Highlights Transdisciplinarity

© RF Transdisciplinarity
© RF Transdisciplinarity

    «The wind tunnel is a space, that is inviting everybody to come. […] It’s about forming community, allowing community to happen, to share, even to challenge each other, to compare, to invent, to be surprised, to think, to let things happen.»

    Prof. Dr. Florian Dombois, Head of the Research Focus in Transdisciplinarity (RFT), in a film portrait by Patricia von Ah, 2020

        Scientific, Artistic and Creative Output and Impact

        Although 2020 was marked largely by cancelled events, the RFT nevertheless transitioned into the digital sphere, also thanks to many years of research projects on the topic and experience.

        Several RTF projects attracted widespread attention: Michael Günzburger’s exhibition «Das Ende der Spur» (shown at the Hans Erni Museum), Florian Dombois and Fabian Gutscher’s «The Venice Session» and the Chinese touring exhibition «Between the Mountains, Hills, and Lakes» displaying Christoph Oeschger.

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

          Promotion of Talents and Careers

          The RFT accepted new PhD candidates (in cooperation with universities of the arts in Linz, Graz and Bonn) and actively developed several formats for artistic doctoral studies. Researchers were given the opportunity to teach on the Master of Arts in Transdisciplinarity and on the Bachelor of Arts in Art Education. The RTF continued to employ a student assistant.

          → Overview «Promotion of Talents and Careers»

            Cooperation and Internationality

            The «X-cene» series of events by ~tilde (Helene Romakin & U5), in which Isabel Lewis and Clemens Krauss performed in ZHdK’s wind tunnel, attracted international recognition. Other achievements included establishing a filmallmende.net involving international video artists. RFT staff made numerous online appearances (e.g. at ELIA, the CA2RE Platform, KHM Cologne) before an international audience.

            → Overview «Cooperation and Internationality»

              External Funding

              Together with colleagues from all ZHdK departments, the RFT developed a new «Transdisciplinary Artistic PhD Programme», which received funding from swissuniversities and the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation. The RFT also developed an international research project on sound kites.

              → Overview «Research Projects»

                Reading Tip

                Twice a year, the RFT publishes the «Wind Tunnel Bulletin» which presents condensed but as not-yet unified disciplinary materials to a wider public (according to the motto «proto-disciplinary, not-yet art»).

                © Viola Zimmermann, 2020

                  Blog

                  The RFT blog provides insight into the unit’s research into and with wind. It documents artistic experiments, public events, sub-projects of larger research undertakings and practical activities in and around the wind tunnel.

                  © Florian Dombois, 2020

                      Residencies

                      The RFT regularly offers artists and scientists residencies lasting several weeks. While all 2020 residencies had to be postponed, US filmmaker Leslie Thornton and Finnish artist Tuula Närhinen will be seizing their missed opportunity in 2021.

                      © Florian Dombois, 2020