當代語境中對策展的詮釋往往不僅止於單義，在如何引領展示、策展物件的言說以及空間調度的設計等等美學思考之外，面對當下公共流通課題之意識應變，以不同思辨進行的揭示方法，在在拉開策展的思敘座標，創設現下語境的聯動思考，藉策展作為論述實踐的向度，並盤整總體藝術生態之中的特定美學拓撲關係。

2016年開放策展學校的年度主題《策展工器》提陳「思」的重要性，微觀當代議題之中不同層次的梳理，寄寓於批判性思辨，以建立策展視野的在場及其思想介面的完備。借力於與來自國內外不同領域背景的策展人及研究者之交流，一層一層地推開討論的範疇，藉建立對話以推陳視域，並展開思想場域的拓野，在對當前社經處境的反思之中，檢驗思考模式，回應文化與機制的環境生態，以此構築多重結構的策展工器。

In contemporary discourse, interpretations of curating are far from unequivocal. Beyond selection, display and exhibition design, curating is individual and conscious act to confront relevant public concerns. As a discursive practice, curating organizes certain aesthetic and topological relationships that circulate within artistic and other cultural practices.

Approaching this through the lens of speculation, we can reveal hidden layers of the curatorial, and gear our thoughts to current and future issues in our culture and society at large. In 2016, the theme Curatorial Instruments in Speculation is a crucial approach to “thinking curating”. By exploring contemporary issues alongside critical thinking, it speculates on distinct curatorial perspectives through exchanges between curators and researchers working locally and internationally. Their reactions to, and reflections on their own socio-economic circumstances, are a means to propose new modes of thinking. In responding to cultural and institutional production, this edition of Open Curatorial School builds a conceptual toolkit of curatorial instruments that are site, context, and time specific.