Within the minor, we collaborate intensively with professionals in the field, as we believe shared knowledge and partnerships contribute significantly. Over the past year, we have worked with researchers from Caradt, attended symposia at institutions such as Radius, the center for ecology and art in Delft, and visited the Textile Museum, the European Ceramic Work Centre (EKWC), and Het Nieuwe Instituut in Rotterdam.
Additionally, we participated in workshops led by experts. In Breda’s academy garden, we created masks from found materials under the guidance of minor tutor Annemarie Piscaer. Designer Simon Dogger, who uses his auditory and sensory perception as a blind creator, taught us to experience our material environments differently. Bio-artist Michaela Davidová introduced us to working in the Material Incubator lab with microorganisms.
In the lab, we studied our soil by developing Anthotype with Steffie de Gaetano and explored making photographic prints with alternative natural materials with Risk Hazekamp. At the Avans lab in Breda, Robert Knight conducted a workshop on combining PLA with textiles.
Finally, the students themselves contributed their expertise by teaching one another about moss and mycelium through field trips in the forest, working with seaweed, and making kombucha in the lab. They also taught each other skills such as weaving, knitting, and throwing clay on the wheel.
The Approach
- Research: Explore Material Ecologies through a curriculum that combines theoretical and philosophical insights with artistic research.
- Experiment and Create: Experiment with various materials and techniques in workshops and the biolab.
- Inspire and Communicate: Present your research through image and visuals, process, and final work through a shared website, showcasing your creations in a broader context and connecting with the professional field.