Department: Tate Modern Curatorial
Hosts: Simon Baker, Senior Curator, International Art (Photography); and Shoair Mavlian, Assistant Curator, Tate Modern
Susana worked with the photography team at Tate Modern on the acquisition of over 12,000 photobooks from the collection of Martin Parr. Her work centred on generating display ideas for the photobooks in relation to other photographic works already in the collection.
Susana undertook a research visit to Martin Parr’s house and storage space in Bristol, as well as to exhibitions at the Fundación Juan March, Madrid, and at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Barcelona (MACBA).
Susana was also able to apply her knowledge of photography to a collaboration with another of the 2016 Fellows, Allison Thompson, and the Tate Britain Curatorial team. This centred around research on the recent gift from the Eric and Louise Franck London Collection, acquired through Autograph ABP, of photographs documenting Black communities in London.
Susana and Allison identified and interviewed Brixton-based artists who contributed to the body of research material. Their research led Tate to recognise the importance of understanding the social context for this group of artists, and helped frame the critical questions for a Tate Britain display planned for late 2016.
Installation view of In Girum Imus Nocte et Consumimur Igni (2015) at Museo Jumex, Mexico City, showing work by David Lynch, Jesús León, and John Waters.
Further collaboration with Tate
2016
Stan Firm Inna Inglan
Susana, Allison and curator Elena Crippa subsequently co-curated Stan Firm Inna Inglan (2016–17) at Tate Britain. This display brought together works from the 1960s and 1970s by eight photographers: Bandele ‘Tex’ Ajetunmobi, Raphael Albert, James Barnor, Colin Jones, Neil Kenlock, Dennis Morris, Syd Shelton and Al Vandenberg.
Their photographs document the joy and self-empowerment of individuals who travelled from the Caribbean region and West Africa to live in London, as well as the racial tension and exclusion that defined their life in the capital.
Allison and Susana returned to London in November 2016 to participate in the installation of the display and to reconnect with artists James Barnor, Colin Jones, Neil Kenlock and Syd Shelton, who captivated the audience with insights and memories at an intimate celebration of the opening.
Biography
Susana Vargas Cervantes holds a PhD in Art History and Communication Studies from McGill University, Montreal. Her research focuses on the different cultural understandings in gender, sex, class and skin tonalities between Latin America and Anglo North America, and their intersection with visual culture.
Susana was the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Fellow from 2006 to 2013. She is the author of the book Mujercitos (2014) and co-curated the exhibition In Girum Imus Nocte et Consumimur Igni (2015) at Museo Jumex, Mexico City.