Abstract

In this article, I discuss the perceived failure of the second Johannesburg biennale, Trade Routes: History amd Geography, curated by Okwui Enwezor in 1997. Although curating can be used as a socio-critical tool, Enwezor's authorial curatorial model as witnessed in Trade Routes is criticised for being non-responsive towards issues the South African public was actively dealing with in 1997, which contributed to its perceived failure. As a seminal mega-exhibition in South Africa, I consider the influence Trade Routes may have had on subsequent South African curatorial practice and discuss whether Trade Routes may have acted as a catalyst for local curators to consider alternative curatorial methodologies. I argue that South Africa has witnessed a shift towards group, participatory, and community-driven curatorial approaches. I review Portia Malatjie's group curatorial strategy as evidenced in <dis/play>, exhibited in 2012, and the advantages obtained thereby. I discuss how group curatorial strategies subvert the inherited manner of conceptualising, theorising, and organising an exhibition and how this provides opportunities to democratise access and pluralise inclusion. I propose that post-apartheid curatorial practices require caution with regard to valuing one group or individual over another and that collaborative curatorial approaches may foster a method of continuous self-reflection and regulation.

摘要

在本文中，我讨论了由 Okwui Enwezor 于 1997 年策划的第二届约翰内斯堡双年展“贸易路线：历史与地理”的失败。被批评为对南非公众在 1997 年积极处理的问题没有反应，这导致了它的失败。作为南非开创性的大型展览，我考虑了Trade Routes可能对随后的南非策展实践产生的影响，并讨论了Trade Routes是否可能已经成为当地策展人考虑替代策展方法的催化剂。我认为，南非见证了向集体、参与和社区驱动的策展方式的转变。我回顾了 Portia Malatjie在 2012 年展出的<dis/play>中所展示的团体策展策略，以及由此获得的优势。我讨论了团体策展策略如何颠覆传统的概念化、理论化和组织展览的方式，以及这如何为访问民主化和包容多元化提供机会。我建议种族隔离后的策展实践需要谨慎对待一个群体或个人的价值，而协作策展方法可能会促进一种持续自我反思和监管的方法。