Viviana Checchia joined CCA as Public Engagement Curator in February 2015; this was a brand new role, funded by the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation. Viviana is working in partnership with under-represented and temporary communities, artists, and existing inter-disciplinary organisations throughout the city and internationally to create public engagement activity, including workshops, talks, screenings and discussion groups. The current series of events – Cooking Pot – invites everyone to join together and build a community of people who are passionate about food – making, sharing, eating and enjoying.
Prior to joining CCA, Viviana produced a range of international projects including curating the Young Artist of the Year Award 2014 (YAYA) at the A.M. Qattan Foundation in Ramallah which supports young Palestinian artists and artists of Palestinian descent; being part of a curatorial team for the 4th Athens Biennale which won the 2015 European Cultural Foundation Princess Margriet Award for Culture; and working as co-director of vessel in Puglia, Italy, which is a platform for critical discussion related to cultural, social, economic and political change through communities. She has also curated with Eastside Projects, Birmingham; Nottingham Contemporary and Nitra Gallery, Slovakia.
Here, Viviana talks us through her first five jobs.
Intern at the Museum of Capodimonte in Naples, Italy, 2005.
I covered various roles but mainly took care of a touring exhibition of tapestries. I digitised the documents of the tapestries related to Cervantes’ major work Don Quixote, considered to be the first modern European novel. Then we organised for 23 tapestries to be exhibited in Rome at the Quirinal Palace, one of the current official residences of the President of the Italian Republic.
Haircut model in Milan, Italy, 2006 – 2008.
I was working as a model for Mind agency taking part in hairstylist training, workshops and shows. My haircut would change every three weeks. Sometimes they would try new products or very extravagant colours on me. It was very good fun!
Translator/Associate Assistant for Baldini e Castaldi Dalai Ed in Milan, Italy, 2006 – 2008.
I was responsible for translation of the Oxford Companion for Art as well as the coordination of a team of translators. I also collaborated with B&C Dalai for their new art website.
Teacher for an elementary school in Naples, Italy, 2008.
I gave classes to parents in deprived communities which focussed on the use of art as a tool to connect with their kids. We explored the origin of art media and art formats. We analysed landscapes and portrait production in modern art and we made our own portraits. It was really inspiring!
Researcher for the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bratislava-Slovakia, 2008 –2009.
I researched the development of the contemporary art system in Slovakia. The research project was hosted by the University Komenského and the Slovak National Gallery (SNG) of Bratislava. I was working under the guidance of Alexandra Kusa who was the curator for the contemporary art section at that time and is now the director of the gallery. She has been a great inspiration to me! This experience acted as a springboard for my curatorial career.
The current series of events Cooking Pot is now ongoing at the CCA, Glasgow. Find more information here.
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We’ve asked professionals in creative industries what jobs they have had in the past to get their foot through the door (or at least pay the rent). For more in the “My First 5 Jobs” series look here.
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