arts research: publics and purposes

 

conference 15-19 february 2010, dublin

 

DOWNLOAD PDF: Conference Schedule

 

An attentive audience at Anton Vidokle's keynote address where he
discussed aspects of unitednationasplaza - 'exhibition as school' -
and the alternative economic models realised through eflux. [17/2/10]

 

Over 450 people participated in a unique five day programme of events, symposia, presentations, performances, screenings, exhibitions and exchanges on the public role of arts research and the possible purposes and motivations informing arts researchers. Keynote presentations were made by Ute Meta Bauer (Arts Research and Exhibition Strand), Anton Vidokle (Arts Research and Possible Publics Strand), Eames Demetrios (Design Strand) and Paul Wells (Animation Strand). 95+ international guests joined us in Dublin for our discussions, including researchers, practitioners and educators from the UK, the US, Australia, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Spain, Portugal, and Italy.

 

The conference wasaccompanied by three exhibitions, performances and screenings. See 'Critique of Archival Reason' at RHA Gallery; 'Re : Public' at Temple Bar Gallery; and 'Sound Re: Sound' at Broadcast Gallery, DIT.

 

Ute Meta Bauer delivering her keynote address discussing the
interaction of arts researchers with resaerchers from across the
sciences and aspects of interdisiciplinary research practice at MIT
and in numerous exhibition and intervention projects. [19/2/10]

 

Colleagues from GradCAM partners, Ulster University, IADT, DIT and NCAD, were joined by others from around the island of Ireland for a series of intensive symposia, workshops, panel discussions, and lectures engaging many disciplines and arts practices.

 

on this page [pre-conference information]

 

The main conference venue is the Dublin City Council's new
state-of-the-art 'Wood Quay Venue' located at the centre of Dublin,
at the site of the original settlement founding the city
and incorporating a fragment of the medieval city wall.

 

who for? what for?

 

This unique event comprises a week-long series of symposia, workshops, conference presentations, performances and exhibitions in Dublin for the week 15-19 February 2010. Participants and contributors are invited to join us for the entire week - or to select those elements of our programme that are most relevant to their interests.

 

For example we have a particular focus on design and animation on Monday (15/2/10); music on Tuesday (16/2/10); culture and citizenship on Wednesday (17/2/10); and arts research and publics on Thursday (18/9/10) and Friday (19/2/10).

 

The conference will also feature a series of exhibitions and perfomances including: Critique of Archival Reason and Re : Public.

 

The conference addresses the state of development of contemporary research in and through cultural practice. It makes particular reference to questions of the public interest, and of the broad purposes, that arts research may serve. This five day major international programme of discussion, exchange and presentation builds upon the hugely successful ‘Art Research: The State of Play’ that took place previously in Dublin in 2008.

 

This conference will be of interest for anyone concerned with the current state of development in contemporary arts research. It will be of special interest to anyone concerned with the relationship between the development of creative research and the possibility of public culture - and questions as to what 'public(s)' might now be possible in the contemporary world.

 

At the heart of this timely international exchange of perspectives are the questions:

  • what are the emerging priorities within the various fields of arts research?
  • for whom is this research being developed?
  • what motivates art researchers both in general and with respect to specific research projects?

In the most basic terms, this conference opens a dialogue with arts researchers in order to ask: 'who for? what for?'

 

The conference is organised in collaboration with the European Art Research Network and associated partners including: Academy of Fine Arts Vienna (AU); Academy Sint-Lucas Brussels (BE); KUVA Helsinki (FI); UAIV Venice (IT); MaKHU Utrecht (NE); University of Lisbon (P); University of Malmo (SW); University of Gothenburg (SW); Slade UCL (UK); and Leeds (UK)

If you wish to be placed on a mailing list for this event mail conference2010(at)gradcam.ie

 

NOTE: This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This conference and exhibition programme and associated publications and communications reflect the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which maybe made of the information contained herein.

 

This project has been realized with the support of the Culture Programme of the European Union. GradCAM is funded through the Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions, Cycle IV.

 

more information

 

 

book your place at the conference

 

Bookings can be made to attend the conference for the whole week (15-19 feb 2010) OR on a per day basis.

 

In order to enable shared and meaningful participation in the dialogue of the conference, we are restricting bookings to approximately 100 per day. Refreshments and light lunch are included in this cost.

 

Given the exceptionally low cost, and the limited number of spaces available, we strongly recommend early booking. If you have enquiries about attendance at the conference please contact us with your query conference2010(at)gradcam.ie

 

booking rates

 

  • full week

     

    • the full week booking is no longer available as we are fully booked on Friday 19th.
      It is still possible to book other conference days, however, we are fast reaching full capacity on most days.

