E-curating: Evolution of Exhibition Curation in the Digital Age

Introduction

Exhibitions, by their nature, comprise efforts to construct order out of an assortment of concepts, display items and information. This makes curation of an exhibition an act of creation of new narratives and generation of new avenues of knowledge spanning the realms of art history and museology. According to Hans-Ulrich Obrist, the artistic director of Serpentine Galleries in London, a curator is a catalyst, generator, motivator, a sparring partner to the artists and a bridge builder to the public (https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/03/style/curate-buzzword.html. [accessed 6 February 2024]), The term ‘curator’ essentially refers to the caretaker of a collection, its etymology rooted in the Latin word ‘curare’ meaning to care for or look after. However, over time, the role of curator has moved away from five pillars of the museum as defined by the International Council of Museums: collecting, preserving, researching, exhibiting and communicating. Curation now has elements of hunting for innovative concepts, original methods of audience engagement, unconventional storytelling and attempts to appeal to experts as well as hashtag crowds (Kompatsiaris, 2024).

Artists and cultural organizations are increasingly adopting digital tools and platforms to explore innovative and effective ways to engage audiences. Especially after the COVID-19 pandemic period, there has been a tremendous shift towards creation of hybrid ‘phy-gital’ experiences which have elements of physical as well as digital. We come across new narrative formats (such as curatorial playlist, social media exhibitions, multimedia galleries, online debates and discussion forums) as well as new relationship patterns with audiences that are more participatory and inclusive. Often, we see that there is blurring of boundaries between digital and analogue, in-gallery and online, curator, interpreter and agent of social media. With the proliferation of sources and information online, the role of a curator gains significance as someone who filters, validates and establishes connections within these knowledge networks (Proctor, 2010).

Social media in and of itself has changed many aspects of exhibition planning. Not only does it become a platform for audiences to share and access quality content but also post-visit experience shared by visitors plays a crucial role in influencing the choices and trip planning of other visitors (Oliveira et al., 2020). The increased willingness of audiences to share cultural consumption experiences on social media platforms often ends up influencing the choices of curators and creation of ‘instagramable’ displays as well. Hence a curator assumes the responsibility of not only constructing meaningful connections between online and offline realms but also orchestrating endeavours to elevate visitor experience and service quality amidst the ever-changing landscape of social media trends.

Digital tools can also be utilized to collect and share multiple voices around different themes. A great example of a citizen curation initiative is the ‘Bouquet of Hope’ initiative of Museum of Art and Photography, Bengaluru which during the time of Pandemic encouraged the public to send in images of a flower designed, created or captured by them, to contribute to an ever-evolving online bouquet. Such narratives cultivate a diffused, collaborative, fragmented, crowd-curated form of storytelling that prompts broader considerations regarding the role of institutions and curators as catalysts of social innovation (Zanetti et al., 2019).

Increasingly we are witnessing attempts to navigate the confluence of the virtual and the physical, and reconceptualization of the exhibition format as a dynamic open process enabling participants to constantly redefine boundaries and engage in co-creating experiences. This also helps the audience explore on their terms and understand the cultural historic context in which the exhibition is based. Using this approach can encourage a sense of community and participation within the exhibition, enabling users to exchange viewpoints and interpretations, thus promoting social cohesion (Pescarin et al., 2023).

The emerging curatorial approach prioritizes narrative construction over presentation, placing it at the core of the process. Digital tools help not only in streamlining workflows and production of digital outputs but have also revolutionized the participation, collaboration and engagement in exhibitions by providing data access and personalized interpretations avenues.

With the help of the following case studies, we are attempting to understand how digital technologies affect the emergence, conceptualization, implementation and communication associated with an exhibition.

‘Bagh-e-Bahar: Gardens as Universe’

This exhibition was conceptualized as a part of the India Art, Architecture and Design Biennale 2023, the first of its kind in the country and took place in the iconic monument complex, Red Fort in New Delhi, India. The Biennale, an initiative of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India showcased seven themed exhibitions in historic Barracks built by the British in India, of which the exhibition Bagh-e-bahar dealt with the theme of ‘gardens and rock art of India’ (see Figure 1).

