The Discourse Shift from Curatorial Arguments to Brand Narratives

Abstract

Determine if, after transitioning from art sponsorship to exhibition production, the curatorial discourse in brand museums has shifted from a curation-centric mode to a branding-led narrative system. Museum branding and brand museums are not the same phenomenon; therefore, this study focuses on brand-founded exhibition spaces that have become cultural agents for a commercial brand. According to Paul O'Neill's idea of the curatorial turn, the paper defines curatorial argument as the body of knowledge claims that can be produced through selection, organisation and space in an exhibition, and exhibition narrative is regarded as a way to present such a claim to the audience. WAVES at Casa Sanlorenzo in Venice and Sueño Perro at Fondazione Prada in Milan will be selected as the subjects for a comparative case study. Based on the above analysis, WAVES generally creates an aesthetically pleasing environment in line with the luxury concept of identity, whereas Sueño Perro shows stronger characteristics of archival and media specificity. The paper does not think that brand narrative will automatically substitute for a curatorial argument; instead, it demonstrates that when aesthetic unity is emphasized over critical propositions, brand narrative may stand out.