suzi is a curatorial initiative run by curator and artists Emile Weisz and Jasper Rouwen, created in Amsterdam. suzi is not bound to one space in particular but instead curates exhibitions and collaborative artistic projects in various locations. suzi aims to create a much-needed platform for art, where emerging and established artists feel the freedom to experiment and showcase new work and ideas. suzi has no commercial intent but chooses to stand closer to the value of freedom of expression, a place where art can truly be transformative.
Our views on curation contradict the predominant contexts in the art world that frame how everyday viewers experience art, namely the gallery and art fair. Within these contexts, the artwork is a nice-to-look-at object the audience can buy to fill the space on their wall, and the exhibition is a glorified shop to tempt their desire. These frameworks support the perception that we should focus more on the monetary and aesthetically pleasing value of a work of art, which is incredibly limiting to what an artwork can be and potentially condemns art to a grim future. If most people look at art simply as an object to buy and sell, that’s all it will ever be: a transactional space vulnerable to the shifting financial, environmental and political factors of our time; what happens when people stop wanting to buy art? Similarly, suppose the viewer’s aesthetic desire fuels the art world. In that case, we may enter a time where a piece of art may no longer challenge or critique us, instead conforming to whatever the general viewer sees as beautiful. At suzi, we want to avoid such a crisis. suzi aims to change these commonly held perceptions of art, believing that if we change how works of art are perceived, i.e. the exhibition space, we can change how they are related and understood.
At suzi, we perceive the format of a public exhibition as a creative form that shapes our perception and experience of the artworks on display. As curators, we view our role as a dialogue with the artists and their works. From our perspective, curation is a collaborative and exploratory process that seeks to find the most compelling way to frame and present a work of art in the exhibition space. Our primary focus is creating intriguing exhibitions that blur the strict lines between art objects and viewers. We strive to curate sensitive atmospheres that prioritise stimulating the audience to have a complex and multi-layered experience. The exhibition space, to us, is a platform where emotions, ideas, and experiences are shared, broadening our perspectives and connecting us to the time in which we live.
As artists, we have been lucky to be a part of such opportunities. However, to support a sustainable art world with equal opportunities for artists, it is not enough to take. For us, the importance lies in a balance between taking and giving. By facilitating opportunities, we will encourage others to do so. xx