Masteruppsatser / HDK-Valand (2020-)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://gupea-staging.ub.gu.se/handle/2077/62837

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Staying in the Questions
(2025) Wendel, Peter; University of Gothenburg/HDK-Valand - Academy of Art and Design; Göteborgs universitet/HDK-Valand - Högskolan för konst och design
This essay reflects on the relationship between art, artifi cial intelligence, and introspection, centering on how questions, rather than answers, drive creative creation. It starts with a personal experience in Tokyo, where symbols and memories from the subconscious suddenly emerge. In a dialogue with AI, this essay is a reflection on how symbols in art could serve as keys to the hidden and bridge the past, present, and future by combining philosophical and psychological standpoints. The essay examines how intuition, emotional presence, and technical tools add new dimensions to artistic expression and how questions open doors to a deeper understanding of the self and the world. It finally raises questions about the ethical and existential sides of integrating artificial intelligence into creating a work of art. At the heart of this exploration lies the influence of Heidegger, Jung, Freud, and Berger, whose ideas shape the framework of my artistic process. Heidegger’s concept of “being-towards-death” underscores the significance of embracing questions and uncertainties in creative work. Jung’s theories on symbols and individuation provide a lens to view the artistic journey as an integration of the conscious and unconscious. Freud’s notion of sublimation reveals how art can transform repressed emotions into meaningful expressions. Berger’s reflections on the viewer’s gaze remind me that art is a dialogue not just with the self, but also with the audience, inviting them to complete the narrative through their own interpretations. Together, these thinkers guide the philosophical and psychological dimensions of this essay and my practice.
TWO AND A HALF HOURS OF PHONE CALL, AND SHE WAS CRYING
(2025) Florentzi, Ioulia; University of Gothenburg/HDK-Valand - Academy of Art and Design; Göteborgs universitet/HDK-Valand - Högskolan för konst och design
How do people attracted to men experience love and sex in patriarchy, and how can feminist art, commons, and feminist friendship counteract patriarchal partners and empower women?
FROM GYM TO GUILDS - On sister-friend tactics, weak resistance, young girls and body politics in contemporary art
(2025) Molińska, Kinga; University of Gothenburg/HDK-Valand - Academy of Art and Design; Göteborgs universitet/HDK-Valand - Högskolan för konst och design
This essay explores the concept of "sister-friend tactics" as a form of weak resistance within the context of body politics and contemporary art. Drawing from personal experiences, feminist theory, and selected artistic practices, Kinga Molińska investigates how everyday acts of relational solidarity - such as going to the gym together, sharing family secrets, and borrowing clothes - can serve as subtle yet transformative forms of resistance against hegemonic structures, including patriarchy, neoliberalism, institutional conservatism, and biopolitical control over the female body. Grounded in the Polish sociopolitical landscape and informed by theorists such as Ewa Majewska, Sara Ahmed, and Elisabeth Grosz, the essay introduces weak resistance as an alternative to heroic, confrontational modes of dissent. Through case studies of artists Mari Keski-Korsu, Julia Woronowicz, and Olga Micińska, Molińska illustrates how artistic practices can materialise care, relationality, and feminist solidarity. The essay proposes that by foregrounding embodied, affective, and material processes, sister-friend tactics offer new political imaginaries and modes of agency rooted in collective, everyday experience.
Rehearsals of Refusal: Potential History and Its Anti-Imperial Onto - Epistemology in Artistic Research
(2025) Antchougova, Maria; University of Gothenburg/HDK-Valand - Academy of Art and Design; Göteborgs universitet/HDK-Valand - Högskolan för konst och design
This essay explores Ariella Aïsha Azoulay’s concept of potential history as articulated in her book Potential History: Unlearning Imperialism, focusing specifically on its relationship to artistic research practices. By analysing Azoulay’s curatorial project Errata and Theresa Weber’s exhibition Alle Menschen werden Brüder, this essay demonstrates how artistic research projects can critically engage with and embody the refusal of imperial epistemologies advocated for by Azoulay. Azoulay’s exhibition uses archival recontextualisation to critically interrogate historical narratives, authority, and authenticity, while Weber’s work addresses themes of hybridity, identity, and belonging through artistic reinterpretation of historical narratives. Together, these projects highlight the potential of artistic research to actively challenge dominant epistemologies and create space for alternative forms of historical understanding.
