Thank you Roger for shifting this discussion to one about systemic asymmetries - I too am curating artist/science collaborations and work very hard (or argue loudly) to ensure the artist gets a day-rate wage and exhibition fees. When an artist is in residence in a science lab they are usually the odd-one out, funded differently or at least outnumbered by the scientists all often funded from a particular grant or scheme. Due to the nature of studio practice artists are more likely to take their work home with them, in my experience, and volunteer their own time on their art, above and beyond what they are being paid to do in terms of daytime-lab time. I think we all have examples from our own working practices of where its fair and where it isn't, and the value of the art that results. Thinking back to the early days of Eyebeam and the economies of scale between those artists (fellows) in part paid to make other artists' works (contracted through commercial galleries) and access to hardware and software, and time, as a trade-off (or to The Banff Centre's work-study system which similarly allows a day a week of access to resources and facilities and a studio space, in exchange for 4 days a week working on the programme), makes me think that the interesting shift is perhaps to be found around the tools of production - working with specialist resources (equipment in a lab, or archives, or in person with communities) - and how that has changed now that these production processes are facilitated by online access or social/digital technologies, and how that affects us all.
I was very keen to know that ISEA in Vancouver this year was the first of that (now) annual meeting/symposium/exhibition where artists were paid (or at least didn't have to pay symposium registration fees) to show their work. I understand that wasn't water-tight across all aspects of the large event (exhibitions which were curated by external partners or were adjunct to the main juried programme may have had a different economic model), but it was encouraging to see Canada showing the lead again, as Stacey pointed out by linking to the CARFAC guidelines.
In 15 years of the CRUMB list, subscribers have often posted opportunities, whether jobs or exhibitions, and those have sparked debate about the implicit or explicit frameworks around those calls (such as when the show in question has had only male artists, or where the artist has been re-branded by the organisation showing their work), but I am disappointed to see that this discussion has become personal and, as Beryl has iterated, would rather that we use the list to exchange best practice for curators working with artists, to debate ways forward, and share positive examples we can learn from.
keep it cool in these dog days of summer,
yours,
sarah
On 24 Aug 2015, at 16:44, roger malina <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> colleagues
>
> I have been following this discussion on unpaid/partially paid interns
> - as it ties into
> a concern that we have been dealing with on some deep problematical asymmetries
> in many art-science or art-technology collaborations= which can be
> really cause problems
> in collaboration
>
> often the scientists or engineers get better treatment or already have
> paid positions
> and the 'artist in residence' is expected to work as a semi volunteer
>
> over a number of years i have helped set up a number of art science
> residency programs
> and we have always worked hard to make sure there is equity in
> compensation between
> the artists in residence and the scientists in residence- but its not
> always easy
> ( with the absurd stuff like paying artists who dont have a phd less
> because they
> arent qualified for phd level pay in administrative systems)
>
> the asymettry can cause hidden/implicit value systems that disrupt productive
> collaboration
>
> some of this is discussed in a USA report on improving hte
> effectiveness of science
> teams- where asymettries like this also cause real problems in collaborations
>
> http://www.nap.edu/catalog/19007/enhancing-the-effectiveness-of-team-science
>
> as a young student in science ( physics) i did a number of paid internships in
> different institutions, and of course volunteered in a number of contexts
>
> in any case i think the issue of internships is a good one to unpack- to make
> explicit the underlying value and ethical systems at work
>
>
> roger malina
>
The University of Dundee is a registered Scottish Charity, No: SC015096
|