IN-PERSON: Learning. Life. Work

Abstract

In 2021 I was in charge of the annual topic of our department. During the preparations I felt the need to connect my personal artistic research practices with the heterogeneous realities of my students, since all of us were confronted continually with changes on so many different levels. The summer semester of 2020 showed quite clearly the deficits of distance learning – social contact was missing, only virtual participation in projects was possible, the personal connection of students was almost impossible, to name a few. Our annual topic „Metamorphosis“ worked as connective tissue of sorts and extended the shared virtual space into a common „ideational space“ where all students and lecturers or teachers of the department were invited to participate. In the next step, the need for a manifestation within a real space was obvious – so I planned out a strategy to realize three opportunities, where individual and cooperative projects of all sorts and media could be implemented: starting with a laboratory for experimental, performative or pedagogic projects. On display were, on one hand various student works, guest lectures, courses, workshops, and performances, but on the other hand also the teachers, lecturers and artists themselves – and thus these changed conditions of current mediation practices, respectively. Highlighted by positioning a single office desk in the middle of the almost empty gallery, where you would find one of my colleagues, our guest lecturers or most of the time myself. All content of the programmed lectures, courses, workshops, and talks as well as the audio-visual works were accessible for recipients through huge screens within the three big windows towards the main square. You could use your personal smart device to scan the QR-code pasted on the glass of the window to get information regarding the respective video or to get in touch with the person on the desk inside, by joining the conversation via the live stream.