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The Beauty Of Violence
7 September 2007 to 23 November 2007
The semester starten on 1 September 2007 and ended on
29 February 2008
Mentor:
Boris Gerrets (NL) visual artist, filmmaker, editor
Participating artists:
Ivo Dimchev (BG) ;Steven de Jong (NL); Kaisu Koski (FI); Cille Lansade (DK/F); Linda Molenaar (NL); José Manuel Mora Ortiz aka Chico (E); Esther Mugambi (AUS); Stephanie Pan (USA); Jochen Stechmann (D)
Violence confronts us with death, death confronts us with life, and life in turn confronts us with the idea of our own being, what it means to be human.
As a phenomenon, the glamour of violence exploits the hidden instincts, fantasies, dreams and nightmares that reside in the substrata of our consciousness – deep existential feelings, many of which are too monstrous in their cruelty to be openly expressed. Perhaps they are remnants of an earlier time in our evolutionary process, like a kind of mental appendix to our consciousness. Perhaps they are inherently part of our survival and reproductive instincts – I don’t know. I am neither a psychologist nor a behavioural scientist. But what I do know is that the only time we can even remotely try to understand this repressed world of dark feelings is when we project them into the space of art, which – I would argue – is in itself a gesture of compassion.
However, it would be far too simple to see art as merely a parallel mental ‘fantasy’ world, a safe area for the sublimation of negative psychic energy into more positive channels. Art, too, is of this world, existing right in the midst of the turbulence of ideological and religious interpretations of what constitutes reality – and what is admissible to it. I am not even talking about outright censorship. I am talking about what we allow ourselves to conceive, inside our minds.
Emerging from the many perspectives on violence and the many ethical, philosophical and behavioural concerns is one quintessential question; it is a question we dread to ask: Is violence the thing that makes us human?
7 September 2007 to 23 November 2007
The semester starten on 1 September 2007 and ended on
29 February 2008
Mentor:
Boris Gerrets (NL) visual artist, filmmaker, editor
Participating artists:
Ivo Dimchev (BG) ;Steven de Jong (NL); Kaisu Koski (FI); Cille Lansade (DK/F); Linda Molenaar (NL); José Manuel Mora Ortiz aka Chico (E); Esther Mugambi (AUS); Stephanie Pan (USA); Jochen Stechmann (D)
Violence confronts us with death, death confronts us with life, and life in turn confronts us with the idea of our own being, what it means to be human.
As a phenomenon, the glamour of violence exploits the hidden instincts, fantasies, dreams and nightmares that reside in the substrata of our consciousness – deep existential feelings, many of which are too monstrous in their cruelty to be openly expressed. Perhaps they are remnants of an earlier time in our evolutionary process, like a kind of mental appendix to our consciousness. Perhaps they are inherently part of our survival and reproductive instincts – I don’t know. I am neither a psychologist nor a behavioural scientist. But what I do know is that the only time we can even remotely try to understand this repressed world of dark feelings is when we project them into the space of art, which – I would argue – is in itself a gesture of compassion.
However, it would be far too simple to see art as merely a parallel mental ‘fantasy’ world, a safe area for the sublimation of negative psychic energy into more positive channels. Art, too, is of this world, existing right in the midst of the turbulence of ideological and religious interpretations of what constitutes reality – and what is admissible to it. I am not even talking about outright censorship. I am talking about what we allow ourselves to conceive, inside our minds.
Emerging from the many perspectives on violence and the many ethical, philosophical and behavioural concerns is one quintessential question; it is a question we dread to ask: Is violence the thing that makes us human?
TRUTH AGAIN watch dvd in DasArts library
19 February 2007 to 27 April 2007
The semesterstarted on 1 March 2007 and ended on 31 August 2007
Mentors:
Cornel Bierens (NL) writer, artist, clinical psychologist
Benda Hofmeyr (ZA) philosopher
Participanting artists:
Andreas Bachmair (D); Tammuz Binshtock (IL/NL); Luc van Esch (NL); Camilla Fehér Ulrich (D); Andrew Fremont-Smith (USA); Zhana Ivanova (BG/GB); Cille Lansade (DK/F); José Manuel Mora Ortiz (E); Janneke Raaphorst (NL); Borut Separovic (NL/HR); Jochen Stechmann (D); Marloeke van der Vlugt (NL); Voin Voynov (BG)
The search for truth is often associated with the ivory tower of academia but in actual fact it falls within the purview of everyone who tries to get to the bottom of things. But does truth exist? Isn’t truth a goal that can never be attained?
