If the institution is, then, a machine that produces specific subjects, what can be asked of transforming, not the factory into a gallery, nor the gallery into a space of immaterial labour, but the historical observatory into a contemporary gallery? —Simon Sheikh

In 2018, Collective will open its new home – the restored City Observatory on Calton Hill in Edinburgh. Reflecting on the long journey undertaken to reach this point, Towards a City Observatory: Constellations of art, collaboration and locality, invites artists, writers and thinkers to imagine a new kind of observatory, which brings people together through contemporary art.

This event will open with a keynote presentation by Dr Simon Sheikh, Programme Director at Goldsmiths, whose essay Observatory for the City, features in the book. Following his talk Simon Sheikh, Kate Gray, Director of Collective, and Kasja X, artist and co-designer of Towards a City Observatory will participate in a panel discussion of the book’s key themes, chaired by X.

Biographies

Dr Simon Sheikh is a curator and theorist. He is Reader in Art and Programme Director of MFA Curating at Goldsmiths, University of London. He is also a correspondent and columnist, and is currently working on a book about art and apocalypse entitled It’s After the End of the World.

Kate Gray is Director of Collective, Edinburgh. Previously she led Collective’s One Mile programme and co-produced two large-scale collaborative projects in hospitals for Artlink. Kate studied at Oxford and Sheffield Hallam Universities before completing an MFA at Glasgow School of Art. She is Chair of Rhubaba in Edinburgh and visiting lecturer at Glasgow School of Art and Edinburgh College of Art MFA programmes.

Book your ticket here.

Get your copy

Limited bi-colour edge edition available at launches for the introductory offer price of £25, or by sending an enquiry to [email protected]

To order your bound copy of Towards a City Observatory for £15 visit lulu.com

To download a free pdf of the book click here