Andrew Renton
Collecting as Practice - What Makes a Work of Art Work?
Course Detail
DescriptionAndrew Renton's talk addresses conditions of collecting which have a direct impact on both the status and the very nature of a work of art. He explores the history of collecting which supports or produces economic value, as well as how collections are a reflection of a history of evolving values which, at an institutional level, are undergoing radical rethinking. In addition, Renton focuses on collecting as a pro-active practice that produces significant events of cultural impact. In his view, today’s expanded field of collecting might even affect the physical and conceptual attributes of an object, and the context which defines the work through its being collected.Meet the PresenterAndrew RentonWriter and curator Andrew Renton is a Professor of Curating at Goldsmiths, University of London, where he has recently been involved in the development of the new Goldsmiths CCA. He has curated many shows internationally, including the first Manifesta in Rotterdam in 1996. He was the founding Director of Marlborough Contemporary Gallery in London. Renton wrote a weekly column for the Evening Standard on art issues, and is the author and editor of numerous articles, books, and monographs on art. He was a member of the jury for the 2006 Turner Prize, and is a board member and trustee of several arts organizations such as the Showroom, the Drawing Room, Glasgow International, the Beckett International Foundation, and the Jewish Quarterly. Renton has advised many private collections and foundations, such as London’s Cranford Collection, as well as institutions including the British Government Art Collection.