Collective of Studio without Master in cooperation with Academy of Fine Arts in Prague invites you to series of lectures and performative outputs on the topic of art education. From a variety of perspectives, artists, theorists and activists will discuss the moment of recognition of inequality and would try to come up with plausible reactions. Our main question is: what exactly can be done?
“Academy of Fine Arts in Prague is a strictly selective educational institution acknowledging its historical heritage and prestige. Its exclusivity is being maintained also through constantly low numbers of candidates accepted. Only those, who show the talent for multidisciplinary artistic practice are offered places on the Academy.” (from the press release to 215th anniversary of AVU)
Talent, which is the main criteria for admission into an artistic academy is presented as a universal, inborn value, which is also inherent to anyone regarding physical, ethnical, social or other limitations they might be facing. However, are we sure that we are members of Academy because of our talent and diligence? To what extent is openness to diversity a real issue in academic environment?
The walls of art schools are covered with pictures and statues of triumph and heroism. However, these seemingly heroical narratives inherently carry also an experience of those, who have lost or were omitted. Who else can be found inside, on the border or outside the narrative? We believe that the notion of artistic work is being depleted through the narrative of success prioritized by the educational institutions.
Acknowledging the problem of structural setting of institutions of artistic education is a vital step towards possible changes. Conference What can we do? organized by the Studio without Master, which is an initiative born within the environment of artistic higher educational institutions, is trying to find possibilities of common action, which would counteract the current situation in educational institutions. The individual talks range from theoretical lecture to sociological analysis or critical investigation into the organizational principles of collectives.
Invited guests:
Nikita Dhawan (AUS), Anna Gromada (PL), Isabela Grosseová (CZE), Tom Holert (GE), Vojtěch Märc (CZE), Josef Mrva (CZE), Tina Sherwell (PAL), Pavel Sterec (CZE)
Apart kolektiv, School of Photography (UMPRUM), Pavel Ondračka school, Studio without Master