Call for Proposals || Laboratorio Laguna. PhD on Sail

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Conceived in a moment of profound uncertainty and territorial fragility, Laboratorio Laguna attempts to address spatial, ecological and social issues through immersion in the lagoon environment of Venice. In interaction with different media and intervention scales it intends to advocate, document, and produce work. Artists, architects, researchers, and scholars develop new ways contemporary arts interact with the sciences and society. As a collaboration of several collectives, we navigate with an open fleet of boats in the critical zone of the Venetian lagoon. We want to explore pre-Renaissance engineering and forms of interaction between democratic societies and precarious environments; as a practice that might be the future.

Laboratorio Laguna is a project of Biennale Urbana, U5 and Florian Dombois. It is carried out in cooperation with the partner universities Universitรคt der Kรผnste Berlin, Kunstuniversitรคt Linz and the Zรผrcher Hochschule der Kรผnste.

We seek pronounced positions from the visual, performative, film, literary, sound, spatial, and environmental arts including (historical) composition and architecture, who wish to complete an artistic doctorate in this context. There are two PhD positions open, and one would be preferably given to a proยญject, that connects architecture / space and music / sound in broad sense.

We expect:

  • The willingness to open up your practice in the making ("sharing")
  • The desire to contribute to your field and to enter a negotiation with your respective peers ("challenging")
  • During the three week stay in Venice the abilityโ€”and willingnessโ€”to embrace communal living, inhabiting shared spaces shaped by creative, essential infrastructures and collective sleeping areas
  • Also a strong adaptability to shifting conditions and the agility to improviseโ€”both essential for synchronising with the natureโ€™s rhythm and navigating smoothly

We offer:

  • 4 years PhD curriculum of low residency
  • Laboratorio Laguna, a yearly, three-week workshop in Venice in the Bohemian Pavilion (obligatory attendance; no further courses) including navigational trips into the lagoon
  • Personal supervision by a professor at the Berlin University of the Arts, the Zurich University of the Arts or the Kunstuniversitรคt Linz
  • International PhD network connecting 12 PhD candidates from Berlin, Linz, and Zurich
  • A substantial contribution to the costs for tuition and the three weeks in Laboratorio Laguna by the universities (including housing and common activities in the lagoon, excluding food and travel costs)
  • There is no further financing associated with the admission  

The following documents must be submitted for the application

  • Portfolio of your (artistic) practice
  • Detailed curriculum vitae
  • Letter of motivation (2-3 pages)
  • An exposรฉ is not mandatory, but please draft in your letter of motivation also the direction of your PhD research, especially relating it to one or more topics of the overall Laboratorio Laguna, which are Navigation โ€“ Balance โ€“ Synchronizing โ€“ Collectivity โ€“ Hospitality โ€“ Body โ€“ Absence โ€“ Pre-Renaissance Engineering โ€“ Democracy โ€“ Ritual โ€“ Cohabitation โ€“ Intertidal
    (cf. Wind Tunnel Bulletin, no. 15, p. 377)
  • Proof of a Master's degree
  • Preference will be given to candidates who have a basic knowledge of boat handling, especially sailing and confidence with water and swimming.

We would appreciate a spontaneous short video message (max. 3 min) with you presenting yourself, so we have a chance to get a first impression of you.

Application deadline: April 7th, 2025
Mail to: Susanne Dujardin
Dates of the interview: April 30 & May 2, 2025 (via video link)
Upcoming Laboratorio Laguna Academy in Venice: 29/08/2025โ€“14/09/2025

Further information:
Website: https://laboratoriolaguna.net/
Magazine: Wind Tunnel Bulletin Nยฐ15 https://windtunnelbulletin.zhdk.ch

In terms of our understanding of research we refer to:
Florian Dombois: Art With Some T. A 35 minute essay. download


Selection committee:
Andrea Curtoni (Biennale Urbana / Kunstuniversitรคt Linz), Florian Dombois (Zรผrcher Hochschule der Kรผnste), Karin Harrasser (Kunstuniversitรคt Linz), Ariane JeรŸulat (Universitรคt der Kรผnste Berlin), Giulia Mazzorin (Biennale Urbana / Kunstuniversitรคt Linz), Stefan Neuner (Universitรคt der Kรผnste Berlin), Berit Seidel (U5 / Kunstuniversitรคt Linz)


Contact
Prof. Dr. Florian Dombois
Head of Research Focus in Transdisciplinarity
Zรผrcher Hochschule der Kรผnste
Pfingstweidstrasse 96, P.O. Box
CH-8031 Zรผrich

Mail to:
Florian Dombois
Laboratorio Laguna


Prof.in Dr. Giulia Mazzorin
Head of space&designSTRATEGIES
Kunstuniversitรคt Linz
Hauptplatz 6
AT-4020 Linz

Mail to:
Giulia Mazzorin
Laboratorio Laguna
 

Prof.in Dr. Ariane JeรŸulat
Vice President University Board
Berlin University of the Arts
D-10595 Berlin

Mail to:
Ariane JeรŸulat
 

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