Apr 28, 2020

Akademie Schloss Solitude celebrates the 30th anniversary

When Akademie Schloss Solitude chose TRANSFORMATION as its central anniversary theme, the full extent of its explosive poignancy and topicality was still unknown. The situation currently faced by society is part of an all-encompassing transformation. Artists-in-residence programs, in particular, can play an important role during these challenging times, fulfilling as they do a prototype function within society. They reinvent social reality time and again – even in times when interpersonal contact is restricted. In every crisis lies the opportunity for change and thus the basis for transformation.

Some of the events planned for the anniversary year sadly had to be cancelled, some had to be postponed, while new formats have been invented, like the Solitude Micro Summer Festival. With its manyfold small and experimental formats the festival attracted a diverse audience during July and allowed personal encounters after a long phase of isolation. Between March and July the Akademie has also created new digital and participative formats. Particularly readings and lectures can now also take place in the digital realm and can be therefore made accessible not only to the local but also to the broader international Solitude network.

30 Jahre Akademie Schloss Solitude Transformation - Unfolding the Future

30 Jahre Akademie Schloss Solitude Transformation - Unfolding the Future

 

The dialog on artistic work and many other currently relevant topics has taken on a new dimension for Akademie Schloss Solitude fellows in the anniversary year within the context of the transformation theme. Many new fellows were due to arrive in April 2020 and had to stay in their home countries until further notice due to strict travel restrictions. Many were able to postpone the fellowship to a later date, while others received  their grant in absentia until July and – as far as possible from a physical distance – have been included within the network and dialog among the fellows.

»Even as we practice physical distance, we try to connect socially more than ever before, because only together and in a reciprocal exchange can we handle this complex situation and strengthen each other. Empathy, solidarity and radical respect are required of us more than ever.«

Elke aus dem Moore, Director of Akademie Schloss Solitude

Since mid-March, internal presentations in the form of video conferences have been held at the Akademie every Tuesday, in which even absent fellows can participate and present their work.

Akademie Schloss Solitude introduced digital formats for residency work at a very early stage. The online forum SCHLOSSPOST, founded in 2016, is currently of particular importance, as it provides insights into the artistic work of current and former fellows, and features studio visits, interviews and other articles. The Schlosspost contents will find space on the new Akademie website from September on.

The exclusively virtual WEB RESIDENCIES, which have been organized in cooperation with the ZKM | Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe from 2017 until 2020, have meanwhile become »best practice« for the work of online international artist residencies.

Since March selected videos and streams of readings, performances and lectures by the fellows have been made available to the public for a week at a time as part of Schlosspost STREAMING.

In September the new Akademie Schloss Solitude website will be launched which will permit many more digital formats in the future.

The series of talks and workshops entitled »Transformation – Unfolding the Future« will take place largely in the fall and winter, and these dates will also be communicated in via the Solitude website and newsletter.

All other activities, dates and online offers are updated regularly.

ART QUESTIONS
ART SHAPES AND CHANGES THE WORLD
ART LOOKS TO THE FUTURE
ART HELPS US TO REALIGN OURSELVES
ART IS A KEY TRANSFORMATION RESOURCE
​ART IS ESSENTIAL TO SOCIETY

 

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