image © Fieldwork: Marfa
Location: Marfa, Texas
Mission: SBA Nantes Métropole and HEAD-Genève present Fieldwork: Marfa, an international researcher-in-residence program for emerging artists, curators and/or researchers located in Marfa, Texas.
Fieldwork: Marfa is the joint project of two major European art schools, ESBA Nantes Métropole and HEAD-Genève. This international researcher-in-residence program is dedicated to the practice of art in public space, critical approaches to landscape and artistic projects based on field investigation methods. Residents are selected on the basis of the singularity of specific projects they present.
Fieldwork: Marfa caters to emerging artists, curators and/or researchers whose projects require immersion into the specific environment of Marfa and Texas territory, and encourages the development of experimental research methods, diverse modes of inquiries and fieldwork practices.
Fieldwork: Marfa is an inter-school research group that provides a framework for the incursions and endeavors of researchers-in-residence. The work itself fuels various joint projects, in the form of an ongoing annual program based on the participants’ residency schedules:
- A series of workshops and symposia alternating between the three schools, including working sessions;
- A schedule of meetings based on the research projects, held on home ground, in Marfa;
- An editorial and communication program showcasing the contributions or reports from various researchers, students or occasional guests.
The Fieldwork: Marfa research program is based on a one-year academic cycle. This period, during which researchers develop their own personal projects, is punctuated by a number of pre-planned milestones:
- A two-month residency period in Marfa followed by a public presentation of their ongoing research at the Fieldwork: Marfa gallery;
- A feedback period, during which the residents continue their work and present their research through the organization of seminars and workshops, meetings with teachers and students from partner schools and guest participants.
- The Fieldwork: Marfa annual meeting, held during the month of October in Marfa, invite hand-selected outside speakers to share their research and work through the issues raised through the year of the residency program.
- An online publication is constructed with the researcher-in-residence throughout the year. The editorial object is thought less as a report of the residency experience than as an extension of it.
- On the website are published a series of texts, video-portaits, various documents, and contributions by experts and guests participants showcasing research outputs and developments.
The rest of the time, the researchers-in-residence are remotely but personally in touch with one of the research directors at at ESBA Nantes Métropole, or HEAD-Genève.
Cost: The program comes with a research grant, enabling the applicants to stay in Marfa for a two-months period and to unfold their research with the support of a series of professional partners and educational structures. Fieldwork: Marfa provides workspace and accommodation for the duration of the residency in Marfa, as well as a research grant up to $2,000 ($1,000 per month) based on the time of their stay.
Application Fee: No application fee
Number of Artists: Between 4—6 artists at a time
Length of Stay: 2 Months
Accommodations: Accommodations are provided
Demographic/Medium: Every year the Fieldwork: Marfa research program welcomes four emerging artists, curators or researchers seeking to begin or pursue research in research topics facilitated by Marfa’s background. Applicants must be over 21 years old and with a few years’ work experience.
Six researchers-in-residence are selected. The selection panel bases its decision on the relevance of the research project presented, the applicant’s profile and whether or not the project can be conducted synergistically with the other proposals selected.
Benefits: The Fieldwork: Marfa research program is based on the idea that the residents develop their own research projects in relation to academic programs and curriculum of the two art schools involved. These schools have chosen to build this program in Marfa because its location and context offer a very wide range of research opportunities. Residents are selected on the basis of a research project in direct relationship with the context, through all its material, historical, epistemological, as well as political dimensions.
Deadline: August 31, 2014
Image © Fieldwork: Marfa
Image © Fieldwork: Marfa
Image © Fieldwork: Marfa
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