Collaboration between Paris College of Art and the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Porto

The second edition of the academic collaboration between Paris College of Art and the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Porto took place on February 26th-March 5th, 2022.

Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Chair of Transdisciplinary New Media (MTNM), Klaus Fruchtnis, and faculty Filipa Cruz represented Paris College of Art. The event counted with contributions from Francisco Laranjo (FBAUP), director and faculty of the Master’s in Fine Arts (MAP),  and other faculty members of the department in Fine Arts such as Grécia Paola Matos (FBAUP).

During this week, MTNM students and faculty Filipa Cruz visited different events and exhibitions in northern Portugal in collaboration with MAP students. As a result of the collaboration MTNM x MAP, the group had the opportunity to visit and talk to artists, art directors, project coordinators, artists, researchers, and professors. These talks introduced, accompanied, and stimulated different ways of seeing, installing artistic projects, and reflecting on contemporary artistic production.

At the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Porto, the group participated in the workshop entitled “a walk as a form of question,” based on the gesture of wandering in the Fontaínhas area of Porto, developed in partnership with Ph.D. candidate Rosinda Casais. This proposal invited meetings and exchanges between students from Paris and Porto and proposed a new look at space, geography, collaboration, and media arts.

During this trip, there was also a guided tour to gnration located in Braga, the UNESCO Creative City in Media Arts. This visit made it possible to reflect on the intersection of art, science, technology, and innovation. It also showcased the work of Tropa Macaca “Synthetic Animals” and Jana Winderen “surviving the impact of raindrops” through the framework of the artistic director and programming coordinator Luís Fernandes and the general and executive coordinator Joana Miranda of Braga Media Arts. This accompaniment also raised awareness regarding the artist residency program developed on campus and the workshops offered in person and at a distance.

Finally, this edition of the MTNMxMAP collaboration invited people to relax and reflect on the dynamics of other European artistic centers and contact with the culture, customs, projects, and objectives in terms of the production and dissemination of art and design in the north of Portugal.