Knowledge production in visual arts organisations: a case study on the triangle network

Abstract

The present research aims to advance two central questions: (1) what does ‘knowledge production’ mean in the context of contemporary curatorial practice and (2) how do VAOs fulfil this objective through their programmes. To a certain extent, the inquiry into the second question will provide insights into the first one. Looking at visual arts organisations (VAOs) from a curatorial perspective, their institutional practices of knowledge production between the realms of the local and the global stand out. Focusing on three of the Triangle Network's partner organisations – HANGAR in Lisbon, Gasworks in London and 32º East in Kampala – three means of knowledge production in VAOs are defined and elaborated on: mediation, representation, and conviviality. The study highlights the existence of various knowledge(s) and insists on their importance.