      •  

  • daily rates

     

 

 

list of speakers

 

Speakers and presenters at the conference will include (partial list only):

  • Monday 15/2/10
    • Andrew Selby (Loughborough University UK)
    • Prof Suzanne Buchan (University for the Creative Arts UK)
    • Francis Lowe (Coventry University UK)
    • Ré Dubhthaigh (radarstation UK)
    • Dr. Gearóid O’Conchubhair (NCAD: GradCAM IE)
    • Björn Franke (RHA, UK)
    • Dr. Cearbhall E. O’Meadhra (NCAD IE)
    • Eames Demetrios (www.eamesdemetrios.com USA)

  • Tuesday 16/2/10
    • Kristina Ilmonen (Sibelius Academy FI)
    • Anna-Kaisa Liedes (Sibelius Academy FI)
    • Timo Väänänen (Sibelius Academy FI)
    • Susanne Rosenberg (Royal College of Music, Stockholm, SW)
    • Dr Joshua Dickson (RSAMD, UK)
    • Dr Frank Lyons (Ulster, UK)
    • Kruno Levaich (University of Zagreb, C)
    • Dr Helen Phelan (Irish World Academy of Music & Dance, IE)
    • Nollaig Ó Fiongháile (GradCAM, IE)

  • Wednesday 17/2/10
    • Anton Vidokle [keynote]
    • Martin Cloonan (University of Glasgow, UK)
    • Jan Lothe Eriksen, (The Norwegian Hub for Traditional Music and Dance N)
    • Ole Reitov (Freemuse, D)
    • Willie White (Project Art Center IE)
    • Georgina Jackson (DIT: GradCAM IE)
    • Dr. Ed Carroll (Kaunas Biennale LT/IE)
    • Dr. John Mulloy (GMIT IE)
    • Dr. Francis Halsall (NCAD: GradCAM IE)
    • Rachel O'Dwyer (TCD)

  • Thursday 18/2/10
    • Yves Knockaert (IvOK BE)
    • Dr. Michael Schwab (Bern SWITZ)
    • Dr. Tom Holert (Academy of Fine Arts Vienna AU)
    • Dr. Paul 0’Neill (UWE UK)
    • Nollaig Ó Fiongháile (GradCAM IE)
    • Dr. Paul Collard (CCE UK)
    • Angeles Diaz Vieco (SFI ES)
    • Joan Fowler (NCAD IE)
    • Dr. Nuno Sacramento (Lisbon University P)
    • Claire Warnier (Sint-Lukas BE)
    • Tina Carlsson (Gothenburg SW)
    • Rachel O'Dwyer (Trinity, IE)

  • Friday 19/2/10
    • Prof. Ute Meta Bauer [keynote]
    • Dr. Daniel Jewesbury (GradCAM IE)
    • Tim Stott (GradCAM IE)
    • Dr. Terri Bird (Monash AUS)
    • Dr. Mick Wilson (GradCAM IE)

 

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schedule of conference events and activities

 

Monday

15 Feb 2010

Tuesday

16 Feb 2010

Wednesday

17 Feb 2010

Thursday

18 Feb 2010

Friday

19 Feb 2010

mon morning

tues morning

wed morning

thurs morning

fri morning

experimental film + animation symposium

 

music research symposium

 

media research seminar


network cultures + online publics: media 2.0?

 

art research and its possible publics

european art research network symposium

 

keynote

ute meta
bauer

exhibition and dissemination of arts research

european art research network symposium

 

mon afternoon

tues afternoon

weds afternoon

thurs afternoon

fri afternoon

design research symposium

 

music research symposium

 

culture & citizenship

 

remit / relevance / radicality

european art research network symposium workshops

 

cultural networks / research networks

european art research network symposium

 

mon evening

tues evening

weds evening

thurs evening

fri evening

screening programme

 

opening sound re: sound

 

keynote address:

anton
vidokle

tradfutures performance event

 

critique of archival reason

exhibition launch event

 

re:public

exhibition launch event

 

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list of sessions and topics

 

 

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experimental film and animation

monday 15th morning

The increasing use of animation within broadcast design, motion graphics, advertising, video games, visual effects, visual arts practices means that animation “appears” within a range of social and cultural discourses and to a variety of commercial and specialist audiences. What does this integration of animation into cultural practices mean for the future study, theory and research of animation as a discipline? What are the current research topics within the study of experimental film and animation?

