Feldstärke International 2009
Interdisciplinary Platform for Art Schools and Universities in NRW, France and the USA
FELDSTÄRKE INTERNATIONAL
Feldstärke International 09 – the transnational new edition of the format created by PACT Zollverein – offered 40 students form 20 different universities and study programs from NRW, France and the USA the chance to participate in a unique interdisciplinary exchange between the fields of photography, film / video, design, animation, music, dance, painting, sculpture and new media. Over the course of one year, the participating students had the chance in three editions at three different partner locations to get to know each other, discuss and work together in study and work teams. Feldstärke International will continue in 2011 with PACT Zollverein and CENTQUATRE as the established partners, as well as an additional third collaborating institution in order to initiate long-term cooperation and networking, especially between the students.
PARTICIPATING ART SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES
NRW
Fachhochschule Dortmund, Kunstakademie Düsseldorf, Folkwang Hochschule Essen, Institut für Computermusik und Elektronische Medien der Folkwang Hochschule Essen ICEM, Hochschule für Musik Köln, Kunsthochschule für Medien Köln, Kunstakademie Münster
PARIS
École nationale supérieure d’arts Paris-Cergy, Conservatoire national supérieur de musique et de danse de Paris, École nationale supérieure des arts décoratifs, École nationale supérieure des beaux-arts, École supérieure des arts appliqués Duperré, École supérieure Estienne des arts et industries graphiques, Olivier de Serres École nationale supérieure des arts appliqués et des métiers d’arts, La fémis, Gobelins l’école de l’image, École nationale supérieure du paysage de Versailles, École nationale supérieure Louis-Lumière, École régionale d’acteurs de Cannes
LOS ANGELES
California Institute of the Arts (CalArts)
EXCHANGE I
05. – 11. JANUARY 2009, CENTQUATRE, PARIS
In January 2009, 48 students came together in the 19th arrondissement of Paris for the first edition of Feldstärke International 09: In the spacious rooms of the newly founded art house CENTQUATRE, they discussed their artistic concepts and conducted shared field research. Divided up into nine groups, the young artists worked one week in the over 39.000 m2 work space of the CENTQUATRE. The international work teams continued in this formation over the entire year 2009. On the last day of the edition, they presented the drafts of their projects in the fields of video, performance, installation, photography and dance during a public showing.
EXCHANGE II
29. MAY – 04. JUNE 2009, PACT ZOLLVEREIN, ESSEN
For one week, the work teams of Feldstärke International 09 explored the area around the former colliery of the Zeche Zollverein, as well as the Ruhr region. The young artists brought with them their experiences and results from the first edition in order to continue their prior theoretical and practical research in small groups in the new surroundings. The six workshop days were filled with practical group work and gave the students time and space for exchange and the chance to engage in a change of perspective and discussions about their own work, develop an interest in the unknown and search for relationships between the arts. The concluding public tour, composed by the students themselves, took place over the entire premises of PACT Zollverein. The many young artistic positions, the excerpts from their work and presented experiments gave visitors a chance to discover a broad range of work by a new generation of artists.
EXCHANGE III
09. – 18. OCTOBER 2009, CALARTS, LOS ANGELES
The final edition of Feldstärke International 09 took place in October at the California Institute of the Arts in Los Angeles. The students eagerly awaited the reunion as well as the collaborative work, which was meanwhile also taking place between the editions. While some of the groups had already reformed in advance and formulated concrete project ideas and assignments, other groups established themselves spontaneously and let the city inspire them. Against the larger backdrop of Los Angeles and the comparatively smaller CalArts, students were intensely stimulated by the diverse input provided by the school and developed projects, which both once again addressed questions of urbanity and cultural specificity, but also questioned and discussed the role of artists in today’s society. All projects were presented as part of a public tour open not only to the general public, but also specifically to all students of CalArts.