Into the Light – Interview with Bettina Pelz
Interview with Bettina Pelz by Mary Muse
Bettina Pelz is an internationally active curator based in Bremen. Her curatorial research focuses on light and light-based media in contemporary art. Her curatorial practice is dedicated to art-in-context projects. Since 2004, she has had a teaching assignment at the University of Arts in Bremen. Her EXHIBIT class is a framework to explore exhibition practices through the lens of artists.
Curatorial Practice
How would you describe your curatorial practice in your own words?
What does “art-in-context” mean to you in practical terms?
How do you decide whether a project should take place in public space, a cultural institution, or a hybrid setting?
Your work often connects artistic research, technical innovation, and media archaeology. How do those elements shape a project from the beginning?
What role does light play in your curatorial thinking beyond being a visual medium?
How do you balance artistic ambition with logistical, technical, and social realities?
How do site, and audience influence the final form of your exhibitions?
What makes a curatorial project feel successful to you?
Working with artists
What do you look for in an artist when building a curatorial project?
How do you adapt your curatorial method when working with artists from different generations or backgrounds?
How do you support artists in developing site-specific work without restricting their creative freedom?
How do you navigate the tension between artistic experimentation and public accessibility?
Emerging artists
Why is it important to you to work with emerging artists?
What do emerging artists bring to your projects that established artists may not?
How do you define “emerging” in your curatorial context?
How do you create opportunities for younger artists in public-facing and international projects?
What risks or responsibilities come with giving visibility to emerging artists?
Education and legacy
Your biography shows a strong teaching and mentoring dimension. How does your teaching inform your curating?
What do you hope younger curators learn from your way of working?
How do you think curatorial practice should evolve for the next generation?
What future do you hope to help shape through your work with artists, students, and publics?
What are you most curious to explore next?
CREDIT
AUTHOR Mary Muse
PUBLISHED 29 MAY 26
