Curatorial Statement – Photog

November 08, 2012

People often wonder what goes into selecting a work for the PuSh Festival. I suppose that it may at times be somewhat mysterious. There are certainly considerations of genre, discipline, scale, budget, logistics, affordability—and many, many, many more practical minutia.

But I say trust your instincts. It’s as good as any other litmus test.  When you read the description, look at the image, maybe look up a link for background on the artist, the company, the piece, or even the issue or theme conjured up—pointedly or otherwise….

Taking all of this bits and bobs of info, data, collateral, ephemera—does the choice of show make sense?
Does it intrigue you?
Does it speak to something that needs to be addressed?
Does it spark a sense of excitement, of possibility, and of individual or collective imagining?
Is it about the world around you, around many of us, around those in distant places, far from our daily lives?
Is it of the moment, the times, the zeitgeist?
Is it challenging? Does it provoke new thought, debate?
Does it offer a new view onto old questions?
Does it honour what must be honoured?
Does it give remembrance to what has been forgotten or neglected?
Does it speak to you?
Does it feed a hunger, a pleasure, a pastime, a passion, a curiosity, a sense of justice, of outrage, of compassion and understanding?

I hope Boca del Lupo’s Photog: An Imaginary look at the uncompromising life of Thomas Smith meets the above criteria. If so, we here at PuSh will have done our job.

 – Norman Armour, Executive Director
PuSh International Performing Arts Festival