Jacob Fabricius

Setting the Tone of the Exhibition
The Anatomy of Exhibition Openings

The Complexities of Shaping an Exhibition

Through titles, graphic design, social media, locations, spatial narratives, artworks, books, and seminars, curators set the tone for the viewer’s first encounter with the exhibition. Setting the Tone of the Exhibition – The Anatomy of Exhibition Openings examines how curatorial methods form this initial experience, looking at how decisions influence both the display of works and the broader discourse around the exhibition.

Through a series of 15 interviews the author and director of Art Hub Copenhagen Jacob Fabricius explores how preparatory texts, seminars, and curated moments enhance the viewer’s understanding, using these tools to create friction at the opening or as ‘before’ opening events. By focusing on the anatomy of these decisions, the book invites to reconsider the role of curators and artists in crafting the very beginning of the exhibition experience. The selected curators have all been involved in one or more Biennales or large-scale exhibitions. They come from a variety of curatorial backgrounds and share a strong and diverse discourse within the curatorial field.

Interviews with:

Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev, Cécile Debray, Liu Ding & Carol Yinghua Lu, Jacob Fabricius, Massimiliano Gioni, Hyo Gyoung Jeon, Haeju Kim, Anna Weile Kjær, Maria Lind, Hans Ulrich Obrist, Christiane Paul, Marie Hélène Pereira, Shubigi Rao, José Roca, and Nadim Samman.