Transcultural Collaboration: Kick-off in Zurich

New Graduate-Level Educational Format in the Arts based in Hong Kong

Transcultural Collaboration 2015

A project of Zurich University of the Arts; Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts; City University of Hong Kong/School of Creative Media; China Academy of Art/School of Intermedia Art, Hangzhou; Taipei National University of the Arts; Tokyo University of the Arts

We are launching a pioneering transcultural and cross-disciplinary educational format for MA-students of all art and design disciplines. Selected students from the involved partner institutions will have the possibility to study for one semester within this specific programme, which will be based mainly in Hong Kong.

Kick-off-Events

Lecture Series #1: Dr. Mark Terkessidis (Author, Berlin): Transculturality & Colloboration
24th August, 1 pm, Zurich University of the Arts, Toni-Areal, 5.K12

Lecture Series #2: Prof. Dr. Jörg Huber (Critical Theory and Asthetics): Artist – Subject – Politics
27th August, 6 pm, Zurich University of the Arts, Toni-Areal, 5.K12

Lecture Series #3: Roger M. Buergel (Curator/Head of Johan Jacobs Museum, Zurich): Transculturality & Art
1st September, 7 pm, Johan Jacobs Museum, Seefeldquai 17, 8034 Zürich

Project Visit / Presentation: 3rd September, 3 – 5 pm
Zurich University of the Arts, Toni-Areal, 5.K12

DennisGinsig_CS2014-10_k

About/General Content

The program has two central characteristics that can only be experienced and explored in this very specific setting. First of all it will focus on topics of transculturality as the key content that includes subjects like traditions, identity, genealogy of the present, values, ethics, different forms of life or globalization specifically between Europe and South East Asia. Given their sensitivity to social and cultural conditions, and their ability to formulate and express a variety of topics with aesthetic means, artistic and design practices can make an ideal contribution to transcultural discourse. Participants will acquire profound competences, which are more and more in demand working in international contexts, learning about the other and being able to reflect one’s own culture. Hong Kong is predestined as an exemplary location within this thematic context.

Secondly practical cross-disciplinary collaboration between cultures and art forms is the second important focus of the programme and its principal working method. This approach will promote intensive exchange and first-hand experience of the transcultural topics as well as further differentiate and extend one’s own discipline. Theoretical inputs will help participants to critically reflect on transculturality and to gain further insights into this pressing issue.

Kick-off Module Zurich

The starting phase (24th August – 4th September) is dedicated to questions of “self-awareness”, as well as the introduction of the specific interests of the participating students combined with a research on the topic of “Everyday Culture and Living Environment” starting in Zurich and to be continued in Hong Kong in the following two weeks. Based on that the constitution of culturally mixed groups and their topics will be the starting point for the practical cross-disciplinary work and the development art and design projects in the following phases of the semester.

At the end of the first two weeks in Zurich, a project visit will take place where some of the research as well as first artistic and design experiments will be presented.

Project Visit / Presentation: 3rd September, 3 – 5 pm
Zurich University of the Arts, Toni-Areal, 5.K12

Lecture Series on Transculturality

Throughout the whole semester of the 1st pilot of “Transcultural Collaboration” a regular and continuous lecture series is framing and defining the program focussing on various aspects of “Transculturality”, which is the core topic of this new graduate semester program. It splits in lecture series following two different thematic priorities: Art and Design Practice and The Political: Identity and Globalisation. All these lectures are open to the public. Following lectures will take place in Zurich:

Lecture Series #1: Dr. Mark Terkessidis (Author, Berlin): Transculturality & Colloboration
24th August, 1 pm, Zurich University of the Arts, Toni-Areal, 5.K12

Lecture Series #2: Prof. Dr. Jörg Huber (Critical Theory and Asthetics): Artist – Subject – Politics
27th August, 6 pm, Zurich University of the Arts, Toni-Areal, 5.K12

Lecture Series #3: Roger M. Buergel (Curator/Head of Johan Jacobs Museum, Zurich): Transculturality & Art
1st September, 7 pm, Johan Jacobs Museum, Seefeldquai 17, 8034 Zürich

Participants

Students

  • Fabian Gutscher, MA Transdisciplinary Studies, ZHdK
  • Larissa Holaschke, MA Design/FoE Event, ZHdK
  • Isabelle Sprenger, MA Music Pedagogy, ZHdK
  • Nina Willimann, MA Transdisciplinary Studies, ZHdK
  • Philipp Spillmann, MA Publishing Studies, ZHdK
  • Ana-Maria Negrea, MA Theatre/Scenography, ZHdK
  • Benjamin Ryser, MA Contemporary Music, ZHdK
  • Simon Dietersdorfer, MA Composition for Film, Media, Theatre, ZHdK
  • Nicolas Müller, MA Theatre/Acting, ZHdK
  • Tobias Fandel, MA Transdisciplinary Studies, ZHdK
  • Ida Sons, MA Art Education, ZHdK
  • Lan Ziyan, MA Intermedia Art, China Academy of Art (CAA), Hangzhou
  • Li Chaoran, MA Intermedia Art, CAA, Hangzhou
  • Ma Haijiao, MA Intermedia Art, CAA, Hangzhou
  • Liu Xiaobin, MA Fine Arts in Creative Media, HK City University, School of Creative Media (SCM)
  • Wong Ka Chung, MA Fine Arts in Creative Media, HK City University, SCM
  • Wu Jiaru, MA Fine Arts in Creative Media, HK City University, SCM
  • Liu Siyuan, MA Film Producing, Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA)
  • Lin Yingchi, MA Dance, HKAPA
  • Li Shang-Chiao, Int. MA Cultural and Creative Industries, Taipei National University of the Arts (TNUA)
  • Sun Shih-Ting, MA Fine Arts, TNUA
  • Arai Mayumi, MA Fine Arts, Tokyo University of the Arts
  • Mah Liane, Independent Artist, Hong Kong

Lecturers

  • Daniel Späti, Head of Transcultural Collaboration, ZHdK
  • Kingsley Ng, Artist/Lecturer, Academy of Visual Arts, HKBU
  • Heinrich Lüber, Artist, Head of MA Art Education/Teaching & Learning, ZHdK
  • Florian Dombois, Artist/Researcher, Head of Research Focus Transdisciplinarity, ZHdK
  • Guo Xiaolu, Novelist and Filmmaker, London
  • Andalus, Cultural Activist/Artist, Zurich
  • Patrick Müller, Head of MA Transdisciplinarity and Connecting Spaces Hong Kong – Zürich