2017 Salzburg International Summer Academy of Fine Arts – Résumé

Press release
Résumé 17 July–26 August 2017

2017 Salzburg International Summer Academy of Fine Arts – Résumé

Summary: 2017 Salzburg International Summer Academy of Fine Arts

Why produce art? and Produce art! are the mottos of the 2017 course programme and the programme of events. The 2017 course programme covers a wide range, from stone sculpture with Andreas Lolis in the Kiefer quarry in Fürstenbrunn, to various printing techniques with Lukas Pusch, and painting and digital media with Bernhard Martin (including a huge collaborative overpainted poster in the Ignaz Harrer Strasse), from miniature painting with Aisha Khalid to “Institution-building as curatorial practice” with Diana Campbell Betancourt and the blogging course with Sabine B. Vogel and Sabrina Steinek.

This year, 257 students have taken part in 18 courses of between 1 and 4 weeks in Hohensalzburg Fortress, in the Künstlerhaus and in the Kiefer quarry in Fürstenbrunn. The average age of the students was about 35, and they came from 37 different countries. During the six weeks, 35 public events were attended by approximately 2,560 visitors.

The six weeks of the Academy have once again seen the creation of splendid, amusing, thoughtful, exciting and electrifying works. Our students come to learn from the outstanding teachers. They love the intensive, creative atmosphere in the locations, where students and teachers alike devote themselves to producing and discussing art, and to the presentation of art at the Open Days. Many of our students take part in order to re-think their own working methods, to learn new techniques or to make contact with new global networks.

Currently in Hohensalzburg Fortress: Michael Beutler, Kimberly Bradley, Distruktur: Melissa Dullius/Gustavo Jahn, Aisha Khalid and Paulina Olowska

Michael Beutler teaches not only how to produce art-works, but also the use and development of tools. At the same time, students are included in a collective working process, in order to explore the question of authorship and the productivity of collaborative creation.

This year’s painting courses have dealt with both traditional techniques and playful or experimental methods. Aisha Khalid is teaching the traditional technique of miniature painting, from the Indian subcontinent, as well as its potential use in contemporary works. Paulina Olowska addresses the fundamental question of painting as a means of expression; both individual works and joint projects will be realised.

The analogue film course is directed by the Brazilian artist collective Distruktur, consisting of Melissa Dullius and Gustavo Jahn. Using traditional 16 mm film, they will teach the complete production process, from concept, through developing, to editing. The aim is a film of collective authorship, made up of individually allotted parts.

In Kimberly Bradley’s class, which ends on Wednesday 23 August, students honed their skills in writing snappy press releases as well as theoretical catalogue essays.

2017 Programme of Events

The Global Academy project, which started in 2016 with a major conference, continued this year with a series of five lectures. Ruth Noack spoke about the challenges involved in global curating. The other four lectures dealt with specific art scenes in Asia. Grace Samboh reported on the lively scene in Indonesia, Diana Campbell Betancourt on Bangladesh, Ghalya Saadawi on transnational contemporary art in Beirut, and Virginia Whiles on the art scene in Pakistan.

The Artists’ Talks, held mainly in the Galerie 5020, but also in the Kiefer quarry in Fürstenbrunn and the Museum der Moderne in Salzburg, offered insights into the creative work of the Summer Academy teachers, and were greeted with great enthusiasm by audiences.

There were three town walks, Exploring Salzburg – with all the senses. Elisabeth Schmirl and Stefan Heizinger led a guided tour focused on Seeing. Gerhard Ammerer took us on a culinary tour to experience Taste, and sound designer Martin Loecker demonstrated how a town is reflected in Hearing.

Two exhibitions held by Summer Academy co-teachers in the off-space periscope gave insights into their creative work. The title In Transition reflected changes and shifts made in the course of the exhibitions.

The Friday Open Days enabled visitors to get an idea of what had been produced in the various courses.

Documentation

In daily blog entries, Ana Bambić Kostov, this year’s Blogger in Residence, related her experiences and observations during the Summer Academy. She visited the classes, accompanied them on excursions, and interviewed teachers and students: https://www.summeracademy.at/blog

A photo documentation by Mira Turba of the classes and events is available on the Summer Academy’s Facebook page.

Sina Moser, Salzburg artist and film-maker, documented the Global Academy lectures and four Artists’ Talks. The videos will be available in the coming weeks on our YouTube channel.

Further information and photo material
Simone Rudolph, presse@summeracademy.at, +43 (0) 662 842 113