How to Think like a Mountain in a Land of Sea

Building on the idea that to think like a mountain is to ask real questions, this summer course is about bridging art, design and sciences. Participants experiment with new ways of doing research by engaging in site-specific fieldwork. This involves investigating the cultural fabric of Walcheren, a peninsula in the Netherlands, by asking and visualizing questions through encounters with local experts. At night, thoughts will be shared, films will be screened and books will be discussed.


Bridging art, design and sciences.
In dialogue with experienced artists, designers and guest lecturers, participants will explore and appoint the contemporary cultural potential of the peninsula of Walcheren in Zeeland, The Netherlands.

Experimenting with new ways of doing research
Participants will undertake site-specific fieldwork – an empirical, trial and error approach that has proven of great value for both artistic and scientific research projects. During field trips and encounters with local experts we will collect cues about Walcheren’s cultural fabric: Which attempts at fighting, taming or embracing the natural forces that shape the land and the sea can we discern in today’s physical and mental landscape? Can we imagine new, meaningful rituals and beliefs, in response to qualities we collected? What can tomorrow’s society at large learn from these man-made actions and thoughts?

Making new images, and new stories
To ‘think like a mountain’ can be seen as developing a deep appreciation of the interconnectedness of everything – places, people and things.
1. Participants will imagine, visualize and test alternative cultural scenarios on site, whereby the making process will inform the thought process.
2. The results will be published in a collectively defined format in order to enable further sharing

Course leader

Sophie Krier

Target group

The Summer School is open to adventurous and collaborative minds at Master and Ph.D. level from the fields of art, design, social sciences and the humanities.

Course aim

Experience 'thinking through making'. Participants will imagine, visualize and test alternative cultural scenarios on site, whereby the making process will inform the thought process.
The results will be published in a collectively defined format in order to enable further sharing.

Credits info

2 ECTS
Certificate of Attendance

Fee info

EUR 395: Course + course materials
EUR 595: Course + course materials + housing

Scholarships

Utrecht Summer School doesn't offer scholarships for this course.