Fine Arts / Cultural Theory (2021 expired)

PhD cooperation

PhD cooperation Department of Art & Media – University of the Arts Linz, Austria

Within the scope of a PhD cooperation agreement between the University of Arts Zurich/Department of Art & Media and the University of the Arts Linz (Austria) you can get a PhD degree from University of the Arts Linz with a focus on

  • Art Research (Artistic Research)
    with Prof. Giaco Schiesser or Prof. Florian Dombois
    or
  • Media / Culture Studies or Theory
    with Prof. Giaco Schiesser

as your first supervisor. Prof. Giaco Schiesser and Florian Dombois are permanent visiting professors for PhDs at the University of the Arts, Linz. Applications are possible individually or collaboratively (as a group). The PhD can be done either in German or in English.
Application and admission of PhD candidates: according to a personal agreement.

Current activities
The PhD group was founded in January 2012.

Contact
Prof. Giaco Schiesser / Prof. Florian Dombois

Additional information for Giaco Schiesser's PhD candidates.

    PhD group

    Members

    Accepted candidates by the PhD commission

    • Viviana Andrea González Méndez
      MA in Aesthetics and Theory of Art, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina and MA in Fine and Visual Arts, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia

    • Sasha Huber
      MFA, Aalto University, Helsinki, Finland

    • Xenia Kalpaktsoglou
      MA Independent Film and Video Art, London Institute (LCP), London, UK and MA Film and The Moving Image, Thames Valley (TVU), London, UK

    • Melanie Mohren / Bernhard Herbordt
      MA Angewandte Theaterwissenschaften, Institut für Angewandte Theaterwissenschaften, Universität Giessen, Giessen, Germany

    • Laetitia Morais
      Diploma, University of Fine Arts, Porto, Portugal

    • Laura von Niederhäusern
      Diploma in Visual Arts + MA of Arts, Haute école d'art et de design, HEAD, Geneva

    • Julia Weber
      MA in Fine Arts, Zurich University of the Arts

    Read the abstracts of the current PhD projects


    PhD proposals in preparation

    • None

      Working Schedule

      • 2020

        Meetings

        Three 3-days meetings and one retreat week

        • Three-days meetings
          One full day presentation and discussion with one invited artist about his/her (artistic)  PhD or artistic research practice, one full day discussion of two projects of group members together with the guest from the first day, one day discussion of good examples of PhD and/or of important texts about artistic research. The three guests in 2020:
          • Guest #1: Dr. Marie Louise Crawley, Assistant Professor (Doctorate in Dance Studies, Coventry University, UK)
          • Guest #2: Cancelled because of the Coronavirus pandemic (replaced by an internal zoom-meeting of the group members)
          • Guest #3: Sarah Burger, PhD (PhD at ZHdK, Zurich/Switzerland / Kunstuniversität Linz, Austria)
        • Retreat week (Kurhaus Bergün, Bergün/Switzerland)
          • Morning activities: Two Focus Groups‘ meetings: Language related practices in PhDs / Artistic Research as Institutional Critique
          • Afternoon activities: Individual PhD presentations of all members and group critique using the DAS Theatre Feedback Method (for an introduction in this method watch the video “A Film About Feedback”)

        Doctorate Summer School at ZHdK

        1 to 3 days participation, individually

        Doctoral Colloquiums at Kunstunversität Linz (offered twice per year)

        2 days participation once a year, individually

        Teaching

        Whole PhD group: Heading the 5-days Colloquium: “Artistic Research – in Practice and in Theory” (MFA, Zurich University of the Arts; spring semester 2020)
        Current PhD group members have taught individually at: Academy of Performing Arts, Ludwigsburg/Germany; Merz Academy, Stuttgart/Germany; Helsinki University/Finland; Uniarts Helsinki/Finland; Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Lucerne/Switzerland; Valais School of Art (édhéa), Sierre/Switzerland; ZHdK/Department of Cultural Analysis and Department of Music, Zurich/Switzerland.

