Dit artikel verscheen in FORUM+ vol. 31 nr. 1, pp. 5
Welcome to this new issue of FORUM+; an issue that, as always, includes a fascinating diversity of contributions from the various fields, genres and disciplines of the arts and artistic research. At the time of writing, I have just received Rebecca Solnit's book On Hope in Dark Times by mail. And although Solnit's long essay dates from 2017, I think this writing is still relevant, living in a world today that is in the middle of multiple crises and a difficult cultural and political climate that edges ever-closer towards a far-right and racist sphere.
Without the intention to situate all contributions of this issue under one umbrella of a socially engaged agenda, I find it remarkable to what extent the contributions situate themselves as being in the world, rooted in the society of which we are all a part. And just as I have not yet read Solnit's essay, you have this issue of FORUM+ before you, to be explored and discovered. It is through this notion of hope, that I regard the contributions in this issue; and with utter curiosity.
In the context of our recently-opened dossier "The art school as an ecosystem", Jaana Erkkilä-Hill argues for "the voice of the artist" in teaching art, on the importance of artistic thinking through artistic practice - towards "becoming No-one" rather than the so often proclaimed "Someone". While reading Jaana's contribution, I naturally paused at her elaboration of discipline, where she agrees with artist Agnes Martin that "discipline is to continue to work even when hope and desires have been left behind." A hopeful perspective in itself.
Also situated in the educational sphere, Joost Vanmaele and An De bisschop position educational research in the arts, as being positioned between three educational contexts: Universities, Universities of Applied Sciences and Schools of Arts. The authors take research in and through the arts as methodical points of departure, from which they develop a "compass": to provide orientation for, and to be able to situate different kinds of research occuring and developing in educational master programmes in the arts.
In her artistic contribution, Mona Hedayati offers an intriguing project of sounds and images using neurophysiological data and audio recordings of herself, as part of her personal narrative of migration. And as a completely different kind of outsider, Luuk Schröder spent time at a local recycling centre for electric and electronic equipment, initially in search of materials. From an autoethnographic perspective, he seeks ecological insights by framing his work at the recycling centre as performance, immersed in both "dead" and "living" (aka "zombie") media, and closely observing the activities happening in the centre, while participating in them.
Tom Callemin offers a series of treacherous winter and snow landscapes, in which almost invisible hunters' traps are positioned: a "theatre to deceive animals." Also illusive is the role and particularly the physicality of the player in organ performance, often visually absent to the audience, as reflected on by Francesca Ajossa and Kurt Bertels. Through a process of four interrelated forms of analysis, the two authors make a first step towards a "choreographic base", a tool for the organist and their performance.
The issue closes with two reviews by Risk Hazekamp and Anne-Sophie Van Schepdael. Risk's review struck me with an observation of the physicality of the book they are reviewing, while leafing through it. Anne-Sophie visited the public event Artistic Research in Flanders and revisits both its “State of the Arts” and its potential “bright future”. I could not imagine a more hopeful way to close this editorial – wishing you a joyful read!