From Ut pictura poesis to computational creativity (artificial intelligence applied to the arts) the underlying question was and is how to generate and innovate the creative process by transferring to and taking inspiration from another artistic medium. Understanding the variations and implications of artistic genres or forms across different media, studying, practicing, mounting, and curating the migrations of images across different devices, contexts, and histories, from old to new media, from traditional artistic settings to more experimental ones, bringing these processes together through storytelling, dramaturgy and creative writing, are all core activities of the intermedia research unit. Currently, there are four research clusters within the unit: Mediated Environments, deep histories fragile memories, Photography Expanded and Exhibition Culture: Dialogues in the making but these will increase and can change in the future. Intermediality, transhistoricity and narrativity are the key forms of poetics and nodes of the research carried out in the unit. The unit stands for critical awareness of the impact of technological development on artistic practice. It is active in exploring and supporting the presentation of artistic research in exhibition form, through its program Show Research and its exhibition space Terrarium.

3 research focuses: Intermediality, Transhistoricity and Narrativity

Intermediality in broad terms as focus on technology and the arts, experimentation with the medium and across media. Going from medium specificity to media hybridity. This research focus is about finding ways to combine different media, favoring processes of interaction and ekphrasis over traditional mixed media ideas. What are ways to express meaning/feeling/information from one medium to another? This focus connects research projects around art and technology with those working with experimental, interdisciplinary or multimedial approaches.

Key domains: art and science, art and technology, media archeology, genre studies, media studies, contemporary art

Transhistoricity in artistic and curatorial practice focuses on dialogues and intersections between different historical periods and cultural contexts on the grounds of “human communalities” or “constellations” (to use Benjamin’s expression). It is a form of humanism without the pretensions of universalism. How does art disrupt chronologies in favor of kairotic and durational time connecting experiences from different temporalities? How can art history be re-experienced and studied from a transhistorical perspective?

While much focus in research today goes to the evolution of viewership, a transhistorical focus is centered on how it continues to respect basic phenomenological and perceptual rules.

Key domains: contemporary art, curatorial research and practice, exhibition studies, phenomenology in art, art history

Narrativity as a research focus thematizes stories across different media and genres. Less obvious genres such as sound art and installation art, just as performance can be looked at and developed from this perspective. The accent here is neither on textuality or visuality, but, for example looks at innovative and experimental artistic forms in filmmaking. The city and public space are also a core focus, just as creative writing, and more in general socially and environmentally driven concerns and subjects.

Key domains: Art and creative writing, narratology, literary criticism, art and public space, moving image.

senioronderzoekers

Nicola Setari
Liesbeth Decan
Steven Devleminck
Wendy Morris
Laurens Dhaenens
Roel Vande Winkel
Pascal Lefèvre
Richard Venlet
Greet Billet
Sandy Claes
Anja Veirman
Mira Sanders 
Maarten Vanvolsem

Doctorandi

Alexandra Crouwers
Alina Cristea
Ans Mertens
Boris Debackere
Christina Sthulberger
Dragana Radanovic
Els Opsomer
Eva Cardon
Guido Devadder
Hana Miletic
Herman Asselberghs
Joeri Verbesselt
Joris Perdieus
Klaas Verpoest
Lotte Van den Audenaeren
Marnix Rummens*
Renée Turner
Robbrecht Desmet
Sarah Van Marcke 
Sofia Caesar
Sofie Benoot
Ula Sickle
Viktorija Rybakova
Vitor Candeias

* completed

Hoofd onderzoekseenheid: dr. Steven Devleminck
LUCA - Campus Sint-Lukas Brussel
Paleizenstraat 70
B-1030 Brussel
steven.devleminck@luca-arts.be