FINDING MEMORIES IN ICELAND

Newsletter #6
April 2016
FINDING MEMORIES IN ICELAND...
Last winter, I got a chance to work as a residency artist in Skagaströnd, a small harbour town in
northwest of Iceland. Iceland’s long darkness in wintertime was a fascinating phenomenon for me
especially to consider my topic – memories of death.
I visited local people. At the beginning, I was afraid of asking especially about their family
members’ death. However, unexpectedly, they welcomed me very much so I could have a
beautiful conversation with them. Coffee, tea, cookies and a lot of laughing were there while we
talked about someone who died in the family.
Olafur Bernodusson, a library director, showed me a shotgun that reminds him of his father who
passed away. He learned how to use the gun from his father and they used to go hunting birds
together. When he goes hunting, he feels that his father is still around him. So he talks to his father
even though the father is not there. Olafur believes that his father is with him even though he’s not
tangible.
The memories are from at least 10 years ago, meaning the death had not occurred recently. So
recalling memories and answering my questions did not offend the interviewees. They were even
happy to talk about their dead family members because it evoked for them their past memories
(i.e. childhood). When they talked about the memories, they were transported back to the past and
became like children.
Through my experience in Iceland, I realize that memory is the key to connect the past to the
present, the present to the future. I will continue researching in different culture and society about
memory, the passage to eternity.
Hean Kim
2nd year iArts students
WHAT’S KEEPING THE 3RD YEARS
BUSY...
In this newsletter 3rd year student Suzanne Dekker will tell what she has been doing during
their third year at iArts.
Ode to the coffee house
What is it about coffee houses, that I find so fascinating? It
might be the noise that is
buzzing, it has an inspiring effect. With a warm cappuccino in
my hand, things start falling into place. At the same time, there
is no pressure of giving concrete answers. I can dream away,
philosophise all I want. Intuitively, I completely understand how
coffee houses played a vital role in the
foundation of our modern way of thinking, the “maturing of the
intellectual human mind”. The
Enlightenment is facilitated by coffee houses. To enter a coffee
house is to enter a world just
different enough to comment on our own without losing touch. It
is to get a closer look by taking a step back. Coffee houses are
not just the next manifestation of modern culture: they create
culture.
In this phase of the final year at iArts, we are shaping our final work. The ultimate form in which we
can share our research, but also our experiences. How can I let people feel what I feel? We are only
a few weeks away from presenting the final outcome of our graduation projects to our teachers and
fellow students. Which means that we’re about to start organising the final public event, where we will
show our works to everyone else who is curious about what we’ve been so busy with.
Suzanne Dekker
NEWS
Read more here.
SELECTIONS
Our 1st and 2nd year students are eagerly
waiting for new students to arrive. Are you
interested in joining our study programme
in September 2016? Subscribe for the next
selections before May 12th!
DESTINATION: Cluj, Romania.
The 3rd Conversation On week, 21-24 April, is
organised by the iArts students (year 1, 2 & 3).
“We will go to Romania, to my hometown: Cluj.
The majority of the iArts students do not know
Eastern Europe at all, but they seem curious.
Until now, the way they imagine Cluj is completely influenced by my opinion, by the things
I have told them about the city and the people.
I’m eager to see if their perspectives have been
changed after the trip.”
Looking back at Common Carnaval
March 30th Bureau Europa, Het Geluid Maastricht and
iArts hosted a night to look back at Common Carnaval.
A big group of partners debated about the results of the
project. How do we look back at it as designers and what
does “Common” mean? Have we found new ways to deal
with societal questions?
During the evening it became clear that all the designers
who participated in the project clearly ended up with new
insights and ways of working together. This was
sometimes very challenging, not only because of the
physical limitations, time was mentioned more than once.
But also the emotional impact of working with people who
fled from war torn countries.
