Culture Now: Joshua Decter in Conversation with Simon Sheikh

New York-based writer, curator, art historian and theorist Joshua Decter discusses his new book, Art Is a Problem: Selected Criticism, Essays, Interviews and Curatorial Projects (1986-2012), (JRP|Ringier, 2014) with Simon Sheikh. You can read an excerpt from the books preface on the ICA Blog.

In this new publication Decter examines art’s paradoxical condition: art problematises, and is intrinsically a problem. From this standpoint, he analyses art’s definitions, functions, ethical entanglements, societal aspirations, and cultural contradictions.

Joshua Decter has contributed to Artforum, Afterall, Texte zur Kunst, Flash Art, The Exhibitionist, Mousse, and other international periodicals. He has curated exhibitions at institutions such as PS1 (now MoMA PS1), The Center for Curatorial Studies at Bard College, Apex Art, The Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, The Kunsthalle Vienna, and The Santa Monica Museum of Art. Decter is the co-author of a forthcoming 2014 book, Exhibition as Social Intervention: ‘Culture in Action’ 1993, volume 3 of Afterall Books’ Exhibition Histories series.

Simon Sheikh is a curator and writer who researches the practices of exhibition-making and political imaginaries. He is Senior Lecturer in Curating and Programme Director of MFA Curating, Goldsmiths, University of London, London. Sheikh was coordinator of the Critical Studies Program, Malmö Art Academy, Malmö from 2002 to 2009.