Co-Operative Enthusiasm

The Van Eyck Academy is a ‘post-academic’ institute located in the city of Maastricht in the south of the Netherlands. Today the academy bears almost no resemblance to the organisation as it was when it was first founded in 1948. It was then established as a Catholic counterpart to the non-denominational Rijksacademy in Amsterdam and named after the fifteenth-century Flemish painter renowned for works such as The Ghent Altarpiece. At the outset, one of the main objectives of the academy was to equip students with skills that would enable them to work in the service of the church. As a result, there was an emphasis upon draftsmanship, figurative sculpture, stonework and stained glass. In the beginning it was envisaged that the Van Eyck would be a source from which the Catholic faith would spread towards the rest of the country via the work of the artists and architects who were trained there.

A decade after the academy first opened it was decided that the adapted ecclesiastical premises which it then occupied were unsuitable – a purpose built edifice would be required. Construction of the now iconic building (designed by architect Frits Peutz) commenced in summer of 1959 and opened in 1961. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s the influence of the church was eliminated entirely until the Academy emerged into something more secular. In the ancient medieval city of Maastricht, Peutz’s modernist monument, built from concrete and glass, is completely singular. The experience of working at the Academy is significantly shaped by the building, which is bathed in natural light and constructed around green spaces and gardens. Indeed, the building imbues the working day with an almost utopian atmosphere. In the period that followed the academy’s reopening in the new premises, the emphasis on art in the service of the church began to wane.

In 2011 the architectural and pedagogical structure of the Van Eyck Academy were significantly overhauled. After extensive renovations the building reopened in 2013. The renovations to the interior spaces were intended to reflect the inherent aesthetics of the built structure, but also the ethos of the academy. For example all the signage in and around the building and the overall graphic identity of the academy were based around a typeface devised from traces of functional signage that had adorned the walls of the academy since the 70s, originally hand painted by caretaker Pierre Bonten. This vernacular typeface was named Bontepilke.

Every year artists, curators, designers, photographers and writers are invited to apply for a period of work at the Academy. The application process entails candidates proposing a project or particular path of research that they wish to develop within this context. In addition to this, each candidate submits ideas for a prospective study group or collaborative research venture that they might develop with fellow participants whilst at the academy. These projects, termed ‘In-Labs’ by the Academy, might be developed around individual interests or concerns. Ultimately they are intended to facilitate discourse amongst participants. Successful candidates are allocated a private studio space and receive a monthly stipend for a period ranging from four months to a year. While working at the academy one can utilise the wealth of facilities offered and can also access the expertise of the staff members. There is an incredible array of facilities available – dubbed ‘labs’ – and participants are encouraged to experiment in fields that will enable their practice to develop.

The Charles Nypels Lab, the printing workshop, houses equipment for relief printing and screen printing; a multimedia workshop, the Werner Mantz Lab, offers facilities and extensive expertise relating to photography, film and video and audio. There is also a workshop for making constructions with wood, metals and plastics – the Heimo Lab. These facilities are managed and supervised by individuals who are experts in their field and offer professional support and assistance. Participants can schedule meetings with the heads of these facilities and receive feedback and advice on their particular endeavours.

I commenced my residency at Van Eyck in June 2014. I’ve found the experience of living and working here incredibly enriching on several levels. Participants are given financial support, time and space to cultivate existing projects – but they often also develop new ones collaboratively. Most of my fellow participants have already earned a masters degree (there are of course exceptions to this) or have been developing their practice for a number of years before coming to the Van Eyck. Therefore, there is a level of experience and knowledge amongst the participants which ensures that living and working here is an enriching experience.

The Van Eyck Academy is a ‘post-academic’ institute located in the city of Maastricht in the south of the Netherlands. Today the academy bears almost no resemblance to the organisation as it was when it was first founded in 1948. It was then established as a Catholic counterpart to the non-denominational Rijksacademy in Amsterdam and named after the fifteenth-century Flemish painter renowned for works such as The Ghent Altarpiece. At the outset, one of the main objectives of the academy was to equip students with skills that would enable them to work in the service of the church. As a result, there was an emphasis upon draftsmanship, figurative sculpture, stonework and stained glass. In the beginning it was envisaged that the Van Eyck would be a source from which the Catholic faith would spread towards the rest of the country via the work of the artists and architects who were trained there.

A decade after the academy first opened it was decided that the adapted ecclesiastical premises which it then occupied were unsuitable – a purpose built edifice would be required. Construction of the now iconic building (designed by architect Frits Peutz) commenced in summer of 1959 and opened in 1961. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s the influence of the church was eliminated entirely until the Academy emerged into something more secular. In the ancient medieval city of Maastricht, Peutz’s modernist monument, built from concrete and glass, is completely singular. The experience of working at the Academy is significantly shaped by the building, which is bathed in natural light and constructed around green spaces and gardens. Indeed, the building imbues the working day with an almost utopian atmosphere. In the period that followed the academy’s reopening in the new premises, the emphasis on art in the service of the church began to wane.

In 2011 the architectural and pedagogical structure of the Van Eyck Academy were significantly overhauled. After extensive renovations the building reopened in 2013. The renovations to the interior spaces were intended to reflect the inherent aesthetics of the built structure, but also the ethos of the academy. For example all the signage in and around the building and the overall graphic identity of the academy were based around a typeface devised from traces of functional signage that had adorned the walls of the academy since the 70s, originally hand painted by caretaker Pierre Bonten. This vernacular typeface was named Bontepilke.

Every year artists, curators, designers, photographers and writers are invited to apply for a period of work at the Academy. The application process entails candidates proposing a project or particular path of research that they wish to develop within this context. In addition to this, each candidate submits ideas for a prospective study group or collaborative research venture that they might develop with fellow participants whilst at the academy. These projects, termed ‘In-Labs’ by the Academy, might be developed around individual interests or concerns. Ultimately they are intended to facilitate discourse amongst participants. Successful candidates are allocated a private studio space and receive a monthly stipend for a period ranging from four months to a year. While working at the academy one can utilise the wealth of facilities offered and can also access the expertise of the staff members. There is an incredible array of facilities available – dubbed ‘labs’ – and participants are encouraged to experiment in fields that will enable their practice to develop.

The Charles Nypels Lab, the printing workshop, houses equipment for relief printing and screen printing; a multimedia workshop, the Werner Mantz Lab, offers facilities and extensive expertise relating to photography, film and video and audio. There is also a workshop for making constructions with wood, metals and plastics – the Heimo Lab. These facilities are managed and supervised by individuals who are experts in their field and offer professional support and assistance. Participants can schedule meetings with the heads of these facilities and receive feedback and advice on their particular endeavours.

I commenced my residency at Van Eyck in June 2014. I’ve found the experience of living and working here incredibly enriching on several levels. Participants are given financial support, time and space to cultivate existing projects – but they often also develop new ones collaboratively. Most of my fellow participants have already earned a masters degree (there are of course exceptions to this) or have been developing their practice for a number of years before coming to the Van Eyck. Therefore, there is a level of experience and knowledge amongst the participants which ensures that living and working here is an enriching experience.