FIRST YEARS CURRENT PROJECT:
SECOND YEARS CURRENT PROJECT:
Arts & Science
Arts & Culture
Science that triggers the artistic mind
Studio for Human Habitat
As part of the Arts & Sciences programme, the
1st year students experience the
collaboration between scientists and artists, and
art that reflects on scientific developments. The course ‘Studio for human habitat and culture’,
about Topos’ aims to analyze carefully which energies stream under the surface that lead to spectacular manifestations of culture. To see what contemporary cultural practices, technologies and changing
modes of socialization are imperative in establishing
the (near) future houses of culture, which do not
necessarily require a roof or edifice. It therefore
does not limit itself to the notion of cultural space
as an institutional and/or formal construct – as in a
cultural ‘building’ – but culture as a construct of the
commons; a process and aim that can circumvent
the radar of institutional recognition, but be for the
people by the people. Read more here.
Why do artists and scientist collaborate? What
stories do they tell? And what strategies do they
have? We discussed this with BADaward
winners Isaac Monté en Toby Kiers, who talked
about their work, Art of Deception and Floris
Kaayk who is now in the final phase of the
modular body project, an online video
installation. Read more here.
30 MINUTES WITH...FLORIS KAAYK
“It is good to keep challenging yourself”
“You should always have dreams”
Specialized in design, animation and filmmaking, Floris Kaayk likes to “think of [himself] as an
artist”. He graduated from the art academy in Breda with a bachelor in graphic animation. His
graduation project, Metalosis Maligna, consisted of a documentary about ‘a disease that affects
patients with medical implants’. He went on to do a Masters in Fine Arts in The Hague, and created
his next big project, the Origin of Creatures. Since then, he has been working on multiple projects,
like Human Birdwings or Witch Doctor, collaborating with engineers, scientists and experts from
other fields. If you would like to find out more click here.
By Konstantina Katsikari
1st year iArts student
ALUMNEYE
During our studies we have constantly been in close
contact. In a rhythm of being apart and together,
agreeing and disagreeing, we became each other’s
counter-perspective, most honest critic and greatest
admirer. Our artistic works developed a tendency to
oppose and attract each other at the same time.
Last February, six months after having graduated, we
decided to meet again and explore the current state of our
artistic relation.
We took a few days to create an exhibition, within a set of
limitations in time, space, impulses and means.
“Present to Yourself, Present to the Other”, an
exploration of fragmented (self-)perception. The modest
exhibition was on show at HAE in Maastricht in March
2016. Read more here.
TO DO...
CULTURAL TIPS FROM iARTS
INVITATION BYOB
As part of the domain Arts & Sciences, the first year
iArts students will be presenting their final works in
the ‘Bring your own Beamer’ (BYOB) exhibition,
held in Van Eyck Academie,
April 15th, 8 p.m.
We all expect you to join us!
For more information about the BYOB event, visit
www.janvaneyck.nl or follow the event on Facebook!
INVITATION CULTURAL PUBLIC MEETING
Within the block of Arts & Culture, the second years iarts students create a Human Habitat
exhibition within their own studion: Batterijstraat 5. The xhibition explores the manifestation of culture, through interactive, intervention and performative forms.
7 and 14 April 19.30-22.00 o’clock
Exhibition Friday 15 till Sunday 17 April 13.00-17.00 o’clock
Kunsttour 20-21-22 May
MUSEUM NIGHT
Join a night out in Maastricht. On the 15th of April,
the first Museum night will be held in Maastricht.
From 20:00 till 24:00 there will be multiple
artworks, performances, and workshops
throughout the city.
Bo Oudendijk, first year iArts student, takes part
in “Follow me down again” a performance with
the theme of Icarus. The performance starts at 8
p.m. till 10 p.m., at the Boekhandel Dominicanen,
Dominicaner Kerkstraat 1, Maastricht. Tickets can
be bought at the following website:
http://www.museumnachtmaastricht.nl/en Read
more here.
http://www.iartsmaastricht.com/
[email protected]
In collaboration with: Faculty of Arts Maastricht / Zuyd University of Applied Sciences, Maastricht University, and Van Eyck.
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