At the instance of analysis of a given outcome of a complex concept—be it artistic, philosophical, or scientific or likely an amalgamation of all three—some are driven to first declare the parameters in which this outcome was created. Upon declaration or attainment of a knowledge of such parameters one can then move forward in developing a more informed analysis of a concept, situation, or event. A parametric approach to curatorial praxis? For instance in Mel Bochner’s 1969 work, “Measurement Room,” he maps out and presents the height and length of the gallery directing attention to the spatial parameters of the exhibition space. Parametrics may be seen as hyper-contextualization, yet the difference here is that parametrics does not end with a comprehension of complex concept—it is in fact the very experience of establishing parameters and how parameters actively re-contextualize and shift such a complex project and its outcomes.

Parameters can be set or pre-determined, as in the parameters of this exhibition include: the affordances of the apartment, the exhibition’s acutely temporary duration, and the locale of a certain set of artists in Brussels. Along this lineage of analysis, parametrics is not only a curatorial inclination and activity, it can also be experienced, in individual terms, in the works in this exhibition. Example parameters are: known and unknown functionalities of objects, modularity and systematization of expectation, statistics and valuation, supposed architectural optimality, material and historical, and archival and geo-locational.

Parametrics is curated by Park Myers at the invitation and residence of Jean Paul Jacquet and Valérie Pirard.