animation: speakers include

  • Andrew Selby (Loughborough University, UK)
  • Prof Suzanne Buchan (University for the Creative Arts, UK)
  • Francis Lowe (Coventry University, UK)
  • Rene Bosma (Academy for Art and Design, St Joost, NE)

Enquiries and proposals to elaine.sisson(at)iadt.ie

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design

monday 15th afternoon

This session makes particular reference to questions of the public interest, and of the broad purposes, that design research may serve, addressing the questions:

  • what are the emerging priorities within the various fields of design research?
  • for whom is this research being developed?
  • what motivates design researchers both in general and with respect to specific research projects?

design: speakers include

  • Ré Dubhthaigh (radarstation, UK)
  • Gearóid O’Conchubhair (NCAD, IE)
  • Björn Franke (RHA, UK)
  • Cearbhall E. O’Meadhra (NCAD, IE)
  • Eames Demetrios (www.eamesdemetrios.com, USA)

Enquiries and proposals to godsonl(at)ncad.ie

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music

tuesday 16th all day

Defining an evolving aesthetic & innovation mechanism for Traditional & Improvised Music in Europe is of increasing importance to performers and researchers active in the traditional and improvised music field across Europe today. These research undertakings are underpinned by the understanding that traditional & improvising musicians today operate from a perspective based on a multiplicity of reference points demonstrating complex cosmopolitan histories of cross over and cultural cross-fertilisation which, as yet, have not been fully appreciated and understood. Our challenge is to confront the ‘nation state’ paradigm and to offer an aesthetic based on the experiences of musicians today demonstrating the ‘fluidity’ in how our traditions and cultures are in ‘real terms’ experienced and understood.

music: speakers include

  • Kristina Ilmonen (Sibelius Academy FI)
  • Anna-Kaisa Liedes (Sibelius Academy FI)
  • Timo Väänänen (Sibelius Academy FI)
  • Dr Joshua Dickson & Lori Watson (RSAMD, UK)
  • Dr Frank Lyons (Ulster, UK)
  • Alistair Anderson (University of Newcastle, UK)
  • Kruno Levaich (University of Zagreb, C)
  • Dr Helen Phelan (Irish World Academy of Music & Dance, IE)
  • Jan Lothe Eriksen, (The Norwegian Hub for Traditional Music and Dance N)
  • Ole Reitov (Freemuse, D)

Enquiries and proposals to n.ofionghaile(at)gradcam.ie

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network culture + online publics: media 2.0?

wednesday 17th morning

The development of network culture in recent decades has prompted many commentators and academics to speak of the need for 'media studies 2.0'. While themes such as social networking, the commons, crowd-sourcing, immaterial labour, and the precariat have become pervasive in discussions of network culture and digital media, there is as yet no clear agreement on the priorities for future research on media practice. This session will specifically focus on the question of current research orientations and agendas for network culture with particular attention to the contemporary re-thinking of the nature of 'media audience' and 'public-ness'.

Enquiries and proposals to martin.mccabe(at)gradcam.ie

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culture and citizenship

wednesday 17th afternoon

This session will discuss the possible ways by which cultural production and research might address deficiencies in engagement and agency among citizens – artists and non-artists alike. Is it reasonable to demand of cultural producers that they promote civic responsibility? How might this promotion be done? By whom and in whose name? Is it possible to differentiate between some notion of responsibility, whether as a citizen or to a public, and various methods of accounting for the economic value of culture?
This session is also part of an ongoing series called 'after the economy'.

'culture and citizenship' speakers include

  • Willie White (Project Art Center IE)
  • Georgina Jackson (DIT: GradCAM IE)
  • Dr. Ed Carroll (Kaunas Biennale LT/IE)
  • Dr. John Mulloy (GMIT IE)
  • Dr. Francis Halsall (NCAD: GradCAM IE)

Enquiries and proposals to timothystott(at)hotmail.com

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art research and its possible publics

thursday 18th morning

This plenary session examines the possible ways in which questions of public-ness, participation, and audience might be approached with respect to arts research. Presentations of 30 minutes length are invited from researchers, research supervisors, and practitioners who have a specific perspective they wish to introduce with respect to these issues. Presentations which draw upon concrete examples are especially welcome, however, we recommend that presenters make particular reference to the overarching question of 'public-ness' as a key contemporary problematic.

This strand of the conference builds upon a variety of activities undertaken by the European Art Research Network and by the Graduate School of Creative Arts and Media which has sought to foreground the importance of current critical contests over the very possibility of a properly 'public' culture - however, we might now wish to define the contested term 'public-ness'.

