Embodied Agents in Contemporary Visual Art is a collaborative research group inviting artists to participate for one year in a project focused on the intersection of robotic and computational technologies with embodied painting and drawing practices. The rapid development of generative AI tools for the creation of artistic content has led to speculations and debates about which entities can be perceived as creative artists. However, the modality of interaction between users and these systems is mostly disembodied, requiring the user to often only type instructions on a keyboard. In the EACVA project, the focus instead is on modes of physical interaction between the artist and the machine, exploring the different dimensions that embodiment might assume in this interaction. The project aims to delve into the creative processes, agency, and aesthetic appreciation involved in producing materials-based paintings or drawings with robotic systems and explore their impact on contemporary art.
With this open call EACVA is looking to select four projects for a 12-month residency period starting on 13 May 2024 and ending on 13 May 2025. Two projects will be based at the e-David lab (University of Konstanz), and two projects will be based at Goldsmiths, University of London.
Resident artists and the research team will have frequent opportunities for exchange and collaboration. A crucial component of this exchange will be a series of three workshops, which will be hosted by different venues in the UK and Germany, allowing participants to interact with different academic and artistic communities:
- Opening workshop at Goldsmiths University London (13-14 May 2024).
- Mid-residency workshop at CLB Berlin (scheduled for 18-20 September 2024).
- Final exhibition with closing workshop at Goldsmiths (spring 2025, dates tbc).
Each selected project will receive a stipend of 15,000 euros for the entire residency. This includes artists’ fees, travel, and accommodation expenses when visiting the labs. Some of the art materials could be covered by the hosting lab. During the residency, three workshops will be conducted, and participation is mandatory. Travel and accommodation costs for the workshops will be covered by the organisers.