Art, Communication and Design

The Fall semester is divided into period 1 and 2. You can choose one second years studio, out of two options in each period, The optional studio’s explore different design-research strategies.

Period 1:

Week 36 – 44 (9 ECT)
Studio 2.1. Design & Research; play, experiment, analyse and design.
2.1. A) Homo Ludens - Research & Play
or

2.1. B) Superlocal - Research & Problemsolving

Period 2:

Week 46 – 05 (9 ECT)
Studio 2.2. Design & Context: exploring different contextual settings.
2.2. A) Reclaiming the sheep - Material research in local and global contexts

or
2.2. B) Public Take-over - Designstudio in collaboration with client

Additional classes Fall:
Theoryclass integrated in studio 2.1 and 2.2.
Software Skills integrated in studio 2.2
Module Weeks 1 (1 ECT)
Cross-Cultural Exploration 1 (11 ECT)

“The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect but by the play instinct...” Carl Gustav Jung. “The most successful design thinkers are the ones who embrace the notion of play” Dana Mitroff Silvers from design thinking for museums. The idea of Homo Ludens (Latin for "playing man") is an image of man in which man is first and foremost a playing being. The oldest known mention of the term is the title of the book Homo Ludens, a cultural scientific work from 1938 by the Dutch historian Johan Huizinga. For Huizinga it was clear that man is a playing person. The basic thesis is that everything we humans call 'culture' originates from play and develops further as play. If the opportunity to play comes under pressure, the whole culture is at stake. During Studio 2.1. Homo Ludens, we are investigating play as a design method and design while playing. We will play and research with a focus on material, form, color, time and space, both analog and digital. In this studio, the process (the game) is central, not the final product. How do you play the design game? It is important that a parallel process arises between thinking and doing, between theoretical and visual processes. Ultimately, the outcomes are both physically and digitally.

Superlocal the “MacGuffin” edition is inspired by both 'MacGuffin magazine' and the concept of MacGuffin as applied in storytelling. 'MacGuffin magazine' takes one object as a starting point per edition and investigates the stories that that object generates. During 2.1. 'Superlocal' we do not take an object, but a superlocal problem as a starting point and respond to it through individual design research. During this studio students work towards a series of designs with which they respond to a ‘superlocal problem that is chosen as a collective. In sprints of 1, 2 and 3 weeks the student will go through a complete design process in which you deliver a sub-end product that is actually made and implemented. In parallel, students conduct ongoing research into an artist or designer of their own choice in the Media Library from whose perspective the students design by asking the question: what would X do? All individual contributions to the collective research into the superlocal problem are bundled in a printed publication designed and published by the students. All individual contributions together provide an extensive response to the small, super-local problem from a multiple perspective. The designs are therefore on the one hand a solution or response to the super-local problem and on the other hand a visual translation of the research into X.

More than 10.000 sheep live on the grasslands in our area. The annual wool yield per sheep is on average three kilos. This yield is a loss for our local shepherds. Most of the wool from the local sheep is of B quality; worldwide there is so much supply of A quality wool that there is no interest in B. Shepherd Bart Ekkendonk is left with his locally produced wool. He loses money because of the shaving costs. How can Bart re-use his wool and make local wool profitable again? What application, function or design is possible for our raw wool? How can we make this sustainable raw material culturally and economically relevant again? Within studio 2.2. Reclaiming the sheep, students research and design new contemporary functions for the locally obtained wool. What are the economic, ecological and social consequences of using wool? Wool is a natural raw material with specific properties. During workshops students will learn techniques to process the wool. Think of washing, carding, spinning, felting, weaving, knitting, dyeing. By means of field research students will also map out how wool is currently used. What did wool mean in our Dutch culture? What does it mean nowadays? What does wool mean in other cultures? How is wool processed in other cultures and how are these processes linked to local customs and habits? After various material, theoretical and field studies, each student chooses an inspiring aspect of wool and translates this into a design reïntroducing the material into the lives of local citizen.

In contribution to talent development and education, clients or organizations invite students of Fontys ArtCoDe to realize a work in the public domain. The client believes in the brainpower, creativity and ingenuity of our students and therefore offers them a challenging and inspiring assignment. The assignment is determined every academic year together with clients, collaborating organizations and Kunstloc Brabant. Characteristic of this studio are commissioned work in the public domain and conceptualizing and realizing a work, with the accompanying pitch to the client and setting up a budget.

In our second-year theory program, guest students will develop a better understanding of current Western European views in one of the areas of Art, Communication & Design. In Art theory the various functions of art and the position of art in contemporary society will be explored. In Communication theory our lessons focus on learning to write and speak about design projects. Students learn to perform at a communicative level in the professional field. In Design theory lessons the function, design, social importance, sustainability and history of design in general are researched. Depending on the studio you choose, one of the theory classes will be offered. The complementary theory class in your program will be conducted in English.

After an introduction into the facilities of Art Communication & Design we guide our guest students to reflect on their experiences as a visitor of the Netherlands and more specifically of the Dutch cultural scene, also providing deeper insights into historical and current phenomena shaping the Netherlands. Guest students are challenged to reflect on similarities and differences in phenomena and how they manifest in their home counties. In the course of Cross-Cultural Exchange, the guest students’ reflections become vocal by communicating these reflections at the campus of Fontys Academy of the Arts in the form of a show / exhibition.

The Spring semester is divided into period 3 and 4. In the Spring semester it’s only possible to enter one studio of the 2nd year followed by a research-studio in the 1st year. You can choose one 2nd years studio out of two options in period 3. The two optional studios explore different design-research strategies in specific contexts.

