The Exhibition to Come
Essays on a Curatorship in Process
The Exhibition to Come: Essays on a Curatorship in Process
This course proposes a collective and process-based curatorial exercise developed from scratch. Starting from the idea of an exhibition that does not yet exist — with no defined theme, no predetermined space — participants will be invited to collaborate in the invention of the conceptual and formal paths that will shape a hypothetical exhibition, with the potential to materialize in an actual venue in the future.
Under the guidance of curator Marcela Vieira, the course is structured as a laboratory in which the participants’ individual productions serve as the starting point for the construction of a collaborative curatorial approach. Through affinities, contrasts, or frictions between these works, shared thematic threads will emerge to guide the development of the exhibition proposal.
While the journey is collective, it deeply values the singularity of each participating artist or researcher. The “in-progress” exhibition will therefore be the result of mutual listening, experimentation, and the shared development of ideas — a project that functions both as a formative process and as a speculative platform, covering the full spectrum of curatorial thinking, group dynamics, and artistic production in a deeply engaging environment open to artists, curators, and researchers.
Marcela Vieira is cofounder and curator of the art website aarea, a curatorial platform founded in 2017 that commissions and exhibits artworks designed especially for the internet. aarea’s activities also extend into a public program of curatorial projects, courses, seminars, and projects in partnership with other cultural institutions, such as Jeu de Paume (Paris), São Paulo Biennial (São Paulo), CCA Wattis Institute (San Francisco), Macba (Barcelona), Pro Helvetia (Switzerland), Salón Nacional de Bogotá (Colombia), NT2 (Montréal), among others. With multidisciplinary interests, Marcela is also one of the editors of Revista Rosa and a literary translator (French-Portuguese). She has a PhD in semiotics at the University of Paris 8, in partnership with the University of São Paulo.
Enrollment deadline: August 5, 2025
August 7th - December 11th
Thursdays @ 8pm ET
Online & Recorded
$200 per month
or 1,000
USD
Marcela Vieira is cofounder and curator of the art website aarea, a curatorial platform founded in 2017 that commissions and exhibits artworks designed especially for the internet. aarea’s activities also extend into a public program of curatorial projects, courses, seminars, and projects in partnership with other cultural institutions, such as Jeu de Paume (Paris), São Paulo Biennial (São Paulo), CCA Wattis Institute (San Francisco), Macba (Barcelona), Pro Helvetia (Switzerland), Salón Nacional de Bogotá (Colombia), NT2 (Montréal), among others. With multidisciplinary interests, Marcela is also one of the editors of Revista Rosa and a literary translator (French-Portuguese). She has a PhD in semiotics at the University of Paris 8, in partnership with the University of São Paulo.
More Classes
Live online classes with the world’s best artists and curators
Let’s Make A Show
This course offers an opportunity for artists to work with other artists to make exhibitions together. This course is led by and facilitated by Nato Thompson, who has already had tremendous success in his courses at The Alternative Art School, working with artists to figure out ways to make exhibitions together. The basic motto is: rather than waiting for someone else to give you a show, artists can work together to produce exhibition opportunities. Of course, these will not be classic exhibitions in white cube galleries, but instead provide lower-cost fun ways in the spirit of Fluxus to get their work out into the world and into conversation with new audiences and artists. Past examples include work trades in living rooms or even on refrigerators, WhatsApp exhibitions, PowerPoint shows, PDF exhibitions, collective meditations, postcard campaigns, and more.
Lost & Found:
Artistic Approaches to the Photographic Archive
This two-hour, fully theoretical workshop is designed for those interested in reinterpreting personal or found photographic archives—whether working with printed photographs, film slides, film negatives, or other materials. Through discussions on contemporary artists, alternative techniques, and unique installation methods, participants will gain new perspectives on how to engage with archival imagery. The session will provide inspiration and strategies for transforming archival materials into meaningful artistic expressions.
Crash Course in Adobe Premiere Pro:
Video Editing Basics
This one-day intensive workshop is designed to get you up and running with Adobe Premiere Pro. Learn the essential tools and workflows to create high-resolution, professional-quality video works. We'll cover importing footage, basic editing techniques, timeline navigation, multi-channel video editing, and exporting for different platforms. Perfect for beginners or those looking to sharpen their foundational skills, this crash course will give you the confidence and tools to start editing with clarity and creativity. This course will be recorded for anyone unable to make it LIVE.
