Are We Our Work?
AWOW
& merit art collective
Johannesburg,
Berlin, Amsterdam
Situated Curatorial Research asks:
Why do we do what we do? What support, infrastructure, and community are necessary to foster a nurturing environment? How can a residency program serve as a platform for critically engaging with creative work and larger systems?
Since 2019, Are We Our Work has documented a series of conversations exploring our evolving relationship with work—examining how contexts, identities, and emotions shape behaviors and decision-making in a rapidly changing professional landscape.
The ongoing collaboration between Are We Our Work (AWOW) and Merit Art Collective (MAC) is developing a collective practice and an international framework for fair, long-term partnerships. Together, we are building institutional groundwork that materializes through exchange, programming, and research - grounded in a situated approach that acknowledges both local communities and global networks.