Mythology: Body – Plantinify Yourself!
The 5th student workshop - held in Antwerp, Belgium, from 25 February to 1 March 2024 - was hosted by the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp. The workshop centered around the theme of Mythology: Body, with a particular focus on shape shifters. Throughout the workshop, the participants explored the concept of virtual identities and the way in which people either conceal or reveal their true selves through the facade of social media. By reflecting on the use and misuse of shape-shifting embodiment in contemporary society, considering virtual identities, analogue versus digital dynamics, online exposure, and avatar misuse, students gained a deeper understanding of modern perceptions of the body.
To kick off the workshop, the local coordinators and main tutors, Gina Poortman, Janna Beck and Annelise Cerchedean organized a visit to the Middelheim Museum on Sunday, 25 February. During the excursion, attendees had the opportunity to experience an AR artwork named "Pleasure Garden," created by Gosie Vervloessem. The artwork specifically explored the concept of Shape Shifting, setting the tone for the discussions and activities that followed in the workshop. https://middelheimmuseum.be/en/activity/pleasure-garden-2023.
The other workshop tutors included Tarja Nieminen and Antti Hietaniemi from the Aalto Arts, Aušra Lisauskienė and Marius Žalneravičius from the Academy of Arts in Vilnius, Lithuania, Jacek Mrowczyk and Jakub Cikała from the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Katowice, Poland and Gerard Fox and Linda King from the IADT in Dublin, Ireland.
To lay the groundwork for the assignment, the workshop organizers teamed up with The Plantin Moretus Museum, which had recently digitized its collection of 14,000 woodcuts featuring numerous mythological figures. On Monday, 26 February, the museum hosted a series of lectures and guided tours relevant to the topics the students were exploring. As a part of the creative process, students had the chance to explore the museum's library and archives, allowing them to gather historical and visual insights into mythological figures from the region.
Working in small groups, students were challenged to create intriguing disfigurations and push the boundaries of digital. They designed shape-shifting AR face filters that acted as visual representations of the discussed themes. These designs were integrated into an interactive display, offering an immersive experience for visitors to the Plantin Moretus Museum in Antwerp.The outcome was an engaging and immersive exhibition open to the public from 1 March to 25 March 2024.