THE CONFERENCE IS CANCELED

Due to the current Coronavirus outbreak, we, unfortunately, find it necessary to cancel the 11th SAR International Conference on Artistic Research 2020 in Bergen. We apologize for the inconvenience this entails for the participants.

The decision is founded on an overall joint assessment by the University of Bergen and SAR, based on the current advice from The Norwegian Institute of Public Health in relation to the growing concerns on the quick spreading of the virus. We find the possibility of an outbreak and the consequent risk for quarantines etc. too high.

NB! Please note that that the conference organizers cannot offer any refund on travel and/or accommodations costs, and we advise you to cancel such arrangements as soon as possible.

The Faculty of Fine Art, Music and Design and SAR are truly sorry for having to cancel the conference due to these unfortunate circumstances, but are looking into the possibility of transforming the contributions into a more permanent format, like a publication or through digital dissemination.

Regarding the cancellation of SAR 2020 and refund of the conference fees. The paid conference fees have been refunded and should be available on your accounts soon. The paid amount is refunded to the credit card that was used when signing up for the conference. A receipt for the refund has been sent to your email.
 

The 11th SAR International Conference on Artistic Research, SAR 2020, investigates and discusses the relation between Artistic Research, various notions of collective reality and alternative imaginations. Reality, as we currently know it, is marked by a series of inter-connected crises, and as part of larger collective structures, artistic researchers are confronted by and immersed in these. The urgency of these crises forces the agency and relevance of Artistic Research into question. By debating modes of research, dissemination and communication employed by Artistic Research as well as its academic contextualization, the SAR 2020 conference aims at negotiating and analysing the problems we face. 

The questions relates to the autonomy of the individual artist-researcher, the systemic institutionalization of Artistic Research and the current more collective state of emergencies that we face.

What are the modes of trial/experimentation, creation, reflection, and communication in this Crisis Collective like? Can Artistic Research - through artistic actions - generate alternative modes of knowledge, art, and reality? 

The 11th SAR International Conference on Artistic Research 2020 is organized by the Society for Artistic Research (SAR) and the Faculty of Fine Art, Music and Design at University of Bergen (KMD, UiB). 
 

  

  

  

The Four Strands

The SAR 2020 conference called for proposals (the call for submission is closed. The deadline was November 15, 2019) to constitute the Crisis Collective in four different strands. Each conference proposal/presentation adds into the shared vision of troubles and possible paths active now and in the future and generates a response by Artistic Research to the current crises. 

The four strands are:

  • Emergency
  • The Great Conversation
  • Hammer and Mirror? The language of Artistic Research
  • Various Rehearsals


 

Emergency

How might we visualise and comprehend the change that is currently and urgently happening to the globe, and how can we create sensual experience of the Crisis Collective through Artistic Research? Representation of facts / narrating the unknown / creating a new paradigm are topics that may emerge within this strand in response to the situation of emergency. How might the necessary transformation to a sustainable society take shape? Can the transition be understood as re-construction or a qualitative leap forward? Is social justice and global equality a possible solution to crisis and what models of thinking are required? As we face extinction and sadness Artistic Research may contribute to the discussion through a critical framework for the inevitable; various endings? or a sober design of the post-apocalypse? Any proposal - large scale or micro - is needed. Urgently! 
Are you ready?

 

The Great Conversation

The transition caused by climate change, involves a repositioning of the relationship between humans and other living beings as part of the natural world. This transition has philosophical implications and opens up for new modes of thinking and being to be explored. The sciences are confronted with an ecological fragility, that forces a change of worldview. In the intersection between practical regimes and a new ethics of climate developments, Artistic Research might be exactly the place to explore a new understanding of ‘the return to Earth’ (B.Latour). With the aim of enabling a fragile, yet passionate conversation we call for proposals to open up these new realms of ‘being in the world’.

Hammer and Mirror? The language of artistic research 

Artistic research shares its metaphorical language with the language of capitalism, sports, and warfare. Resource. Production. Method. Gain. Challenge. Opposition. Defence.

This vocabulary creates a formal context and an imminent agency that might influence the specific Artistic Research undertakings and their potential to intervene into the larger collectives of reflection and discourse. In this strand we encourage proposals/presentations that engages in critical reflection on the roles, formats and objectives of Artistic Research. As projects, performative situations or by discursive reflection. Questions might concern: How to perceive, shape and how to convey meaning through experiment? From which viewpoint and from what location? What, how & for whom? Presentations may address who they are aimed at and applicable to?

 

Various Rehearsals

This strand offers the opportunity for a testing ground for experimentation and unfinished work. Artistic Research is exactly that – an artistic exploration, a process, and a rehearsal without closure. The shape of things to come. In this section we open up a platform for research rehearsals; this is not about presentations or powerpoints, but an open laboratory for ongoing Artistic Research rehearsals. A place to take risk. We call for practitioners willing to share their process for an audience, for participants or for other kinds of public interface. These explorations might be exactly to the point or they might function as a vent to let fresh air in. Let it blossom, let it bleed. 

