How does the role of a contemporary art curator in Miami today compare with that of curators historically?
The history of curating is a long one and historically curators were faced with the task of preserving and taking care of culture. The etymology of curate is cura, which in Latin means “cure.” The role of curators has shifted in the 20th century from the bastions of culture to makers of culture, meaning that the curator’s role almost resembles that of the artist, made evident in the phenomenon of independent curators without an institutional affiliation. But really, there are many types of curators and curatorial practices and these roles are often defined in part with an institution or affiliation. Some curators are more event/program oriented, some are more historically inclined, others are into thematic groupings, and some are more interested in commissions, and on and on. As for who is swaying the course of contemporary art? There is a whole batch of people (in no particular order) artists, critics, curators, historians, dealers, collectors, etc. Curators definitely play a role, bu
