Contemporary Past

Vilnius Academy of Arts (Lithuania)

Born in 1961. In 1985 graduated from the Painting Department of the Lithuanian State Institute of Art (Vilnius Academy of Arts at present). In 1996 abandoned painting and turned to other medias (photography, video, object making, performances). Makes artworks based on concept. Identity (whether it is personal, professional or national) remains one of the favorite topics. In 2007 made art projects to commemorate the uncelebrated artist (in Vilnius) and the unknown artist (in Bydgoscz, Poland). Since 1993 is teaching at the Vilnius Academy of Arts.

The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, School of Visual Arts (Denmark)

Course topic / special focus:

· Making Past Present: recent theories of witness, commemoration, and trauma.

Independent artist (Germany)

1944 born in Poznan, Poland / 1967-1972 Study of forestry science in Munich and Freiburg, Guest student in the academy of arts in Munich / 1973-1976 Assistant professor of forestry science of the university of Göttingen, Doctor degree: an ecological system analysis of a tropical rain forest in Venezuela, at the same time work on sculptures in Venezuela / 1975-1980 Study of sculpture, academy of arts in Kassel and living and working with the Yanomami tribe in the Amazonian rain forest / Since 1985 Works and exhibitions about art and memory: of the Nazi time in Germany, the Holocaust in the Baltic countries, the military dictatorships in South America, Khmer rouge en Cambodia, Franco dictatorship in Spain, etc.Works outside Germany mostly as a catalyst only, who tries to initiate memory processes under participation of people of those countries. More...

Course topic / special focus

· German Art and Memory (Holocaust memorials in Germany).

· Recent Projects in South America.

· School windows of memory (based on a memory project for Vilnius in 2009).

Konstfack (Sweden)

Ronald Jones, an artist and critic, is Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies at Konstfack, University College of Arts, Crafts and Design in Stockholm, Sweden. At Konstfack he leads The Experience Design Group, and co-directs WIRE, the MA program in curatorial practice and critical writing. He is a guest professor in Experience Design at the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, India. More...

Course topic / special focus

· I Saw It (I and II).

University of Applied Arts Vienna (Austria)

Helmut & Johanna Kandl are married since 1997 and since then work together on artistic projects. Economic and political circumstances and their influence on daily life are in the center of their artistic work. In the focus of their attention are community activities in the countries of transformation, i.e. the Balkans. Both live and work in Vienna and Berlin. More…

Course topic / special focus

· Flee Market History.

· Concentration Camp Memorial in Austria.

Berlin Wall Memorial Foundation (Berlin, Germany)

Mr Günter Schlusche has worked in urban planning, architecture and environmental projects since more than 30 years. After managing the unique restructuring process of Berlin’s urban development after the fall of the wall in the Stadtforum Berlin, he was from 1996 until 2005 head planner for the realisation of the Memorial to the murdered Jews of Europe (designed by Peter Eisenman) in Berlin’s center. Now he is responsible for the Berlin Wall Memorial which is aimed to recall the division of Berlin Germany and Europa during the Cold War as well as its successful ending by the peaceful revolution of the East German people. Mr. Schlusche studied architecture in Berlin, completed a master’s degree in Urban Planning at the London School of Economics and a PhD in Urban Development at the Technical University Berlin. Since more than twenty years he is involved in environmental and social activities on different levels. His academic publications cover modern architecture and planning subjects with a special focus on the art and architecture of memorials.

Course topic / special focus

· The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe in Berlin.