Category: Curation

TEOK X: Display

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A celebration of TEOK’s first anniversary at Depot Basel. Photo Matylda Krzykowski

Basel-based contemporary design space Depot Basel invited TEOK to curate an evening of presentations around its current exploration of “Display”. The event coincided with the first anniversary of this informal lecture series curated by myself, Juan Palencia and Marta Colón, and it was also the first time TEOK opened its doors to a general audience and to a larger number of participants. The evening was structured around the topic of Display, and we had presentations on Spanish roundabout art, nature and its representations in art, and the history of display in Natural History Museums. It was a pleasure to be invited by Depot Basel and to reflect about Display with our guests.

BIO 50: Opening week

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The “Designing Everyday Life” panel during the BIO 50 opening week. Photo Ana Kovač/MAO

The culmination of my work as a Curatorial Advisor for BIO 50 happened in September, with the biennial’s opening week and the unveiling of the results of a six-month collaborative process that involved more than 120 local and international agents. The intense week included the “Designing Everyday Life” panel, in which I moderated a conversation between BIO 50 chief curator Jan Boelen and design critics Alice Rawsthorn and Justin McGuirk, debating the current state of design and design events, apropos the biennial’s accompanying publication Designing Everyday Life. It was truly enjoyable to moderate a conversation among such luminaries. The conversation was lively and engaging, and can be seen fully here.

Towards a New Avant-Garde at the Venice Biennale

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A view of the “Towards a New Avant-Garde” debate and installation. Photo Philippe Declerck /DEVspace

“Towards a New Avant-Garde”, the three-part conversation series I lead with Superscript during the opening weekend of the 14th International Architecture Exhibition— La Biennale di Venezia, brought together 40 talented young architects, writers, critics, to debate issues of identity, collaboration, and economics. Over the course of three 90-minute conversations, several key themes emerged, including the need of architects to engage the public directly, the importance of evolving new forms of communication and criticism, and the value of capitalizing on opportunities to be proactive. A recap of the discussion’s main topics can be read at ArchDaily. The event was also covered on Dezeen and Domusweb, among others.

Produced by Superscript with Catharine Rossi and Rossella Ferorelli, the conversations took place within  the main Monditalia exhibition at the Corderie dell’Arsenale. The live-edited installation, designed by Brussels-based architecture firm DEVspace and French-Swiss interaction designer Thibault Brevet with students from Basel’s Hyperwerk Institute, featured 18 Arduino-powered  open-source printers and standard marker pens. Provocations from the organizers, participant names and quotes, as well as contributions from online followers using the hashtag  #stayradical became part of dynamic backdrop that emerged over the course of each conversation.

The project was made possible through generous assistance from Hyperwerk Institute (Kevin Renz, Gabriel Meisel, Gabriel Kiefer, Fabian Ritzi, Ivo Ludwig, David Safranek, Matthias Maurer), and contributions by Amelie Klein, Niku Alex Mucaj, Becky Quintal, Elian Stefa, Fabrizia Vecchione, and Malte Ziegler. The project is supported by the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia and WallonieBruxelles International (Belgium).

TEOK Basel


Stefano Orani presents on the cosmos at TEOK #2

The Edge of Knowledge (TEOK) is an informal lecture series in Basel, where uncommon, unexpected topics are presented in someone’s living room. Short presentations are interspersed with video breaks and drinks, with topics ranging from food to the cosmos, internet memes and personal obsessions. The series was conceived in early 2014 and is curated by Juan Palencia, Marta Colon and myself, seeking to offer an alternative look at the cultural outputs of the contemporary – and a window into the fantastic, rich ensemble of people that live and work in Basel. We’re excited to organize and promote this event series – and if you are around Basel, you should join us for one of our weekly sessions! For more information, follow the TEOK Tumblr, Facebook, or Twitter.