Slought Foundation
Slought Foundation ('Sl-aw-t') is a not-for-profit organization in Philadelphia that broadly encourages new futures for contemporary life through public programs featuring international artists, architects, and theorists. Their programs are purposely critical and provocative in an intimate and participatory environment, and they invite their audiences to consider criticality itself as a source of dynamism and enjoyment. The name of the organization is derived from etymologies of the word "slough", and gestures towards ecological metaphors of networks and rejuvenation.
Programs and productions
Since opening in Philadelphia in 2002 adjacent to the University of Pennsylvania, Slought Foundation has featured international figures such as Dennis Oppenheim, Werner Herzog, Helene Cixous, Hermann Nitsch, William Anastasi, Arakawa + Gins, Braco Dimitrijevic, and Lorand Hegyi. The Foundation is situated at the forefront of cultural production in North America and has presented hundreds of exhibitions, events and performances, trade publications, and a significant internet presence featuring extensive audio recordings. Their primary activities in Philadelphia are frequently complemented by international projects in cities such as Berlin, Buenos Aires, and Paris. All of these programs demonstrate their commitment to contemporary cultural life, and the importance they place on cultivating cross-cultural collaborations that enrich and expand our understanding of contemporary practice.
Philosophy
At Slought Foundation, their planning process and programming emphasizes collaboration, visitor interaction, and critical feedback as generative principles. Their projects implicitly respond to questions and concerns such as: how can organizations on the periphery of major international art cities and institutions contribute to the cultural and intellectual landscape? What should small organizations aspire to in relation to the prevailing economic and educational focus of major cultural institutions and funding platforms? Many of the individuals they present emphasize research as a fundamental component of their work, and they challenge the public to reconsider the politics of exhibition display and prevailing curatorial approaches by evading clear distinctions between artist, critic, and curator.
Rather than conceiving of the public as homogeneous, the curatorial staff undertakes each Slought Foundation project with the intent of engaging and establishing relationships with new and emerging audiences. They seek to present a provocative curatorial agenda that responds to the particular challenges confronting Philadelphia, and they envision their activities as a bridge between different socio-economic and cultural communities.