OPEN IN VIEWER Figure 1.

Image of the Courtyard Region of Red Fort Barrack Reimagined As a Garden with the Art Installation ‘Field of Poppies’ for the Exhibition Bagh-e-Bahar.

The Biennale is considered a landmark step towards democratization of concepts related to art, architecture and design. Hence the displays in the exhibition included concepts from history to contemporary thought, paid tribute to stalwarts but also appreciated works from brilliant upcoming artists, creating spaces that spark intellectual curiosity along with spaces that create sensory immersive experiences.

Use of technological tools for the exhibition started from day one. Even primary site visit and documentation started with the use of measuring mobile application of apple devices which eliminated the need for a large team for the documentation process.

During the initial stages of conceptualization of the exhibition, it was decided that the focus would not be on showcasing information about actual gardens but on how gardens have occupied Indian imagination and have been showcased in creative expression of various forms. This opened up the worlds of paintings, photographs, poetry, cinema, music, oral narratives, textile traditions, performing arts and so on. This meant a tremendous amount of secondary research had to be carried out in a short span of time. For this purpose, digital repositories of museums were extensively used to choose artwork, themes, objects for the exhibition. The collection of several museums became accessible because of sources such as Google Arts and Culture platform or official museum inventories with relevant metadata mapping. Generally, hashtags, algorithmic recommendations and advanced search engines of today became essential for hunting for relevant display items. Even though due to paucity of time or considering security concerns, original museum objects could not be displayed, it is only because of digitization was the reproduction of at least the digital copy provided by a number of museums showcased in the exhibition.

Various segments of the exhibition peel back layers, exposing a variety of artists’ relationships with real and imagined gardens—formal, public, abstract, and intimately personal. Use of social media platforms such as Instagram were used to review the body of works of various artists during the selection process. This led to access to not only pieces with galleries and showcased in catalogues, but also private collections of the artists. The diversity of artistic responses to the ‘garden’ and its varying historical roles is also mirrored in the various art forms featured at the exhibition: apart from paintings and sculptures, the visitor can find photographs, different forms of installation, video clips, music, as well as poetry on the exhibition walls. Social media platforms such as Instagram were also utilized to reach out to several artists and art galleries directly, making the process of collaboration or rather co-curation seamless. The curatorial team could directly interact with artists across India with the help of virtual communication tools such as Zoom, Googlemeet to create content for the exhibition. To make the curation process as collaborative as possible, with every exhibit, the attempt was to let the voice of the artist or subject matter expert come through while making sure the story remains cohesive and accessible. This easy accessibility was primarily the reason why the exhibition was able to feature approximately 60 artists, 21 photographers, 55 paintings, 42 installations artworks, 12 poems, 110 photographs and 40 video clips. Some artists were also selected on the basis of concepts submitted through an open online call which the Ministry of Culture had put out, making the selection process as inclusive as possible.

Various methods of audience engagement were identified such as crowdsourcing content, creating installations using QR codes, utilizing touch, smell, audio and visual installations to make the exhibition as interactive as possible. A QR code integrated illustration (see Figure 2) to create an interactive experience for the audience where any smartphone user can scan the QR codes to listen to a number of songs inspired by gardens or garden elements was created. A crowdsourcing campaign to invite content from the public and also to make the exhibition a personalized experience was conceptualized (see Figures 3 and 4). A visitor to the gallery could also contribute by uploading photos of gardens taken by them, making it a personalized experience. The tool ‘Google forms’ was utilized to collect these photographs which helped simplify the process for the contributor as well as the curatorial team as they could collect all the required information including details of the photograph, photographer as well copyright-related declarations.

OPEN IN VIEWER Figure 2.

Illustration Where Links to Music Videos of Songs Related to Gardens Could Be Accessed By Visitors Using Their Smartphones (illustration by Ayantika Samanta).

OPEN IN VIEWER Figure 3.

Display Showcasing Crowdsourced Photographs of Gardens.

