Fee: 350,00 DKK (Coffee and lunch included)

At this year's ViLD conference 2022, we will explore the possibilities of engaging visual learning and art practices in the sustainability agenda.

An example of this new way of using art practices in combination with sustainability issues is the Danish art group Superflex, which is known for its social art projects. The group regards its work as open research that explores the relations between humans and other species and suggests a new mode of urbanism that recreates how we live together (see examples). Recently, Superflex designed the underwater sculpture Super Reef for fish, which is a part of a bigger plan aiming at re-establishing a 55 square kilometers reef that has vanished from the Danish seabed. The art group’s work is an example of how contemporary art can engage in, challenge, and intervene in the surrounding society of which we all are a part of.

We are excited about this year’s theme and to explore what role visual art practice has in taking an active part in the world’s shared challenges concerning biodiversity, CO2 reduction etc.

As usual, there will be four different workshops, a PhD Track. Information about these will be announced and updated continually.

9.00–9.30: Arrival and coffee

9.30–9.40: Welcome and introductory thoughts on art for change. Professor Mie Buhl, Director of ViLD, Aalborg University

9.40–10.20: Keynote: Professor Helene Illeris, Agder University : Re-wilding the senses: Aesthetic Learning Processes in the Anthropocene

10.20–10.35: Coffee break

10.30–12.00: Workshops pt. 1

12.00–13.00: Lunch

13.00–14.30 Workshops pt. 2

14.30–14.45: Coffee break

14.45–15.20: Keynote: Rector Maj Hasager, Malmö Art Academy: Sounding Pico. An art project in the Pico-neighbourhood, Santa Monica

15.20–16.00: What’s up in ViLD: New Nordic Masters programme NoVA (see below) & Nordplus project on 3D modeling (see below)

16.00: See you next year!

After event

16.00–17.00: Networking

Re-wilding the senses: Aesthetic Learning Processes in the Anthropocene

by Professor Helene Illeris

In pedagogy, the arrival of the Anthropocene means that we have to support the refashioning of the learners’ perceptive systems in ways which will allow them to connect with non-human forms of existence. In arts education the concept Aesthetic Learning Processes (ALPs) has traditionally been used to denote a human-centred mode of production where other forms of existence are objectified as “materials”, “motives” or “inspiration”. This enlightenment idea of ALPs as a way for learners to become more human by expressing themselves through material production, is challenged by anthropocene pedagogies where students learn to become less human and more attuned to the objects with whom they co-exist. By “re-wilding the senses” we can thus begin to develop ALP as an educational approach for a less anthropocentric (post-) anthropocene era.

The presentation merges theoretical studies with a concrete example: A public action by Fridays Future Denmark where the activists lay down on the Danish parliament square as “dead corpses” while listening to the voice of Greta Thunberg from the loudspeakers. Following object-oriented conceptions of aesthetic experience as attunement (Morton, 2013, 2016), ­ ALPs are explored as unfolding at the moment when the FFF activists’ bodies tune to the granite sets of the square.

Sounding Pico. An art project in the Pico-neighbourhood, Santa Monica

By Rector Maj Hasager

Sounding Pico is an art project focussing on the Pico-neighbourhood in Santa Monica, CA in the USA – developed in collaboration between artist Maj Hasager (DK) and composer Ask Kæreby (DK) in collaboration with Santa Monica Youth Orchestra (SMYO) during winter 2018-19. In response to the often-mediated image of a troubled neighbourhood with opportunities lost, rather than gained, countermeasures have been taken – perhaps most notably by the cultural asset database Culture Mapping 90404, initiated by 18th Street Arts Center. In an attempt to supplement with the perspectives of younger generations, we invited a number of young, local residents and musicians to record characteristic sounds of the area, which were later interpreted on their acoustic instruments and made available online as part of a soundwalk. By bringing forward these young musicians as local resources, as well as their ear for local soundmarks, we aim to shine a different light on the area, and to supplement and further the debate around it.