Throughout the history of philosophy, this relativistic approach to truth has always been regarded as a reaction against absolutists. Relativism might have reigned supreme during the last decades of the 20th century but our present postmodernist era is drawing to an end. The recent upsurge of fundamentalism and extremism is symptomatic of the turning tide. These fanatical outbursts aside, it is no longer a shame to talk about truth, to believe in it. This is not a mere relapse into absolutism, however. Beyond these binary oppositions there is now talk of truth as something both personal and objective.
Our attempt to make the notion of truth productive in our work as artistic/cultural producers was informed by the thinking of the French philosopher Alain Badiou. According to Badiou, we only come into being in any meaningful sense in relation to an event of truth. A truth-event radically redefines the way things are and can take place in one of four possible settings: in the fervour of artistic production, in the passion of love, in the elation of a scientific discovery, or in the upheaval of a political revolution. Whether artistic, amorous, scientific or political, an event turns the world as we know it upside down. The operative question in the ethic of truths is: how will I continue to exceed my own being? How to become the Immortal that I am capable of being?
Guest teachers/lecturers:
Jan Andriesse (NL); Arthur d’Ansembourg (NL); Christiane Berkvens-Stevelinck (NL); Marijke Besselink (NL); Erik Borgman (NL); Hester Carvalho (NL); Charlotte Dumas (NL); Laura van Dolron (NL); Tijs Goldschmidt (NL); René Gude (NL); Bas Haring (NL); Pieter Hilhorst (NL); Vincent Icke (NL); Erwin Jans (B); Theo Jansen (NL); Clemens Kemme (NL); Marc de Kesel (B); Kees Koonings (NL); David Kremers (USA); Sybille Lammes (NL); Dieter Lesage (B); Klaas Meijer (NL); Henk Oosterling (NL); Matthias Pauwels (B); Susanne Piët (NL); Miriam van Reijen (NL); Joyce Roodnat (NL); Tomador Meihuizen (NL); Karin Trodler (D); Ulay (NL/D); Sjoerd Wagenaar (NL)
THE POLITICAL BODY watch dvd in DasArts library
0 February 2006 to 28 April 2006
The semester started on 1 March 2006 and ended on 31 August 2006
Mentors:
Ibrahim Quraishi (PAK/USA/F) and Gabriel Smeets (NL)
Participating artists:
Danai Anesiadou (GR/B), Isaac Calos (ANG), Sybille Cornet (B), K.G. Guttman (CA), Norberto Llopis Segarra (E), Kaisu Koski (FI), Sarah van Lamsweerde (NL), Bojana Mladenovic (SER), Rodrigo Pardo (AR), Janja Rakus (SLO), Borut Separovic (NL/HR), Seon-Ja Seo (KR), Marloeke van der Vlugt (NL)
On how political a body
Is/has to be/could be/should be/wants to be/lacks to be/tries to be/avoids to be/needs to be
The Political Body: a conceptual reality in-transition, was a ten week series of lectures and workshops specifically designed to proactively deal with the role and representation of the body in all its different facets. While focusing on the conflictual socio-cultural lens during ten weeks, we adressed the body's representation and symbolic manifestations in a multi-dynamic context within its own performative reality. In treating the culturally transformed body through the prism of performative realities and through the prism of a real-time confrontation, looked at the body struggling through its own imprisoned archetypes. Through distinguished guests we reflected on the politics of the body by way of the skin, the notion of race, sexual preference, physical and cultural manipulation, religious and political ideologies. We examined the body through the microscope of its individual placement and its historical connections inside our current ideological systems.
The block created awareness of the many different qualities connected to the body and enabled our artists/participants to make clear decisions on the use of the body in their future works and creations.
