CALL for artistic proposals: Laboratorio Laguna PhD on Sail

Conceived in a moment of profound uncertainty and territorial fragility, Laboratorio Laguna attempts to address spatial, ecological and social issues through immersion in the lagoon environment of Venice. In interaction with different media and intervention scales it intends to advocate, document, and produce work. Artists, architects, researchers, and scholars develop new ways contemporary arts interact with the sciences and society. As a collaboration of several collectives, we navigate with an open fleet of boats in the critical zone of the Venetian lagoon. We want to explore pre-Renaissance engineering and forms of interaction between democratic societies and precarious environments; as a practice that might be the future.

Laboratorio Laguna is a project of Biennale Urbana, U5 and Florian Dombois. It is carried out in cooperation with the partner universities Universität der Künste Berlin, Kunstuniversität Linz and the Zürcher Hochschule der Künste.

We seek pronounced positions from the visual, performative, film, literary, sound, spatial, and environmental arts including (historical) composition and architecture, who wish to complete an artistic doctorate in this context. There are two PhD positions open, and one would be preferably given to a project, that connects architecture / space and music / sound in broad sense.

We expect:

• The willingness to open up your practice in the making ("sharing")
• The desire to contribute to your field and to enter a negotiation with your respective peers ("challenging")
• During the three week stay in Venice the ability—and willingness—to embrace communal living, inhabiting shared spaces shaped by creative, essential infrastructures and collective sleeping areas
• Also a strong adaptability to shifting conditions and the agility to improvise—both essential for synchronising with the nature’s rhythm and navigating smoothly

We offer:

• 4 years PhD curriculum of low residency
• Laboratorio Laguna, a yearly, three-week workshop in Venice in the Bohemian Pavilion (obligatory attendance; no further courses) including navigational trips into the lagoon
• Personal supervision by a professor at the Berlin University of the Arts, the Zurich University of the Arts or the Kunstuniversität Linz
• International PhD network connecting 12 PhD candidates from Berlin, Linz, and Zurich
• A substantial contribution to the costs for tuition and the three weeks in Laboratorio Laguna by the universities (including housing and common activities in the lagoon, excluding food and travel costs)
• There is no further financing associated with the admission

The following documents must be submitted for the application:

• Portfolio of your (artistic) practice
• Detailed curriculum vitae
• Letter of motivation (2-3 pages)
• An exposé is not mandatory, but please draft in your letter of motivation also the direction of your PhD research, especially relating it to one or more topics of the overall Laboratorio Laguna, which are Navigation – Balance – Synchronizing – Collectivity – Hospitality – Body – Absence – Pre-Renaissance Engineering – Democracy – Ritual – Cohabitation – Intertidal (cf. Wind Tunnel Bulletin, no. 15, p. 377)
• Proof of a Master's degree
• Preference will be given to candidates who have a basic knowledge of boat handling, especially sailing and confidence with water and swimming.

We would appreciate a spontaneous short video message (max. 3 min) with you presenting yourself, so we have a chance to get a first impression of you.

Application deadline: April 7^th, 2025 Mail to:
Mail to: Susanne Dujardin, susanne.dujardin@kunstuni-linz.at
Dates of the interview: April 30 & May 2, 2025 (via video link)

Upcoming Laboratorio Laguna Academy in Venice: 29/08/2025–14/09/2025

Further information:
laboratoriolaguna.net

Magazin: Wind Tunnel Bulletin N°15: https://windtunnelbulletin.zhdk.ch

In terms of our understanding of research we refer to:  Florian Dombois: Art With Some T. A 35 minute essay. download

Selection committee:
Andrea Curtoni (Biennale Urbana / Kunstuniversität Linz), Florian Dombois (Zürcher Hochschule der Künste), Karin Harrasser (Kunstuniversität Linz), Ariane Jeßulat (Universität der Künste Berlin), Giulia Mazzorin (Biennale Urbana / Kunstuniversität Linz), Stefan Neuner (Universität der Künste Berlin), Berit Seidel (U5 / Kunstuniversität Linz)

Contact
Prof. Dr. Florian Dombois
Head Research Focus in Transdisciplinarity
Zürcher Hochschule der Künste
Pfingstweidstrasse 96, P.O. box 
CH-8031 Zürich
florian.dombois@zhdk.ch
info@laboratoriolaguna.net 

Prof.ⁱⁿ Dr. Giulia Mazzorin
Head of space&designSTRATEGIES
Kunstuniversität Linz/University of Arts Linz
Hauptplatz 6
AT-4020 Linz 
giulia.mazzorin@kunstuni-linz.at
info@laboratoriolaguna.net 

Prof.ⁱⁿ Dr. Ariane Jeßulat
Vice President University Board
Berlin University of the Arts
D-10595 Berlin
ajessulat@aol.com