Materials – Matter & MeaningMaterials – Matter & Meaning

Course content.
In this minor, you will realize your own material project and find your approach to materials as a creative or artistic basis.
You will create a collection of materials, which you will use as a basis for developing practical experiments, trying out techniques, and exploring your materials theoretically and semantically. After conducting research and studies, in the second part of the minor you will create a material story that can be speculative or concrete, artistic or technical, aesthetic or functional.
Accompanying lectures and workshops provide broad background knowledge in ecology, art and design history, materials research, and cultural studies.

Skills acquired in the course.
Students will be able to:  
–  evaluate the complex interrelationships between the material world and material culture from a technological, ecological, and historical perspective. 
–  assess the potential of common and innovative materials and understand them as the basis for design practice, and situate them in scientific discourse.  
–  recognize the levels of meaning of materials in art and consumer products and translate them aesthetically. 
–  transfer material relationships into their own material collection and the development of a material history. 

Admissions requirements.
Z-Tech-Workshop-Pass (low-level workshop) with confirmation is required or has to be acquired by the start of the minor module (calendar week 2).

Language skills required.
You need the following languages to take this minor:
–  German and English: to be able to follow a discussion
–  German or English: to actively participate in a verbal exchange
–  German and English: to understand a text
–  German or English: to write a text

Benefits of studying this minor.
In discussions and project work, you will benefit from interdisciplinary interaction in the fields of materials research, museology/collecting, fine arts, design, scenography, and cultural history. 
The ZHdK’s MATERIAL ARCHIV is available to this minor with an extensive sample collection and the opportunity to try out exhibition and communication formats and publish results.

Time structure.
The minor takes place as a full-day course in the minor weeks in week 2 to 4 and week 8 to 10 and continues on Friday afternoons during the semester.

→ Semester dates ZHdK
→ More information about this minor (PDF download)

Minor Coordination

At ZHdK, students choose a Major. In addition to this core subject, they can choose one or two Minors to deepen or expand their major skills and knowledge across various disciplines. This wide choice of courses is unique in Europe and enables students to develop and sharpen their individual profile.