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  1. Research Projects
More: Research Projects

DRAFT:

International Network for Research and Practice in Public Art

Institute for Contemporary Art Research (IFCAR)

Within a cross-cultural polycentric network, Draft collectively considers how contemporary art can initiate, invoke and contribute to public debates

Overall approach and aims

The project Draft – International Network for Research and Practice in Public Art intends to establish through exchange and collaboration an intercultural discourse on a revised notion of public art and its importance in society. Through artists’ practices, it aims at strengthening the artistic, cultural, and social impacts of public art in its local contexts. For these purposes, the project constitutes an intercontinental network of actors (working in overlapping public spheres), within which public art and its role in different cultural and urban contexts are explored. Through an interdisciplinary approach to artistic projects, Draft develops and carries into practice new procedures of public art in the respective contexts.

Background

Public art evolves in a close dialogue with social developments. It creates a kind of public sphere where artistic imagination, analysis, criticism, and commitment converge with social needs and realities and where these encounters are debated. Contemporary public art is gaining increasing importance in most of the world's large cities and metropolitan areas. It has assumed a growing variety of practices since the 1950s, in particular in Europe and in North and Latin America. In other parts of the world such art has also become a pressing artistic and social concern in the course of the economic, political, and cultural globalization occurring together with manifold regional social changes since the beginning of new millennium.

Research and development of expanded public art practices in diverse contexts

The project Draft explores the different ways in which public art functions within the context of diverse cultures, societies, and urban structures. It also intends to study what public art achieves in these contexts. Adopting an interdisciplinary approach, the project focuses on local issues and communities, and on the shared challenges and problems of globalization at the supraregional level. Reaching beyond intercultural comparison and exchange, the project aims to differentiate and to develop public art in order to foster a multi-perspective and expanded notion of such art. Among other things, expanded public art entails the formulation of art projects in association with practitioners from across various disciplines and urban contexts, and the involvement of issues and audiences hitherto excluded from the dialogue.

Public art as dialogue and involvement

Public art detects lines of social antagonisms and encourages a public sphere, which contributes to critical negotiations of common issues. With these debates it serves, so to speak, as an arena of dialogue. Beyond that, public art is a field of experimentation where art explores the imaginaries of a society. Through this project we hope to address some of the questions raised by public art. Whom does public art serve? Which themes and issues do public art projects address? Which tactics do they employ? Who is involved in such projects, and how? Which role does public art play relating to various other urban activities? What are project participants committed to? Who determines public discourse? How can public art shape the current cultural, social, and political landscape on the level of the city? What, if any at all, is its impact on society?

Multipolar curatorial model: The regional in a global network

Artists, curators, critics, etc. from nine cities will convene at an inaugural conference and then continue the debate at subsequent working sessions to be held at regular intervals. The points of action are cities in different regions of the world, as well as urban structures of different sizes, shapes, and significance. These collaborators will exchange knowledge and skills about public art research and practice taking place in diverse cultures, societies, and urban contexts. The artistic discourse and practice will thus reflect both local and translocal contexts, including, for example, the different forms of globalization and their effects on migration and trade, on cultural and ecological systems. It is envisaged that a collaborative curatorial model will be developed and implemented so as to foster the exchange of local characteristics in artistic and curatorial practice.

Interdisciplinary artistic practices and local issues of public interest

In each of the nine cities, the project will host various events including workshops designed to bring artists together with experts from different disciplines such as urban studies, liberal arts, law and so forth. These events, further studies, and the involvement of various stakeholders will serve to define specific fields of interest, to identify public issues, and to develop strategies potentially relevant to public art in each city. Finally, the invited artists, together with their interdisciplinary teams, will design projects that will be realized (wherever possible). The programmes for the prospective workshops and the artistic projects will be conceived separately in each city, based on local conditions and needs. In any event, the participating public art actors (artists, curators, critics) from all the involved cities are welcome to attend the workshops held in the other cities

