Professorship in socially engaged art practices at the Free University of Bolzano-Bozen (Italy)

The Faculty of Design and Art invites applications for a faculty professorship in socially engaged art practices (Italian scientific sector ICAR/13). The tenured position is offered at the level of full or associate professor.

POSITION
We are looking for a post-conceptual artist working in the field of socially engaged art. You have an artistic education (diploma, master) from an art university or similar. Your background is conceptual and post-conceptual. Ideally you acquired additional expertise in political theory, cultural-, pop- or gender studies or similar. You follow a critical and process-oriented approach, using contemporary media. We expect you to have/be part of a wide international network, having contacts with a wide scope of players in an expanded art context.
Important: Your current position must be tenured at a recognized University or an equivalent institution.

The position offered is a Full or Associate professorship in Art (Professore Ordinario / Associato). It is a tenured full-time position with a teaching load of 120-180 hours per annum. Salary is highly competitive at top European standards. Applicants may as well enjoy extensive fiscal advantages.

The working place is at the Bolzano Campus and the Faculty expects its professors to take up residence in the immediate vicinity of Bozen-Bolzano. The position offers a working opportunity in an international team of artists, designers and theorists open to collaborate on innovative and cross-disciplinary projects. Also, various funding possibilities for research (European, national, regional and internal university funding schemes) are at disposal. A multilingual working environment complete the offers of the position.
Approximate starting date: October 2022 / January 2023.

TEACHING
Teaching in all programs of the Faculty of Design and Art is conducted through semester projects as well as an extensive exchange between practice and theory. As a professor you will challenge the students to deal creatively, critically and innovatively with complex questions relating to relevant contemporary issues. In the excellently equipped and supervised workshops, projects can be physically realized by students and teachers. You will lead a course in politically engaged art. Your projects help to raise awareness of the political role of the artist in the globalized world. You will introduce students to artistic practices related to social hotspots of a society under global change and open eyes for marginalized groups.

RESEARCH
In your research, you adopt a critical position, explore innovative approaches to the ideation and creation of art works, materials and related (emerging) technologies, embracing interdisciplinary and/or transdisciplinary collaborations. You will also deal with the complex and articulated aspects of art practices by including social, environmental, material and/or technological dimensions. We participate in international research projects and our work is particularly visible all over the province of Bolzano, as our interdisciplinary and hands-on approach results in many fruitful collaborations, with a strong support from the local community.

FACULTY
We are a young faculty with a strong multidisciplinary and multinational approach. In our staff we have nationally and internationally recognized professionals. We have a solid network of international collaborations and high-end research and workshop facilities and are always open for new input and ideas.

The Faculty of Design and Art at the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano currently offers a Bachelor program with two majors: Design, Art, as well as a Master program in Eco-Social Design and the executive Master program ‘Design for Children’.

Teaching at the faculty follows an interdisciplinary project-based model, involving different disciplines and professionals in the main Art or Design courses. The complex contemporary issues addressed by the teaching teams require keen analytical skills and stimulate research as well as the individual creation of new solutions. The projects are conceived with the aim of encouraging the acquisition of skills related to the work carried out and favouring the gradual development of a personal working method and an artistic body of work.

We carefully choose our academic personnel by hiring renowned artists, designers and theorists (such as sociologists, anthropologists or media theorists) from abroad as guest/contract lecturers or tenured professors. We are a one of the world’s rare universities that offer their students lectures in three languages and a trilingual qualification in English, German and Italian.

More information is available on our website: https://www.unibz.it/en/faculties/design-art/

UNIVERSITY
The Free University of Bozen-Bolzano is located in one of the most fascinating European regions, at the crossroad between the German and Italian languages, economies and cultures. Its trilingualism in teaching and research, its high level of internationalisation as well as an ideal study environment guaranteed by its excellent facilities are some of the reasons why unibz regularly reaches top positions in national and international rankings.

REGION
In the provincial regions of Europe, especially those in Alpine environments, geopolitical conditions, climate warming and market forces present serious challenges while, simultaneously, offering unique opportunities for art and design. The province of Alto Adige/Südtirol offers a special cultural, historical, industrial and environmental landscape fostering the exploration of historical contexts and the development of new visions. This requires visionary qualities as much as the ability and experience in dealing with complexity and collaborative systems.

For more information, please contact Prof. Eva Leitolf: eva.leitolfunibz.it

For general information about the position, terms and conditions of working at the Faculty of Design and Art please contact the Faculty Dean Prof. Nitzan Cohen: nitzan.cohenunibz.it

REQUIREMENTS
According to Italian legislation, only candidates already holding an equivalent academic position of Full or Associate Professor at their current foreign university (a university outside Italy) are eligible to take part in this application process of a “direct call from abroad”. Application that do not satisfy this requirement will not be short-listed.

Furthermore, applicants need to provide the following:
a) Record of excellence in art-based practice and research on an international level, demonstrated by a detailed curriculum vitae, a detailed description of own projects (portfolio), catalogues / artist books and scientific publications.
b) Evidence of high-quality teaching and mentoring demonstrated through students’ work examples, short description of courses given and possible teaching evaluations.
c) Comprehensive vision towards own work, research and teaching as well as specifying future planned projects.
d) Proof of knowledge of at least two of three official teaching languages at the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano (English, Italian, German)

Application procedure
Please send the above mentioned together with:
- Names and full addresses of at least three referees (address, telephone number and e-mail)
- Specification of current academic position
- Expression of interest

For your curriculum vitae we recommend the use of the form “Attachment A – University Academic CV” available at the following website:
https://www.unibz.it/en/home/position-calls/positions-for-academic-staff/5465-icar-3-professor-in-socially-engaged-art-practices-full-or-associate?group=58

Your whole application, duly signed and dated on the last page, must be sent to Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Faculty of Design and Art, attn. Mrs. Elena Ghizzo, Universitätsplatz 1, 39100 Bozen, e-mail:
recruitment-designunibz.it

Expressions of interest will be accepted until January 15, 2022.
Short-listed candidates would be invited for personal interviews and public presentations in February 2022.