What does it mean to think about artistic processes? How do they manifest themselves in artifacts, what meaning do they generate, how are they negotiated in texts and images as well as themselves charged with meaning? What methods are used in the disciplines of philology, art history, and the history of science to investigate the practices, experiences, and skills of artists? What parameters are relevant to these investigations, and what approaches are being developed to address them?
The international conference ‘Thinking techne’, taking place at the Technische Universität Berlin from 2-4 November 2023, will explore these questions. At the same time, it takes stock of the work of the DFG research group ‘Dimensions of techne in the Fine Arts - Manifestations / Systems / Narratives’, which investigates the complex interplay of material, form, and art-technical knowledge in its various manifestations.
Deliberately, the conference is not conceived in the classical format of consecutive lectures, but in a dialogical form. Interdisciplinary conversations will outline possible methodological perspectives for three thematic areas, each consisting of a keynote address and a panel discussion: Material / Materiality; Aesthetics of Processuality; and Definitions, Systematics, and Orders.
Researchers at all experience levels are invited to apply to participate in the panel discussions to contribute their perspectives based on their individual research and discipline. The 90-minute panel discussions will be structured by a series of pre-established questions and will be explored in advance in collaborative Zoom sessions. The conference organisers offer reimbursement of travel and accommodation costs. Early Career Researchers and advanced students can also apply for a travel grant to attend the conference.
