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Studies at the Faculty of Art and Design Prof. Hermann Stamm, dean of the faculty, about the new project studies method (shortened) |
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How we differ |
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Weimar’s project studies method takes account of today’s extremely rapid cultural and technical development. One cannot assume that techniques, know-how and artistic strategies, once learned, will be forever applicable. The problem for artists and designers lies in their having to incessantly satisfy demands and requirements that are constantly changing. They must virtually absorb the information they learn in and outside of class, and at the same time always be prepared to rethink what they have just learned. This means that emphasis input on learning the ability to generalize by working with typical, exemplary models and themes. […] As opposed to the old Bauhaus, there are no studio or workshop prerequisites in our department, and also no foundation courses that one must fulfil. Instead, students go from one stimulating, challenging project to another, which all require their own, innovative, and intelligent solutions. When it is conceptually worked out for the first time that a student needs to use means as varied as painting, video installations, synthetic materials, or concrete to complete a certain task, then he will be forced to acquire the requisite skills in, working with such diverse materials. Since they are not organized in the classical manner, lessons are treated conceptually. […] |
The education one receives as a student in the Department of Art and Design fosters a way of thinking that first and foremost based on ideas, or concepts, and then turns towards questions that deal with the actual implementation of these ideas. Thus we do not have a rigid curriculum or sequence of courses that must be completed in order. That also means that a lot of room is given to experimental projects and to those students who show a great deal of motivation in choosing their own artistic or designbased expositions. […] Specialized courses and workshops are continually offered during the course of one's studies. In these courses and workshops, students can work on gaining specialized knowledge unique to their particular project. Compared to other art colleges, the Department of Design at the Bauhaus University in Weimar boasts an impressively large amount of courses on theory. […] This fits not only with the conceptual approach, whereupon the conceptualization always precedes implementation, Prof. Hermann Stamm Translation: Chris Hoff, Prof. Jay Rutherford |
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