International Workshop · Barcelona, July 21st to July 31st 2008
The Metáfora Summer Intensive is a studio-based contemporary art-program created for students and professionals from the fields of art and design. The idea behind this workshop is to create an international atmosphere where each participant is provided with time for reflection and self-definition. Through tutorials, interviews and technical advice, we help each student formulate his/her art project, focusing on the individual processes and agenda of each participant. All teaching is in English.
Metáfora
Metáfora's Contemporary Art activities consist mainly of a full time all year studio-arts course. This course is called “The International Workshop”, and lasts for one academic year (September to June). Artists and art-students come from different countries, giving the course its distinctive international atmosphere. Teaching on this course is in English, although most tutors speak Spanish.
The idea behind all our courses is to offer quality tutoring, creating an ongoing dialogue between young artists of many nationalities. Our intention is to break down preconceived or stereotypical ideas of identity, culture and nationality, and we hope that the artistic collaboration among our students can help create a deeper understanding between different cultures.
The methodology of our courses does not simply consist in teaching techniques or providing students with knowledge about materials and ways of working. At Metáfora, we believe that the practice of contemporary art requires time for reflection and debate, and most of our program revolves around the term "artistic intention".
Our students are expected to posses a large amount of self-discipline and maturity, as well as some basic knowledge regarding different techniques.
Because of the way we teach at Metáfora, this course should not be considered ‘beginners' level. Our students come from a variety of backgrounds, but we expect them all to have some previous experience from other art courses. Teaching on this course is in English, although most tutors speak Spanish.
For more information about the International Workshop, click here
Course structure
The Summer Intensive consists of a combination of programmed activities as well as time for working in the studios. Each participant will have a small personal studio space for the two weeks.
Preparing for the Summer Intensive:
When applying for the Summer Intensive, each student is asked to choose between the two approaches on the Summer Intensive; “Pictorial processes and Mixed Media” and “Object & Space”. In the application we are also interested in hearing about themes or current ideas that could form an artistic project to be worked on. This is optional and not binding, but would get us ready to give each participant maximum attention when the course starts.
Program:
Students are divided into groups, according to their area (“Pictorial processes and Mixed Media” / “Object & Space”). Every day different aspects of materials/work-methods will be introduced, allowing the student to try materials or techniques which are new to him/her, or simply to explore further, if the technique is known to him/her.
The workshops are based on one-to-one tutorials and guidance, and each student works independently according to his/her level of experience. The idea is for participants to work on one or more projects throughout the process, using a range of techniques and to accumulate experiences in different fields.
On the second Wednesday (the day before the final review) we focus on presentation and finishing the process. We invite each participant to reflect and formulate his/her lines of discourse, and place emphasis on visual presentation of the work.
Students prepare a written statement about the works produced during the course in PDF-format, and we encourage participants to open individual blogs or web-pages. Basic InDesign and blog-making will be introduced on this day for those students interested.
Review and printed matter:
The Summer Intensive ends with a work review where each participant presents the project to the rest of the group. A printed version of the written statements are presented with the work and included in a small catalogue. A course blog with a link to Metáfora's web-page will also be produced for the review.
Technical advice from each area is available every day between 9'30 and 14'00.
“Pictorial processes and Mixed Media”: Piotr Perski & Jette Bjerg
“Object & Space”: Ana Hernandez
Tutorials:
During afternoons Sibylle Cseri will be available between 15'00 and 17'00 for tutorials about content and presentation.
The studios are open throughout the day, but are closed on Saturday and Sunday. We encourage participants to do “field work” during the weekend.
Course director:
Jette Bjerg
Administration:
Anna Fons
“Thinking vacations”
Barcelona gives its visitors one of the most pleasurable aesthetic experiences any Mediterranean city can offer. Capital of Catalonia, Barcelona is small city with metropolitan presence. Students and professionals from all over the word are attracted to its mix of tradition and contemporary culture, and the city is growing fast to accommodate the changes which modern life requires.
