Bern University of the Arts (HKB) is one of the leading Art Universities in Europe with a broad range of Bachelor and Master Programmes, a doctoral school Studies in the Arts and a variety of advanced-level courses. Its four research institutes perform cutting-edge research on topics related to artistic practice in visual and performing arts, music, theatre, design and conservation. Conservation with its Modern Materials and Media program has a very high reputation not only for its practice-oriented curriculum but also for scholarship and research.
Within the research project Performance: Conservation, Materiality, Knowledge generously funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and situated in the Research Institute Materiality in Art and Culture, we are seeking to appoint
SNSF PhD CANDIDATE 100%
This four-year predoctoral fellowship fosters the academic career of an individual who aspires to obtain a PhD degree by permitting him or her to pursue supervised research in a collaborative, supportive environment of a high-profile research project.
The SNSF project Performance: Conservation, Materiality, Knowledge focuses on the questions of conservation of performance-based works, their temporal specifics, the involvement of the human body, the world of their extended trace history, memory, and archive. Notions of care, the ideals of traditional conservation and their complex relations to knowledge, whether tacit or explicit, skill and technique are explored. Taking as a starting point the necessity for conservators to access and deepen this area of study, and unlike queries that situate these questions within other disciplines, this project approaches performance as a necessarily conservable form.
The Research Institute Materiality in Art and Culture explores the multitude of connections between the materiality of art and cultural artefacts, their makers and time, their ongoing lives and existence in collections. Through material analysis, critical-theoretical approaches, and the pursuit of urgent questions emerging from the conservation practice, the Institute researches the human-made world and its expression in culture.
This project offers an opportunity to contribute to ground-breaking research supported by a team of established scholars and artists. The successful candidate should manifest enthusiasm for and ability to research the emerging area of contemporary conservation of performance. The successful candidate’s PhD research will be situated at the intersection of art history, performance studies, visual studies, heritage studies and conservation. The fellow has or is keenly interested in obtaining project-relevant research skills. S/he has an established track record of professional experience in contemporary art conservation ideally manifest in publications equivalent with the predoctoral level. We seek candidates who can work in a team and meet deadlines, are committed to excellence and work ethic, and are determined to contribute to the field by delivering an outstanding dissertation. Excellent communication skills, creative thinking and ability to generate new ideas are prerequisite for this position. The candidate is both highly engaged with the main research project’s questions but also curious about the challenges the project poses in the field. S/he is able to communicate confidently with practitioners and academic researchers. Applicants must have a relevant MA in the area related to conservation of contemporary art or performance studies with emphasis on the discourses of care as well as relevant work experience. This is a 100% FTE, fixed-term residential position from October 1, 2020 to September 30, 2024. The fellow works in close liaison with the Project Lead, Prof Dr Hanna Hölling. His/her dissertation project will be situated within the doctoral program Studies in the Arts (SINTA) and co-supervised by Prof Dr Noémie Etienne, Bern University, and the Project Lead.
Main responsibilities of the doctoral candidate
- Research and deliver an excellent doctoral dissertation that offers a significant contribution to the research project Performance: Conservation, Materiality, Knowledge, over 48 months
- Work on case studies both independently and under supervision
- Participate in project meetings and other project-related events
- Liaise with project team members to discuss, test, and implement the project’s findings
- Contingent on progress and in consultation with the Project Lead, contribute to the dissemination of the knowledge generated during the project in the form of peer-reviewed publications in an academic journal and an edited volume as well as oral presentations at academic, professional and outreach events oriented toward general public
- Deliver other agreed output and champion the research project nationally and internationally
- Create and maintain a website featuring the research project’s progress and relevant academic activities
- Co-organize project-related workshops, symposia and conferences
- Help co-organize an exhibition
- Have an excellent command of academic and spoken English. Additional proficiency in one of the Swiss national languages is compulsory
The interviews for this position will be conducted on February 7, 2020. Queries about this opening can be directed to Prof Sebastian Dobrusskin at sebastian.dobrusskin@hkb.bfh.ch.
Applications require (1) a cover letter, (2) a statement of research interests and experience, (3) a curriculum vitae including contact information and names and contact information of three academic referees able to speak to the candidate’s suitability for this post (4) a list of publications.
Please note that we only accept online applications, in English or German. The deadline for applications is January 17, 2020. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.
Link to an online application: https://ohws.prospective.ch/public/v1/redirect/34277308-cec8-41f5-aa89-e2d6ef19d3ec/ats/.
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