Design and Its Publics: Curators, Critics and Historians April 26, 2007

"For the first time, the Design Institute (College of Design) and the Department of Art History (College of Liberal Arts) are joining forces to present an international conference on the state of contemporary architecture and design discourse. In two days of conversation, our distinguished speakers will offer reciprocal reflections on architecture and design criticism and curatorial practice, contrasting the perspectives from North America and Europe.

On the first day, the invited critics and historians will offer their assessments of the significance of Minneapolis's new public architecture within the larger sphere of a global architectural culture, and the role of critical writing and mass media in shaping this culture.

On the second day, the invited curators/museum directors will describe how they, too, shape public perception of design and architecture through their curatorial strategies and acquisitions policies, exhibit installations, and museum education programs.

Each group will serve as interlocutors for the other, in panel discussions on both days, which will be moderated by the co-organizers, Janet Abrams, Director, Design Institute, and Steven F. Ostrow, Chair, Department of Art History, along with Tom Fisher, Dean, College of Design. For more details on the context for this conference, and the likely presentation and roundtable topics, scroll down below the speaker list."

This event will be free and open to the public, and admission is first-come, first-served.

Official Website: http://design.umn.edu/go/project/DAIP07