        Peer reviewed activities

        → Detailed list

        PhD submissions/examinations

        • Petra Köhle/Nicolas Vermot-Petit-Outhenin (examination, defended 9 October 2020)
        • Kai Ziegner (submitted 23 October 2020)
        • Julia Weber (submission planned, December 2020)

        PhD grants / Post-PhD grants

        • Julia Weber: Project Grant from Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF)
        • Marina Belobrovja, PhD (PhD programme alumnae): Grant from Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF)
        • Nicole de Brabandere, PhD (PhD programme alumnae): Early Post-doc Mobility Grant, Swiss National Science Foundation

        Funded research projects

        • Petra Köhle, PhD / Nicolas Vermot, PhD: Co-heads project Mémoire institutionelle: esthéthique politiques du don au Palais des Nations, funded by HES-SO, Haute école spécialisée de Suisse occidentale. Duration: 2020–2022
        • Petra Köhle, PhD / Nicolas Vermot: Co-heads project Pfyn-Art, une approche indisciplinaire du paysage, financed by EHEAD, Ecole de design et Haute école d’Art du Valais/Switzerland. Duration: 2020–2022
        • Nicolas Vermot: Project leader  project Une écologie de subsistance, funded by EDHEA, Ecole de design et Haute école d’Art du Valais/Switzerland. Duration: 2020–2022
        • Nicolas Vermot: Co-researcher project Situations sensibles, funded by EHEAD, Ecole de design et Haute école d’Art du Valais/Switzerland. Duration: 2018–2020

        Planning

        Planning and organizing the group meetings and the retreat week of 2021.

        New appointments

        • Sarah Burger, PhD (alumna, 2017): Lecturer, BA Theatre, Stage Design / Department of Performing Arts and Film, ZHdK, Zurich/Switzerland; Lecturer, University of Art and Design, Berne / Institute Y (Berne/Switzerland)
        • Nicolas Vermot, PhD (alumnus, 2020) : Co-head Master of Arts in Public Spheres, Ecole de design et Haute école d’Art du Valais, EHEAD (Sierre/Switzerland)

        Employments

        • Current Candidates:
          • Eirini Sourgiadaki: Research associate, Department of Cultural Analysis; Assistant, PhD programme, Department of Fine Arts, ZHdK (Zurich/Switzerland)
          • Laura von Niederhäusern: Research fellow to the Head of Department Fine Arts (ZHdK/Switzerland); Lecturer, Ecole de design et Haute école d’Art du Valais, EHEAD (Sierre/Switzerland)
          • Julia Weber: Research associate, Institute for Contemporary Art Research, ZHdK Zurich/Switzerland
          • All members of the group: Lecturers, MFA at ZHdK (Zurich/Switzerland)
        • Alumni / Alumnae:
          • Marina Belobrovaja, PhD: Docent, Lucerne School of Art and Design / Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (Lucerne/Switzerland)
          • Nicole de Brabandere, PhD: Post-doc fellow/visiting researcher (2018–2020), McGill University / Institute for Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies (IGSF) and Moving Image Research Lab (Montreal/Canada)
          • Petra Koehle, PhD: Co-head Master of Arts in Public Spheres, Ecole de design et Haute école d’Art du Valais, EHEAD (Sierre/Switzerland)

      • 2019

        Meetings

        One retreat week (in the Swiss Alps) + three 3-days meetings.
        3-days meetings:
        One full day presentation and discussion with one invited artist about his/her (artistic) PhD or artistic research practice, one full day discussion of two projects of group members together with the guest from the first day, one day discussion of good examples of PhD and of important texts about artistic research. The three guests in 2019 are:

        • Johan Haarberg (Executive Officer Society for Artist Research, SAR)
        • Lena Séraphin (PhD from Aalto University, Helsinki)
        • Jonathan Allen (PhD from Kingston University, London)

        Retreat week (Kurhaus Bergün, Bergün/Switzerland)

        • Two focus groups: “Artistic Research as Institutional Critique” + (Meta-Reflection) “Practicing Reflection”
        • Individual PhD presentations of all members, with respect to the groups’ focuses

        Doctorate Summer School at ZHdK

        One to three days participation, individually.

        Teaching

        Heading: 5-day colloquium “Artistic Research – in practice and in theory” (MFA, Zurich University of the Arts; spring semester 2019)

        Additional activities

        Individual presenting of peer reviewed contributions on international conferences and workshops
        Exhibitions and other publications

        PhD examinations

        • Petra Köhle / Nicolas Vermot-Petit (planned)
        • Kai Ziegner (planned)

        PhD grants / Post-PhD grants:

        • Julia Weber: Project Grant from Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF)
        • Marina Belobrovja (PhD programme alumna): Grant from Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF)
        • Nicole de Brabandere (PhD programme alumna): Early Post-doc Mobility Grant, Swiss National Science Foundation
        • Sarah Burger (PhD programme alumna): Pro Helvetia, Werkbeitrag

