by George Maciunas
The Centre is being created in recognition of the great contribution made by Bauhaus and Black Mountain as a think-tank and training ground for the future avant-garde. The acquisition of a beautiful “village” of a group of some 12 buildings in the township of New Marlborough presents the possibility of creating a similar center that could devote itself to:
1. study, research, experimentation and development of various advanced ideas and forms in art, history of art, design & documentation,
2. teaching small groups of apprentices in subjects and through procedures not found in colleges,
3. production and marketing of various products, objects and events developed at the centre,
4. organization of events and performances by residents and visitors of the centre.
The Centre would be structured as follows:
1. Studios, workshops and residencies for permanent and visiting members of the community would be housed in buildings 3 to 12, the tentative list of members is as follows:
(a) permanent residents
(b) visiting members
[for full list of artists see Vidokle publication]
2. School-workshop. Students will be accepted on a part time basis. For most part instruction will be individual. Students will maintain a working relationship with the staff. When appropriate, students will assist the staff in their ongoing research. At all times students shall be considered part of the learning community on an equal basis. Students will be introduced to a wide range of experience not ordinarily found in conventional schools and art programs.
3. Library, archives and exhibit space (buildings 1a, 2, 13). It would contain reference material on past & present avant-garde, original documents, prototypes, possibly contain archives of photo-documentation (Peter Moore’s), exhibit new work in sound, graphics, objects, video etc. and would contain the “learning machine” being developed by G. Maciunas.
4. Performance space (chamber music room in 1b, theatre in building 2) & lawn bandstand. Music room to be used for small scale, solo events, music, lectures, video presentations, suitable for audiences up to 40. Theatre with audiences up in balconies and a 30ft ×60ft performance space in the middle, for multi-media, inter-media performances, events, theatre, music, dance, cinema, new sports, gamesetc.Suitable for audiencesup to 100.
5. Technical workshops (located in basements of building 2 & 3) to contain equipment for electronic music, video, machine shop, wood working shop, ceramic workshop, photo darkroom, film editing & processing, recording studio, chemical laboratory.
included in "Exhibition As School in a Divided City" by Anton Vidokle
http://www.manifesta6.org.cy/MEDIA/NOTESFORANARTSCHOOL/02.pdf