"the curators":the centre of attention
curated by gary o'dwyer and pierre coinde

exhibition: january 2004



the curators

in this exhibition, it is the curators of the exhibition who are on display. cutting out the middlemen/artists allows the viewing public to directly interact with them.

as curators we felt compelled to eliminate the artist from the equation so as to explore other criteria, e.g. exhibitions as a product of the curator’s bias and opinions with accompanying illustrative flourishes. literally and figuratively we hoped for a show that will speak for itself and be self evident.

this show/work is an opportunity to bring together a few of the predominating themes of this experimental London-based art gallery:

1. the idea that the exhibition produces the work.
2. the nature of a show, as one of flux and change
3. the performative aspect of art/life understood as a profound self conscious focus into the nature of human intercourse.
the notion of the gallery as an interface or nodal point where paths cross, ideas collide and texts, human as well as literal, may undergo synthesis.

"center of attention" is a london-based not-for-profit contemporary art gallery curated by gary o'dwyer and pierre coinde. the center has worked with artists such as adam chodzko, sylvie fleury, jenny holzer, genesis p-orridge, martha rosler as well as young emerging british and european artists. this is the centre of attention's third exhibition in the US. the gallery's experimental approach to art shows has been an ongoing enquiry into the phenomenon of art production, presentation, consumption and heritage-ization. "specialists in subversion " london evening standard, dec 19, 2003?c " esprit audacieux "le figaro, june 26, 2003.