        Planning

        Planning and organizing the activities for 2020

        New Appointments

        –

        Employments: Current Candidates:

        • Petra Koehle: Head MFA programme, University of the Arts, ECAV, Sierre/Switzerland
        • Eirini Sourgidaki: research associate,  Department of Cultural Analysis, DKV at ZHdK/Switzerland
        • Nicolas Vermot: lecturer and member of the teaching staff, MFA programme, University of the Arts, ECAV, Sierre/Switzerland
        • Laura von Niederhäusern: research associate for the Head of Department Art & Media at ZHdK/Switzerland
        • Julia Weber: research associate, Institute for Contemporary Art Research, IFCAR at ZHdK/Switzerland
        • All members of the group: lecturers, MFA at ZHdK/Switzerland


        Alumnae:

        • Marina Belobrovaja PhD: docent, Lucerne School of Art and Design / Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Art, Lucerne/Switzerland
        • Nicole de Brabandere PHD: post-doc researcher, Chicago Center for Contemporary Theory at University of Chicago/United States

      • 2018

        Meetings

        Three 3-days meetings: one full day presentation and discussion with one invited artist about his/her (artistic) PhD or artistic research practice, one full day discussion of two projects of group members together with the guest from the first day, one day discussion of good examples of PhD and of important texts about artistic research. The three guests in 2018:
        – Ana Hoffner (PhD in Practice from Academy of Fine Arts, Vienna)
        – Nina Sellars (PhD from Monash University, Melbourne)
        – Petra Bauer (PhD from Konstfack, Stockholm)

        Doctorate Summer School at ZHdK

        1 to 3 days participation.

        Teaching

        Heading: 5-day Colloquium: Artistic Research – in Practice and in Theory (MFA, Zurich University of the Arts; spring semester 2018)

        Additional activities

        Individual presenting of peer reviewed contributions on international conferences and workshops
        Exhibitions and other publications

        PhD examinations

        Marina Belobrovaja

        PhD grants

        Marina Belobrovaja: Project grant from Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF)
        Laetitia Morais: Grant from Kunstuniversität Linz / Academy of Fine Arts Vienna for completing her PhD
        Julia Weber: Project grant from Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF)

        Appointments

        Petra Köhle, appointed Head programme Master Fine Arts, Ecole cantonal d’art du Valais (ECAV)

        Planning

        Planning and organizing of the activities for 2019

      • 2017 – Leitmotif: Re:Search (as Desire) III

        Planning
        Planning and organizing the activities for 2017.

        Meetings
        Three 3-days meetings, including per meeting: one full day presentation and discussion with one invited artist about his/her (artistic) PhD, one full day discussion of two projects of group members together with the guest from the first day, one day discussion about different topics.
        Guests have been:

        • Victoria Gray (PhD at Chelsea College of Art and Design, University of the Arts, London, UK)
        • Anne Helen Mydland (Professor in Clay and Ceramics and Vice-Dean Research at Department of Fine Art, Bergen Academy of Art and Design, Norway)
        • Marjaana Kella (Professor at Aalto University, Head of MA Programme, Finland; Doctorate from Aalto University, Finland)

        Teaching
        Heading: 5-day Colloquium: Artistic Research – in Practice and in Theory (MFA, Zurich University of the Arts; spring semester 2017)

        Additional activities
        Individual presenting of peer reviewed contributions on international conferences and workshop
        Exhibitions and other publications

        PhD grants
        Marina Belobrovaja. Project grant from Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF)
        Nicole de Brabandere: Early-Post-Doc-Mobility grant from Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF)

      • 2016 – Leitmotif: Re:Search (as Desire) II

        Planning
        Planning and organizing the activities for 2016.

        Meetings
        Three 3-days meetings, including per meeting: one full day presentation and discussion with one invited artist about his/her (artistic)  PhD, one full day discussion of two projects of group members together with the guest from the first day, one day discussion about different topics. Guests have been:

        • Steve van den Bosch (PhD at Sint Lucas School of Art, Antwerp)
        • Elske Rosenfeld (PhD at Academy of Fine Arts, Vienna)
        • Christina Zimmermann (PhD at Bauhaus Universität, Weimar)

        Teaching
        Co-organizing and co-heading: 5-day Colloquium: Artistic Research – in Practice and in Theory (MFA, Zurich University of the Arts; spring semester 2016)

        Additional activities
        Individual presenting of peer reviewed contributions on international conferences and workshops
        Exhibitions and other publications

