Highlights Fine Arts

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«Today’s challenges make it crucial for researchers to join forces, pool resources and develop perspectives to forge a livable future. Artistic approaches are central to this endeavour: they initiate speculative knowledge processes and open up spaces of negotiation.»

Dr. Marcel Bleuler, Head of the Institute for Contemporary Art Research (IfCAR)

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Scientific, Artistic and Creative Output and Impact

Besides supporting externally funded projects, in 2023 IfCAR continued to explore and develop an integrated concept of art and research. Awarded for the first time, IfCAR Grants play a central role in this regard by providing departmental members access to research. The DFA also looks back on a wide range of research-related events, collaborations and publications in 2023.

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

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Promotion of Talents and Careers

After admitting six former pre/doc candidates as PhD students, our Transforming Environments programme accepted six new pre/docs. The group also includes two DFA teaching assistants, who will receive their first qualification positions (involving research commitments) in DFA degree programmes upon their successful transfer. These promotions will also further strengthen cooperation between degree programmes and research.

→ Overview «Promotion of Talents and Careers»

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Cooperation and Internationality

International collaborations are core to externally funded projects, IfCAR projects and IfCAR Grants. These ventures include conferences, research visits and collaborations lasting several months. In 2023, one such collaboration involved the Istituto Svizzero in Rome and resulted in a summer school, a public event and the «No One Is An Island» conference.

→ Overview «Cooperation and Internationality»

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External Funding

IfCAR is hosting three multi-year SNSF projects, each dedicated to pursuing basic research in connection with artistic approaches and thus enabling IfCAR researchers to gain qualifications. We are delighted to annouce Julia Weber’s successful application for SPARK funding. Julia completed her doctorate as a member of the DFA PhD group in 2022. 

→ Overview «Research Projects»

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Award-Winning

Laura von Niederhäusern completed her PhD in 2023 as part of the cooperation between ZHdK and Linz University of Art and Design. Her doctoral thesis «FACE NO DIAL OF A CLOCK. Investigating asynchronic experiences of present times by means of art»  (supervised by Prof. Giaco Schiesser, ZHdK, and Prof. Marlis Roth, Film University Konrad Wolf, Babelsberg) was awarded the Austrian State Prize for the Best Doctoral Thesis.

[Translate to English:] Ein Filmessay von Laura von Niederhäusern
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Milestone

Marie-France Rafael was appointed full professorship in 2023 after successfully fulfilling the requirements of her tenure-track position. With her appointment the MA Fine Arts faculty gains an extremely accomplished art scholar whose most recent publications combine contemporary art with digital cultures and social theories.

Marie-France Rafael
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Reading Tip

In 2023, Meret Wandeler and Ulrich Görlich completed their long-term photographic observation of Schlieren (2005-2020), a research project spanning 15 years, with the highly acclaimed publication «Stadtwerdung im Zeitraffer». Published by Scheidegger and Spiess, the volume was honoured with the international Dam Architectural Book Award as one of the 10 best architecture books of 2023.

Fotografische Langzeitbeobachtung Schlieren (2005-2020)
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Event Highlight

The IfCAR Grants Colloquium was launched in 2023, with grants being awarded for the first time. Held at regular intervals, this public event enables DFA students and faculty to present and discuss their experimental and exploratory research projects. It also enables grantees (students and faculty) to report on how they are implementing their process- and practice-oriented research ideas.

IfCAR-Grants-Colloquium
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→ More information on the Institute for Contemporary Art Research