Curating a History for Artists' Moving Image in Scotland

This PhD research project investigates the significant narratives in the history of artists' moving image (AMI) in Scotland since the mid-1960s through a curatorial, practice-led approach.

The project has two key objectives. Firstly, it seeks to identify and analyse this history's key custodians, map infrastructures of funding and support for AMI, and develop an understanding of how AMI archives and collections have interfaced with audiences. The research will also contribute an assessment of forms, subjects, and exhibition and distribution methods which are particular to the context of Scotland. My approach outlines a social art history, understanding cultural production through its power structures, with an interest in generating equitable and inclusive narratives that encompass both well-known and marginalised groups.

Secondly, the project will develop and employ a curatorial methodology capable of advancing different, overlapping and distinct, historical narratives in a variety of audience encounters. The project contributes to the current rethinking of curatorial practice's interface with research, audience and narrative, asking how working curatorially can institute broad-scale historical research that is democratised, polyvocal, equitable, sustainable and internationally visible. This will be manifest in a programme of public editorial meetings and screenings.