Paul O'Neill, Masterclass

PASS, and the artist-run art center Simian are pleased to announce a masterclass with curator, theorist, and educator Paul O'Neill, the artistic director of Publics.

This session is specifically designed for PhD students, artists, curators, and researchers looking to deepen their understanding of research methodologies in practice-based and more speculative theoretical contexts. (Max. number of participants: 15).

The masterclass will be divided into two parts. The first part will centre around the practical aspect of research, where participants will explore projects Paul O'Neill has worked on. These projects will serve as case studies, allowing participants to focus on the creative processes and practical considerations involved in research. The second part of the session will delve into the methodologies that underpin these projects. Participants will be taken through various phases of the creation process, gaining insight into how methodologies inform and shape research at different stages.

O'Neill, Paul, and Claire Doherty. 2011. ‘Introduction, Locating the Producers, An End to the Beginning, the Beginning of the End’. In Locating the Producers: Durational Approaches to Public Art., 1–15. Antennae Series 4. Amsterdam: Valiz.

O’Neill, Paul. 2020. ‘How Institutions Think – Thinking like a Parahost’. Mustekala (blog). 11 December 2020. https://mustekala.info/teemanumerot/instituutiokritiikki-3-2020-vol-79/how-institutions-think-thinking-like-a-parahost/.

Wilson, Mick. 2011. ‘Curatorial Research Methods & Conviviality’. In Locating the Producers: Durational Approaches to Public Art, 297–311. Antennae Series 4. Amsterdam: Valiz.

As part of the class, you are encouraged to bring along a short text written by someone other than yourself (max. 3 min reading time). This text should attempt to define a single term related to the methodology you are grappling with in your project. The text can be a poem, an extract from a novel, academic work, etc. – whatever resonates most with you. These texts will form the basis of a discussion, focusing on how you are doing things rather than why or what you are doing.

The class will offer a balance of lectures, presentations, and interactive exercises, combining structured guidance with open, flexible exploration. This format will allow participants to engage deeply with their own and others’ research methods, providing a space for reflection and development.

For more information about Simian.

For more information about PASS.