Highlights Cultural Analysis in the Arts

Film still: From I to Y. A Voiceover_version V (Work in Progress) © Noëmie Stähli
Film still: From I to Y. A Voiceover_version V (Work in Progress) © Noëmie Stähli

    «Artistic Practices as Cultural Inquiries: The subtitle of our new publication platform sums up a core question of our research at the RCA: How can cultural evaluations, mostly as self-evident as unnoticed, be critically questioned by artistic means?»

    Prof. Dr. Sigrid Adorf, Head of the Research Focus Cultural Analysis (RCA)
     

        Scientific, Artistic and Creative Output and Impact

        In 2021, RCA staff continued to publish in diverse forms and formats. Publication highlights included the new online platform INSERT, which was presented at a ceremonial launch in October, and the edition of Sophie Taeuber-Arp’s correspondence. Our autumn academy «Die ‘Ich-Funktion’ in der Theorie und das Schreiben aus (m)einem Körper», whose programme included various workshops and lectures, led to intensive discussions between students and researchers.

        → Overview «Scientific, Artistic and Creative Output and Impact»

          Promotion of Talents and Careers

          As part of the Zeichenwerkstatt, regular colloquia were held to present and discuss ongoing PhD projects as well as those in their preparatory stages. Several emerging researchers with good prospects of receiving PhD funding were actively involved in our SNSF applications (Gisel, Krepart, Küng, Vanecek). Alisa Kronberger successfully completed her dissertation.

          → Overview «Promotion of Talents and Careers»

            Cooperation and Internationality

            As part of Prof. Dr. Elke Bippus's research project «Teilhabende Kritik als transformierendes und transversales ‘Mit’», the RCA research team organised a workshop with international speakers. We also continued establishing a «PhD Programme in Cultural Critique» in cooperation with international arts universities entitled to award doctoral degrees. In this context, we held several workshops with colleagues from Linz and Vienna.

            → Overview «Cooperation and Internationality»

              External Funding

              In addition to the ongoing projects «Materialisierte Erinnerungen» (Gau) and «Teilhabende Kritik» (Bippus), in 2021 the RCA prepared and submitted various funding applications to Practice-to-Science SNSF («Becoming One», Chapus-Schmitz), SNSF Project Funding («Undoing Mastery», Kleesattel); SNSF Sinergia («Counter Media», Adorf & Gau) and swissuniversities (Adorf, Bippus, Gau, Kleesattel).

              → Overview «Research Projects»

                Event Highlight

                On 26 October 2021, the RCA celebrated the launch of the publication platform INSERT. Its editors Prof. Dr. Sigrid Adorf, Noëmie Stähli und Dr. Julia Wolf presented the results of the SNSF-funded research project «„“ Insert Citation: Artistic-Scientific Analyses of Cultural Processes of Transmission».

                Co-editor Noëmie Stähli presents the INSERT project, image: FSP Cultural Analysis in the Arts © ZHdK
                Poster INSERT. Artistic Practices as Cultural Inquiries

                  Noteworthy

                  Jana Vanecek, a finalist at the 2021 Schweizer Kunstwettbewerb (Swiss Art Competition), took part in the Swiss Art Awards Basel with her performance Life is Surplus Value [patented, traded and accumulated]. Her scientific-artistic work explores the transformation of biological life into economic surplus value against the background of a new post-industrial economy.

                  Intertextual Installation with Performance (Acting: Johannes Hoffmann) | Contribution Jana Vanecek Swiss Art Awards 2021

                    Reading Tips

                    The publications Taking Sides. Theories, Practices, and Cultures of Participation in Dissent and Sophie Taeuber-Arp. Letters 1905-1942 were published in 2021. © FSP Cultural Analysis in the Arts

                      Award-Winning

                      We warmly congratulate Prof. Dr. Katrin Luchsinger on receiving an award from the Dr. Margrit Egnér Foundation. Every year three outstanding scientific projects from the fields of psychology, culture, philosophy and medicine are selected. Dr. Luchsinger’s research explores the artistic works of people with cognitive impairments in psychiatric institutions in Switzerland. Prior to her retirement, she was a long-standing staff member at the Institute for Cultural Studies.

                      Image: Nik Hunger © Katrin Luchsinger