Weimar, Germany

Free Your Painting

“Lend your ears to music, open your eyes to painting, and... stop thinking! Just ask yourself whether the work has enabled you to 'walk about' into a hitherto unknown world. If the answer is yes, what more do you want?” Kandinsky.

Aimed at the painter, fine art student or individual who employs paint as part of their wider creative practice (i.e. design, architecture). The course offers a chance to stretch your understanding and abilities of rendering materials, tints, splatters and pigment while testing what it is to paint amongst our current, expanded realms of painting.

Practical, hands-on (group and individual) exercises will kick start the course, e.g., effecting pigment, use of grounds, surface and layering with new possibilities for handling and applying materials. Experimentation will invite participants to further examine paintings’ traits: colour and light; shape and line; space and scale; surface and spatial depth; illusion, allusion and expression.

Over the two week period, artist Alex Roberts will provide a platform that collaboratively exposes new modes of agency, materials, extends technical skills; expanding current methodologies and experience – facilitating a painting exchange. Participants will be given the chance to view the exclusive collections in the Zeitgenössiche Kunst, Neues Museum Weimar, and receive a series of presentations, and discourse about contemporary painting. The play with materials, rethinking of processes will be accompanied by critique, culminating with open ateliers to share identified findings.

Course leader

Alex Roberts
Artist - painter. Painting, drawing, fine art, installation, collaboration, curating, educator.

Target group

The course is geared towards all student groups from fields such as fine arts, visual arts, design, and architecture (BA to PhD students).

Credits info

3 EC
After successful completion of the language course, you will receive a certificate of participation issued by the Bauhaus Summer School. I

Participants earn 3 credit points (ECTS) after completion of the two-week course. In order to receive credit points, t is necessary to attend at least 80% of the course lessons and to fulfil the required tasks. It is possible to receive 2 extra credit points (ECTS) for the course if you book an additional module.

Prior to your participation, it is essential that you clarify whether your home university will recognise the foreign credits you intend to earn.

If you would like to receive a grade, you must discuss this with the teacher at the beginning of the course! The fulfilment of additional tasks may be necessary.

Fee info

EUR 890: 690 EURO for students & alumni
350 EURO for BUW students

The course fee includes:

- Orientation & Support
- Programme according to description
- Teaching materials
- Bauhaus Summer School ID card
- Daily Lunch at the University Cafeteria (Monday - Friday)
- Certificate
- Internet access at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar
- Free use of library
- Accompanying programme including excursions
- Free entrance to museums belonging to Klassik Stiftung Weimar

The course fee does NOT include:

- Travel costs
- Accommodation
- Insurance
- Additional module(s) (190 €)