Report on the 4 November, 2014 session ~ "APRC EXPLORATION" ~ a conversation between Bassam El Baroni, Bridget Crone, Florian Göttke, David Maroto, Renée Ridgway, Gabriëlle Schleijpen, Peter Sonderen, Marina Vishmidt and Frank van Vree

The first APRC session took place as a closed session prior to its public launch. In it, DAI’s director Gabriëlle Schleijpen, theory tutors (Bassam El Baroni, Renee Ridgeway, Maria Vishmidt), guests (Bridget Crone, Peter Sonderen, Frank van Vree) and the two PhD associate researchers (Florian Göttke and David Maroto) reflected on the concept and setup of the APRC. Florian, David and Gabriëlle presented the ideas for the 2014–15 programme, which was followed by an open discussion and brainstorm with the specific aim to receive suggestions on practical, structural and conceptual level based on the valuable experience of the participants. Questions discussed concerned the very definition of ‘research’ in the visual arts; the various models of Art PhD in The Netherlands and abroad; the elements that would belong to a specific DAI academic trajectory; the particularities of Art PhD research and the problematics that arise from it in relation to art and curatorial practice, as well as its productive potential and its counterpart: the risk of inflation of academic offer.

With the participation of DAI tutors: Bassam El Baroni, Renee Ridgeway and Maria Vishmidt.

Special guests:

Bridget Crone: Lecturer in Visual Cultures at Goldsmiths, The University of London.

Peter Sonderen: Professor Theory in the Arts at ArtEZ and chief editor of AIAS, the Association of Independent Schools for Art and Design.

Frank van Vree: Dean of the Faculty of the Humanities of the Universiteit van Amsterdam.