Details

  • Research Focus
    • FSP Kunst, Urbanität und Öffentlichkeit
  • Project Lead
    • Gitanjali Dang (Khanabadosh Mumbai)
    • Christoph Schenker (IFCAR)
  • Team
    • Linda Hjorth Jensen (IFCAR)
  • Cooperations
    • Connecting Spaces Hong Kong - Zurich
    • Khanabadosh Mumbai
    • Studio-X Mumbai
  • Resources
    • Project website
  • Duration

    01.01.2015 – 31.07.2022

  • Financing
    • artEDU Stiftung (01.05.2015 – 31.12.2017)
    • Pro Helvetia (01.05.2015 – 31.12.2016)
    • Stanley Thomas Johnson Stiftung (01.05.2015 – 31.12.2016)
  • Research Approaches
    • Basic research
    • Artistic-scientific research
  • Disciplines

    Fine Arts

  • Keywords

    International Network, Public Art

  • Related Projects
    • Swiss Psychotropic Gold 2017 (partial project)
  • More Links
    • draftprojects.info

Output

  • Aufsätze in Sammelbänden, Ausstellungskatalogen, Buchbeiträge

    Schenker, Christoph (2020): «Draft. Outro». In: Wilhelm, Yvonne / Huebler, Christian & Bandi, Nina (Hg.): Swiss Psychotropic Gold. The Institute for Contemporary Art Research series, 23. Nachwort. Basel: Christoph Merian Verlag, o.S.–o.S.. Online unter: https://www.merianverlag.ch/produkt/architektur-und-kunst/swiss-psychotropic-gold/1e1c905e-220f-48a7-9cab-c554f95c17df.html.

  • Aufsätze in Sammelbänden, Ausstellungskatalogen, Buchbeiträge

    Schenker, Christoph (2019): «Transdisciplinarity and Condensed Knowledge. Response to Sabine Maasen». In: von Sass, Hartmut (Hg.): Between / Beyond / Hybrid. New Essays on Transdisciplinarity. Zürich: Diaphanes, 125–132. Online unter: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4450120.

  • Herausgeberschaft

    Schenker, Christoph (Hg.) (2022): Inventory and Hinge. Entangled Fields of Research in the Arts. Institute for Contemporary Art Research 2001-2022. Institute for Contemporary Art Research series, 29. Zürich: Diaphanes. Online unter: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7524372.

  • Herausgeberschaft

    Dang, Gitanjali / Schenker, Christoph & Preisig, Barbara (Hg.) (2019): Ju Anqi. DVD EDITION (Beijing Collaborative). Draft Publications, 06-2019. DVD and Booklet. Zurich: Draft. Online unter: https://www.draftprojects.info/home.html.

  • Herausgeberschaft

    Dubach, Selma & Schenker, Christoph (Hg.) (2011): OnCurating #11. Public Issues. OnCurating, 11. Zürich: OnCurating.org. Online unter: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5256144.

  • Konzept, Organisation und Durchführung

    Röller, Nils / Schenker, Christoph & Krähenbühl, Franz (2017): «October School Delhi 2017. Encountering Emotions (In the Public Sphere)». 03.10.2017–14.10.2017, HS 2017. Delhi. Online unter: https://inoctober.org/past-schools/new-delhi-2017/.

  • Konzept, Organisation und Durchführung

    Schenker, Christoph & Preisig, Barbara (2017): «Enact. Empower?». Jasmina Metwaly - frombehindtheevent. Video Lecture. 18.10.2017–18.10.2017, HS 2017. Zurich University of the Arts ZHdK, Zurich.

  • Konzept, Organisation und Durchführung

    Schenker, Christoph & Dang, Gitanjali (2016): «Draft». Draft - The Zurich Conference 2016. 28.07.2016–30.07.2016, FS 2016. Zürcher Hochschule der Künste, Zürich. Online unter: http://www.draftprojects.info.

