Studio of Spatial Communications + video
The SSC + (Studio of Spatial Communications +) was initially formed at the Department of Sculpture and work with space has remained its important feature. Its second distinctive feature is work with time-based media (video, film, audio ...), performance and other forms of action.
The Studio of Spatial Communications+ is one of the founding studios of the Intermedia study program.
In APK+, we communicate:
- how to understand the contemporary language of art;
- how to assess one’s potential and limitations;
- how to create meaningful wholes / visual works;
- how to engage a work in communication.
The foundation of relationships in APK+ is open and respectful communication. We prefer honesty, openness, and a willingness to listen to one another. Consultations are mainly conducted individually. We create a communication and presentation circle as needed—based on the pedagogical intention when assigning the semester topic, as a corrective mechanism during project development, or for the need to share updates with each other. After briefly assigning the semester topic, we let the theme evolve through student contributions, allowing them to seek an individual authorial position within it. In later years, students may choose their own topic if they have a strong need to develop it.
Students choose the topic of their bachelor's or master's thesis independently. Interest in doctoral studies should be consulted with the studio’s lead instructor.
We guarantee freedom in the choice of themes, media, approaches, materials, and techniques in agreement with the studio's pedagogical leadership. We support experimental and innovative forms and diversity, as well as thoroughness and responsibility for both the process and the presented content. The core media used in APK+ include: video, object, and performance.
One of the studio’s characteristic research and exploration tools are creative workshops, which we organize 1–2 times a year, mainly in Slovakia but also abroad (Ukraine, Serbia, Czech Republic, Hungary...) on assigned themes. These workshops are often organized in collaboration with partners from the Academy of Fine Arts and Design as well as from other schools in Slovakia and abroad. We consider fieldwork essential, as it allows us to recognize the environment—its layers and contexts—on site. The increased demands on mobility, production, realization, and documentation of work enhance students' skills and competencies.
We consult every creative and technical phase, seeking optimal solutions. We invite experts from various fields of art as well as from the humanities and natural sciences to support the creative process.
APK+ is an interdisciplinary environment where we engage in dialogue to help the student fulfill their vision of an intermedia artwork as a tool for personal expression and social reflection.
The studio team consists of the lead instructor, an assistant, and doctoral students. Each team member brings their own authorial experience, forming the basis of their teaching practice:
- Head of Studio: Prof. M.Sc. Anton Čierny
- Assistant: MFA Asst. Jaroslav Kyša, ArtD.