OPEN IN VIEWER Figure 4.

Illustrations Inviting Audiences to Send in Their Photographs That Could Be Featured in the Exhibition (Illustrations by Namrata Dhall Created Using the Platform Canva).

Avenues for User Generated Content were also provided such as ‘Selfie’ points, Social media platforms were extensively utilized to receive Immediate response or feedback from the audience. Apart from social media, visitor counting machines were installed to digitally capture the number of visitors to the exhibition.

Interactive spaces such as audio-visual immersive room, olfactory experience room, installation triggered by the pulse of individuals touching it, interactive installation for users to play with and find their favourite garden were also a part of the exhibition. Based on social media content shared by visitors, the curatorial team was able to conclude that these were the sections of the exhibition that users gravitated towards the most. Access to digitized botanical drawings helped in the creation of the audio-visual experience which combined garden sounds and animated visuals of the drawings to create an immersive experience (see Figure 5).

Various digital displays were also part of the exhibition. Digital footage of various performances and the interpretation of different dancers were showcased. Each dancer represented different traditional performing artforms of India such as Mohiniattam, Bharatnatyam, Odissi, Chhau, Kathak. Each dancer manifests gardens through their bodies, movements and expressions touching upon different narratives associated with gardens such as garden as a playground, garden elements that bring joy, depiction of animals, birds, butterflies and so on. Each dancer played the role of co-curator and conceptualized, performed as well as helped in the production of the videos displayed. Archival footage of the role played by gardens in Indian cinema could be showcased in multitude with a number of digital screens (see Figure 6). Powerful search engines such as YouTube were one of the major sources for secondary research for this segment. The idea was to trigger the memories of the audience with songs they are familiar with and showcasing the garden setting and the important role it played in the context of cinema. Approx- 35 video clips displayed. Digital art was also showcased using screens at the exhibition.

OPEN IN VIEWER Figure 5.

Image of the Space Where Animated Visuals of Digitized Botanical Drawings Were Used to Create an Immersive Experience.

OPEN IN VIEWER Figure 6.

Image of the Space With Digital Displays Showcasing Indian Classical Dancers As Well As Archival Footage of Cinema Clips Showcasing Gardens.

The curatorial team extensively utilized digital tools during the exhibition. Whether you consider tools such as AutoCAD, SketchUp, adobe illustrator and Canva to visualize exhibition spaces, or use of ChatGPT for formulating Urdu titles for each section or internal coordination WhatsApp groups, Google Docs and Google sheets or virtual meetings with the team members stationed in different cities, digital tools are ubiquitous.

There is a strong case to be made for building digital infrastructure and investment into digital documentation and archiving of all forms of Creative Expressions so as to facilitate future interpretations and curations based on various themes.

Designing an exhibition for a Biennale is not just about curating a collection of artworks, it’s about creating a space for connection, reflection, and transformation. It’s about fostering a dialogue between artists and audiences, inviting them to explore the complexities of the human experience together, and ultimately, to discover moments of beauty, truth, and meaning amidst the chaos of our world. When such an exhibition is being curated in a digital ecosystem with the view to attract and engage digital natives, technology becomes your primary instrument for implementation.

‘Connected Histories, Shared Present: Cross-cultural Experiences between Latin America, the Caribbean, and India’

This exhibition was an attempt to reveal the successive layers of interaction between peoples that shaped the modern, multi-ethnic societies of Latin America and the Caribbean and explore the cultural heritage and diversity of the two regions, as reflected in monuments, memories, street spaces, and everyday life. An intentionally fragmented survey, a deliberately disjointed overview, of the region and the life there, the idea was to give the viewer a glimpse into realities that are geographically near, but are unique and unfamiliar. It also attempted to bridge the realities of Latin America, the Caribbean and India, and show how their histories intertwine.

