Fostering deeper relationships: research and reciprocity in curatorial practice

Adrian Notz:
The short research trip to six cities confirmed that China has a thriving contemporary art and technology scene. In this respect, my curatorial ideas were challenged by the fact that many of these artists also work as entrepreneurs. This allows them to produce large-scale commercial projects quickly, thanks in part to social media influence. As in any more commercially oriented context, the critical question of the technologies and the context that provides them is not widely addressed. Nevertheless, artworks in this context can be humorous and have a significant poetic dimension. It was also impressive to see the large art and science laboratories established in collaboration with universities.

I was very fortunate to connect with a Shanzhai expert, who helped me to understand the strong influence of the Shanzhai concept on underground movements. Finally, I was also very happy and honoured to meet Lin Chun, a founding member of Xiamen Dada, in Xiamen, and to learn more about the ’85 New Wave not just in Xiamen, but across China. It was interesting to see how strongly young curators and artists in Xiamen identify with that rebellious movement.

Danniel Tostes:
My research trip confirmed a key curatorial conviction: artists from queer communities, whether in South Africa or Switzerland, often engage with similar urgent themes—advocacy for LGBTQIA+ rights, decolonial perspectives, and identity politics. Despite geographic and cultural differences, I observed remarkable thematic alignment in their practices. This reinforced my belief that independent art communities worldwide address shared structural and existential concerns. At the same time, the trip challenged some of my earlier assumptions about artistic infrastructure. I anticipated that South Africa’s institutional and exhibition structure may be more advanced than I found on the ground. The precarious conditions that many emerging artists face—such as limited resources and visibility, mirrored what I had previously seen in Brazil, prompting me to rethink the infrastructures I plan to work within in Geneva.

Keabetswe Boccomino:
My curatorial concepts have always centred on collaboration, community, and dialogue to explore perspectives from the continent that are rooted in and informed by culture. Much of this thinking, and the subjugated knowledge it draws on, exists in the everyday experiences of life in South Africa.

I was particularly drawn to how creativity is inherently embedded in the everyday, whether through performance arts, visual arts, culture, or community. All of these are expressed through a collective creative experience.

In visual arts, my curatorial mapping of themes grows from this embedded creativity and finding ways to reflect the richness of our communities beyond the pull of dominant Western narratives or external validation.

The research trip reinforced the importance of authentic representation and open dialogue, particularly through participatory programming that can introduce fresh frameworks into Swiss arts spaces. It also challenged me to think more deeply about how Swiss cultural ecosystems operate, and how to cultivate collaborations and care-based practices within them that make room for other cultural perspectives.

Mohamed Almusibli:
During my research trip to Delhi, several ideas were both reinforced and challenged. Conversations at Khoj Studios with Pooja Sood reaffirmed my conviction that artist-run spaces are essential laboratories for experimentation, while my visit to the Alkazi Foundation with Rahaab Allana reinforced my interest in archives as active, living sources rather than static repositories. Encounters with Sohrab Hura pushed me to consider more fluid approaches between documentary and fiction, while discussions with Premjish Achari and the curatorial team at KNMA highlighted the challenges and possibilities of balancing scholarly depth with public accessibility.

Adrian Notz:
I haven’t yet had the chance to work with Chinese artists in Switzerland. However, I am still in contact with curators in various Chinese cities and I am hopeful that we will collaborate on projects together soon, either in China or elsewhere. I have already been invited to collaborate on projects, give talks and lectures. From past experience, I know that it is very difficult to translate work from one context to another. The works can lose all their power. Nevertheless, I could easily imagine showing some of the artists I met in Switzerland. Translating the context doesn’t seem to be too much of a problem, as we have been familiar with Chinese contemporary art since the mid-1990s.

Danniel Tostes:
During my stay in Cape Town and Johannesburg, I conducted 14 studio visits with local artists. These encounters were essential not only for understanding individual artistic practices, but also for gaining insight into how local art ecosystems function—what networks, gatekeepers, and informal structures shape the art scenes. Coming from Rio de Janeiro, I recognized many familiar dynamics: market precarity, minimal institutional support, and a need for self-organized platforms. These experiences reinforced my commitment to curate projects with artists from the ‘Global South’ and bridge them with audiences in Switzerland. The main challenge lies in adapting these practices to the Swiss context: the art infrastructure in Switzerland is more formalised and resource-rich, yet often centered within traditional institutions. Translating the flexibility, DIY ethos, and social urgency of South African artistic practices into this context requires thoughtful programming and open frameworks that encourage cultural exchange on equal footing.

