Prague Quadrennial 2023

© pq.cz

In the 2023 Summer Semester practical course Art Science Studio, 6 Computer Science students from TU Dresden and 6 Stage Setting and Costume Design students from Dresden University of Fine Arts (HfBK Dresden) collaborated under the supervision of Jun.-Prof. Theda Nilsson and Julian Eicke to develop an exhibition at Prague Quadrennial 2023 (PQ). Held once every four years, PQ is the largest international event in the world in the field of sceneography. Participating countries present their exhibitions in a competitive setting. Parallel to the main event, a student exhibition is held wherein one group per attending country participates in the exhibition. Our group had the honour to represent Germany in the student exhibition of PQ 2023.

"RARE: Art springing out of ideas, materials, artistic approaches, and design practices that connect to the human level from within your environment, with its genius loci and unique situation."

Inspired by this overarching theme of PQ 2023, our group created an adaptable installation inviting competing students, visitors, and local artists alike to collaborate in the creation of performances in our space. By becoming a home for happenings such as parties, DJ performances, knitting sessions, and meeting points for other groups' events, our installation represented a bustling space, incentivizing the emergence of unique performances during the exhibition.

© ixlab@TUD

Consisting of a pavillon structure equipped with lighting, audio setups, a fog machine and a display, the installation combined themes of gardening and German techno culture. The equipment was adapted to fit the needs of the current performances. A custom animation was displayed on a screen, which could be influenced with the use of a control panel. Posters reflecting various aspects of our project were created that could be brought to life through augmented reality interactions. A website containing further information on the installation and assisting with the implementation of the augmented reality posters was created.