'research and possible publics' speakers include

  • Yves Knockaert (IvOK BE)
  • Dr. Michael Schwab (Bern SWITZ)
  • Dr. Tom Holert (Academy of Fine Arts Vienna AU)
  • Dr. Paul 0’Neill (UWE UK)
  • Nollaig Ó Fiongháile (GradCAM IE)
  • Dr. Paul Collard (CCE UK)
  • Angeles Diaz Vieco (SFI ES)

Enquiries and proposals to mick.wilson(at)gradcam.ie

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remit: who is this for?

thursday 18th afternoon

Competing interpretations of arts research provide different accounts as to who are the key beneficiaries of the research. There is, on the one hand, a widespread concern to avoid a crude bureaucratic instrumentalisation of arts practices. While, on the other hand, there is the question of public funding for research and the nature of the possible public interest/good served. Some commentators prioritise the researcher(s) themselves, while others point to larger societal and economic agendas such as inclusion, diversity, creativity and innovation. Others point to the contribution to the broader contemporary art field made by arts research and the complementarity between arts research and the current orientations for critical arts practices beyond the academy.

This workshop invites exploration of these questions based on a consideration of an international cross-section of specific doctoral research projects. Four researchers will be invited to make a 30 minute presentation of their work as follows:
15 minutes: outline of the overall project
10 minutes: positioning of the project with reference to the question of remit: 'who is this for?'
5 minutes: short discussion with audience

After four presentations there will be a break followed by a discussion session. All participants in the workshop will be asked to contribute to an extended discussion of the issues raised by the presentations and the question of who benefits from arts research. (A rapporteur will produce a report for presentation to the plenary session on the following days.)

'remit': speakers include:

  • Dr. Nuno Sacramento (Lisbon University P)
  • Claire Warnier (Sint-Lukas BE)

Enquiries and proposals to mick.wilson(at)gradcam.ie

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relevance: how is this relevant?

thursday 18th afternoon

The question of the relationship between new work within a field, and the already extant work within that field, is a standard issue within doctoral education in general. Doctoral practitioners are typically asked to indicate how their work contributes to, relates to, and has relevance for, a broader field of work beyond their own immediate enquiry. But the question of relevance can also point to the ways in which work is often produced in response to problems and situations that arise within the world outside the established terms of any given discipline, practice or professional field.

This workshop invites exploration of these questions based on a consideration of an international cross-section of specific doctoral research projects. Four researchers will be invited to make a 30 minute presentation of their work as follows:
15 minutes: outline of the overall project
10 minutes: positioning of the project with reference to the question of relevance: 'how is this relevant?'
5 minutes: short discussion with audience

After four presentations there will be a break followed by a discussion session. All participants in the workshop will be asked to contribute to an extended discussion of the issues raised by the presentations and the question of who benefits from arts research. (A rapporteur will produce a report for presentation to the plenary session on the following days.)

'relevance': speakers include:

Enquiries and proposals to mick.wilson(at)gradcam.ie

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radicality: will this change anything?

thursday 18th afternoon

The last three decades that have witnessed a widespread growth in doctoral arts research and in research-oriented undertakings within contemporary practice. There has been a consistent series of claims made for the 'radicality' and even 'exceptionalism' of arts research. This is complicated by the ways in which twentieth century avant-gardism, which espoused various forms of 'radicalism', has been subject to a critical debunking since the 1970s, while still demonstrating an appeal for many contemporary commentators working in the first decade of the 21st century.

The theme of 'radicalism' is of course hugely problematic, and further complicated by the various intersections and even 'mis-encounters' of cultural and political radicalism. By asking the question - 'will this change anything?' - this workshop seeks to place the question of radicality more firmly within the terms of transformation and agency. Is there a transformative agency possible within the terms of arts research? Again, the questions here are initially approached through examining specific cases, so as to avoid the tendency for overly abstracted or excessively rhetorical treatments of these issues.

This workshop invites exploration of these questions based on a consideration of an international cross-section of specific doctoral research projects. Four researchers will be invited to make a 30 minute presentation of their work as follows:
15 minutes: outline of the overall project
10 minutes: positioning of the project with reference to the question of relevance: 'will this change anything?'
5 minutes: short discussion with audience

After four presentations there will be a break followed by a discussion session. All participants in the workshop will be asked to contribute to an extended discussion of the issues raised by the presentations and the question of who benefits from arts research. (A rapporteur will produce a report for presentation to the plenary session on the following days.)

