The UMPRUM Visiting Artist in the summer semester 2019/2020 is Tyler Coburn.

Tyler Coburn is the fifth Visiting Artist at UMPRUM, following Justin Fitzpatrick (fall 2019/2020 focusing on critical aspects of paininting), Nina Beier (spring semester 2018/2019 focusing on cultural meanings of material and objects), David Maljković (fall semester 2018/2019, focusing on the crossovers of installation) and Marie de Brugerolle (spring semester 2017/2018, focusing on performance).

The Profile of the Visiting Artist

Tyler Coburn (USA) is an artist and writer based in New York. His work has been presented at Centre Pompidou, Paris; South London Gallery; Kunsthalle Wien; Kunstverein Munich; SculptureCenter, New York; and in the 11th Gwangju Biennale and in the 10th Shanghai Biennale. His writing has appeared in e-flux, Frieze, Dis, Mousse, and Rhizome. In 2019 MIT Press published his book Richard Roe.

Coburn’s work deals with fiction and the impact of technology on human bodies and cognition. In Ergonomic Futures project, he focuses on speculative evolution and the new possible ways of biologically, philosophically, and legally defining the “human”. Along with New York architects Bureau V he has designed functional ergonomic seats for different future bodies, intended to serve as museum furniture. 

Coburn has collaborated with designers Luke Gould and Afonso Martins on a website of short stories (www.ergonomicfutures.com). 

Programme description

Programme title: Counterfactuals

A counterfactual is part of a thought experiment that speculates on the possible paths events could have taken. We commonly encounter counterfactuals in sweeping historical reimaginings, but they can also help us ask critical questions about the forms of reparation and restitution owed to communities for past wrongs. Counterfactual thinking may also provide some perspective on the disinformation campaigns destabilizing governments and populations worldwide.

Counterfactuals surveys this subject over three sessions in March, April, and May/June. The first provides historical context for counterfactual artistic practice by studying fictional and pseudonymous artists, parafictional strategies, and so on. The second focuses on reparations and restitution, with particular consideration given to the Czech context. The third looks at the spread of disinformation and measures taken, in the Czech Republic and beyond, to counter it.

These topics are explored through readings, screenings, guest lectures, field trips, and solo and group activities.

The structure of the program in the spring semester 2019/2020

The visiting artist will give a theoretical and practical course.
The schedule will be structured in three few-days blocks with the presence of both the visiting artist and the Czech pedagogue Sláva Sobotovičová and in regular working sessions once a week with the Czech pedagogue only.

Studying with Tyler Coburn can be particularly recommended to students interested in writing, science and speculative thinking, as well as political aspects of human psychology and information systems. The experience may be particularly inspiring for students with background in design.

Applications 

The program is part of the Fine Arts Department of UMPRUM and is primarily reserved to its students but offers limited numbers of places to the students of other departments of UMPRUM. Students of the bachelor, master and PhD programs can apply.

All students apart from the students of the first year of Bachelor Program and the students currently graduating from Bachelor and Master Program are encouraged to enroll. The Visiting Artist Program is open to students of Fine Arts Department and all other UMPRUM departments in limited numbers.

To apply, students must have completed their previous semester and enrolled in the next semester duly. The deadline for applications is at the end of January 2020. For applications please contact the UMPRUM Study department.

For more information please contact the Program’s Czech pedagogue Sláva Sobotovičová, ssobot@vsup.cz, 737 620 381