HOUSERULES SUMMER SCHOOL was a free experiment that took place in London for the entire month of July 2016. It urged openness to new experiences and insights to be gained through communication between teachers and learners and between different disciplines.
It was an intense period of learning and making, using the nomadic, collaborative and experimental approach cultivated by HOUSERULES. It was run by Nadia Berri and Ben Faga, the instigators of HOUSERULES.
Ten people from various disciplines in the visual arts, dance, drama, film, literature, architecture or music were chosen to participate as learners through an open call and interview process.
Contributing teachers were outstanding personalities from all walks of intellectual and creative life who delivered individual teaching sessions. They had complete freedom in the choice of their topic, organization of the session and its location. In this way we intended to be forever nomadic and to explore the potential of the city. Teaching sessions took any form: from a workshop, seminar, conversation, a formal talk or a visit. The aim was that teachers would not simply pass on their progressive, humanistic ideas and their artistic findings to the learners, but would continue to develop these ideas in dialogue with them.
The afternoon sessions were held in a variety of spaces and places in London. The types of locations we worked in ranged from studios to laundrettes, car parks, heaths, warehouses, cafes, community centres etc.
We usually started with discussions inspired by what happened in the mornings. We then eased into devising work individually and/or collaboratively. We wanted to create an environment of exchange and dialogue between the various disciplines as well as the themes presented throughout the month.
HOUSERULES SUMMER SCHOOL was a participatory and indeterminate adventure for everybody and what happened was directed and shaped by all involved.
HOUSERULES SUMMER SCHOOL is about the pleasure of learning, collaborating and seeing. As Joseph Albers who taught at The Bauhaus and Black Mountain College put it “What counts here – first and last – is not so-called knowledge of so-called facts, but vision – seeing […] Schauen as in (Weltanschauung)”.
Its potential for a future expanded alternative liberal arts school FOR ALL has been inspired by the principles and ideas of schools such as Black Mountain College, North Carolina (1933 – 1957), The Bauhaus (1919 – 1933) and Joseph Beuys’ Free International University (1973 – 1988).
Check out images, videos, sound from the month’s adventure!
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0BwzHXsOZtfRwem1FQUd6Ui04a0U