Tagging as Curating

The TAGallery is a project developed by the Vienna-based collective CONT3XT.NET. More than a virtual gallery, TAGallery is a curatorial experiment. Earlier this year, both CONT3XT.NET and TAGallery were formed as a del.icio.us account. Del.icio.us is a social bookmarking manager that relies on a non-hierarchical keyword categorization system where users can tag each of their bookmarks with a number of freely-chosen keywords, allowing the visualization of bookmarks added by similar-minded users. So, according to the CONT3XT.NET statement, 'the main premise for using a Del.icio.us account for curating is the concept of the 'tagged exhibition,' which transfers the imagery and work methods of non-commercial exhibition spaces into a discursive electronic data space.' The TAGallery is, therefore, an online platform for the exploration of tagging as a curatorial tool, in which different types of users--artists, curators, and writers--become 'taggers.' 'dead.art(-missing!)LINKreSources,' which examined the link as a primary medium for networking, was TAGallery's first show; recently launched, '001010a.live-art(LINKreSource)' reflects the experience of the project, recognizing that 'the most basic method of generating a freely accessible, modular network of personal associations on the World Wide Web is to create a link and thereby forge a relationship between two or more contents.' Ranging from thematic groupings to discussions on curating as tagging, the initial TAGallery shows are as diverse as the taggers themselves, which demonstrates the innovative character of the new media field, always pushing the boundaries of the contemporary art world. - Miguel Amado