Tak Pham
Criticism and Curatorial Practice (MFA), 2016. Assistant Curator
OCAD U effectively enables you to cultivate and nurture a network of friends and colleagues who will support what you do and grow together with you while working in the field.
What Program did you graduate from and when?
MFA in Criticism and Curatorial Practices. Class of 2016
What is your current title or role? (e.g. freelance designer, art practitioner, etc.)
Assistant Curator, MacKenzie Art Gallery (Regina, SK)
Why did you choose to attend OCAD U?
Its broad network to practicing curators, artists, and designers. I also liked how the program strived to find a balance between theory classes and hands-on practices. As a result, my classmates and I were exposed to many real-life scenarios that allowed us to learn from experience.
Please briefly describe your current job/practice.
As Assistant Curator at the MacKenzie Art Gallery, Saskatchewan’s oldest public art gallery, I am responsible for exhibition programs and curatorial activities at the Gallery which involves researching and contributing to Canadian art history, curating and organizing museum-quality exhibitions, promoting and supporting Canadian and Saskatchewan talents, as well as stewarding a collection of over 5,000 artworks.
How did you get started in your career?
My career started the same day my first day at OCAD U did. I got into the CCP program with the intention of learning more about art writing. However, in one of my first graduate seminar classes, I was tasked with co-curating a group show about the legacy of robotic art at OCAD U and found myself drawn to it.
What were your policies regarding internships, volunteering, and paid work?
I tried to ask for compensation wherever I could. When it wasn’t available, I set out clear learning objectives and made sure that my supervisors helped me achieve them.
What do you enjoy most about your work? What is the most challenging aspect of your work?
I enjoy having the chance to spend time researching niche topics of interest to me. Another highlight is working with various artists to develop a visual plan (usually in the form of an exhibition) that serves to effectively communicate their research or to educate the public. The challenge with this is to be able to identify artists whose work and interests resonate with you as a curator. In many cases, it’s the artists and their work that give me inspiration for my own curatorial ideas. Because everyone works independently before they find each other, the curator needs to strive to identify a common thread and create a convincing curatorial vision that can satisfy both the artists and the intended audience.
What skills or relationships developed at OCAD U helped you participate in your field? Is there anything you would have done differently?
I learned so much about project and relationship management in the arts during my time at OCAD U. OCAD U effectively enables you to cultivate and nurture a network of friends and colleagues who will support what you do and grow together with you while working in the field.
I don’t think I would have done anything differently. I arrived at OCAD U after having spent 4 years aimlessly trying to figure out what I wanted to do. I moved through my 2 short years (and an additional 3 years working at the University after) with a clearer sense of purpose and curiosity. I’m grateful for what I managed to achieve at OCAD U. And there were definitely some opportunities that I wish I would have taken, but then again, I might not be where I am today had I taken a different path.
What are the key responsibilities you maintain for your practice?
Being open, being curious, being critical, being positive, never shy away from difficult questions and trust your guts!
What are your personal and professional goals for the coming years?
Professionally, I’d like to expand my network outside of the arts community. Now working as a large public institution whose audience is larger than the arts community, it’s important for me to be attuned to what people in other sectors are talking about, what issues are concerning them, and how they’d like to be served through engagement with the arts.
Personally, I’d like to diversify myself more. Taking on projects that would engage and develop my non-art skillsets.
