Open Office is a research-driven, participatory project informed by the concepts, discussions, and inquiries that circumscribe 1708’s 2019 exhibitions program. Artists involved in recent and forthcoming exhibitions were invited to provide textual materials that they deemed relevant to their practice, project at 1708, and/or interests. Documents are available for public exploration and personal collection. 

Open Office does not intend to establish a fully developed, resolute image of specific upcoming exhibitions; rather by opening the artistic and curatorial research to the public it allows for dynamic and uncertain assemblages of thoughts and trajectories to emerge.

Ext. 1708 will be an online, discursive platform consisting of a journal, archive, and shared research library. As part of and in parallel to Open Office, Ext. 1708 will be re-designed to, at once, be the online component to Open Office, and in the coming months launched again as a fully functioning online journal. This project stems from the exciting programmatic shifts at 1708 while maintaining our commitment to being host to artistic inquiry and public engagement with all forms of creative production. Open Office & Ext. 1708 invites people from all walks of life to pursue, glean, and imagine potentials to be realized, redefined, or upended during the activity-focused, experimental 2019 exhibitions program.

Graphic design by Junyun Chen.

Exhibition design by Junyun Chen in collaboration with Park C. Myers.