Highlights Contemporary Art

Project «Hands-on. Dokumentation künstlerisch-technischer Prozess im Druck» Observation situation in the Steindruckerei Wolfensberger, December 2020
Project «Hands-on. Dokumentation künstlerisch-technischer Prozess im Druck» Observation situation in the Steindruckerei Wolfensberger, December 2020

    «As a rule, artistic research involves linking several fields of knowledge, thought styles and forms of life. Like the figure of the intellectual, the artist transcends her competencies. Strictly speaking, she proves to be an artist precisely by transcending the boundaries of the aesthetic.»

    Prof. Christoph Schenker, Head of the Institute for Contemporary Art Research (IFCAR)
     

        Scientific, Artistic and Creative Output and Impact

        In 2020, IFCAR researchers produced an extraordinarily large number of exhibitions and publications. Most of them were part of successful SNSF research projects and reflect IFCAR researchers’ international artistic and scientific network.

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

          Promotion of Talents and Careers

          Twelve candidates are conducting their artistic and scientific PhD projects as part of the cooperation (funded by swissuniversities) with Linz University of the Art and Design. In 2020, Nicolas Vermot-Petit-Outhenin and Petra Köhle successfully completed their joint PhD. IFCAR is currently also employing two PhD candidates (Julia Weber and Valentina Vuksic) as part of ongoing SNSF research projects.

          → Overview «Promotion of Talents and Careers»

            Cooperation and Internationality

            In recent years, IFCAR has developed a strong international orientation, both through its own ventures (e.g. the «Draft» project, since 2014; the «InOctober» network, since 2016) and as part of cooperation-based SNSF research projects (e.g. by researchers such as knowbotiq, Nils Röller, Felix Stalder, Hannes Rickli). Its increasing internationalisation is opening new research fields for IFCAR.

            → Overview «Cooperation and Internationality»

              External Funding

              The large share of external funding (50%) acquired in 2020 reflects the outstanding quality of IFCAR research. Still, ZHdK’s inadequate research structures and, in particular, insufficient basic funding prevent IFCAR from reaching the «critical size» needed to attain the desired performance.

              → Overview «Research Projects»

                Award-Winning

                In 2020, Kris Decker became the first ZHdK researcher to receive a Spark grant from the Swiss National Science Foundation for the research project «Academized Artists».

                  Event Highlight

                  Hannes Rickli organised two highly acclaimed exhibitions in the year of the coronavirus. As part of an ongoing research project, the exhibition «Afrikanischer Buntbarsch #3» and the conference «Datennaturen» were held at Kunstraum Walcheturm. The exhibition «Wired Nation», realized at Sternwarte ETHZ, marked the end of Rickli’s five-year fellowship at the Collegium Helveticum.

                  Exhibition Afrikanischer Buntbarsch #3, Soundscape Texas, Vernissage, Kunstraum Walcheturm, Zurich 2020. Photograph: Lorenzo Pusterla / Walcheturm

                    Reading Tip

                    The anthology «Swiss Psychotropic Gold», co-edited by knowbotiq and Nina Bandi, explores the entanglements of the global metabolism of gold and the role of Switzerland. The publication includes contributions by Nina Bandi, Rohit Jain, Jakob Tanner, Yolanda Ariadne Collins, Ayesha Hameed, Jordy Rosenberg and others. It received the European Design Award 2020.

                    Swiss Psychotropic Gold, ed. knowbotiq, Nina Bandi, published by CMV Christoph Merian Verlag Basel, 2020

                      Worth a Visit

                      Since 2019, Kris Decker and Barbara Preisig have regularly organised the colloquium «Nachtmethoden». The joint readings lead participants into the confusion and realities of everyday research practice and enable outlining the nocturnal contours of research. The colloquium is open to all ZHdK researchers.