Sensorial Synergies: Celebrating OCAD U x EKA Residency Program in Estonia

Sensorial Synergies: Celebrating OCAD U x EKA Residency Program in Estonia

It is the second time that OCAD U and the Estonian Academy of Arts (EKA) have joined forces to organize a residency program. Following the success of the first residency in 2022, the 2024 artists-in-residence program expanded from a one-week residency of nine participants (three of which were OCAD U graduates) in 2022 to a two-week residency of 25 participants in 2024. Organized as an international collaborative course and funded through the federal government's Global Skills Opportunity program, 13 OCAD U students travelled to Tallinn, Estonia, to spend two summer weeks in August 2024 at EKA to explore technologically and creatively the theme of "Analogue + Digital Materials = Sensorial". This group of students consisted of three graduate students (Digital Futures, Inclusive Design, and Criticism and Curatorial Practice students) and ten undergraduate students (one Graphic Design, two Material Art & Design, three Sculpture & Installation, and four Environmental Design students). The facilitators were Dr. Nithikul Nimkulrat, Professor in the Material Art & Design program, Faculty of Design, OCAD U, and Dr. Kristi Kuusk, Senior Researcher and Azeem Hamid, PhD Student, Faculty of Design, EKA.

The course had two learning objectives. The first objective was to understand how human senses and sense making in the process of working with physical and digital materials in different forms across production technologies and disciplines can lead to the invention of sensorial artefacts and experiences. The second objective was to experiment ways of connecting people and practices when working together on a collaborative project, particularly how the process of making supports the learning of differences, not only between digital and analogue material practices but also between the students of various areas of expertise and cultural backgrounds.

The Explorations

Based on their previous work and statements uploaded to Padlet prior to the start of the residency, the 25 participants were split into seven cross-institutional teams, each having three to four members. Throughout the residency, updates and progress were documented and communicated on Padlet to avoid multiple communication platforms that the participants used in their institutions. Each team was asked to explore possibilities of merging analogue and digital materials in an interdisciplinary context. This exploration focused on group discussions and experimentation around the meaning of "analogue", digital", and "sensorial" across different technologies and disciplines. Not only did their immersive experience and creative journey take place in the studios/labs, including the Ceramics Studio, Digital Prototyping Lab, Digital Weaving Studio, E-Textiles Lab, Leather Accessory Studio, and Virtual Reality (VR) Lab, they also extended to the natural, social, and cultural environments that surrounded, and were absorbed by, the participants.

Once the participants were informed of their team members, they got together to learn about one another's practice. On the morning of the first day, the technician gave a tour of their respective studio/lab so that the participants gained a basic understanding of possibilities and limitations of creation production in each of the studios/labs (Figure 1). After this, the participants selected two workshops to which they would attend on the next two days (Figure 2). Most OCAD U students were excited about the workshops, especially when it was the first time for them to have a hands-on experience with the materials and technologies that they had not worked with before.

The participants were free to find a way to work together, to conceptualize their proposed creative projects, and to experiment with analogue and digital materials in various studios and labs as they found interesting. Places for making were not confined; the participants were not required to work inside the EKA building but could roam around the modern city and old town, nature, and historical and cultural sites that harmoniously existed in the everyday life of Tallinn residents and in proximity to EKA (Figure 3). While several participants enjoyed the autonomy of working independently in the studios, others were fascinated and inspired by the untamed nature; beaches and animals (birds and highland cows!) could be seen in the areas close to EKA