Introduction
This assignment was part of the final year module ‘Performing Germany’, as taught by Dr Sarah Pogoda (Bangor University).
The assessment of the module was composed of:
- An in-class test (20%)
- A 3000 words essay (60%)
- A creative assignment and reflection (20%)
This work is an example of the latter.
Here is a description of the activity:
1. We start with a creative exploration into Christoph Schlingensief’s aesthetic strategies, if so wished addressing the projects “Please love Austria” or “Finding Germany ‘99”.
2. Students have the choice to either
- translate a column written by Schlingensief from German into English,
- translate a text from the hypertext Verifiktion from German into English, or
- to translate Christoph Schlingensief’s aesthetic strategies into their own artwork. The artwork could be drawing, painting, literature, performance, music, design or other.
3. Students work creatively for 30 minutes.
4. Short interim and group reflection on work in progress.
5. Students work 15 more minutes on their creative piece.
6. Students stop with creative part and are instructed to prepare a 5-minute presentation (see below). They have 5 minutes to prepare and make notes.
Assessment
The creative piece itself is not marked, but the presentation. The presentation is marked towards the following expectations. Students should demonstrate that:
- you can create your own field/query for investigation
- you are able to identify means for investigation (method, tools, processes)
- are able to reflect on the process and its epistemic trajectory (learning process)
- you have an understanding of Schlingensief‘s projects (Deutschlandsuche 99 and/or Please love Austria)
- you have a wider understanding of Schlingensief’s idea of art
Rationale
This activity allows students to explore a given artistic work through their own creative practice. Furthermore, it puts into practice skills such as time management (they have a given time to do the activity), presentation skills, or handling questions
Further examples
In example 1, we find a transcreation of Fernschreiber column (written by Christoph Schlingensief during the Finding Germany ’99 project). Student applied the artistic concept and narrative of Fernschreiber to their hometown Boston. Student opted for using target language German for better echoing the source texts. Attached here is a document with further notes on their work and a presentation in German explaining their artistic practice.
In example 2, we can see Christoph Schlingensief’s Transgression of theatre into the Public Sphere. Student visualised how Schlingensief dialectically deployed and transgressed the limitations of theatre for activating his audience and triggering effects of art outside its traditional institutional realms. Attached here we can listen to their presentation (in English).
Creative modern languages 