Modus - The Sacred Geometry
(2020-05) Omari, Moe; University of Gothenburg/HDK-Valand - Academy of Art and Design; Göteborgs universitet/HDK-Valand - Högskolan för konst och design
This project is a study in geometry and form that results in the creation of a work of Art. “Modus” form consists of geometric elements combined in a 3-dimensional form that can be installed in different compositions to create bespoke artwork. This model is inspired by the Muqarnas (for Stalactite Vault), which is a key component in Arabic Architecture. The adornments take shape through the repetition and interlacing of patterns over different levels and planes. The outcome of this project was exhibited through shows in galleries and as a permanent public art installation. Through the process of experimenting, I have investigated working with materials with a focus on metal and different alloys, while paying special attention to their characteristics and properties. My primary artistic focus was to create a pattern of solid elements through the choice of materials, surface treatment, and the composition of repetitive patterns; and how the numerous attempts to produce a specific design become a pattern of objects.
Can I (Please) Have It Back
(2024-05) Alm Nordsveen, Sofie; University of Gothenburg/HDK-Valand - Academy of Art and Design; Göteborgs universitet/HDK-Valand - Högskolan för konst och design
In "Can I (please) have it back?" I am looking at how violence is stored in the flesh. I am focusing on the journey of healing through three sculptures by taking on the roles both as violator and victim. I look at the healing possibilities of craft both in the materials and in my self and use acts of repetition to reflect on how violence affects us. In my writing I focus on what violence is to me, and how my working process embodies violence. I look into the political sides of working with and talking about violence and discuss how the personal is political. I describe my process as working through and with flesh, and go more into the roles of violator/victim, as I wrestle and argue with my materials. I aim to talk about, inhabit and reflect on violent and caring acts, as I am both the violator and the healer of the indulged damage and my own flesh.
In Search of Understanding the Tension That Is Driving Me Crazy
(2024) Štrumbelj Oblak, Iza; University of Gothenburg/HDK-Valand - Academy of Art and Design; Göteborgs universitet/HDK-Valand - Högskolan för konst och design
Queering as Artistic Method
(2024) Tonberg, Catja; University of Gothenburg/HDK-Valand - Academy of Art and Design; Göteborgs universitet/HDK-Valand - Högskolan för konst och design
Exploring how systemic design can contribute to tackling the challenge of talent attraction
(2024) Ouyang, Xinyue; University of Gothenburg/HDK-Valand - Academy of Art and Design; Göteborgs universitet/HDK-Valand - Högskolan för konst och design
This project explores how systemic design can tackle the challenge of talent attraction within the City of Gothenburg. By employing a qualitative methodology that integrates ethnographic approaches with systemic design practices, the study examines the complex dynamics of talent attraction from multiple perspectives. Through the engagement of municipal employees and higher education students, the research investigates different stakeholder perceptions and co-creates potential strategies for improvement. Drawing, used as part of the systemic design process, helps to visualize and understand these complexities. The findings suggest that systemic design can significantly enhance stakeholder collaboration and improve the communicative clarity of systemic relationships, contributing to more effective talent attraction strategies in municipal contexts.
TAGO - Create Your Play
(2024) University of Gothenburg/HDK-Valand - Academy of Art and Design; Göteborgs universitet/HDK-Valand - Högskolan för konst och design; Beyza Kasapoglu, Hasibe
TAGO explores designing a play object that enhances bodily TAGO explores designing a play object that enhances bodily movements, symbolic play, and sensory exploration in indoor play for preschool children aged 3 to 6. In this project, product design is combined with child culture design using a participatory design approach to enhance the indoor play experience of preschool children. This project points out the lack of bodily movements in children’s play in indoor environments. Indoor play often leans towards sedentary activities like drawing, especially when outdoor play space is limited (Sandseter, Storli, Sando 2022). Recognizing the importance of physical activity for children’s overall development, the project sought to encourage bodily movements through playful interactions. Additionally, sensory exploration and symbolic play were prioritized to foster learning and imagination.This project was initiated by investigating ambiguous ‘donut’ shapes, which are hypothesized to increase ambiguity and affordances in children’s play in an indoor context; different ambiguous shapes are also included in the design iterations. The outcome of this project will be a designed object that allows open-ended free play by bodily movements in children’s play while promoting symbolic play and sensory exploration through different sizes and surface texture combinations.
