PhDArts Symposium: Arts in the Eyes of National Identities

23 June 2016, 10.30-18.30: Small Auditorium, Academiegebouw Rapenburg 73, Leiden
24 June 2016, 11.30-18.30: Spectrumzaal, Studentencentrum Plexus, Kaiserstraat 25, Leiden

Arts in the Eyes of National Identities is a two day symposium that inquires into the relationship between nations and artistic practices, their connections and boundaries. The gap between, on the one hand, certain conceptual assertions and claims of contemporary art practice, and on the other, practical boundaries and limits will be debated through posing the following questions:

‘How can art and artists today actually cross borders and be part of public space? What are the limits and what are the different ways to deal with these restrictions? How do the different roles of embodied national identities influence artistic practices in the city’s public sites?’

The symposium is organized by PhDArts researcher Thalia Hoffman and performing artist and activist Eliesh. Two case studies related to their respective practices will be part of the programme, namely the figure of the refugee artist in Europe and Guava, a platform created by Thalia Hoffman.

Janneke Wesseling appointed professor at Leiden University

Dr. Janneke Wesseling has been appointed Professor at Leiden University's Faculty of Humanities as of February 1, 2016. Wesseling holds the chair in Practice and Theory of Research in the Visual Arts. The chair is situated at the Academy of Creative and Performing Arts (ACPA).

For more information, see http://hum.leiden.edu/news-staff/three-new-professors-academy-of-creative-and-performing-arts.html.

Course Listening and Looking

On Wednesday 10 February 2016, the course Listening and Looking will take off. This course, taught by Janneke Wesseling and Marcel Cobussen, is intended for 2nd, 3rd and 4th year Bachelor students of the Royal Academy of Art, Royal Conservatoire and Leiden University.

Our first encounters with art works or art events usually happen through our eyes and/or ears. However, there are many different ways in which to look at art or listen to music. Not only are we always already culturally situated and determined, individual circumstances also influence the way we experience art/music. What is attentive looking/listening and is this how we always (should) approach art/music? Is there a difference between looking and seeing, between hearing and listening? And, given the fact that our relation to art and the world is usually multi-sensorial, can we also look at music and listen to visual arts?

Although mainly theoretical, the course will also comprise visits to (sounding) arts exhibitions and/or performances in order to be able to relate theoretical knowledge to ''auto-ethnographic'' experiences.

For more information about the course see: Listening and Looking.

The course is organized by the Academy of Creative and Performing Arts (ACPA) of Leiden University in collaboration with the Lectorate Art Theory & Practice.

Maagdenhuis Debate 8 December - On Teaching and Research

After the Maagdenhuis occupation, friend and foe were in agreement that universities are not functioning as they should and that change is necessary. The exact nature of the issue, however, is subject to debate. Protesters and the University's executive staff have found common ground in the idea of organising a series of debates about the university - the 'Maagdenhuis Debates'. The debate on 8 December 2015, on the theme of teaching and research, will be moderated by Janneke Wesseling.

One of the hot issues in the debates about the neoliberal university is the relation between research and teaching. ReThink UvA proposes an urgent and fundamental transformation of the current organization of teaching and research which it has summarised in two position papers. During this debate at the Maagdenhuis, a panel will briefly discuss these two position papers, to identify major problems and suggest solutions. The panel's comments are meant as a starting point for an open debate about the current state of affairs regarding the academic profession and its future.

The Maagdenhuis Debates are open to the public - no registration is required.

Venue: central hall of Maagdenhuis
Time: December 8, 17.30-20.00h

Moderator/chair:

• Janneke Wesseling: art critic at NRC Handelsblad, Research Professor in Art Theory and Practice, Royal Academy of Art, The Hague, and co-director of PhDArts, Academy of Creative and Performing Arts, Leiden University

Panel members:

• Markus Stauff: Assistant Professor and BA programme director, Media Studies Department, University of Amsterdam
• Sicco de Knecht: PhD Candidate (Neurosciences), Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam
• Marc de Wilde: Professor of Jurisprudence and Director of the Paul Scholten Centre for Jurisprudence, University of Amsterdam
• Pim Klaassen: Postdoctoral researcher and Lecturer, Athena Institute for research on communication and innovation in the health and life sciences, VU University Amsterdam

To be confirmed:

• Annelies Moors: Professor in Contemporary Muslim Societies and director of the Muslim Cultural Politics research group, Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research, University of Amsterdam
• Chris Lorenz: Professor of Historical Culture of Germany, VU University Amsterdam

Lectures Kunst & Kritiek

On 11 and 12 November, Janneke Wesseling will give a lecture entitled ‘Kunst & Kritiek’ about looking at and writing about the visual arts, based on her recent publication De Volmaakte Beschouwer (2015). The lecture is part of the KunstNU series, a six-part crash course on contemporary art that is a collaboration between Witte de With Center for Contemporary Art and De Appel arts centre.

11 November 2015, 19.00-21.00 hrs – Witte de With, Rotterdam
12 November 2015, 19.00-21.00 hrs – De Appel, Amsterdam

New research group lectorate Art Theory & Practice takes off

In September 2015 the new research group of the lectorate Art Theory & Practice will take off, chaired by Janneke Wesseling. Participating tutors for the academic year 2015-2016 are Anja Hertenberger (Interactive/Media/Design), Els Kuijpers (Graphic Design), Ewoud van Rijn (Fine Arts), Louise Schouwenberg (Interior Architecture and Furniture Design) and Judith van IJken (Photography).

The research group will meet on a monthly basis to discuss the individual research projects, methods, dilemmas and possible outcomes and to present the research process. One or two PhDArts candidates will join the research group. Participating tutors are to share the outcomes of their research projects with the KABK community, in the form of a presentation, publication and/or lecture.

WATCH ONLINE: Video registrations Encounters Between Art and Science

'Ontmoetingen tussen kunst en wetenschap' is a series of dialogues between artists and scientists. Video registrations of the first few sessions have now been made available online through the websites of West The Hague and the Lectorate Art Theory & Practice. The last session - Bas Haring meets Colin Benders (Kyteman) - will take place on June 23 in the Paard van Troje. Tickets can be purchased online through the website or at the ticket office of the Paard van Troje.

# 1: Hans Clevers meets Ramsey Nasr
# 2: Maarten Jansen meets Hans van Houwelingen
# 3: Frans-Willem Korsten meets Barbara Visser
# 4: Carel Stolker meets Johan Simons
# 5: Marileen Dogterom meets Francine Houben
# 6: Bas Haring meets Colin Benders (Kyteman)

This programme is a collaboration between Studium Generale Leiden University, University of the Arts (Lectorate Art Theory & Practice), Academy of Creative and Performing Arts of Leiden University, West The Hague and Paard van Troje. This activity is also part of the program of the 88th lustrum of Leiden University.