ABOUT
In 2009 two remarkable schools, with a course in Graphic Design,
Werkplaats Typografie (ArtEZ), Arnhem, The Netherlands and ISIA Urbino,
Italy, joined together to set up an international Summer School.
Over the past 9 years we have organized the Summer School with great
enthusiasm, and due to it’s success and positive feedback from the
participating students, we’ll continue to organize it again for this summer
again and invite you and your friends to apply.
The Summer School consists of a two week course, and takes place in the
small but beautiful Renaissance town Urbino in Italy. It’s a walled city and a
World Heritage Site in the region of Marche, located in the north-eastern
part of central Italy. It’s main attraction is the Palazzo Ducale, which started
to be built in the second half of the 15th century. It houses the Galleria
Nazionale delle Marche, one of the most important collections of
Renaissance paintings in the world (Raffaello, Piero della Fracesca, Paolo
Uccello). Urbino is also a student town. It hosts the University of Urbino,
which was founded in 1506. It currently has about 14.000 students, many
of whom are from overseas, which gives the town an international flavor.
ISIA Urbino, where the Summer School takes place, stands for ‘Higher
Institute for Artistic Industries’ (Istituto Superiore per le Industrie
Artistiche). It was founded in 1974 and it trains students in the field of
Graphic Design. Set in a former convent in the heart of town it has all the
facilities that can be expected from a state of the art school, workshops for
printing, a studio for photography, a library, etc., which the participants of
the Summer School are free to use during the course.
The Summer School is not a real school, with credit points, a diploma, etc.
At this school you can never fail. You will always learn and gain many
valuable things from it. Our aim is that it should offer an exceptional
experience, something that adds up to what you know, or have
experienced. We want you to do and learn something new, not necessarily
in the field of design and typography. We expect you to come up with your
own project within a given theme that connects to it’s locality, and will
challenge you to explore your ideas within the discipline of Graphic Design,
but will as much challenge you to cross to other disciplines as well, like art,
writing, photography, drawing, film, performance, etc. We focus as much on
conceptual thinking and research as the articulation of your ideas in a
formal presentation. We mainly want you to feel free, to let you make your
best work ever in a friendly and positive atmosphere. With experienced and
inspiring tutors, and fellow students who will be even more of a help.
As tutors we’re there to discuss your ideas, one on one, and within the
group, to help you improving them, and help you in presenting your
outcome by the end of the second week. Your output does not necessarily
have to be a poster or a book, it can be many more and other things as
well. The best part in the end is definitely what you learned from it along the
way, and it’s not just driven by outcomes. Along the way you will be asked
to develop an idea that can be explained and understood, you will be asked
to do some research and be experimental in your formal approach. You will
get personal feedback on your work. Each day you have a chance to speak
individually with one or more of the critics. You will meet new fellow
makers, who all come from different parts of the world, who have similar
interests and you’ll share this once in a lifetime experience with them. You
connect yourself to a new and international group of fellow makers, who will
become future friends and part of an invaluable increased new network.
What We’re Looking For
We’re looking for (young) professionals and/or students in the field of
(graphic) design (writing, photography, illustration, publishing), art,
architecture and theory. It doesn’t matter where you’re from, what you’ve
done, what your interests are, how much experience or education you had.
The Summer School offers an opportunity for anyone who has lots of
talent, who is an inspiring and non-conventional thinker and maker. Who
likes a group dynamic, and is social. Who can bring something strong and
beautiful and unique to the Summer School.
If you’re the candidate we’re looking for, with an authentic, open and critical
mindset, who is eager to learn, to explore and willing to re-think your own
work in a unique context and setting, who doesn’t mind working over
summer, instead of going to the beach, please apply. The course we offer
is in English, the food is Italian.
Who Are the Tutors
During the two weeks that the Summer School takes place you will be
guided by tutors who have connections to both institutions. At the Summer
School 2018 you will be guided by Uta Eisenreich, Armand Mevis, Maureen
Mooren and Leonardo Sonnoli. All four have an outstanding international
reputation with their independent design and art practices, and all four are
experienced educators. They will encourage you during the two weeks that
the Summer School takes place, from the beginning till the end. They will
share their experiences and practices with you, and are able to answer
your questions and help you further. Each of them will share their practice
and give a presentation during the Summer School.
Armand Mevis
is the other half of Mevis & van Deursen, a design studio
located in Amsterdam. Armand is also head of the Werkplaats Typografie
(ArtEZ)Arnhem.
Maureen Mooren
has her individual design practice in Amsterdam, acts as
Art Director at the New Institute in Rotterdam, and is Professor at HGB in
Leipzig.
Leonardo Sonnoli
has his design practice in Rimini, is professor at ISIA and
a member of the AGI.
Uta Eisenreich
is an artist with a background in design, who uses the
medium of photography, and performance. She has her practice in
Amsterdam.
The summer school will only take place if we have a guaranteed number of
24 students, but this condition has never been a problem in previous years
were always able to select a wonderful group of talented candidates.
The theme
We ask all the participant to respond to a given theme. The theme is your
starting point. Use it as a filter to see and experience your environment. All
themes in the past were loosely derived from the (Architectural) setting and
location of Urbino. In terms of it’s (Italian) culture (food, art, design, people),
and its (ancient, or young) history and what this could all embody, and be
of inspiration to you. We have touched on themes which question time,
living, tourism, preservation, etc. We do want you to address the theme in
your work, because we believe it offers an immediate question that can be
answered within a period of two weeks. It creates a necessary framework,
which allows you and us to discuss something we all have a connection to.
Since it’s really about your work and your work only, you’re totally free to
explore the theme in the way you want, within your own language, within
the medium of your interest. Make use of your skills and talent to address
this theme, it can be critical, factual, absurd, etc.