Research Catalogue

This project combines artistic and anthropological research on spontaneous gardening in open public space, predominantly in Brno, CZ. The team, mostly comprising recent graduates and graduate students of the Faculty of Fine Arts of Brno University of Technology, chose gardens and plantings which were, in most cases, rather exceptional. Unlike most typical front gardens, the ones in this study are somehow peculiar, due to their location, their composition and planting schemes, their scale, or methods of those who garden there. The anthropologists on the team analyzed a Facebook group dedicated to street gardening and conducted several interviews, while the artistic team responded to particular places with which they interacted. Some results of this research have been presented to the public in the form of an application comprising an audioguide and an interactive map; this exposition in the Journal of Artistic Research documents some of these findings. The team Barbora Lungová is a visual artist and has taught at the Faculty of Fine Arts of the Brno University of Technology since 2007. Her field of practice is painting and art projects focusing on plants, gardening, and queerness. She is the coordinator of the Partisans with a Hoe project. Lucia Bergamaschi is a visual artist working across the media of photography, sound, and installation. She earned an MA in Fine Art at Università Iuav di Venezia and an MA in Law at Università di Bologna. She is currently finishing her MA studies at the FFA BUT. Nela Maruškevičová combines painting, installations, and glass in her artistic practice. She is a 2023 graduate of the FFA BUT. Kateřina Konvalinová is a visual artist interested in the overlapping spaces of art, communal life, farming, and ritual. She earned her MA in Fine Arts from the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague, and is currently a doctoral student at the FFA BUT. Iva Balcaříková is a graphic designer and a member of the team behind the curated audio walks created by Galerie Art in Brno. She is currently finishing her MA studies at the FFA BUT. Hana Drštičková is a visual artist and a social anthropologist interested in environmental and queer topics. She graduated with an MA in Fine Arts from the FFA BUT in 2022 and with a BA in social anthropology from the Faculty of Social Sciences at Masaryk University and is currently a doctoral student at the Gender Studies Department of Charles University in Prague. Anastasia Blokhina is a social anthropologist who graduated with an MA tfrom the Faculty of Social Sciences of Masaryk University in 2022. Polyna Davydenko is a photographer and a video artist who documents social and environmental issues in her work, most recently those connected with the war in Ukraine. Filip Dušek is a media artist who studied at the Department of Photography at the FFA BUT. The project was conducted under the Specific Research FaVU-S-23-8441 Program.

The aim of this artistic research project is to create an illustrated VR documentary experience that narrates the story of a time witness from the second world war in Bodø, Norway. The project explores questions concerning visual storytelling and ethics in the encounter between the VR-audience, interviewed subjects and the audiovisual spatial design. Artistic and qualitative research methods have been employed to explore how different visual modes and contexts alter the experience of narrator(Time witness) and narrative in a media format characterized by its ability to place the viewer in a state of immersion, intimacy, and a sense of presence. Theoretically, this study is situated in an artistic landscape connected to media theory, journalism, ethics and visual communication. Concepts such as media witness ethics, with the so-called risk of improper distance and considerations around the term distant others, are relevant for the reflection associated with the project.

Task submission for course Dokumentation, reflektion och kritisk granskning / Documentation, Reflection and Critical Review Application of Artographic methods towards own and/ or others dance practice. Project "Practices for the future"

