Opening of The Serving Library

Exhibition Research Lab presents The Serving Library and launches its new programme 2017/18.

Exhibition Research Lab is the first academic centre and public gallery in the UK dedicated to the interdisciplinary study of exhibitions and curatorial knowledge, founded in 2012 as part of Liverpool School of Art and Design.

In 2017/18, Exhibition Research Lab launches its new programme featuring a long-term residency by The Serving Library, a new volume of the online journal Stages entitled The Biennial Condition produced in partnership with Liverpool Biennial, and a series of annual Research Intensives beginning at the Research Pavilion during the 2017 Venice Biennale.

The Serving Library is an artist-run non-profit organisation founded in 2011 to develop a shared toolkit for artist-centred education and discourse through related activities of publishing and collecting. It comprises a biannual journal published both online and in print, an archive of framed objects on permanent display, and a public programme of workshops and events. During The Serving Library’s residency at Exhibition Research Lab, the gallery space serves as a satellite seminar room to host occasional classes for university-level art, design and writing students from schools across the world, as well as a regular series of public talks and exhibitions building upon the library's archival material. It opens on Saturday, April 1 at 6pm with an informal talk by British artist Abigail Reynolds regarding her recent motorbike journey along the Silk Road in search of lost libraries, introduced by The Serving Library's Angie Keefer and concluded in conversation with Public Fiction's Lauren Mackler. 

The Biennial Condition is a new issue of the online journal Stages published by Liverpool Biennial. Edited by Joasia Krysa, this volume presents the proceedings of the Liverpool Biennial 2016 conference and features contributions from Elisa Atangana, Elmgreen & Dragset, Juliana Engberg, Marina Fokidis, Raimundas Malašauskas and Francesco Manacorda, and Aarhus University’s Geoff Cox, Verina Gfader, Anne Kølbæk Iversen and Jacob Lund. 

Exhibition Research Lab is also pleased to announce an open call for applications to its inaugural Research Intensive to take place at the Research Pavilion, Sala del Camino, Venice, Italy from October 4–6. For further information and to apply, please see our website.

Exhibition Research Lab is directed by Joasia Krysa, Professor of Exhibition Research at Liverpool John Moores University and Head of Research at Liverpool Biennial.