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Curating, Criticizing and Disseminating Art

Code: 45803
Credits: 10
2026/2027
Degree programme Type Course
Analysis and Management of Artistic Heritage OP 1

Contact lecturer

Name :
Jaime Vidal Oliveras
Email :
jaime.vidal@uab.cat

Teaching staff

Maria Rosa Gutierrez Herranz
David Gutierrez Torres
José María Romero Martinez
Ricard Bru Turull

Teaching staff (external to UAB)

Jesús Galdón
Teresa Grandas
David Sirvent
Inés Martínez-Ribas
Marta Gil
Cristina Navarro
Natàlia Chocarro

Group languages

You can consult this information at the end of the document.

Prerequisites

This seminar has no prerequisites.

Objectives

Making Contemporary Art Visible. This module is structured as a practical workshop focused on art criticism, curating, and exhibition management. The programme combines theoretical sessions, in which industry professionals present their own projects —including in situ visits to some of them—, with an applied component. In addition to producing art criticism, the practical part of the module consists of designing and executing a real exhibition project. The exhibition will take place at the exhibition space of the Communication Library (Biblioteca de Comunicació i Hemeroteca General) and will open to the public at the end of the course.

Learning outcomes

  • (CA11) Plan the process of executing an exhibition and interact with professionals in the sector: transport, assembly, education and transfer activities, among others.
  • (CA12) Analyse the effects of gender stereotypes on exhibitions and on the dissemination of cultural products.
  • (CA13) Produce art criticism texts aimed at different audiences.
  • (CA25) Prepare an exhibition script including the texts of an exhibition: selection, cataloguing, arrangement of pieces and explanatory texts, among others.
  • (KA09) Recognise the principles of the exhibition and art criticism as an experience of communication.
  • (KA10) Define the diversity of elements that comprise an exhibition, including the tasks of responsibility of the curator and other professionals involved in the planning of the exhibition.
  • (KA11) Recognise the main parameters of theoretical reflection that have accompanied the exhibition and art criticism.
  • (KA12) Understand art criticism and exhibition curation as a practice of mediation and interpretation that respond to the same principles in a continuum.
  • (SA10) Analyse the elements that make up and are interrelated in a given exhibition in a contextualised and critical way.
  • (SA11) Use the different types of writing, their variables and interconnections according to the context (academic discourse, cultural journalism and dissemination).

Contents

Programme

  • Module presentation. Jaume Vidal Oliveras. The art ecosystem and the functions and models of art criticism. From art criticism to exhibition curating. Assignment of exhibition reviews and a real exhibition project. First contact with the materials and resources available for the execution of the exhibition.
  • Concept and practice of curating I. David G. Torres (UAB and independent critic and curator).
  • Concept and practice of curating II. Ricard Bru (UAB and independent curator).
  • Concept and practice of curating III. Teresa Grandas (curator at the Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona).
  • Concept and practice of curating IV. Natàlia Chocarro (independent curator).
  • Art criticism. Rosa Gutiérrez Herranz (UAB and independent art critic).
  • Budgets. David Sirvent (cultural manager, UAB campus).
  • Presentation, correction, and collective debate of students' critical reviews. Rosa Gutiérrez Herranz.
  • Submission of the exhibition project. Jaume Vidal Oliveras and Jesús Galdón (designer).
  • Synthesis of the various exhibition scripts. Commission proposal. Initiation of artwork loan requests, authorisations, insurance, material procurement, and installation tasks. Jaume Vidal Oliveras and Jesús Galdón.
  • Communication and dissemination. Inés Martínez-Ribas (independent communication consultant).
  • Installation proposal and debate. Jaume Vidal Oliveras and Jesús Galdón.
  • Exhibition follow-up and closing processes I. Text production, web materials, press kits, requests, procedures, and insurance. Jaume Vidal Oliveras.
  • Exhibition follow-up and closing processes II. Jaume Vidal Oliveras.
  • Artwork transport, registration, and exhibition installation. Jaume Vidal Oliveras and Jesús Galdón.
  • Strategies and procedures for proposing exhibitions to institutions. Txema Romero (director of the Consorci del Patrimoni de Sitges).
  • Preparation and display of virtual exhibitions I. Cristina Navarro / Marta Gil (UAB Library Service / Servei de Biblioteques de la UAB).
  • Preparation and display of virtual exhibitions II. Cristina Navarro / Marta Gil (UAB Library Service / Servei de Biblioteques de la UAB).



Learning activities and methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Type: Autonomous
Active visits to exhibitions 12 0.48 CA12, KA09, KA10, KA12
Type: Supervised
Preparation of an exhibition project 212 8.48 CA11, CA12, CA13, CA25, KA09, KA10, KA11, KA12, SA10, SA11
Text writing and art criticism 26 1.04 CA12, CA13, KA11, KA12, SA10, SA11

This module is structured as a workshop on art criticism and curating that combines theoretical or seminar sessions with a series of practical activities. During the term, students will be required to visit several exhibitions and write the corresponding critical reviews. Likewise, they will collectively design and develop an exhibition project. The exhibition will take place at the UAB Exhibition Hall (Sala d'exposicions de la UAB - Biblioteca de Comunicació) and will open to the public at the end of the course.


Note: Fifteen minutes of a class, within the calendar established by the centre, will be reserved for students to complete the evaluation surveys for the teaching staff's performance and the course/module.

Annotation: within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Assessment

Continuous assessment activities

Title Weight Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Attendance and active participation in class 20% 0 0 CA11, CA12, CA13, CA25, KA09, KA10, KA11, KA12, SA10, SA11
Developing an exhibition project 50 % 0 0 CA11, CA12, CA25, KA09, KA10, KA11, KA12, SA10, SA11
Writing art criticism 30% 0 0 CA12, CA13, CA25, KA09, KA11, KA12, SA10, SA11
The module evaluation will be based on the following percentages:
  • Art criticism production (30%): Writing of critical reviews based on visits to various exhibitions.
  • Exhibition project (50%): Collective design and execution of an exhibition project, agreed upon by students and teaching staff.
  • Attendance and participation (20%): Assessment of regular attendance and active involvement during classes.


Plagiarism and academic irregularities

In the event that students commit any irregularity (plagiarism, unauthorized use of artificial intelligence, copying, etc.) that could lead to a significant variation in the grade of an assessment activity, this activity will be graded with a 0, regardless of the disciplinary process that may be initiated. If several irregularities occur in the assessment activities of the same course, the final grade for this course will be 0.


Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

This course allows the use of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies exclusively for bibliographical searches, information gathering, text correction, or translations, always at the discretion of the teaching staff. Students must:

  1. Clearly identify the sections that have been generated or processed using AI.
  2. Specify the tools used.
  3. Include a critical reflection on how these tools have influenced the process and the final outcome of the activity.

A lack of transparency regarding AI use in any assessable activity will be considered a breach of academic integrity. It will result in a grade of 0 for the activity with no option for reassessment, and may lead to major sanctions in more severe cases.


Adaptation to virtual teaching

In the event that assessment tests (or the course itself) cannot be conducted in person, their format will be adapted to the possibilities offered by the UAB's virtual tools, while maintaining the original weighting. Homework, activities, and class participation will take place through forums, wikis, or discussions via Microsoft Teams, among others. The teaching staff will ensure that students can access these tools or, if necessary, will provide alternative means within their reach.


Single assessment

This course/module does not offer a single assessment system.



Bibliography

The bibliography for this module will be provided in class.

Software

If any specific software is required, it will be indicated in due course.

Course groups and languages

The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE

Type of teaching Group Language Semester Shift
(TEm) Theory (master) 1 Catalan second semester afternoon