Nomadic teaching / KASK
I teach several courses at the KASK (the school of arts HOGENT) and one of my seminars is archisculpture. This course explores the relationship between sculpture and architecture, and how sculpture has functioned between both disciplines, during the 20th century and with a focus on post-war art. Special attention is given to contemporary crossovers between visual arts, architecture and design. More and more artists are now collaborating with architects or designers, and vice versa. Starting from key examples and cases from the past like from debates on the synthesis of the arts (1943-1967), Le Corbusier, Charles and Ray Eames, Frederick Kiesler, Oscar Niemeyer, Burle Marx, Situationist International, to Helio Oiticia, Luis Barragan, Mathias Goeritz, Donald Judd, Robert Morris, Richard Serra to more recent cases like Absalon, Dan Graham, Thomas Schütte, James Turrell, Richard Artschwager, Martin Boyce, Jorge Pardo and Andrea Zittel, just to name a few. The studio /seminar intends to look afresh at the contemporary state of these practices and ask what can be added today to further our understanding. With the hope of encouraging discussion — perhaps more important here than handing out specific answers — we will ask how the architects, artists, designers and theoreticians of today see these issues about the interrelation of art, architecture and design. We will reflect on what we can learn by seeing things from their perspective.
On the basis of some essential readings like from Adolf Loos, László Moholy Nagy, Martin Heidegger, Sigfried Giedion, Vilém Flusser, Reyner Banham, Aldo van Eyck, Manfredo Tafuri, Donald Judd, Rosalind Krauss and Hans Hollein. Some field trips planned for example to Skulpturenhalle, Thomas Schütte Foundation, and Museumsinsel Hombroich; or Robert Morris’ Observatorium, (1971-1977) Lelystad, Richard Serra, Sea level, Zeewolde, 1996, Daniel Libeskind, Polderland garden of love and fire (1992-1997), and other exhibitions that deal with issues depending of what is on.
Nomadic teaching
THINK TANK ON EXPERIENCING ART IN PUBLIC SPACE
This project (or: curriculum) focuses on the connection between art, architecture and society and wants to explore those relationships together with students. More specifically, it wants to examine the relevance of art in the public space, what it can do for society, and its educational value.
The project is primarily based on experiencing art and architecture (and its interactions) in the public space in real life (in situ), rather than through an image. With the underlying idea that by experiencing art and architecture, exchanges take place that are only possible in situ. This approach is in line with what architecture critic Juhani Pallasmaa argues in his introduction “The Eyes of the Skin.” According to him, multiple senses are needed to experience architecture and sculpture which cannot be achieved by viewing an image.
For this reason, we will move outside with the students and organise classes close to specific key works in public spaces. Here we will also brainstorm about art in public space and whether it is possible to measure “whether art in public space can contribute to educational well-being.” The above concepts will be addressed together with students as well as teachers, sociologists, residents, architects and artists