Má disertační práce s názvem “Neformální urbanismus, souboj o město” se zaměřuje na studium neformálního urbanismu, dynamickou vrstvu městského prostoru, která vzniká organicky mimo tradiční formální plánování a regulace. Zkoumá reakce obyvatel na nedostatky formálního sektoru prostřednictvím samovolně organizovaných aktivit mimo rámec zákonu. Na neformální urbanismus nahlíží jako na soubor procesů, které ilustrují dynamiku současných velkoměst a představují inovace realizované v omezených podmínkách s limitovanými zdroji. Vyzývá k přehodnocení stereotypů spojených s neformálním urbanismem, zdůrazňuje jeho rostoucí relevanci a popisuje synergii mezi formálním a neformálním sektorem jako klíčový prvek dynamického městského ekosystému. Neformální městské struktury vyplňují spáry oficiálního města a prošívají jej nitěmi, které ho drží pohromadě. Spoluvytvářejí nové městské krajiny, plně se integrují do městské struktury, zakládají nové čtvrti a komunity, vytvářejí pracovní příležitosti a stimulují interakce v metropoli. Dynamický vztah mezi neformální a formální vrstvou městského prostoru založený na jejich vzájemném prolínání a neustálém toku energií proudící z jejich protikladných sil je základním principem současného městského prostředí. Hlavním těžištěm mé práce je terénní výzkum provedený přímo v tchajwanské metropoli Tchaj-pej, která slouží jako případová studie výzkumu. Výzkum vedl k odhalení skrytých pravidel neformálních struktur a k interpretaci jejich vztahu s formální vrstvou města. Na základě charakteristických vlastností místních neformálních struktur a jejich interakce s formálním sektorem byly definovány čtyři základní typologie: střešní nástavby, urbánní vesnice, expanze zevnitř-ven a okupace uličního profilu. Zde prezentovaná praktická část disertační práce "Illegal Taipei" slouží jako expresivní apendix, který rozšiřuje a obohacuje poznatky získané terénním výzkumem. Výzkum zaměřený na kategorizaci různých dimenzí a dynamik neformálnosti v městské struktuře Tchaj-pej se neomezuje pouze na dokumentaci materiálních a sociálních aspektů neformálního urbanismu, nýbrž usiluje také o zachycení efemérních, prchavých a atmosférických charakteristik, které tato místa formují. Praktická část obsahuje 5 hudebních kompozic, které spolu s vizuálními a analytickými prvky odhalují jemné a živé aspekty zkoumaného prostředí. Sonické krajiny reflektují mé osobní putování odrážející vlastní zkušenosti z terénního výzkumu. Obohacují zkoumaná prostředí o afektivní a metafyzické kvality, které každé místo činí jedinečným. Vizuální dokumentace tvořená fotografiemi pořízenými ve městě zachycuje jak materiální a strukturální dimenze, tak i osobní a obydlený charakter městského prostředí. Fotografie poskytují živý portrét dynamických a často skrytých vrstev prostředí Tchaj-pej, tamní atmosféry jsou prezentovány od největšího měřítka, panoramatických pohledů shora na město a jeho neformální mozaiku, přes pohledy z perspektivy chodce, až po detailní záběry zachycující DIY aplikace a instalace místních obyvatel. Fotografickou dokumentaci doplňují dvě podrobné grafické animace, které mapují transformace neformálních struktur za posledních 60 let na příkladu dvou zkoumaných území. První animace zachycuje přeměnu urbánní vesnice Treasure Hill, nacházející se na lukrativních pozemcích v Tchaj-pej ve stínu moderní zástavby. Druhá ukazuje transformaci obytného komplexu Nanjichang postaveného v 60. letech vládnoucí stranou KMT, jehož původní kontury jsou postupně zastírány DIY plechovými konstrukcemi místních obyvatel. Animace ilustrují vývoj neformálních struktur v čase a zdůrazňují jejich neustálou adaptaci na potřeby tamních obyvatel. Virtuální kompozice je provázena autorskými poetickými texty, které dokreslují atmosféru jednotlivých kategorií neformálních struktur a zachycují rozličné nálady zkoumaných prostředí. Audiovizuální prezentace funguje jako virtuální výstava, která umožňuje lépe nahlédnout a přiblížit atmosféru městského prostředí Tchaj-pej zdůrazňující synergii mezi formálními a neformálními městskými krajinami. Hudební kompozice autenticky zachycují dynamiku a energii neformálního sektoru. Fotografie a grafické ilustrace nabízejí komplexní vizuální a analytický pohled na to, jak tyto neformální prvky přispívají k bohatství a rozmanitosti městské struktury. English: My dissertation, titled “Informal Urbanism, the Battle for the City,” focuses on the study of informal urbanism, a dynamic layer of urban space that emerges organically outside traditional formal planning and regulation. It explores residents' responses to the shortcomings of the formal sector through spontaneously organized activities beyond the scope of the law. Informal urbanism is viewed as a set of processes that illustrate the dynamics of contemporary megacities and represent innovations realized under constrained conditions with limited resources. The study calls for a reevaluation of stereotypes associated with informal urbanism, highlighting its growing relevance and describing the synergy between the formal and informal sectors as a key element of a dynamic urban ecosystem.Informal urban structures fill the gaps of the official deveolpment and stitching the city together with its random threads and holding it in a dynamic, symbiotic relationship. They co-create new urban landscapes, fully integrate into the urban fabric, establish new neighborhoods and communities, create job opportunities, and stimulate interactions within the metropolis. The dynamic relationship between the informal and formal layers of urban space, based on their mutual intertwining and the constant flow of energies from their opposing forces, is a fundamental principle of the contemporary urban environment. The main focus of my work is the field research conducted directly in the Taiwanese metropolis of Taipei, which serves as the case study for the research. The research led to the discovery of the hidden rules of informal structures and the interpretation of their relationship with the formal layer of the city. Based on the characteristic features of local informal structures and their interaction with the formal sector, four basic typologies were defined: rooftop extensions, urban villages, inside-out expansion, and occupation of the street level. The practical component of the dissertation, "Illegal Taipei," serves as an expressive appendix that expands and enriches the insights gained from the field research. The research, focused on categorizing various dimensions and dynamics of informality in the urban structure of Taipei, goes beyond merely documenting the material and social aspects of informal urbanism, striving also to capture the ephemeral, fleeting, and atmospheric characteristics that shape these places. The practical part includes five musical compositions that, along with visual and analytical elements, reveal the subtle and vibrant aspects of the studied environment. Sonic landscapes reflect my personal journey, mirroring my experiences from the field research. They enrich the examined environments with affective and metaphysical qualities, making each place unique. The visual documentation, composed of photographs taken in the city, captures both the material and structural dimensions as well as the personal and inhabited character of the urban environment. The photographs provide a vivid portrait of the dynamic and often hidden layers of Taipei's environment. The atmospheres are presented from the largest scale, with panoramic views from above the city and its informal mosaic, through pedestrian perspectives, to detailed shots capturing DIY applications and installations by local residents. The photographic documentation is supplemented by two detailed graphical animations that map the transformations of informal structures over the past 60 years, exemplified by two studied areas. The first animation captures the transformation of the urban village Treasure Hill, located on lucrative land in Taipei, overshadowed by modern development. The second illustrates the transformation of the Nanjichang residential complex, built in the 1960s by the ruling KMT party, whose original contours are gradually obscured by DIY tin constructions by local residents. The animations illustrate the evolution of informal structures over time and emphasize their continuous adaptation to the needs of local residents. The virtual composition is accompanied by original poetic texts that enhance the atmosphere of individual categories of informal structures and capture the various moods of the studied environments. The audiovisual presentation functions as a virtual exhibition, allowing for a better understanding and appreciation of the urban environment of Taipei, emphasizing the synergy between formal and informal urban landscapes. Musical compositions authentically capture the dynamics and energy of the informal sector. Photographs and graphical illustrations offer a comprehensive visual and analytical perspective on how these informal elements contribute to the richness and diversity of the urban structure.

