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New Arts Academy in Mozambique
Since we blog about our activities people follow what we are up to. I always see the blog as a two sided thing: a) Reporting to others what one is up to; especially for us who do not live close to the largest cluster of friends and co-workers, and so that others can maybe learn something from the work we are doing. b) Documenting ones activities for ourselves so that we can go back and look at what happened and maybe that way help evaluate the successes and failures from the decision taken.
And because we report, others get to know. Here is a small newsflash in the Icelandic media (Morgunbladid) about our work here in Maputo about the new ISAC academy. The photo shows us with Victor Sala, the director of EVAV and a member of the preparation committee for the new school.
ISAC – THE INSTITUTO SUPERIOR DE ARTES CULTURA
The whole campus seen from Avenida das IndustriasWill be launched next month. The first higher education arts and design academy in the country, as I have said often before. Things have been slow and hickuppy and, yes it could be an African thing, but I had the same experience all through the Nineties when we were establishing the Iceland Academy of the Arts. Things are different; access to politicians is different, but decisions have to be taken on a basis of a political system, access to finance and competence in the country. I am very happy that we decided to come here and do our bit, whatever comes out of it. At least I have established a faculty of design and architecture before, so maybe my experience counts for something.
This is where the entrance to ISAC will be next month!After various meetings, we decided to go to the location of the new school. It is a campus, on the outskirts of Maputo, I do not know all the history behind the location but am understanding that the decision is based on a strategic vision for devolution from the center of Maputo that actually seems to collect all the fundamental activity in Mozambique. An interesting comment I heard last month was: “There is lots of money in Maputo, that is where all the bribes go!”
The main campus square and the auditorium and social areas.These images show the campus as it is today, and I must say that I was really impressed with the space and the potential. There are of course many things that are not ready and one does not know what condition the place will be in when the school starts next month, but since I am such an optimist and usually see the potential of things rather than the pitfalls I think the new academy will be great one day.
Timber, metal and glass workshops. Remnants from an earlier institute.We are waiting for certain decisions from the Ministry. Some of the curriculum is ready, I have been through the specifications for equipment and furniture for the design department and now we just have to live in hope. I remember the same feeling in Reykjavik, Iceland in the late 90’s. Always wondering when the decision comes from the ministry. Life is maybe not so different from one country to an other.
Very bright and clean studio spaces. New furniture is being ordered at this moment.Next week, we are going to be trough the startup courses/seminars/meetings that are going to be fundamental for the design department (I do not yet know if will be named a faculty or department) in the first semester. The curriculum for design is not very clear yet and that is going to be our task the coming two months. The people that wrote the general plan for ISAC are from the arts. The general plan is ok, but design has its own specific characteristics as we all know and that is what is going to be our task.
The lecture and assembly hall.The first semester will be a pilot semester and the school proper will start in early February 2010. That means we will have some time to run a dialogue about what design is, how it differs from arts, crafts and business, and to map the knowledge available in Mozambique to teach and run projects. This is really an exciting time ahead and we say that everyone is welcome to come and participate. Just send me a mail and we try to sort something. Of course there is no money here to pay for the participation, but maybe people can apply for development funds in their own institutions or countries to come and participate. We are expecting some people this coming semester, in photography, product design, visual communication and I hope fashion.
The canteen.EURO-AFRICAN CAMPUS FOR CULTURAL COOPERATION
Workshop on Creative Economies in Africa.
Presentation about the role of Design in the Creative Economy and development projects
Joaquim Chissano Conference Centre, Maputo, Mozambique, 22 – 26 June 2009
We participated in this conference and gave a presentation about design and the creative economy, our ideas about how design will develop in Mozambique in the coming years with the development of industry, the pre-school ENAV and the new academy of art and design ISAC.
Post-It Stop motion animation
Here is a very meticulous and lively stop motion animation directed by Directed by Bang-yao Liu. Here is his text with it:
“Here is a senior project at Savannah College of Art and Design. Where my idea comes from is that every time when I am busy, I feel that I am not fighting with my works, I am fighting with those post-it notes and deadline. I manipulating the post-it notes to do pixel-like stop motion and there are some interactions between real actor and post-its.
Expressing Myself
My better part, Sóley, tells me often off and mostly for things related to philosophizing, theory, design and things about the world in general, rather than her telling me off for practical household issues. She is right in saying that I jump too fast to conclusions, – a very masculine thing to do like when Alexander cut the knot rather than trying to unwind it. She also tells me off for joking too much in my lectures and blogs, saying that people think me ignorant and arrogant, because they do not realize that I am joking rather than posing arguments that I find ridiculous. An example might be that I might admire something cultural since I find it so incredibly stupid and think all people realize that it is so.
Of course I agree with her that I have to be cautious in my expressions, but at the same time I still prefer to be seen as stupid or ignorant rather than not expressing myself. My thoughts go to Platon (not comparing myself though) tragically writing down philosophy that he knew would be used against the fundamental wisdom for the utility of simple folk. Something Socrates never did and died for his opinions.
But the dilemma is the ‘White Sheet of Paper Syndrome’ that we who have been in design education for long know so well. Students so sicerely want to do well that they dare not draw a line on the white sheet. Here in Maputo we, for example, produced sketchbooks for Soley’s students trying to introduce the use of the sketchbook diary as a tool for working (see different blog) and they started to draw on separate sheets before filling in and transferring into the books. I will continue to adhere to the idea that I write and express my opinions. Here are some reasons:a) to say someting is better than being silent, since it allows others to use it if it might be of use
b) to say something is good for those that disagree with me so they know what I mean and can not make up opinions that I do not have. (During the many years that I have blogged I have only received aggressive comments from anonymous people, probably previous design students or friends trying to be funny).
c) saying something might help people to make up their own opinions, for example that they do not like what I mean.
d) to say nothing is boring and life is to short
Paul Rand Animation Showing his Philosophy
“Don’t try to be original, just try to be good” said Paul Rand. I have always kid of agreed with him, since ‘trying’ to be original does most of the time not result in originality. But pushing oneself to work for something better demands thinking differently and if you try to be good, there often arrives some original work. I love this animation and the soundtrack.