The sea and mountains makes it a breathing space for people with different concerns and agendas, an oasis of sun and tourism, and at the same time a place for alternative happenings, underground movements and intellectual events.
Barcelona is the home of a number of important art institutions, and Metáfora ads its grain of salt to a general impression of a European meeting-point for international art-students and artists. It is our intention to give our students an experience, where the city itself and the contacts made between students and collaborators of Metáfora will become a lifelong reference.
Space and technical facilities
Metáfora is housed in an old factory building. The space is around 850 square meters, split in two studio-buildings joined by a small courtyard. For a long time the location was used by the Catalan National Theatre for rehearsals, and this gives Metáfora a wonderful and inspiring mix of industrial aesthetic and theatrical atmosphere.
The heart of the school is the big hall, where some of the students on the International Workshop have a small personal studio space. Other students have studio spaces in the “new studio”, next to the main building of Metáfora.
All the studios have division walls and are equipped with basic furniture and studio easels. We encourage students to make their studio space their own, as it will be "home" for an entire year. There are several spaces for additional use; the Big Hall, “Aula 4”, and the “Yellow Room”. In these spaces students can work on a big scale, in darkness or on temporary installation projects.
Because of its plants and lovely warm atmosphere, the courtyard is one of the spaces preferred by many students of Metáfora. Here it is possible to work in open air and with materials that require a high degree of ventilation.
Metáfora does not have the technical facilities of a big university or public institution, but every year we extend our work-facilities and our recourses grow.
The studios are open throughout the day, but are closed on Saturday and Sunday. We encourage participants to do “field work” during the weekend.
For details of our technical facilities, please click here
Accommodation and practical information
For more information about living in Barcelona, click here
Accommodation
Useful addresses and web sites (see PDF).
Transport
There are two types of metro in Barcelona, FFCC and the "normal" Barcelona metro.
The normal metro has 5 lines - red, blue, green, yellow and purple. You will recognize FFCC as being more like a train. You can use the same ticket for FFCC and for the metro, and if you buy a monthly ticket or a 10-trip ticket, you can use the buses as well.
A T10, a 10-trip ticket costs 6,90€ and you can buy it at all stations. You can also get a 30 day ticket for 42,95€ which will allow you to make any trips you want by bus, metro or train from FFCC within the metropolitan area of Barcelona for 30 days. Another option is the "50 journeys in 30 days" ticket. It costs 27,55€ (Prices are from Summer 2007).
Taxis in BCN are cheap compared to other European cities. The average fee is around 5-7€ depending how far you go, and on whether it is night or day.
Getting to Metáfora
Metáfora is situated in the area of Barcelona called "Sants", very near the central train-station, "Estació de Sants".
This is a very commercial area, and you will find shops of all kinds in the neighbourhood.
Metáfora is only ten minutes by metro from the centre of the city, "Plaza Catalunya".
Maps and metro
The nearest metro-stations are "Plaza de Sants" (blue and red line) and "Plaza del Centro" (green line),
and it is about five minutes walk from both stations to the school.
Please consult the following web-page, for maps and information about the city: www.bcn.es
Inscription, Fees and Diploma / certificate of attendance
On completing the Summer Intensive participants are given a Diploma as well as a brief statement concerning his/her development and the character of the works produced.
Please click here to open the application-form for the Summer Intensive
Fees: 482,00€
Boking fee: 241,00€ (this amount will be reduced from the remaing fees, when due).
Paying the fees:
- When accepted on the Metáfora Summer Intensive, the student must pay 50% of the fee in order to reserve a place on the course. Metáfora will not reserve places on the course for the student until this fee is paid.
- Should the student wish to cancel his/her enrolment, the reservation fee will be returned to him/her only if Metáfora has received clear written notice at least 8 weeks before the course starts.
- The remaining fee is due 7 days before the start of the course.
- All commissions related to bank transfers must be covered by the payer. Metáfora does not accept responsibility for payment of transfer costs.
- There is a 3% discount for all payments made in cash.