This paper introduces the Human-AI Design approach, a novel framework for addressing complex sustainability challenges through the integration of human expertise and artificial intelligence. The approach leverages social and global entropy concepts to quantify and visualize resource distribution and irreversible processes within social and ecological systems. By combining entropy modeling, participatory processes, and advanced AI techniques, Human-AI Design offers a comprehensive methodology for tackling multifaceted global issues. The paper presents a theoretical framework, outlines the methodology, and demonstrates its application through a case study on global water resource management. The approach's potential is further explored in extended applications across various domains, including education, urban planning, biodiversity conservation, and climate change mitigation. Future scenarios of human-AI coevolution are discussed, highlighting both the immense potential and significant challenges ahead. The Human-AI Design approach represents a promising step towards more effective and integrated solutions to global sustainability challenges, offering new possibilities for understanding and managing complex systems while emphasizing the importance of ethical considerations and adaptive implementation.

Presence in Embodied/Encoded is concerned with the physical and embodied dimensions of musicking in relation to digital-informational representations of such phenomena. I explore presence through practices of recording, creative coding, audio production, and spatial electronic music composition. Of particular interest is the link between presence and the sensual/corporeal aspects of sound production and listening. Research in embodied music cognition and extended reality provide a foundation for this type of meaning formation. In the context of immersive electronic music, I suggest that physical presence – a sense of ‘being somewhere’—emerges not just from images/representations of place, but from peripheral aspects of the (embodied) acoustic experience such as spatial proximity and distance, diffuseness, resonance and reverberation, noise floor, etc. Consequently, musical meaning in “Embodied/Encoded” moves away from the symbolic dimension of electronic sounds toward meaning as an outcome of embodied interaction with the environment. The concept of presence can also apply to ‘mixed’ music, or combinations of acoustic and electronic sources, in which virtual presence is complicated by real bodies and spaces. Digital technology renders sound a flexible, malleable entity—a ‘flickering’ signifier to borrow from Hayles—capable of reconfiguring presence in creative ways. The dance between encoded and embodied dimensions inspires and informs this artistic research. Through a body of immersive music and multimedia documentation, I unpack connections between presence and its digital abstractions.