The exhibition was conceptualized to be an extension of an International Conference, ‘Connected Histories, Shared Present: Cross-Cultural Experiences between Latin America, the Caribbean, India’, being held at India International Centre (IIC) Delhi. This exhibition uses a combination of artwork and documentary material collected in collaboration with seventeen (17) embassies of Latin American and Caribbean countries in India. As an exercise in curation, it was quite a challenge to bring together, create unifying themes and collect display content in close collaboration with the various embassies (see Figure 7). After multiple rounds of physical and virtual discussions with each embassy, the three broad areas identified were connections through History; Transnational Flows and Creative Expressions.

OPEN IN VIEWER Figure 7.

Image of the Space Showcasing Traditional Attire of Various LAC Countries.

Connections through History include interactions between individuals of the LAC countries and India and the significant impact these interactions created. The long history of exchanges between India and Latin American and Caribbean countries carries many memories of moments and ties from the past as well as lasting friendships that unfold through several contexts and fields. In this section, there was extensive use of digital archives to identify visual and textual content for the exhibition (see Figure 8). Interestingly, the archives themselves were discovered sometimes because of social media platforms that showcase historic content. Online translation tools were also utilized for research from archives of these various countries.

OPEN IN VIEWER Figure 8.

Image of the Space Showcasing Connections Through History Such As Archival Photographs of Leaders Like Fidel Castro (Cuba) and Jawahar Lal Nehru (India) Meeting As Well As the Influence of Prominent Writers Such As Pablo Naruda on Indian Writers.

The Transnational Flows section looked at the contribution of Latin America and the Caribbean to world heritage, visual arts, performing arts and sports. Cultural heritage is a complex whole: treasured personal objects bequeathed to successive generations, grand monuments built by rulers, landscapes, practices, ways of thinking, behaviour, knowledge and a gamut of things in the present that connect us with our past. This segment gives a glimpse of tangible and intangible heritage from the Latin American and Caribbean countries that have influenced global culture, giving them the coveted status of world heritage. In this section digital displays as well as projected video showcasing tangible and intangible cultural heritage of LAC countries (see Figure 9). The research, collection, production and display of content for this section included extensive use of digital tools and archives.

OPEN IN VIEWER Figure 9.

Image of the Space Showcasing Digitally the Tangible and Intangible Heritage of LAC Countries.

The section Creative Expressions looks at works of Latin American and Caribbean artists that reveal a country’s culture through an artist’s perspective (see Figure 10). Creative expression includes music, dance, art, designs, names, signs and symbols, performances, ceremonies, architectural forms, handicrafts and narratives, or many other artistic or cultural expressions. Art can be both rooted in history and a catalyst for change in a culture. It connects people of a culture to their past, and it suggests new ideas and insights. Artists question stereotypes and conventions while exploring attributes such as gender, sexuality, race, nationality and heritage. This section explores various expressions of identity by showcasing different artists’ unique understanding and representation of the life and people of their countries.

OPEN IN VIEWER Figure 10.

Image of the Space Showcasing Creative Expressions From Various LAC Countries That Include Reproduction of Artworks, A Photographer’s Perspective of Events That Changed the Course of History and Traditional Handicraft Items.

The content to be displayed in this section consisted of different formats and was to be sourced from different geographies. It was decided that for the sake of convenience and to do justice to the creative spirit of the participating countries, that instead of original artwork, digital documentation would be carried out and their copies showcased at the exhibition wherever the item was unavailable at the embassy in New Delhi. This helped the curatorial team expand the scope of the exhibits. Rather than being restricted by the availability of content, digital technology helped create a more robust exhibition for an Indian audience. Technology also enabled the embassies to coordinate with the curatorial team as well as artists based in various countries to make the exhibition more meaningful. Additionally putting together a collection of music from various countries through an interactive QR code installation and multimedia kiosks to display videos were also utilized to make the exhibition interesting.

In this exhibition, digital tools were primarily utilized in the conceptual phase, to delineate the curatorial and exhibition implementation process rather than for display of exhibits.

