MFA Scenography provides a two-year study programme consisting of four consecutive terms.
Three thematic areas
In the vision of FMI Masters, the artistic practice consists of three thematic areas: the categories of ‘work, ‘think’ and ‘share’.
Work
In the category of work we refer to the studio and/or design practice of the artist. The production and development of the student’s own work is the starting point of the research process. The starting points, the context and the research framework with the accompanying methods are formulated by the student himself in the studio programme. In this context, the student is supervised by a team of core tutors, term tutor(s), theory tutors, and guest tutors. A staff of technical instructors provides technical supervision.
Key words: make, design, medium, experiment, act, empirical, processes, procedures, artwork, performance, technology, technique
Think
The Think category includes the reflective and theoretical part of artistic practice, reflection on and analysis of one’s own work, the development and formulation of an own artistic system, reflection on the theoretical context of one’s own research.
The reflective and theoretical part consists of the ArtPrac lecture series, seminars, round table discussions, tutorials, theoretical supervision in the studio and individual in-depth studies. The issues arising from one’s own artistic practice and the topicality of one’s own work domain are directive in this context. In consultation with the theory tutor, the students compile a lecture programme at the University of Groningen that fits their own personal interests as much as possible.
Key words: analysis, reflection, knowledge, language, writing, interpretation, literature study, source study, thesis
Share
The Share category includes doing or presenting (the results of) research in a specific project-oriented context. Presentation forms a part of the study and may assume the form of an exhibition. This part concerns the way in which the student’s work is displayed and articulated.
In the project part of the educational programme, under the ‘share’ denominator, the students develop projects based on their own programme (such as guest tutor programme, excursions and symposiums, for example) as well as projects set up covering the entire FMI Masters. In addition, they can participate in research workshops or projects initiated by the lector / lectors and the AMP project office.
Key words: collective, presentation, context, critical, workshop
For the entire duration of the FMI Master’s degree programme, the three thematic areas are part of the research and development process.
Artistic development and research
Besides the three thematic areas, the FMI Masters has four distinct research and development stages:
play and experiment; collection of meaningful material; formulation of the artistic system; communication and presentation of research results.
In all semesters, all these components are covered to a greater or lesser extent, but the programme is structured in such a way that, in each semester, special emphasis is placed on one of the stages. This global division does justice to the notion that artistic research processes often do not have linear progression but are typified by a circling or network character.
First year
Semester 1: play and experiment
In this term, the emphasis lies on play and experiment and on reflecting on the results obtained. In various parts of the programme, the student puts his own starting points and beliefs up for discussion, both in relation to his own work and with respect to the role of art in society. By laying and experimenting with new contexts and conditions, by speculating on the possibilities available, and by reflecting on the outcomes, the student can ultimately determine his own field of research.
Semester 2: collecting, combining and transforming meaningful material
By playing and speculating in the first semester, a provisional research framework is formed. The student continues the research in the second semester, in which information relevant to the defined domain (visual, theoretical or otherwise) is compiled. This material encircles, as it were, the questions and issues formulated in the research proposal. The collected material is subjected to transformations, combinations and analyses, with the aim of developing one’s own theme and vision.
Semesters 1 and 2: study modules
The education is oriented toward four starting points: research, representation, acquisition of in-depth knowledge, and reflection. Just like theatre practice, the programme is continually subject to ongoing change. The assignments issued cover both theoretical and practical aspects. The students’ own research projects are also of a dual nature; they are intended to stimulate the development of one’s own theatre design practice as well as theoretical reflection on that development.
Each of the students must independently initiate and present a scenographic design or project. In addition, the students complete a theoretical thesis in which they place their own work, their own research project, in a wider context; in other words, they compare their work to the work of other artists, movements and phenomena in order to elucidate the nature of their own work.
At the end of each term, all the research issues are assessed with regard to the development of visual dramaturgy and the development of conceptual, theoretical reflections. The students are expected to display ever-increasing in-depth knowledge and understanding of scenography.
A part of the programme includes the theory lectures at the University of Groningen, theory and dramaturgical lessons at the FMI Masters, and visits to theatre performances.
Second year
Semester 3: formulating an artistic system
In the first year of study, the student is challenged to put his own vision on his artistic premises up for discussion, and to seek new meaningful material. In the third semester, this research must take shape in an own artistic system. The student develops the germ of an artistic theory that is visible in a recognizable, associative and poetic coherence in the work.
Semester 4: communication and presentation
The last semester is largely devoted to the development of the final exam work. In this semester, work and artistic theory are formulated and the form in which these are to be presented to the public is decided upon. This means that, in this semester, more emphasis lies upon communication and the presentation of work and research results.
Semesters 3 and 4: study modules
The last (fourth) term is largely oriented to the final review.
The study programme is concluded with a review of the studio research project and a theoretical thesis. Graduating students present both of these to the public.
During the final review, the students give an oral explanation of their work to the exam committee. A publication accompanies the exhibition.
During the final review, the students present an overview of their study as well as an oral explanation of their work to the exam committee consisting of tutors, the Head of the FMI Masters, and an external expert.