Period 3:

Week 6 – 15 (10 ECT)

Studio 2.3. Design & Exhibit.
2.3 A) Sexperience - Critical Design, representation & interaction
2.3 B) Tech Art - Technology & Human interaction

Additional classes:
Theoryclass integrated in studio 2.3.
Software Skills 2 integrated in studio 2.3

Cross-Cultural Exploration 1 (13 ECT)

Period 4:

Week 17: Art Meets Art week (1 ECT)

Week 19: Moduleweek (1 ECT)

Week 20 – 25:

Studio 1.3. Homo Ludens (5 ECT) - Design & Research; play, experiment and design.

Note: ECT's can change and adapt

The sex industry is known to be at the forefront when it comes to technological developments. Robots, Virtual Reality, new technologies, etc. are often the first to be encountered in this industry. It is also an industry in which material- and imageresearch are central; what materials are comfortable, durable and suitable for their function and what does it look like? After all, every person has different associations, desires and boundaries. In addition to the qualitative side, working with a combination of sexual and commercial elements entails various moral dilemmas. Examples of dilemmas include exploitation, mutilation, abstinence and perversity. The sex industry is a versatile industry that is extremely relevant for the experience designer. During the studio, theoretical research, form- and material research are carried out. In the theoretical research, existing sexual designs are critically examined. Students take a personal position on the basis of questions. The form research takes material as a starting point and will lead to new designs and/or improvements/changes of existing products/services. Students design an experience; a new (sexual) object or installation with a critical statement about sexuality, morality or the industry.

Technology is central in this studio. We explore how technology is changing and additionally will change our social lives. We deal with technology in all facets: from social media to virtual reality and from prosthetics to designer babies. In 2020-2021 ArtCoDe payed attention to the relevant theme of loneliness and technology. In 2022-2023 students investigated the 'Metaverse', a virtual-reality space in which users can interact with a computer-generated environment and other users. This studio in the second year is about devising, developing and elaborating a spatial experience. We pay attention to coming up with concepts, deepening the concepts and organizing your work. Every week students research theme, concepts, materials and technology, and every week students report on their research. Every two weeks students present their work to the lecturers and their fellow students. All ideas, inspiration and sources are shared and can be copied from each other. During the studio the student designs a prototype for a spatial experience.

In our second year theory program guest students will develop a better understanding of current Western European views in one of the areas of Art, communication & Design. In Art theory the various functions of art and the position of art in contemporary society will be explored. In Communication theory our lessons focus on learning to write and speak about our projects, so students learn to perform at a communicative level in the professional field. In Design theory lessons the function, design, social importance, sustainability and history of design in general will be researched. Depending on the studio you choose, one of the theory class will be offered. The complementary theory class in your program will be conducted in English.

During the module week, you will select your own package of workshops, based on their own preferences, from a range of workshops and lessons which Art Communication & Design preselected for you on various topics. The workshops are called modules. The content of the modules will be communicated 4 weeks prior to the module weeks.

Students of Fontys Academy of the Arts are placed in a situation in which they work intensively together in multidisciplinary projects. The students are divided into groups of ± 15 students. The different courses/disciplines are represented as much as possible in each group, with at least two students from each course. The students work in groups under the guidance of an inspirator in their own permanent space on a multidisciplinary performance that they show to other groups and interested parties at the end of the week. Every year a different theme is chosen.

“The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect but by the play instinct...”

Carl Gustav Jung.

“The most successful design thinkers are the ones who embrace the notion of play”

Dana Mitroff Silvers from design thinking for museums.

The idea of Homo Ludens (Latin for "playing man") is an image of man in which man is first and foremost a playing being. The oldest known mention of the term is the title of the book Homo Ludens, a cultural scientific work from 1938 by the Dutch historian Johan Huizinga. For Huizinga it was clear that man is a playing person. The basic thesis is that everything we humans call 'culture' originates from play and develops further as play. If the opportunity to play comes under pressure, the whole culture is at stake. During this 4-week Studio 1.3.A. Homo Ludens, we are investigating play as a design method and design while playing. We will play and research with a focus on material, form, color, time and space, both analog and digital. In this studio, the process (the game) is central, not the final product. How do you play the design game? It is important that a parallel process arises between thinking and doing, between theoretical and visual processes. Ultimately, the outcomes are both physically and digitally.

Where design looks at relatively small things, speculative design focuses on the biggest problems of our world. The term was first used by Prof Anthony Dunne, Head of Royal College of Art, and Prof Fiona Raby, Industrial Design, University of Vienna. They have written a book: Speculative everything: design, dreaming and social dreaming. “[Speculative design] thrives on imagination and aims to open up new perspectives on what are sometimes called wicked problems, to create spaces for discussion and debate about alternative ways of being, and to inspire and encourage people's imaginations to flow freely.

Design speculations can act as a catalyst for collectively redefining our relationship to reality.” How can we influence the future with design. “How should design impact the entire world? How can we design for a healthier ecosystem? What can we do to influence future cultures? How can future technologies impact our products and services—and vice versa?” In the 4-week Studio New Moon students will speculative, imagine and design for future scenario's.

After an introduction into the facilities of Art Communication & Design we guide guest students to reflect on their experiences as a visitor of the Netherlands and more specifically of the Dutch cultural scene, also providing deeper insights into historical and current phenomena shaping the Netherlands. Guest students are challenged to reflect on similarities and differences in phenomena and how they manifest in their home counties. In the course of Cross Cultural Exchange the guest students’ reflections become vocal by communicating these reflections at the campus of FHK in form of a show / exhibition.