Newcastle University

Dawn Bothwell is a curator, working both independently and with curatorial organisation CIRCA Projects. Her practice centres on non-institutional settings and in expanded contexts, which relates directly to an interest in the historic tradition of artists working outside of and altering the exhibition context. Bothwell is interested in how the roles of curator / producer / exhibition organiser are interchangeable and can function as an artistic practice which constantly re-examines contemporary art and the way in which it is realised and shown.

This position in curating has been informed by her work over the past four years in the North East with a variety of idiosyncratic spaces. Working with Workplace Gallery, Satellite, The Lit and Phil and The Mining Institute, Newbridge Space and now The Northern Charter – she has organised exhibitions with artists and organisations based locally and internationally.

Since joining CIRCA in 2012, she has co-curated several projects. One, which she is currently working on, is their 16 month project titled 'Space Release' based at The Stephenson Works, Newcastle, which began in October 2012.

'Space Release' applied three different approaches to the artist-curated exhibition, drawing from the prevalent multi-event/exhibition model used by biennials, art fairs and festivals. Each using this unique factory site within a re-generation area to look at the relationship between site and artwork – their mutual definition. Part One of this project has featured artists: Emma Hart, Jesse Jones, Laura Harrington, Lee Patterson, Luke Fowler, Keren Cytter, Chooc Ly Tan, Heather Phillipson, Dean Kenning and Kim Coleman & Jenny Hogarth.