Jan van Eyck Academie
Post-Academic Institute
for Research and Production
Fine Art, Design, Theory
Jan van Eyck Academie
Post-Academic Institute
for Research and Production
Fine Art, Design, Theory
The Jan van Eyck Academie is an institute for research and production in the fields of fine art, design and theory, based in Maastricht in the south of The Netherlands. The academy offers individuals and institutes the opportunity to submit research or production proposals. Besides, the Jan van Eyck itself also initiates projects for which artists, designers and theoreticians can apply. In order to realise these projects the academy offers the necessary made-to-measure artistic, technical and auxiliary preconditions and develops contacts with external partners. Since the academy is not led by predetermined leitmotivs, the subject matters of the various research projects of the international artists, designers and theoreticians are heterogeneous. These miscellaneous projects form the basis for several events which are organised each week: lectures, seminars, screenings, exhibitions,? External interested parties are welcome to attend these activities. The result is a dynamic and critical exchange between the different agents from within and without the Jan van Eyck.
Palma sub pondere crescitur – It are great things that break new ground when they encounter resistance
As early as August 1928, priest Leo W. Linssen, architect Alphons Boosten and artist Jan Engelman meet to discuss the state of art in the province of Limburg. Whatever arguments they adduce in favour of the establishment of a catholic art academy in the south of the country, their ideas never materialise and many years pass without any decisive action being undertaken.
The term ‘research’ in the subheading to Jan van Eyck Academie indicates that the institute offers space and time to let go of predetermined processes and results and to explore new inroads which may lead to unexpected results. The term ‘research’ also refers to the inherently discursive nature of (the making of) art, design and theory. ‘Discursive’ denotes the discussion of the artist, designer or theoretician with him/herself and others, with like-minded people or with those who differ, with tradition and topicality. Art, design and theory are essentially determined by this discursive approach.
The Jan van Eyck Academie Foundation is supervised by a board. Each year, one or two members of the board retire and are replaced according to a roster of resignation. New appointments to the board are based on qualities that are linked to policy priorities of the academy and the division of tasks within the board.
The Jan van Eyck contains three departments: Fine art, Design and Theory. The departments are led by a team of advising researchers. The selection of individual or collective research projects is carried out per department. The artistic policy of each department is inspired by the selection of these research projects and the specific profiles of the artists, designers and theoreticians. Apart from this, each department formulates additional research projects, for which researchers can be recruited.
The Jan van Eyck is not a training institute. The Jan van Eyck does not award diplomas. There are no students nor teachers at the Jan van Eyck. Advising researchers and researchers work at the Jan van Eyck. Both researchers and advising researchers, formulate research projects and realise productions. In that sense they do ‘the same thing’ at the Jan van Eyck. Both can make use of the facilities of the institute for this purpose. The difference between the two is in their curriculum – a difference which could also be translated to the descriptions ‘junior’ and ‘senior’ researcher.