Exhibiting artists: Larry Achiampong | Kimathi Donkor | Michael Forbes | susan pui san lok | Paul Maheke | Erika Tan | Abbas Zahedi

Wolverhampton Art Gallery

Private view: 9 February 5:30pm

Exhibition dates: 10 February – 29 April (open every day 10:30am – 4:30pm)

The Diaspora Pavilion showcased the work of 19 artists whose practices respond to the concept of diaspora during the 57th Venice Biennale at Palazzo Pisani a Santa Marina in Venice. Between 13 May and 26 November 2017 the exhibition presented a total of 37 artworks across a variety of media, and demonstrated the complexity and continued relevance that diaspora as a lived in reality holds today, while challenging the prevalence of national pavilions within the Biennale structure.

The Pavilion, which was curated by David Bailey and Jessica Taylor, functioned as one part of a two-year project set up to provide professional development opportunities to a group of 11 artists with the assistance of ten mentor artists, many of whom exhibited together in Venice.

DIASPORA PAVILION is a re-staging of the works of seven of the artists from the 2017 Diaspora Pavilion at Wolverhampton Art Gallery. Larry Achiampong, Kimathi Donkor, Michael Forbes, susan pui san lok, Paul Maheke, Erika Tan and Abbas Zahedi will present some new works in dialogue with those exhibited in Venice in this re-configured exhibition, shifting and driving conversations initiated by the 2017 show around the urgency and importance of the diasporic experience.

Image captions: 1. Erika Tan, The Forgotten Weaver, (2017), installation view in the Diaspora Pavilion Venice. 2. Paul Maheke, The River Asked for a Kiss (For Pateh Sabally), (2017), installation view in the Diaspora Pavilion.

Diaspora Pavilion | Venice to Wolverhampton has been made possible with the support of Arts Council England,UAL University of the Arts London, Art Fund and Bloomberg Philanthropies. Diaspora Pavilion, Venice 2017, was co-founded by David Bailey, Nicola Green, Peter Clayton and David Lammy.

Post: Curatorial Fellowship

Dates of fellowship: 14 May to 31 July 2018

Location: Liverpool Biennial 55 Bird Street Liverpool L1 0BW

Hours: 37.5 per week

Application deadline: 28 April 2018

Interviews for a shortlist of applicants will be held in Liverpool on 3 May 2018

International Curators Forum is welcoming applications from UK-based curators for a two-month curatorial fellowship in Liverpool working with Liverpool Biennial’s renowned curatorial team in the lead up to the opening of the 10th Liverpool Biennial Beautiful world, where are you?

Supported by ICF, a selected curator will be hosted by and will work with the Liverpool Biennial team, supporting them in all aspects of preparation and delivery of Liverpool Biennial 2018. This will involve assisting in the research, production and delivery of commissions and programmes.

ICF will provide the selected curator with a bursary of £4000 to support them during the fellowship, as well as a £300 stipend for travel and a stipend of up to £1000 for accommodation. Accommodation will be secured with the assistance of the Liverpool Biennial team.

About Liverpool Biennial

Liverpool Biennial is the UK biennial of contemporary art. Taking place every two years across the city in public spaces, galleries, museums and online, the Biennial commissions international artists to make and present work in the context of Liverpool. The 10th edition of Liverpool Biennial Beautiful world, where are you? invites artists and audiences to reflect on a world of social, political and economic turmoil, and to advance a new sense of beauty. The Biennial opens on 14 July 2018. http://www.biennial.com/2018

About International Curators Forum

International Curators Forum began as an open curatorial network and has grown into an organisation that delivers professional development programmes for emerging curators and artists. Recent ICF programmes include the Diaspora Pavilion and Beyond the Frame. https://www.internationalcuratorsforum.org/

Those who are interested in this opportunity are asked to submit the following:

• Your CV
• A short description of 2-3 projects that you’ve previously worked on
• A statement of aprox. 500 – 1000 words describing your interest in working with Liverpool Biennial during this fellowship and how you see this opportunity to be beneficial to your practice. Please also identify specific skills that you hope to develop during the fellowship, what you feel your professional development needs are or possible mentoring you’d like to get out of the experience.
• Please confirm your availability to be in Liverpool for the period of the residency – 14 May to 31 July 2018

Potential applicants should feel free to get in touch with the ICF team with any questions or queries prior to submitting your application.

All completed applications should be submitted by Saturday 28 April 2018 to Jessica Taylor jessica@internationalcuratorsforum.org

A short-list of applicants will be invited to interview with the Liverpool Biennial team on Thursday 3 May 2018. Please let us know if you are unable to interview on this date and we will try our best to make other arrangements. Travel to Liverpool for the interview will be covered.

Information about the Post 

Main duties include:

• To support the Programme Team with aspects of the research, preparation, delivery, production, installation, maintenance and de-installation of the Biennial exhibition and year-round programme of talks, events, publishing and research.
• To work with the Programme Team to co-ordinate and liaise with the partner venues as well as contractors employed to deliver aspects of the Biennial exhibition and year-round programme.
• To prepare and provide welcome packs and support the needs of participants in the programme whilst they are in Liverpool.
• To provide assistance as required with the writing, filing and administration of contracts with participants in the Biennial exhibition and year-round programme, and with non-partner venue sites.
• To coordinate non-venue sites as directed.
• To work with the Programme and Communications teams to produce written interpretation for sites, online and in press releases as requested.
• To work occasional evenings and weekends as necessary, taking this as Time Off in Lieu (Wherever possible this should be agreed in advance).
• To undertake administrative duties, such as organising travel and accommodation for artists, preparing and updating checklists and timelines, maintaining curatorial archives, filing, photocopying and processing invoices and other tasks.
• To work within the context of Liverpool Biennial’s Equality and Diversity policy, both within delivery of service and treatment of employees and all other policies as detailed in the Biennial Staff Handbook.
• To undertake any other duties which may be deemed necessary, consistent with the responsibility level and nature of the role.

Internal and External Lines of Communication

The Curatorial Fellow will be a full member of the team delivering Liverpool Biennial 2018. They will have weekly work planning and review meetings with the Curator and will be included in the regular Programme Team meetings and staff meetings.

Training and Personal Development

The Curatorial Fellow is expected to fully participate in: –

• Staff development
• Training opportunities that are made available for all staff as well as those identified as being post specific through the appraisal process.

Health and Safety

The Curatorial Fellow will take all reasonable steps to ensure that the working environment conforms to current Health and Safety at Work regulations through contribution to and understanding of the Biennial’s yearly risk assessment and the timely reporting of hazards or potential risks.

Basic Systems

The Curatorial Fellow will be expected to report any deficiencies in the basic systems which they either use or for which they have responsibility.

Person Specification