Prof. Chris Kondek
Controversy Mapping and Visual Network Analysis for Artists
Workshop, English/Deutsch, 2 SWS, 2 ECTS
Mondays, 14-18 h, 4 times: 18.11., 25.11., 2.12., 9.12.2024 plus Saturday/Sunday, 10-17 h at 18./19.1.2025, Hardenbergstr. 33, room 110

Registration on Moodle starts 14.10.2024 / Anmeldung auf Moodle beginnt am 14.10.2024:
https://moodle.udk-berlin.de/moodle/course/view.php?id=2463
Moodle Enrollment Key / Einschreibeschlüssel: mapping

Increasingly, artists are examining social, political and environmental issues. The deeper we delve into these contentious issues the more we need to to be able to identify the intricate web of interactions between key actors, both human and non-humans. Controversy Mapping is a collection of methods artists can use to explore complex and contentious issues by identifying key stakeholders, their arguments, and the intricate web of interactions between them.  Visualizing these networks of relations helps us tell more intricate stories and uncover hidden connections between actors.

In the first phase of this workshop, we will explore a local conflict. Ideally something happening in Berlin where we ourselves will be able to collect data, identify the key stake holders, both human and non-human, and discuss their relationships. Other digital methods such as web scrapping will also be discussed. In the second phase we will we visualize these relationships in a map or a network graph. These can be done by hand or by using simple online network analysis tools such as Gephi. The workshop will involve as well an introduction to these tools. The final result should be an image, graph or map, of a contentious issue that presents the issue in an intuitive way that helps us understand the complexities involved.

Konkrete Leistungsanforderungen für den unbenoteten Schein // Fulfilment criteria for ungraded accreditation: active and regular participation, individual visualization project within the seminar framework.

Chris Kondek, born in Boston in 1962, started as a video designer for theater in 1990 working with the New York Theater company The Wooster Group. In 1995 he began a multi-year collaboration with performance artist Laurie Anderson; in the late 90's he made video for productions by Robert Wilson, The Builder's Association and Michael Nyman. After moving to Berlin in 1999 Kondek established himself in the German Theater world, working with directors Stefan Pucher, Falk Richter, Jossi Wieler, Armin Petras among many others, as well as with choreographer Meg Stuart. In 2007 Kondek created video for the first of many opera productions with Sebastian Baumgarten. With director Lydia Styer he worked on Stockhausen's “Donnerstag aus Licht”, which was named production of the year 2016 by Opernwelt magazine. For his video work in theater Kondek received the OPUS/Deutscher Bühne Prize in 2008 and the Faust Theater Prize in 2012. Since fall 2023, he and Prof. Christiane Kühl share the Professorship for Interdisciplinary Artistic Practice and Theory at Studium Generale at UdK Berlin.