Delightful Doing 2 – „Artistic Practice: Ways of Questioning the World“

„Delightful Doing“ is an interdisciplinary, public lecture series organised by the Gemstone and Jewellery Campus in Idar-Oberstein and presented as part of the Idar-Oberstein FormDiskurs, a cultural programme dedicated to promoting dialogue between academia, the arts and the general public. 

It takes place every winter term on the campus at Saarstraße 2 in Idar-Oberstein and focuses on a different theme each time, linking artistic creation with broader cultural, social and intellectual issues.

Invited artists, researchers and thinkers contribute their own perspectives and experiences. ‘Delightful Doing’ is open to students, members of the university community and the general public, and creates a space for exchange and discussion. The talks are held in English and attendance is free of charge.
 

Artistic Practice: Ways of Questioning the World 

What does it mean to conduct research through artistic practice? What kind of knowledge can emerge from it? The openness of the artistic process – the unpredictability of its course and outcome, as well as of its effect on those who encounter the work – holds a particular potential for insight. Further perspectives emerge when different disciplines and forms of knowledge come together. What happens when their methods meet? What new questions can arise from these encounters?

Delightful Doing 2 approaches these considerations from different points of view. The four lectures follow neither a fixed definition nor a shared understanding of the field. Instead, they offer possible responses to an open question: What can be discovered through these different paths – and how might they change our understanding of what research can be?

Speakers and Dates:

• 28.10.2026, 18:30 Uhr – Jürgen Krause „Before the Work Begins“
  In his artistic practice, Jürgen Krause works with drawing, objects and installations, placing particular emphasis on preparation, technical skill and a conscious approach to materials. Activities such as priming paper, drawing lines or sharpening tools form the starting point for an open working process. The focus is on the relationship between knowledge and uncertainty: preparation lays the groundwork, but does not determine the outcome. His work explores what knowledge is necessary to engage with the unpredictable – and what knowledge only emerges during the process itself.
   
• 11.12.2026, 18:30 Uhr – Nikolas Papadimitriou, Akis Goumas & Biljana Klekachkoska „The Productive Unknown“
  Nikolas Papadimitriou, Akis Goumas and Biljana Klekachkoska combine archaeology, historical research and contemporary jewellery in their joint exploration of experimental archaeology. In this process, archaeological knowledge and historical sources intersect with artistic practice, experience of materials and open-ended experimentation. The focus is on the question of what can emerge from the exchange between these disciplines and how methods and perspectives are thereby transformed. Klekachkoska, a graduate of the Gemstone and Jewellery programme in Idar-Oberstein, contributes in particular her expertise in filigree techniques and contemporary jewellery.
   
• 13.01.2027, 18:30 Uhr – Silvia Henke „Rethinking Artistic Research“
  Silvia Henke explores the question of how artistic research can be understood as an independent form of thought and knowledge production. Together with other authors, she developed the Manifesto of Artistic Research, which regards aesthetic experience and artistic practice as specific forms of knowledge. Her lecture explores what insights can arise through materiality, perception and artistic practice, and which of these may not be captured by traditional scientific methods. It also addresses the significance of artistic research for education, society and new forms of learning.
   
• 20.01.2027, 18:30 Uhr – Patrícia Domingues & Edu Tarín „From Practice to Research – and Back“
  Patrícia Domingues and Edu Tarín are exploring the transition from artistic practice to academic research and the changes that undertaking a PhD can bring to one’s own work. In her completed doctoral thesis, Domingues examines stone, fracture, landscape and the relationship between material autonomy and artistic control. Tarín’s ongoing research focuses on the relationship between craft and technology, combining traditional craft production techniques with machinery and new forms of production. Both reflect on how research questions arise from artistic practice and how these can change upon entering an academic context.

The talks will be held in English and attendance is free of charge. Further information can be found on our Website and in the Flyer.