‘Evam Vadathi Pustakam: Manuscripts tell their stories’

Manuscripts are hand-written documents reflecting different learned traditions, written on palm leaf, birch bark, handmade paper and other materials. Manuscripts in South Asia cover a rich and varied fields: faiths such as Buddhism, Jainism, Hinduism and Islam; texts on disciplines such as logic, grammar, mathematics, astronomy and astrology, medicine, chemistry and biology; works of poetry and drama, and treatises on architecture, performing arts and poetics. They range from aphoristic statements, compilations of observations and commentarial literature, to verse genres, chronicles, biography and travelogues.

This exhibition, showcased a selection of digitized South Asian manuscripts from Indian and international repositories, illustrating what manuscripts can tell us about their authors, the process of composition, and the worlds of their readers (see Figures 11 and 12). It traced the stories of how manuscripts were collected down the ages and their journeys of texts across languages and to different parts of Asia and beyond. This exhibition forms part of SAMHiTA: South Asian Manuscript Histories and Textual Archive. The word ‘samhita’ in Sanskrit means ‘compilation’ or ‘collection’. It is an initiative of the IIC supported by the Ministry of External Affairs to create a database on South Asian manuscripts housed in institutions outside India.

OPEN IN VIEWER Figure 11.

Image of the Space Showcasing Illustrated Manuscripts, Sanskrit Text and Multiple Scripts Found in Manuscripts.

OPEN IN VIEWER Figure 12.

Image of the Space Showcasing Illustrated Manuscripts, Details of Various Collectors and Digital Touch Screens With Access to the SAMHiTA Platform.

For an exhibition entirely to bring to attention the fact that priceless manuscripts of India exists in several collections outside India, if an exhibition of actual objects was to be implemented, it would have taken a diplomatic exercise of gigantic proportions, not to mention the security concerns and budget restrictions that come with the insurance of these delicate artefacts. In some cases, objects were not movable or, due to their fragility, could be handled with limitations and only under the oversight of a supervisor. The existence of digital archives with high-resolution images of manuscripts with proper metadata mapping and annotations is the only reason an exhibition of this nature was possible in a limited time and budget.

The exhibition was conceived to guide visitors to discover what is a manuscript, what are the various materials that were used to create manuscripts, how to read a manuscript, what are the various topics that Indian manuscripts dealt with or what will you find in a manuscript, who were the scribes who created these manuscripts, how did these invaluable texts travel from India to various parts of the world and the role various collectors played in making manuscripts travelling texts.

The support of libraries that have put their material in the public domain, digital archives such as the e-Gangotri initiative and Wikimedia Foundation were crucial to the curation of this exhibition. A project like SAMHiTA attempts to create a relational database and open-access digital library through collaboration with institutional partners and this exhibition is a good example of how consolidating information dispersed across institutions on an online platform accessible to all can help create new avenues for accessing knowledge about heritage. Digital tools that make accessible searchable texts in different regional languages, relational databases that facilitate connections between texts, authors, and places; and integrated frameworks for critical editing, translation, research, and education are the next step in the field of digital heritage and by extension curation in the field of cultural heritage.

Conclusion

As we analyse the three exhibitions, we realize the natural next step would be to utilize digital technologies for preserving temporary exhibitions in virtual environments or rather make a ‘digital twin’ accessible to users online using various devices (from home computers, smartphones, to tablets and VR headsets) (Barzaghi et al., 2024). This then requires a curator to have skills that help in acquiring, processing, modelling, optimizing, exporting, and metadating of the exhibition. What this means is, for a curator of the future, having knowledge of open technologies, formats, and protocols to make available the final digital product as well as to foster its findability, accessibility, interoperability, and reusability would become imperative. This may even take the form of creation of a 3D interactive platform for curators and artists to exhibit their works in the virtual social cyberspace. AI tools that help create these digital twins of exhibitions, together with relevant metadata creation of larger digital archive of cultural content could potentially help curators not only bridge the gap between virtual and physical realms with respect to exhibitions but will also help transcend traditional challenges faced by an exhibition such limitations of time, resources and access. The exhibitions of the future will enable effortless incorporation with other established digital assets, enhancing its depth with supplementary details and streamlining accessibility for researchers and enthusiasts to uncover, delve into, and repurpose materials (Fiorini et al., 2022).