#39 Artistic Research as Academic Practice

What characterizes artistic research as a research approach at a technical university? This episode of the ZUKUNFT STADT podcast is dedicated to artistic research at the intersection of architecture, spatial planning, and science. It focuses on questions of forms of knowledge beyond standardized methods, the relationship between artistic practice and scientific reflection, and the institutional conditions under which artistic research can become visible, recognized, and further developed.

In an introductory conversation, Karin Harather reflects on her many years of work at the intersection of art, teaching, and research at TU Wien. In the second part, she discusses key perspectives on artistic research, its methodological specificities, and its significance for processes of transformation in cities and space together with Alexander Damianisch, Theresa Schütz, and Rudolf Scheuvens.

The starting point of the conversation is the symposium “KUNST SCHAFFT WISSEN”, curated by Karin Harather.

Alexander Damianisch is Director of the Center Focus Research at the University of Applied Arts Vienna and Head of the Support Art and Research department. He is a member of the governing bodies of the Society for Artistic Research and the Angewandte Innovation Laboratory, as well as a delegate to the Austrian Science Fund (FWF). His work focuses on the institutional development, funding, and international positioning of artistic research.

Karin Harather studied at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna and earned her doctorate at the University of Applied Arts Vienna. She is an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Art and Design at the Faculty of Architecture and Spatial Planning at TU Wien. Through her artistic spatial research and research-led teaching, she initiates co-creative processes and develops 1:1 test settings and real-world laboratories within existing structures.

Rudolf Scheuvens is Dean of the Faculty of Architecture and Spatial Planning. Since 2008, he has been Professor of Local Spatial Planning and Urban Development at TU Wien and is also co-founder and partner of Raumposition in Vienna, as well as partner in the planning office scheuvens + wachten plus in Dortmund.

Theresa Schütz works as a doctoral candidate and project assistant at the Institute of Art and Design within the doctoral program STEAM STEM stART’em. In artistically driven research and transdisciplinary projects, she engages with public and social spaces. Working between art, urbanism, and architecture, she has collaborated with Rainer Steurer since 2015 under the name unos and initiated T/abor as a space for art and transdisciplinary collaboration. In parallel, she teaches at TU Wien and other universities and has been involved in research projects on public space, vacancy, and social change.

Podcast credits
Episode #39
Concept and hosting: Karin Harather, Madlyn Miessgang
Recording, audio, and editing: Lisa-Marie Kramer, Madlyn Miessgang, and Nico Schleicher

ZUKUNFT STADT Podcast – Production:
Lukas Bast, Larissa Benk, Lisa-Marie Kramer, Lena Hohenkamp, Madlyn Miessgang, and Nico Schleicher

Intro music: Jakob Kotal

The podcast ZUKUNFT STADT is a project of the Faculty of Architecture and Spatial Planning at TU Wien. It is produced through a collaboration between the future.lab and the Department of Local Spatial Planning at TU Wien.