  • Vorträge, Referate

    Schenker, Christoph & Dang, Gitanjali (2019): «Draft, a Report». Why and How to Support Cultural Exchanges. oral report. 04.04.2019–04.04.2019, FS 2019. Pro Helvetia, Zürich, Zürich. Online unter: https://www.draftprojects.info/home.html.

  • Vorträge, Referate

    Schenker, Christoph (2019): «Contemporary Public Art. Provoking Public Debates». Raum Espace. 21.11.2019–21.11.2019, HS 2019. Haus der Universität, Bern.

  • Vorträge, Referate

    Schenker, Christoph (2015): «ACTOPOLIS». ACTOPOLIS - The Art of Action. 27.09.2015–29.09.2015, HS 2015. Urbane Künste Ruhr & Goethe Institut, Oberhausen. Online unter: https://www.goethe.de/ins/gr/de/kul/sup/act.html.

  • Teilnahmen auf Einladung

    Schenker, Christoph (2016): «What Time Is It on the Clock of the World». International Festival on Feminism and Public Space. 04.05.2016–07.05.2016, FS 2016. Hochschule für bildende Künste (HFBK), Hamburg. Online unter: http://stadtkuratorin-hamburg.de.

  • Passive Teilnahmen

    Schenker, Christoph (2018): «Crossroads - Internationale Perspektiven auf Kultur, Kunst und Gesellschaft». Crossroads - Internationale Perspektiven auf Kultur, Kunst und Gesellschaft. 08.02.2018–10.02.2018, FS 2018. Zentrum für Afrikastudien der Universität Basel, Basel. Online unter: https://prohelvetia.ch/en/dossier/crossroads/.

  • Lehrveranstaltungen / Weiterbildungsangebote

    Schenker, Christoph (2020): «Contemporary Public Art. Provoking Public Debates». Lecture and Colloquium. Zurich University of the Arts ZHdK, Zurich. Erstdurchführung: 28.03.2020. 28.03.2020–28.03.2020, FS 2020.

  • Lehrveranstaltungen / Weiterbildungsangebote

    Schenker, Christoph / Krähenbühl, Franz (2019): «October School 2019 Mexico City». Workshops, lectures, field research, group work. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City. Erstdurchführung: 24.07.2016. 26.10.2019–10.11.2019, HS 2019.

  • Lehrveranstaltungen / Weiterbildungsangebote

    Schenker, Christoph & Krähenbühl, Franz (2018): «October School 2018 Delhi - Justice, Citizenship and the Self». Workshops, lectures, field research, group work. Shiv Nadar University, Delhi, India. 07.10.2018–20.10.2018, HS 2018.

  • Lehrveranstaltungen / Weiterbildungsangebote

    Schenker, Christoph / Krähenbühl, Franz / Samant, Sharmila / Joag, Tushar / Menon, Nivedita / Rao, Maya / Ramanathan, Ashwin / Bagchi, Jeebesh / Agarwal, Ravi / Grover, Amitesh / Chauhan, Astha / Mehta, Deepak / Ahmed, Sarah & Birdikar, Urmila (2017): «October School 2017 Delhi. Encountering Emotions (in the Public Sphere)». Studien-, Forschungs- und Arbeitsaufenthalt. Shiv Nadar University Delhi. Erstdurchführung: 04.10.2017. 04.10.2017–14.10.2017, HS 2017.

  • Lehrveranstaltungen / Weiterbildungsangebote

    Schenker, Christoph & Krähenbühl, Franz (2016): «Art and Dissent - Negotiating Space». October School Zurich 2016. Zurich University of the Arts. 24.07.2016–06.08.2016, FS 2016.

  • Lehrveranstaltungen / Weiterbildungsangebote

    Schenker, Christoph / Brunner, Christoph / Anand, Shaina & Rickli, Hannes (2014): «Introduction to Artistic Research and Research-Creation». Seminar. Zürcher Hochschule der Künste. Erstdurchführung: 25.09.2014. 25.09.2014–15.01.2015, HS 2014.