CFC Members Spotlight: Jareh Das

Call for Curators is excited to present the CFC Members Spotlight, a bi-monthly interview series showcasing the work of our members on our blog and social media. Through this feature, we highlight the diverse curatorial practices in our community and encourage new connections and exchange.

 

Meet CFC Member Jareh Das

 

Dr. Jareh Das is an independent curator, scholar, and occasional florist, living and working between West Africa and the UK. Her cross-disciplinary interests span global modern and contemporary art, with a particular focus on performance art. One of her recent exhibitions, Body Vessel Clay: Black Women, Ceramics, and Contemporary Art, explores how ceramics have been disrupted, questioned, and reimagined by Black women over the past seventy years, starting with the pioneering Nigerian potter, Ladi Kwali. Das also regularly contributes to various print and online publications.

We recently interviewed Jareh Das to learn more about her curatorial journey, inspirations, and insights into the art world.

CFC: What inspired you to pursue a career as a curator? Was there a particular moment or experience that sparked your interest?

JD: I was interested in how art and culture are markers of time and how in my lifetime I wanted to contribute to this legacy of marking and capturing time of this present moment.

CFC: What thread or idea ties your work together?

JD: Hybridity in all shapes and form. We are together.

CFC: Name a project or exhibition that holds special significance for you. What made it stand out?

JD: Body Vessel Clay: Black Women, Ceramics and Contemporary Art highlighted the significance of late Nigerian Potter, Ladi Dosei Kwali (1925-1984), and seventy years of Black women’s contributions to ceramics that have often been overlooked.

© Charlotte Graham. Courtesy of York Museums Trust.

 

CFC: What’s your favorite part about being a curator? And, if you don’t mind sharing, what’s the most challenging?

JD: Artist engagements and community building are my favourite part. The most challenging is a sustainable and balanced career path.

CFC: Any hot takes on the current state of the curatorial field or the art world? What do we need more or less of?

JD: We need more transparency, honesty and less of an individual genius mentality that celebrates a few and ignores so many outstanding contributions still.

CFC: What advice would you give aspiring curators starting their careers?

JD: Be yourself in all of this and take care of how you make others feel at all levels of the art world. People and relationships matter in all of this.

 

Explore more of Jareh Das’ work on her website.

 

Are you interested in learning more about our CFC membership? Dive into how to become a CFC member here.

 

Cover photo: Photograph of Jareh Das © Nelta Kasparian