Curating as Care in Performance and Live Art: A case study of Lithuanian and Sámi art

Abstract

This research is focused on the development of a new methodology to curate political performance art from the Baltic countries and Sápmi. Sámi and Baltic artists share a colonial history connected to their traditional lands, which is often why they work with such politically loaded themes. A more complete understanding of their artworks by audiences can contribute to opening up a social dialogue about these issues, which could have the effect of lessening the notion of Other and erasing the hierarchies of cultural centre and periphery. Performance and live artwork can generally be experienced by the audience only once. Thus, the audience has only one chance to grasp the artwork and understand it. Here, the curator’s task is to establish a close dialogue with the artist and shape the meeting point with the audience in order to lower the barriers between the artist (and their artwork’s content) and the audience.
How can curators work with live art and performances by Baltic and Sámi artists themed around postcolonial memory and decolonisation to give international audiences a more coherent understanding of such artwork? The results of my research, key points towards a new curatorial methodology, are useful for the education of curators. The methodology developed could be used by art institutions such as art centres and galleries that work with performance art and present artwork from the Baltic region and indigenous Sámi artists, which often deals with the themes of decolonisation and postcolonial memory. Lastly,
the methodology could increase engagement and connectedness with audiences to the performance artwork they experience.