Guest teachers:
Shirin Neshat (IR), Coco Fusco (USA), Tanya Reinhart (IL), Raimund Hoghe (D), Bojana Kunst (SLO), Maaike Bleeker (NL), Rosa Sanchez/Alain Baumann : KONIC Thtr (E/F), Walid Breidi (LB),Vijay Iyer (USA), Pamela Z (USA), Mike Ladd (USA), Hooman Sharifi (IR/N), Oscar Munoz Galeano (CO), Stefan Kaegi: Rimini Potokol (D), AZIZ (NL) and Oumar Mbengue Atakosso (SN), guest artist/food design
0 February 2006 to 28 April 2006
The semester started on 1 March 2006 and ended on 31 August 2006
Mentors:
Ibrahim Quraishi (PAK/USA/F) and Gabriel Smeets (NL)
Participating artists:
Danai Anesiadou (GR/B), Isaac Calos (ANG), Sybille Cornet (B), K.G. Guttman (CA), Norberto Llopis Segarra (E), Kaisu Koski (FI), Sarah van Lamsweerde (NL), Bojana Mladenovic (SER), Rodrigo Pardo (AR), Janja Rakus (SLO), Borut Separovic (NL/HR), Seon-Ja Seo (KR), Marloeke van der Vlugt (NL)
On how political a body
Is/has to be/could be/should be/wants to be/lacks to be/tries to be/avoids to be/needs to be
The Political Body: a conceptual reality in-transition, was a ten week series of lectures and workshops specifically designed to proactively deal with the role and representation of the body in all its different facets. While focusing on the conflictual socio-cultural lens during ten weeks, we adressed the body's representation and symbolic manifestations in a multi-dynamic context within its own performative reality. In treating the culturally transformed body through the prism of performative realities and through the prism of a real-time confrontation, looked at the body struggling through its own imprisoned archetypes. Through distinguished guests we reflected on the politics of the body by way of the skin, the notion of race, sexual preference, physical and cultural manipulation, religious and political ideologies. We examined the body through the microscope of its individual placement and its historical connections inside our current ideological systems.
The block created awareness of the many different qualities connected to the body and enabled our artists/participants to make clear decisions on the use of the body in their future works and creations.
Guest teachers:
Shirin Neshat (IR), Coco Fusco (USA), Tanya Reinhart (IL), Raimund Hoghe (D), Bojana Kunst (SLO), Maaike Bleeker (NL), Rosa Sanchez/Alain Baumann : KONIC Thtr (E/F), Walid Breidi (LB),Vijay Iyer (USA), Pamela Z (USA), Mike Ladd (USA), Hooman Sharifi (IR/N), Oscar Munoz Galeano (CO), Stefan Kaegi: Rimini Potokol (D), AZIZ (NL) and Oumar Mbengue Atakosso (SN), guest artist/food design
THE GRAND INTEGRATION GAME
watch dvd in DasArts library
19 September 2005 to 25 November 2005
The semester started on 1 September 2005 and ended on
28 February 2006
Playing is learning
Making games is teaching
Teaching is an invitation to play
Learning is playing
Mentor:
Steim, Center for Research & Development of instruments & tools for performers in the electronic performance arts
http://www.steim.org/steim/
Mentor team Steim:
Kristina Andersen (DK/GB), Philippa Collin (GB/NL), Dirk Groeneveld (NL), Joel Ryan (USA), Michel Waisvisz (NL), Jan St. Werner (D)
Participating artists:
Danai Anesiadou (GR/B), Isaac Carlos (ANG), Sybille Cornet (B), Kristen Denkers (NL), David Michael DiGregorio (USA), Laura van Dolron (NL), Gita Hacham (S/NL), Otobong Nkanga (NG/F), Rodrigo Pardo (AR), Hila Peled/Flashkes (IL/CZ), Janja Rakus (SLO), Katarina Schroeter (D), Norberto Llopis Segarra (E)
watch dvd in DasArts library
19 September 2005 to 25 November 2005
The semester started on 1 September 2005 and ended on
28 February 2006
Playing is learning
Making games is teaching
Teaching is an invitation to play
Learning is playing
Mentor:
Steim, Center for Research & Development of instruments & tools for performers in the electronic performance arts
http://www.steim.org/steim/
Mentor team Steim:
Kristina Andersen (DK/GB), Philippa Collin (GB/NL), Dirk Groeneveld (NL), Joel Ryan (USA), Michel Waisvisz (NL), Jan St. Werner (D)
Participating artists:
Danai Anesiadou (GR/B), Isaac Carlos (ANG), Sybille Cornet (B), Kristen Denkers (NL), David Michael DiGregorio (USA), Laura van Dolron (NL), Gita Hacham (S/NL), Otobong Nkanga (NG/F), Rodrigo Pardo (AR), Hila Peled/Flashkes (IL/CZ), Janja Rakus (SLO), Katarina Schroeter (D), Norberto Llopis Segarra (E)