Keabetswe Boccomino:
The encounters with artists and curators in South Africa were deeply insightful, particularly with those working independently. The self-organised artistic projects and exhibitions I saw often allowed more space for creative experimentation and community dialogue, framing the process as a shared journey between artists and audiences. There was a noticeable freedom in how people pursued projects, especially when addressing socio-political themes.

I was also inspired by how contemporary artists honour the older generation of masters, many of whom rarely receive recognition as drivers of social change. This made me more aware of gaps in knowledge and education about artists from the 1970s and earlier, particularly within global art history.

Through this exchange, I learned more about the early resistance movement and experienced how artists across generations continue to reflect on similar themes of inequality, culture, and belonging, passing down and preserving knowledge in deeply rooted ways.

Mohamed Almusibli:
These experiences impacted my work by expanding how I think about long-term support structures, transmedia practices, and the role of institutions in shaping narratives. The main challenge in translating this into the Swiss context is mediation: audiences often need more contextual grounding, and informal infrastructures don’t easily align with Swiss institutional frameworks.

Adrian Notz:
In general, it was valuable to gain a better understanding of the work of artists in China. Having not been there before, I found it extremely helpful to gain a more diverse and comprehensive understanding of the context. People were easy to meet, and it was quick to make friends and spend time with them. So, my advice to visiting curators would be: Be spontaneous and allow plenty of time!

Danniel Tostes:
One of the most meaningful aspects of my stay was learning how urban infrastructure, geography, and social dynamics shape the art scenes in both Cape Town and Johannesburg. Beyond the studio visits, being present in the cities, moving through their neighbourhoods, and understanding the rhythm of daily life helped me better grasp how artists are responding to their environments. I was fortunate to be guided by local peers throughout my trip, and their support made a huge difference in both my understanding and safety.

My advice to future curators is: connect with someone local whose work you admire and who can guide you, not just logistically, but conceptually. These relationships are key to creating a more grounded, respectful, and impactful research experience.

Keabetswe Boccomino:
One of my highlights was visiting artists in their studios. These moments truly nourish my work and the collaborative approach I value. Being invited into an artist’s creative space allowed me to witness their thought process up close, while also observing the themes and issues that emerge from everyday life. It deepened my connection to their work and offered new layers to consider in my curatorial approach.

My advice for curators visiting South Africa is to embrace the breadth of creative experiences rooted in the country’s unique cultural identity. There is a rich, creative spirit in the everyday, and engaging with it will add depth to your understanding of the complex, layered histories, cultures, and communities you encounter.

Mohamed Almusibli:
My advice to future visiting curators: prioritize fewer, deeper encounters, and think about reciprocity from the outset.

Adrian Notz is a freelance curator specialising in the intersection of art, science and technology. He was formerly the AI+Art curator at the ETH AI Center and artistic director at the Cabaret Voltaire, the birthplace of Dada in Zurich. His research trip to China explored the country’s art, science, and technology scene—focusing on AI in art and the Shanzhai concept, the 1985 Xiamen Dada movement.

Danniel Tostes is an independent curator based in Geneva, committed to fostering cross-cultural exchange through visual art exhibitions that expand notions of community and belonging.

Keabetswe Boccomino is a Basel-based South African curator and the founding director of Afrinova, a platform promoting art and design from Africa. Keabetswe’s practice centres on African knowledge systems and community-rooted methodologies, with a focus on decentralised forms of co-curation and collaboration with artists, institutions, and cultural communities.

Since March 2024, Mohamed Almusibli has been the new Director and Chief Curator of Kunsthalle Basel. He previously served as co-founder and curator of the independently operated art space Cherish in Geneva. For his program design, he focuses on innovative and emerging practices while seeking to engage them in dialogue with historical positions.