Your independent work is your main focus and point of reference throughout the course. Practice & Research evolves around the enhancement of your own work. Participants develop a body of work focused upon questions, ideas, or themes they select and using media and working methods they find most appropriate to their practice. Research and work are self-directed and undertaken independently, and will take forms and directions that are specific to each participant. It may involve experimentation, technical training, looking at art works by others, reading literature, field research, the production of work and the realisation of public presentations, or any other kind of activity relevant to your practice and your study needs.

Work will often be undertaken individually, but may also involve collaboration with others. It may take place in your studio at PZI or the technical workshops of the academy, but also at any other site or platform appropriate to your work.

The emphasis is on experimentation and exploration of processes, materials and ideas. Work in progress is discussed in individual tutorials, both to provide feedback and to clarify aims and intentions, formulate questions and define areas for further research, analyse processes and outcomes, and develop a critical framework and vocabulary in relation to your own practice.

Practice & Research involves ca 70% of your time during your studies (including the Final Project).

Tutorials

Direct feedback on your work and research is given in individual tutorials, which are tailored to focus on your specific interests and needs. Participants sign up for tutorials themselves, and can thus steer the planning and frequency of their tutorials. On average, participants have five one-hour tutorials per month. However, in practice you may decide to solicit a lot of feedback during one month, and to focus on quiet research and production during another. It is expected that participants meet with a number of tutors every term and have met with each core tutor at least once per year.

A team of eight artists and theorists are core tutors; they will conduct studio visits throughout the year, allowing for a continuing dialogue. In addition to the regular team, both students and staff can make proposals for guest tutors.

Technical training

Technical training is provided via the technical workshops of the Willem de Kooning Academy. Since PZI participants have different previous training and needs and employ different media, technical training is mainly conducted through individual instruction and advice, focused on the concrete work you are developing. You are therefore expected to be able to self-organise and to take the initiative to get the support and training you need for your work via the academy workshops and technical advisors.

Special instruction classes in Photoshop, Final Cut Pro, AVID, html and other relevant programmes are also organised for small groups of students.

In some cases you may need technical support or a type of working space that is not available via the Academy; in such a case we can help you look for possibilities offered by other professional studios in Rotterdam.