Dérive Berlin is a 2 months residency awarded by Belius Foundation Berlin in collaboration with the Autonomy Research Chair at the Centre of Applied Research for Art, Design and Technology (Caradt). In 2019, the award is granted for the period September-October to a student currently enrolled in Avans University’s St. Joost School of Art & Design, or in one of the Communication and Multimedia Design programmes. Dérive Berlin honours excellent performance that – in the eyes of the selection committee – qualifies the candidate for the programme. Deadline for application is 15 May 2019.
The name of the stipend is a reference to the famous artistic exploration strategy employed by the Situationists. La dérive stood for the strategy of drifting aimlessly through the city, subconsciously directed by its aesthetic contours as well as unexpected encounters, with the ultimate goal of making an entirely new and authentic experience. One of the key elements of la dérive was called the technique of ‘possible rendezvous’, which points to one of the crucial principles in the philosophy of Belius Foundation: Serendipity.
Consequently, while Derive Berlin grants awardees the greatest possible autonomy with regard to the artistic activities, we expect applicants to have demonstrable affinity with the aleatory nature of the urban experience, which can be seen in their work. Derive Berlin is intended as a residency allowing the artist or designer to immerse her/himself in the creative urban space of the German capital in order to generate new impulses for their artistic/aesthetic practice.
The awardee is expected to produce at least one new piece of work before the end of the residency period. Belius Foundation facilitates and supports the preparation and production of this work. The awardee presents the work during a self-organised Derive Finissage in Berlin reflecting the experiences made during the residency. After returning to Avans, the awardee organises a presentation of his/her work at their school or academy. After completion of the residency, the awardee becomes mentor of his/her successor. Previous residents were: Lavina Xausa, Imad Gebrayel, Eric Patel, Ada Favaron and Ningli Zhu.
Ada and Zhu are more than happy to share their experiences with you and tell how the residency has impacted their practice.
CV & motivational letter to: caradt@avans.nl
Application Deadline: 15.05.2019
Award Announcement: Before 31.05.2019