        PhD-Grants
        Nicole de Brabandere. Swiss Project Grant from Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF)
        Marina Belobrovaja. Project Grant from Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF)
        Nicole de Brabandere: Early-Post-Doc-Mobility Grant from Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF)

        Appointments
        Marina Belobrovaja, appointed lecturer (Dozentin) at Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Art / Lucerne School of Art and Design, Lucerne
        Laura von Niederhäusern, appointed research fellow (künstlerisch-wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin) , Head of Departement Art & Media, ZHdK

      • 2015 – Leitmotif: Re:Search (as Desire)

        Planning
        Planning and organizing the activities for 2015

        Meetings
        5 bi-monthly 2-days meetings

        Working week
        Re:Search as desire (Porto, Portugal; Jul 25-29, 2015)

        Teaching
        Co-organizing and co-heading: Colloquium Artistic Research – Practice + Theory concretely (MFA, Zurich University of the Arts; Spring semester 2015)

        Collaborations
        With CCCS (critical curatorial cross-cultural cybermedia studies) / University of Arts and Design Geneva: Two days seminar Methods and techniques of (artistic) research, formats of the results, epistemology of artistic research (Geneva; Sep 26+27, 2015)

        Additional activities
        Individual presenting of peer reviewed contributions on international conferences and workshops
        Exhibitions and other publications

        PhD-Grants
        Nicole de Brabandere. From Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF)

      • 2014 – Leitmotif: Research Practices – Research Experiences

        Planning
        Planning and organizing the activities for 2014

        Meetings
        10 2-days meetings
        First and second half of the year: Comprehensive presentations and discussions of the individual PhD project
        Second half of the year: Discussion with guests:
        Topic: Methods in sciences, humanities and the arts with relation to their history and to
        the transformation into different fields and disciplines
        Guests: Prof. Dr. Bernd Roeck, University of Zurich / Dr. Jens Badura, ZHdK
        Topic: Discussion of best examples of Artistic Research and Artistic PhD
        Guests: Uriel Orlow, London / Prof. Hannes Rickli, ZHdK

        Additional Activities
        Individual presenting of peer reviewed contributions on international conferences and workshops
        Exhibitions and other publications

      • 2013 – Leitmotif: Experimenting with Contents and Formats

        Planning
        Planning and organizing the activities for 2013

        Meetings

        • Each member of the group is the host of one of the meetings (length of meeting: min. of 4 hours).
        • The host is free to choose the content and format by him-/herself. Pluriversity of both is desirable and expected.
        • There is but one pre-given principle: the meeting has to be focused on / related to the overall theme of the group: artistic research / artistic PhD
        • All members take notes of each meeting and fix, from their individual point of view, the three strongest points and the three weaknesses of each meeting’s content and format. They keep their notes and fixed strongest points and weaknesses to themselves.
        • The last meeting (in December) is reserved for discussing the experiences, the pros and cons of the formats and contents of each meeting. Out of that discussion, conclusions will be drawn for the leitmotif, contents and formats for 2014.
        • Besides, additional activities beyond the monthly meetings are possible and welcomed. The members of the group are free to join these activities whereas the participation for the monthly meetings is compulsory.

        Teaching
        Input Artistic Research Zurich-Linz model and Artistic PhD example (by Nicolas Vermot and Giaco Schiesser). Given at the seminar Introduction into Artistic Research (Prof.  Christoph Schenker; Autumn Semester, Dec 17, 2013).

        Collaborations
        With Aalto University Helsinki / School of Arts, Design and Architecture / Department of Media: Exchange about Themes – Experiences – Problems of Artistic PhD at Aalto University and ZHdK / Kunstuniversität Linz. Helsinki/Finland, Oct 14–15, 2013.
        With CCCS (critical curatorial cross-cultural cybermedia studies) / University of Arts and Design Geneva: Invitation to present the  Zurich PhD Program at CCCS. Geneva, Dec 10, 2013 (presented by Nicolas Vermot and Giaco Schiesser)

        Additional Activities
        Individual presenting of peer reviewed contributions on international conferences and workshops
        Exhibitions and other publications

      • 2012 – Leitmotif: Knowing the State-of-the-Art of Artistic Research

        Planning
        Planning and organizing the activities for 2012

        Meetings
        10 2-days meetings (monthly, with the exception of July and August).
        Content:

        • Close reading and discussion of  some core texts about Artistic Research
        • Drawing conclusions for the own research practice

        Preparations
        Required exposés

        Additional activities
        Exhibitions and other publications