Review / Masterclass Barbara Visser: Re-presentation
For this year’s masterclass week at Sint Lucas University College of Art and Design Antwerp, the renowned Dutch multi-disciplinary artist Barbara Visser was invited by Hilde De Decker to hold the three-day masterclass ‘Re-presentation’. Shortly stated, Barbara Visser’s line of work revolves around perception, the reconsideration of assumption, reflection on authorship and authenticity. This fits beautifully with the various viewpoints within the research project ‘UnScene. Jewellery and Presentation’, by the Sint Lucas University College of Art and Design Antwerp, Jewellery Design|Silversmithing department.
The masterclass was open to master students from various disciplines (from painting through advertising) and professionals, which resulted in a very mixed group of people. As a starting exercise, Barbara Visser divided the group into pairs, whose members were to interview each other for ten minutes on their education and professional activities so far. It was followed by the presentation of one another, so as to immediately display what had been noticed, thereby exposing the importance of presenting oneself as well as being a clever way of getting acquainted.
On the second day of the masterclass, the findings of the day before were carefully reconsidered. In line with the way Barbara Visser works, they used writing as a tool to reflect, and all thoughts were noted down. The goal was to set up a presentation combining the individual strengths of each attendant. In order to do so within the given time, the group split up into smaller groups of 2-3 people, each focusing on a different form of the visited presentations. While being coached, each participant was invited to use their skills and show their ideas in the upcoming re-presentation. Exploring every thought, mainly in a narrative but also in an illustrative way, the means of dealing with the matter took shape.
‘The last day of the masterclass included a re-presentation moment and each subgroup worked hard to get their materials together to make their point. Armed with ready-found furniture, lighting, tape, printed materials, cardboard and thread, they came a long way. At three o’clock each visited presentation was re-presented in a physical form, except for the exhibition ‘Double Features’, which was not supposed to be re-presented. Each subgroup gave a short explanation of their re-presentation to a small crowd that had gathered for the occasion. Their displays of interesting viewpoints were discussed, and questions or comments eagerly answered.’
Text: Broes van Iterson
www.broesvi.com
broesvitrine.blogspot.nl/
Text: Broes van Iterson
www.broesvi.com
broesvitrine.blogspot.nl/