• Introduction of new Nordic Master in Visual Studies and Art Education NM NoVA Aalto University/Aalborg University Presented by: Juuso Tervo Aalto University & Mie Buhl Aalborg University
• Report from the EDDA (Nordplus) project: 3D Modelling in Visual Arts Education. Presented by Dan Tommi Hildén, HDK-Valand, Gøteborg Universitet

“Knowledge on Glass” - a collaborative art project

Presenters: Birgit Brænder, senior lecturer, Merete von Magius senior lecturer, University College Absalon

The workshop invites you to learn about an art project where student teachers and teacher educators collaborate about developing an art project embracing changes in the future from the perspective of the present. During the workshop you will also be invited to experiment with you own suggestion about knowledge on glass. The project is funded by Lærerstandens Brandforsikring and will result in a permanent installation at University College Absalon, Roskilde.

Imaginaries of Change, Changing Imaginaries

Presenter: Juuso Tervo, Senior University Lecturer, Aalto University

This workshop approaches the topic of this year’s ViLD conference “Art for Change” from a conceptual standpoint, particularly focusing on how do we ‘make sense’ of “change” (historical, social, political, environmental, etc.) and why? During the workshop, we will explore various imageries of change (including but not limited to utopias, dystopias, predictions, and speculations) in order to reflect on the relationship between art, education, agency, and environment. The workshop includes a practical component in which the participants are invited to reflect and share their own ways of imagining, depicting, and ‘making sense’ of what kind of changes art and education (both together and separately) might engender.

Workshop 3: Meet ‘Kunstdemokratene’ from Copenhagen Contemporary

Presenters: Emma Sofie Jensen, Projectcoordinator, Copenhagen Contemporary + Artdemocrats

The workshop invites you to explore how art can be a method for inclusion and democratic participation -for everyone.

During the workshop you as a participant will be able to hear about the art center Copenhagen Contemporary (CC) and their work with art as a method to strengthen community and democratic participation. You will also meet representatives from the young community “Kunstdemokraterne” (The Artdemocrats) from CC and hear about their experience and how they work with art as a tool for change. Join us for a talk about the importance of community and equal access to cultural resources.

Workshop 4: Science Visualization - Production processes and experience with building bridges between researchers and visual storytellers

Presenters: Agota Végsö, Ph.D. student in Digital Media at NOVA FCSH Lisboa and producer at The Animation Workshop on the TedEd collaboration & Sia Søndergaard, Project Manager and producer, The Animation Workshop Center for Animation, Visualization and Graphic Storytelling

The Sci-Vi Initiative at The Animation Workshop/VIA University College is seeking to explore and unfold visual science dissemination as a field, improving science communication through visualization and animation. The initiative strengthens the cooperation between scientists and visual storytellers and investigates potentials and possibilities in a broad community. 

At this workshop we will give some insights into our work and how the Sci-Vi artists and researchers in different fields collaborate. 
 
The workshop will be a combination of speak and small hands-on sessions.
 

PhD Track (10.30 – 12.00)

Chair: Helle Marie Skovbjerg, Professor at Design School Kolding. LAB Design for Play. Tilde Bekker. Professor at Eindhoven Technical University and Honorary Professor at Design School Kolding

(1 ECTS) 

The Ph.D. track is an excellent opportunity for PhD candidates to present their work and get feedback from the ViLD community. The PhD Track presentation includes topics related to this year’s ViLD theme.

Please note that the doctoral candidate should be the sole author of the submission and that their advisor(s) should be noted immediately below the author’s details. The presentation should be 10 minutes long, followed by 10 minutes of discussion and input. Each presentation must be shared in some format with ViLD so that we can share it.

Please make your submission by writing an abstract (250–500 words) describing the theme of the presentation and the research context. Remember to include a research question. The presentations may include results, theoretical discussions, development or discussion of methods, etc. Please include two questions you wish to discuss. 

The abstract should be sent to the chair of the track:  Helle Marie Skovbjerg: skovbjerg@dskd.dk

Transportation

The meeting is easily accessed by car, bus, or train.

The nearest train station is 'Sydhavn' which is connected to Copenhagen Central Station. There are approximately 10 minutes from Sydhavn st. to Aalborg University Copenhagen on foot.