Curator Profile: Scott Perkins

Curators are a crucial part of the arts community, drawing meaning for the public, connecting work across time and geography, and, in the case of curators working with living artists, helping artists clarify their work. OVAC involves curators in many programs so artists are able to interact with someone who tries to understand their work and receive critical feedback.

Momentum Tulsa is October 10-24. Curators Scott Perkins and Frank Wick have been working with three Spotlight artists over the past two months to develop their projects. Also, they will jury the artwork that is submitted on September 26 and 27. To offer insight into the curators, we will profile the curators.

Scott Perkins, Curator of Collections & Exhibitions at the Price Tower Art Center in Bartlesville

Since his arrival at the Price Tower in 2006, Perkins has curated numerous exhibitions, including Wright Restored: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Price Tower Interiors (2006), and the upcoming Lights! Camera! Fashion: The Film Costumes of Edith Head (2010). He curated, Designocracy: Karim Rashid’s Designs for Living, which toured nationally by Mid-America Arts Alliance and ExhibitsUSA.

Recently opened, the UK/OK: Exploring Traditions in Contemporary Design exhibition features British and Oklahoman designers. He said the exhibition emanated “from a curiosity of cross-cultural comparisons through the lens of ‘traditions’ – in technique, materials, and influences.”

Describing his curatorial style, Perkins refers to his work as a graduate assistant to Dr. Pat Kirkham at the Bard Graduate Center for Studies in the Decorative Arts, Design, and Culture in New York City. He comments that Kirkham “had a wonderful editing style when it came to selecting objects, something I emulate in my own exhibition development and selection.” Perkins is trained as an art historian in decorative arts with degrees from the School of the Art Institute and working on his PhD at Bard.

The Momentum Spotlight offers three young Oklahoma artists each a $1,500 honorarium and interaction with a contemporary curator. An emerging curator works alongside the lead curator. Learn about serving as Momentum Spotlight Emerging Curator for 2010 here. To read more about Momentum, check out Jennifer Barron’s Art Focus Oklahoma article.