Originally from Scotland, Alexandra Ross recently
completed a PhD in the field of curatorial practice exploring
the scope and efficacy of conversation-as-method
within curatorship and the capturing of its history. 

The fieldwork of this practice-led investigation into curatorial
conversation focused on Manifesta 8, European Biennial of
Contemporary Art; the 54th Venice Biennale; and Glasgow
International Festival of Visual Art. The biennial provided a
rich context in which to situate her research, although this
was not the exclusive domain of investigation: also including
curatorial education; virtual, international networks; and
experimental choreographed environments.

She is currently Post Doctoral Research Fellow in
Centre for Curating the Archive. She read an honours law
degree at the University of Edinburgh (2004), followed by
a Masters in Museum and Gallery Studies, University of
St Andrews (2005), a Master of Fine Art (2006) and a
PhD in Curatorial Practice (2014) from the University of
Dundee. From June 2014-January 2015 she was Curatorial
Fellow with ATLAS Arts, on the Isle of Skye. In May 2015
she is invited tutor at Vessel Curatorial Retreat, Bari, Italy
and writer in residence Skaftfell, Centre for Visual Art,
Seydisfjordur, Iceland.

Ross offers a review of the theoretical and practical
implications of working with conversation as both medium
and as tool. This presentation expands upon recent doctoral
research into the art of conversation as it relates to
accessing and recording the interstitial moments to artistic
and curatorial practice.