„Wo ist das Kind?“ Kunst in der Stadt [“Where is the child?”-Art in the City]

The exhibition (08.11.2019 till 07.12.2019) showed that social innovation, i.e. unexpected approaches and unusual results, is possible where different forms of knowledge and practices interact, where strategies from the fields of architecture, the visual arts, design or theory not only coexist but also enter into dialogue and form coalitions that are as risky as they are productive.

The exhibition in the Gallery of the City of Villach presented works and projects realized by guests, graduates, students and teachers of the “Social Design-Arts as Urban Innovation” master course. The title of the programme perhaps suggests that social comes before societal, that social designers are helpers just waiting to step in. Individual commitment, empathic thinking and a willingness to help without hesitation are doubtless personal requirements for students wishing to enrol in this programme. In the Social Design Studio, however, solidarity is seen as a socio-political category requiring out-of-the box responses. The goal is to provoke rethinking and generate new ideas that can lead to societal change.

Research is focused, in place and content, on the theories and practice of the city, on the urban realities that the students come from. Electing to study Social Design means recognizing cities and processes of urbanization as subject to change, as organisms that react to even the slightest touch of acupuncture.

Students and teachers alike react to current needs, both intensively and sustainably, young and committed, multilingual and understandable, with low thresholds and high standards, artistic and substantial, with the help of interventions, programmes and publications that are always produced with a finger on the pulse of difficult times and (but not only) urban needs. In the last resort, this young programme always relates to the call formulated by artists and advocated with courage for the integration of art and life.

Time

08.11.2019 till 07.12.2019

Location

City of Villach

Team

Cooperation partner: Gallery of the City of Villach Exhibition at the Gallery of the City of Villach with works by: Catalin Betz

Sophie Bösker

Eylem Ertürk

Martin Färber

Citlali Gómez Escobar

Moriz Fischer

Miriam Hübl

Marlene Hübner

Lena Kohlmayr

Sebastian Kraner

Virginia Lui

Susanne Mariacher

Ruth Mateus-Berr

Michael Moser (formerly Tatschl / breadedEscalope) and Jan Knopp (DA Institute)

Peter Piuk und David Scheßl / Urban Playground

Karolina Plášková

Bernd Rohrauer

Christina Schraml

Alessia Scuderi

Alberta Sinani

Christoph Steininger

Alexander Sulz

Herwig Turk

Asia Valencic

Anna Vasof

Raphael Volkmer