'radicality': speakers include:

  • Joan Fowler (NCAD IE)
  • Tina Carlsson (Gothenburg SW)

Enquiries and proposals to mick.wilson(at)gradcam.ie

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the role of exhibition

friday 19th morning

Exhibition is a key strategy employed by arts researchers. It can serve a role in the first stages of formulating a research project by working to construct and refine the initial terms of an enquiry. It can serve a role in mediating, manifesting, demonstrating and disseminating an enquiry, its outcomes and its basic orientation. Indeed, at any point within a research process, exhibition can serve a variety of functions. However, exhibition itself as a format is a controversial arena, and has been reconstructed in a variety of ways throughout the history of twentieth century, and subject to an extensive renewal of energies since the 1990s and the attendant reorientation of curatorial discourses. Thus, for many curators engaged in arts research, exhibition-making itself necessarily becomes an object of enquiry, rather than a taken-for-granted mode of production.

This session will focus on questions of exhibition within contemporary arts research, taking advantage of the realisation of a series of exhibitions as part of the conference programme. This session will use these exhibitions as a point of departure. The exhibitions include:

Critique of Archival Reason at the Royal Hibernian Academy, curated by Henk Slager

Re:Public at Temple Bar Gallery and Studios, curated by Daniel Jewesbury

to be announced at Broadcast Gallery.

The discussion, will not be restricted to a consideration of the conference exhibition programme, but will also include broader discussions of exhibition and dissemination strategies in arts research. We welcome proposals for short papers of 20 minutes duration that address questions of exhibition-making and contemporary arts research.

exhibition speakers include

  • [keynote] Prof. Ute Meta Bauer
  • Dr. Daniel Jewesbury (GradCAM IE)
  • Tim Stott (GradCAM IE)

Enquiries and proposals to mick.wilson(at)gradcam.ie

 

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network

friday 19th afternoon

...the term network has become perhaps the most pervasive metaphor to describe a range of phenomena, desires and practices in contemporary information societies. The refrain one hears on networks in recent years goes something like this: fluid, ephemeral, transitory, innovative, flowing, non-linear, decentralized, value adding, creative, flexible, open, collaborative, risk-taking, reflexive, informal, individualized, intense, transformative, and so on and so forth. Many of these words are used interchangeably as metaphors, concepts and descriptions. [...] Governments have found that the network refrain appeals to their neoliberal sensibilities, which search for new rhetorics to substitute the elimination of state infrastructures with the logic of individualized self-formation within Third Way style networks of 'social capital'. Research committees at university and national levels see networks as offering the latest promise of an economic utopia in which research practice synchronically models the dynamic movement of finance capital, yet so often the outcomes of research ventures are based upon the reproduction of pre-existing research clusters and the maintenance of their hegemony for institutions and individuals with ambitions of legitimacy within the prevailing doxas. (Ned Rossiter, 2006, Organized networks: Media Theory, Creative Labour, New Institutions, Rotterdam: NAi Publishers/ Institute of Network Cultures. pp. 46-7.)

The benefits of informal networks for cultural practitioners is well-understood within the everyday working practices of artists, curators, critics and other professionals within the art field. In a related manner, cultural institutions and academies have long utilised networking as a key strategy for pooling resources, cross-fertilizing initiatives and generating visibility. The European Art Research Network is itself a framework for open and flexible international exchange, cooperation and development. However, it is grounded in the desire to provide a critical self-organisation and enabling nexus for creative researchers which is not subject to crude bureaucratic imperatives or cynical exercises of self-promotion. Both Ned Rossiter's critique of network cultures and the increasingly central role of initiatives such as e-Flux recommend careful scrutiny and reflection upon network tactics across both cultural and research activities. What forms and tactics can a critical self-organisation initiative adopt? How do networks achieve mutuality and integrity while retaining the potential of friendly-criticism? How are open-ness and viability be achieved without creating inhibiting and uncritically self-perpetuating organisational structures? What do we want our networks to become? How is individual agency, identity and value-system maintained within network exchanges and dynamics?

Presentations of 20 minutes duration are invited which address any aspect of networking across cultural practice and research. Speakers are encouraged to address the issues identified in a way that draws upon concrete experience in networks in a frank and open manner in order to help the conference participants develop a clearer understanding of the opportunities and risks entailed in network initiatives.

network speakers include:

  • Dr. Terri Bird (Monash AUS)
  • Dr. Mick Wilson (GradCAM IE)

Enquiries and proposals to mick.wilson(at)gradcam.ie

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