Illana Hester

A Curatorial Reflection

"curatorial practice is a way of caring for the society and its citizens to ensure their well-being and vitality,”

Art institutions then “are not only products of their environments, but also active and invaluable agents capable of shaping their societies in return.”

- Koyo Kouoh

There can be a complex, unanticipated relationship between an artwork and an observer. Artwork can make you feel... it can inspire a mess of emotion; it can pull you into love or imply any range of reaction. It can inspire: it moves us, it makes us change our minds and think critically, it can test our mettle. By including written responses to the work, on longing, and on the human experience, I try to share some of my own feelings and vulnerabilities in the looping feedback between curator, artist, and artwork. 

In all my work here as the curator of TOSH, I am continuously trying to highlight some of the traditional hierarchies that have embedded themselves in art-world relationships: find new collaborative models, while supporting, listening and learning from artists. A lot of my curatorial role is one of connectivity, holding space, and encouraging artists in their best practice to productively question the authority, economy and adoration of the notion of the power of the marketplace and intrinsically that of the curator as well. 

In this work, I hope to provide a view to center the experience of the artist and holistically support the community of artists in a way that is more aligned and politically alive, and that is intersectional and decolonizing. 

Above all, I strive to support our community in a heart-centred way. 

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