Indira Béraud

Please tell us about your research project.
My practice-based PhD, titled Surviving Obsolescence: Towards Curatorial Ecologies, is developed within an international framework through a cotutelle between EHESS (Paris) and UQAM (Montreal). Funded by the SSHRC, it is supervised by Perig Pitrou, an anthropologist specialising in life sciences, and Marie Fraser, director of the Chair in Curatorial Studies and Practices. This research combines theoretical inquiry with curatorial practice, including the curation of an exhibition. Integrated into the Chair’s research program, within the “ecology” working group, it critically examines exhibition production methods and the curatorial gestures associated with ecological discourse. This project also builds on a participatory inquiry conducted with the curatorial team of the Spanish collective Inland Campo Adentro during their participation in Documenta fifteen, providing insights into the relationship between curatorial practices and institutional dynamics in an international context.

Could you please tell us a bit more about your scholarship/exchange programme?
My residency at the Maison Française d’Oxford provides a valuable opportunity to further my research and access rare resources, particularly at the Pitt Rivers Museum. The Bodleian Library offers a wealth of materials, enriching both my investigations and ongoing readings. This residency also provides optimal conditions to advance the writing of my manuscript, which remains one of my current priorities.

First impressions of Oxford/the University?
Oxford is picturesque, with its charm and remarkable architecture, and the academic community of students and researchers creates an ideal environment for focused work. I love it!