deviance as installed at the Gallery of Photography in Dublin late last year.
Headlines (selection 2007-2010)
April 2, 2013 § Leave a comment
‘Headlines (selection 2007-2010)’, research image by Mark Curran
THE MARKET 