Praxis und Theorie

The program carries the German title Praxis und Theorie, and aims at creating a fruitful interaction between the artistic practices of the students and newly gained theoretical insights. Lectures are offered on a range of philosophical themes which are closely related to, and relevant for, various cultural practices. The professors will offer advice for reading specific texts and will give making assignments, so as to guide the individual students in translating concepts into artistic works. Apart from this, they take time to discuss other projects the students work on, to try and link them to the theoretical lessons.  

Apart from lecturing at the AdBK, in October there will be an excursion to The Netherlands, where the students will visit the Graduation Show of Design Academy Eindhoven, Dutch Design Week Eindhoven, with a great range of design exhibitions spread around the city, and the exhibition ‘Design of the Third Reich’ in the Design Museum of ‘s-Hertogenbosch. Here the students and tutors are welcomed by the director of the museum Timo de Rijk. This show is quite unique, as it shows for the first time how a totalitarian regime used all design means for distributing its ideology. If design can improve the world for the better, design can also contribute to dubious ideologies. For designers, the exhibition evokes questions on how much responsibility a designer has for the message he or she designs or evokes unconsciously, and other interesting questions that are closely related to the semester’s theme: authorship. 

Beyond the New – On the Agency of Things

In the course of three subsequent years Louise Schouwenberg has collaborated with designer Hella Jongerius: during two subsequent Salone del Mobile events in Milan they presented their critical views on design by way of the manifesto Beyond the New (2015, at Palazzo Clerici), and the shadow play A Search Behind Appearances (2016, at La Rinascente storefront windows; commissioned by Serpentine Galleries London). In 2017 Schouwenberg and Jongerius curated the exhibition Beyond the New for museum Die Neue Sammlung / Pinakothek der Moderne in Munich (10/2017 – 9/2018). Parts of the same exhibition were presented at the MUDAM museum in Luxemburg from October 2018 until January 2019. In 2019 Die Neue Sammlung acquired the installations for its vast design collection. 
 
The images show an overview of Beyond the New at Die Neue Sammlung / Pinakothek der Moderne in Munich (Nov 2017 - Sept 2018). The installation Upside Down - Reading the Archive consisted of cabinets from the museum’s archive. By placing them with their backs on the floor instead of upright, visitors could still see the visual characteristics and intuit the cultural meanings of the exhibited objects. At the same time, they were invited to imagine how these same objects would have shaped people’s daily lives if their functionality were still intact. On the wall, textile panels were draped with woven words, sentences, and questions that provided the visitors with clues for reading the manifold meanings and agencies of design within a ‘white cube’ exhibition space. In 2017 Walter König Verlag released the publication that accompanied the exhibition: Louise Schouwenberg & Hella Jongerius, Beyond the New – On the Agency of Things, 2017 (graphic design Irma Boom).

ICONS & MANIFESTOS / OCTOBER 2019 – JANUARY 2020 
Tutors: Louise Schouwenberg & Ben Shai van der Wal
Raum: Kunstgeschichte 1

Dear all, as communicated previously, we would like you to choose an exemplary work, an ‘icon’, which has influenced your choice to become a jewel designer, an artist, a graphic designer, a product designer, a …. In this first phase you make a scale model replica of that icon. It’s up to you which materials you choose and which size the replica has, as long as the replica clearly shows the original. Bring this replica to school next week Friday the 8th of November, as well as images of the original, and prepare a short story on why you have chosen this particular work. It’s wise to already collect information you can find about the original, to eventually put it in a report of the project. You can for instance think about who made it, in which year, what is the title, what is the meaning or purpose, by whom is it produced, do you know how it was received in its time, etcetera. The more info you find, the more clarity you will get on why you chose this original.  

Apart from working on the icon / replica, you are advised to read some texts. Ben will send you reading tips tonight or tomorrow. 

And finally, apart from working on the icon and reading, you will write a manifesto on the position you would like to take in the field of your expertise (no worry, we will lead you towards the manifesto; content and length can vary according to your personal talents and fascinations).

HERE’S THE PROGRAMME FOR FRIDAY THE 8TH OF NOVEMBER:

9 o’clock – 17 o’clock (note that we start one hour earlier than previously communicated; if anybody has a problem with this, please let us know, then we might start the lecture one hour later and start with the ‘icon’ project at 9 o’clock).
•    9-10: Lecture Art ≠ Design / Art = Design on Authorship in Art and Design, by Louise Schouwenberg. Discussion after the lecture.
•    10.30-11.30: Lecture Various theories on Authorship by Ben Shai van der Wal. Discussion after the lecture.
•    12.30 – end of the day: Replica’s Icons / you will present your physical replica’s to the group. See above the description of what and how you might present your replica and the information you have collected on the original. Don’t forget to formulate what interests you most about the chosen icon.
•    How to proceed / At the end of the day we will discuss how to proceed with the workshop assignment (icons) and offer reading advice on artistic manifestos. 

IN THE WEEKS AFTER NOVEMBER 8TH, THE STUDENTS CONTINUE TO WORK ON TWO ASSIGNMENTS:
1.    The creation of variations of the replica. Gradually you discover the intriguing secrets of the original, appropriate it to turn it into a personal design. 
2.    Taking the decision which part of the original will be appropriated (the form, the materiality, the concept, the function, …) 
3.    Reading various texts and start writing a short manifesto on the distinct position a student intends to take as ‘author’ (or non-author), and link that to the icon’s project. 

On Saturday the 23rd of November (possibly already on Friday the 22nd), we will have a group discussion on the texts you read and a discussion on which position you intend to take within the field you will work in (as a preparation of the Manifesto; the deadline of the Manifesto is December 7th). 
Apart from the group discussion, you bring the state of affairs of the replica’s. Below you find information on how you can approach the making of replica’s. 

NOVEMBER 8TH – NOVEMBER 23RD 2019:
HOW TO CREATE VARIATIONS OF REPLICA’S

You come from different backgrounds and different classes, and you will probably choose icons from these different cultural domains. Making an exact copy, or replica, is doable for each choice you make. Creating the next steps is different. So here are some advices. You can pick the ones that suit your icon best. 

If your icon is an object (functional or not), you can recreate the replica’s in these ways:
•    Clay/Foam: you make one or more replica’s by way of sculpting it out of the loaf of clay or cutting it out of a piece of foam. Try to copy the details as good as possible, in order to get a grip on the mass of the object and the possibilities of the materials you work with. You can choose to play also with proportions in this replica. 
•    Cardboard/Tape: you construct one replica using as much cardboard and as little tape as possible, and one replica of as much tape and as little cardboard as possible. These means offer the possibility of getting an awareness of the construction of the original and a sense for the qualities of different materials. You can choose to play also with proportions in this replica. 
•    In the final phase, after November 23rd, you make an object that still carries some references to the original, but has become your own project. You can play with materials and/or form and/or function and/or …. (up to you!) First make sketches of how you intend to turn the inspiration into your own work. 

If your icon is not an object (notice that a book can also be treated as an object!), but a concept, or strategy, you can recreate the replica’s in various ways:
•    Pretend it’s an ‘object’ and follow the above leads.
•    Choose contrasting materials for executing your variations.
•    Create the same content but choose two other expressions. 

For now: prepare the first replica’s of the chosen icon. Next advises will be given on the 8th of November and on the 23rd of November!