ARiSE

Questioning the world

Artistic research, also called design-oriented or practice-oriented research, is getting a more prominent role at HKU. Some graduates even conduct their creation practices in the service of trying to understand the world. And thus their research process might be even more insightful that the final art product itself. HKU Press publications such as the ARiSE series are a nice opportunity for alumni to bring their newfound insights to a broader audience.

Relevant for the industry and broader society

The ARiSE series now consists of four editions, providing a glimpse of the spectrum and diversity of HKU’s various graduation research projects. They display the versatility of art and design practices that are being used in artistic research – each being a solid research product that is regarded as valuable to the professional field and broader society.

Queer writing in straight times

One example is Edna Azulay, whose investigation into ‘queer writing’ introduced a new view on humanity, with a new dramaturgy in her writing. It’s personal, yet very theoretical at the same time. The publication Een lichaam van water kan niet breken ('A body of water cannot break') contains both the theatre monologue Edna wrote for her graduation and her research report. Both texts are intrinsically linked. It starts with the question: ‘what is queer writing?’ and from there on grows into an inquiring, confusing, desiring and sparkling love letter to the ‘not-yet-there’ of a personality that has yet to be formed, battling with the ‘straight time’ of the world, that also forms a very detailed research of the role that writing can play in this.

Exploring identity

The publication Klamme handen en gedeelde grond ('sweaty palms and shared grounds') consists of two independent texts: loosely translated as Critical Reflection - Inclusion in the spotlight by Christy-Ann Karijodirono and Human material or black pages by Melissa Knollenburg. Through their writings, the authors enter a dialogue about their studying and working as theatre producers, from their positions as women with a bi-cultural background. The texts are further complemented by a number of personal letters.

Dare to wander

Students are worried about the lack of sustainability, the inequality and failing governments. And about a world in which you can easily get lost or lose your mind yourself. In the publication Dwaal en N=k•K² Anne Hazeleger and Nele Vandeneede observe how (ex) students take up challenges that are characteristic for this time, how they look from new perspectives, wander, and encourage us to do the same. .

Interlude

In the last, for now, publication Interlude visual artist Faysal Zaman investigates politically motivated disappearances of people as a mechanism of power by a fascist regime in his homeland Bangladesh. The study is focused on all aspects of political disappearances, that are studied from critical theory. In this way, Faysal aspires to initiate a dialogue in which this state-directed violence is addressed and scrutinised. He wants to stand up against this violence by uncovering the deeper motives that lie behind it, but in this research and in his work.

With these four publications, HKU Press brings the ARiSE-series to an – indefinite – end, focusing on other methods for distributing the knowledge gained from the research at HKU. Such as the (Dutch) podcast De Kunst van Onderzoek for which two episodes have been recorded by now.