História, utopia e crítica : possibilidades da curadoria de arte a partir de Theodor W. Adorno

Abstract

This thesis investigates the curatorship of art as a possible model of dialectical criticism, in light of the philosophy of Theodor W. Adorno. It derives from the observation that curatorship, especially since the second half of the 20th century, has taken a central role in the artistic debate, becoming a field for the production of meaning, political dispute, and conceptual elaboration. From an interpretation of the work of art as an authentic instance of non-identity, contrasting with the positivist tendencies of culture of which the museum is an expression, it aims to evaluate which curatorial inflections are capable of unveiling the immanent historicity of art, and rehabilitating its utopian content within culture. To this end, it draws on Adorno’s interpretative models – of musical execution, art criticism, and cultural criticism – to consider the potentiality of curatorial criticism. Analyzing three moments of the artistic work – production, reception and execution —, the thesis states that curatorship, when conceived philosophically, is capable of undertaking the critical task of dialectical thought in the exhibition space.