Keynote Speakers

  

  

Programme

The registration opens Wednesday 25 March from 14:30 in the KMD-building in Møllendalsveien 61, where there will be an open event with guided tours, welcome speeches, book launch at 17:00, a key note at 18:00, refreshments and mingling.

The programme Thursday 26 and 27 March lasts from 08:30 – 17:30, in and around the University aula, Muséplassen 3 and The Grieg Academy, Lars Hillesgate 3, in the city centre of Bergen.

There will be a reception with refreshments held by Bergen Municipality 26 March at 19:00 in The Håkon's Hall, Bergenhus 10.

The SAR General Assembly 2020 takes place Saturday 28 March at 10:30 in Gunnar Sævigs Sal, The Grieg Academy, entrance via Nina Griegs gate 6.

Download complete programme (PDF)
 

The Crisis Collective / Presentations

Registration

The fees for conference participation are:

  • Non-members of SAR: 3.500 NOK incl. VAT (approx. 350 EUR)
     
  • Employee at SAR institutional member organisation: 2.500 NOK incl. VAT. (approx. 250 EUR). To register in this category, your institution must be a institutional SAR member, and you must use your institutional email address when you register. Membership must have been paid before you attend the conference.

    Check if your institution is a SAR-member here.    

     
  • Individual SAR members with institutional affiliation (employment): 2500 NOK incl. VAT (Approx. 250 EUR) To register in this category you must be an individual SAR member employed at a higher educational institution, cultural institution etc. Membership must have been paid before you attend the conference.
     
  • Non-institutional-affiliated SAR individual members: 800 NOK incl. VAT (approx. 80 EUR) (limited availability). To register in this category you must be an individual SAR member without any art related institutional employmentMembership must have been paid before you attend the conference. (NB! FULLY BOOKED)
     
  • Students: 800 NOK incl. VAT (approx. 80 EUR)(limited availability). A valid student card must be provided when arriving at the conference. (NB! FULLY BOOKED)

You may apply for SAR-membership here.

All attendees, participants and contributors must register for the conference and pay the appropriate fee in advance. 

 

Conference registration fees include:

  • Participation to all keynote sessions and one session at a time for the parallel session in each block
  • Refreshments on the opening evening of 25 March 
  • A reception with refreshments held by Bergen Municipality at the Håkon's Hall on the evening of 26 March 
  • Lunch, coffee and tea 26 and 27 March 

The fee does neither include travel and accommodation nor banking transfer costs. 

Cancellation Policy:
If you cannot attend the conference, you can deregister by sending an email to sar2020@uib.no mentioning “Deregister” in the subject line. Please do so, in order to allow someone else to take your place. We cannot offer any refunds of conference fees.

Travel & Venue

The 11th SAR conference takes place at the University Aula, UiB, in the city centre of Bergen. If you arrive at the airport the city light rail is the easiest way to the city centre of Bergen where the University Aula is located as well as the two hotels we are in collaboration with. Should you travel by train then Bergen train station is within walking distance to both the venue and the hotels (5-10 min.).

Accommodation

We have arranged pre-booking facility for two hotels, both within walking distance from the conference venue, the University Aula in Bergen.

Please book directly through the hotel's website, using the booking code listed below. Rooms are limited.

HOTEL NORGE
The newly renovated hotel is located in central Bergen, just next to Byparken city park. Guests will find 3 floors of bars, lounge areas and restaurants. The airport shuttle bus and the city light rail system stops just next to the hotel. Bergen Fish And Flower Market is just a few minutes' walk away.

Single room for 1590 NOK night including breakfast and VAT (approximately Approx. 159 EUR). Double room for 1790 NOK night including breakfast and VAT (approximately Approx. 179 EUR).

SCANDIC BYPARKEN
The hotel is located 300 m from Torgallmenningen Square. Bryggen Wharf and the Fish Market are within 8 minutes' walk. Scandic Byparken is located 300 m from Torgallmenningen Square and the hotel serves an award-winning breakfast in the restaurant each morning.. Bryggen Wharf and the Fish Market are within 8 minutes' walk.

Single room for 1290 NOK night including breakfast and VAT (approximately 129 EUR). Double room for 1490 NOK night including breakfast and VAT (approximately 149 EUR).

Please go to the website https://www.scandichotels.no to make your booking where you can use the booking code below for both hotels.

Booking code: BUIB250320
Deadline: 1 March 2020

 

Contact

For any further questions regarding the 11th SAR conference 2019, please contact sar2020@uib.no

ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE

Conference Committee:
Frode Thorsen (KMD) - Chair
Bente Irminger (KMD)
Anne-Helen Mydland (KMD)
Angela Bartram (SAR)
Johan A. Haarberg (SAR)
Geir Strøm (SAR)

Programme Committee:
Frans Jacobi (KMD) - Chair
Dóra Ísleifsdóttir (KMD)
Jostein Gundersen (KMD)
Leena Rouhiainen (SAR)
Giaco Schiesser (SAR)
Ang Bartram (SAR)
 
Event Management Group:
Dagfinn Bach (KMD)
Mia Kolbjørnsen (KMD)
Olav Tveitane (KMD)
Øivind Skaar (KMD)
 

Universitetsaualen