Application deadline: April 3, 2023, 5pm
Avenue de Châtelaine 5
1203 Geneva
Switzerland
The Work.Master programme—part of HEAD Genève’s Visual Arts Department—is an international bilingual (French and English), two-year MFA programme devoted to multi-disciplinary, studio-based, contemporary artistic practices.
As an incessantly evolving programme, Work.Master dares to take risks and proposes diverse formats which encourage experiment, exchange, and sharing, in order to challenge and develop the participants’ practice over the course of two years. As well as to reflect on the changing conditions of the arts with an increasing emphasis on diversity, post- and de-colonial discourses, climate change and rapidly changing technologies.
Through laboratory-like workshops the participants work with artists—and frequently in collaboration with local and international institutions, independent spaces, and artists—in a range of formats that include critical sessions, publications and print editions, three-dimensional works, performances, and community events.
Theory can be a form of practice that also allows for investigating and challenging one’s position. Working with artists and professionals from different backgrounds the program participants are invited to consider what it means to be human with regards to technology, environment, image and identity production.
Work.Master aims to continuously encourage individual artistic practices across different media by making use of the diverse resources including studio work, experimental and collaborative projects. This practice is also questioned and tested through a variety of formats that range from autonomous projects set up by students, one-on-one sessions with tutors, group discussions with peers, annual Winter Meetings in which the works are provided with feedback from groups that include external guests to, ultimately, the Grand Tour—the graduation exhibition of the whole Department of Visual Arts of Geneva’s School of Art and Design.
Since February 2023 the programme is run under new leadership of curator and art historian Krzysztof Kosciuczuk and artist and historian Clovis Maillet.
The current faculty and guest tutors for 2022/23 includes: Marie-laure Allain Bonilla, Mabe Bethonico, Giulia Bini, Pauline Boudry, Emilie Ding, Bastien Gachet, Jill Gasparina, Fabrice Gygi, Calla Henkel and Max Pitegoff, Christophe Kihm, Donna Kukama, Reba Maybury, Laure Marville, Marlie Mul, Ileana Parvu, Aurélie Pétrel, Mai-Thu Perret, Emmanuelle Pireyre, Lili Reynaud Dewar, David Zerbib.
Among former tutors are: Marie Angeletti, Mathieu Copeland, Anthea Hamilton, Paulina Olowska, Sonia Kacem, Vaginal Davis and Olga Rozenblum.
Admissions 2023: For detailed information on the process see the Admissions page. Tuition fees: The tuition fee is CHF 575 per semester. Visas and Residence Permits: International students are welcome to consult the Student Affairs section of the website of HES-SO Genève.