Conversations with friends
(2024) Lin, Qianyi; University of Gothenburg/HDK-Valand - Academy of Art and Design; Göteborgs universitet/HDK-Valand - Högskolan för konst och design
"Conversations with Friends: A Guide to Communicating with Furry Friends." An illustrative guidebook for children that aims to incorporate animal perspectives to foster empathy and respect for animals. It features vibrant illustrations and engaging text, enhanced by doodle art, to capture the attention of young readers. The book includes interactive activities and reflections on animal behavior, designed to foster empathy and raise awareness among children about the consequences of their actions. It guides children on adopting behaviors that ensure compassionate interactions with animals. For the better understanding, the main animal of this book will focus on dogs and cats in general.Utilizing a blend of co-creation workshop and participatory design methodologies, this project investigates how animal perspectives can be effectively transformed into instructional content. The target audience includes children aged 5-10, who can enjoy the book with parental guidance, and those aged 10 and above, who can read independently. The book is designed to accommodate various literacy levels and learning styles, making it accessible to a broad range of young readers. The goal of this project is to contribute to the sparse literature on animal abuse by utilizing qualitative research methods and integrating service design and social design methodologies, such as prototype testing and feedback loops with children. Few studies have directly addressed children's cognitive processes through the lens of animal perspectives. Understanding how animals might misinterpret children's invitations to play, such as feeling threatened when interrupted during sleep, is crucial. By enabling children to grasp an animal’s interpretation of vital aspects of a situation, we can improve child-animal interactions. The goal is to establish design principles that facilitate learning through multiple touch points—visual, textual, and interactive. These principles can be broadly implemented in educational materials aimed at instilling compassion and ethical behavior towards animals in young learners.
A felted fabulation of vǫlur
(2024) Risgaard-Nielsen, Ann-Maj; University of Gothenburg/HDK-Valand - Academy of Art and Design; Göteborgs universitet/HDK-Valand - Högskolan för konst och design
In a composition of sculptures and smaller artifacts, this project seeks to explore the speculative growth of the Nordic Sorceress, The Fyrkat Vǫlva, with the organic aesthetics and water-based methods of the technique, Nuno felting. The project deals with Nordic femininity and magic by exploring the historical knowledge drawn from the grave of The Fyrkat Vǫlva. The technique, Nuno felting, functions as a speculative tool to explore the past, present and future of The Fyrkat Vǫlva. The sculptures are accompanied by a speculative fabulated text drawing on the artist's own thoughts on growing up in the area of the grave.
Unfoldings
(2024) Mattebo, Malin; University of Gothenburg/HDK-Valand - Academy of Art and Design; Göteborgs universitet/HDK-Valand - Högskolan för konst och design
Drawing on the writings of Gilles Deleuze and Sara Ahmed, Unfoldings explores the significance of folds, traces, and materiality. Through studio practice and theoretical inquiry, the materiality of textiles serves as a catalyst for sensory experiences and narrative expression. Resulting in an exploration of how craft can beunderstood as storytelling within a contemporary context
Staging an Experience
(2024) Hedberg, Alexandra; University of Gothenburg/HDK-Valand - Academy of Art and Design; Göteborgs universitet/HDK-Valand - Högskolan för konst och design
Staging an Experience explores the possibilities of staging as a tool to engage the spectator, by activating the spectator. Staging is here considered as a wider concept for setting up for an experience and allowing for co-creation within the spectator. Installation art, some tools in theatre staging, and the concept of the open work of art, are discussed in part A. Part B consists of the Artist Box “Pretext” which contains the Artist Book “on textile”, the index files cards “a proper reference list” and reproductions of drawings. The Artist Box is a form of staging offering food for thought and participation when it comes to interpretation of the art works within the project. “Pretext”, an art piece in itself, is in this paper presented through documentation photos and texts from the box
“Det är väl mest bara för läraren?”
(2024) Wahlberg, Agnes; University of Gothenburg/HDK-Valand - Academy of Art and Design; Göteborgs universitet/HDK-Valand - Högskolan för konst och design
Earlier research show that documentation of the artistic process by students can promote self-assessment, ownership of learning and the development of one's artistic identity. The aim of this study is to deepen the understanding of documentation of the artistic process as a phenomenon, using an autoethnographic method paired with a phenomenological lens. The autoetnography involves several interactive interviews with students attending a visual art programme at a Swedish upper-secondary school as well as an a/r/tographic exploration, by the researcher, of multimodal documentation. Thus, the study attempts to answer the following questions: (1) How can a multimodal approach of documenting the artistic process take form? (2) How do students experience documenting the artistic process in visual art education? (3) What didactic implications follow the students’ attitudes to document the artistic process in visual art education? The results indicate that by using different modes in the documentation one can better capture the essence of the artistic process. Furthermore, two different forms of documentation were found; a documentation of the artistic process and a documentation about the artistic process. The students mainly documented about the artistic process through text, which they found boring, repetitive and meaningless – something they only did because the teacher asked them to. Their documentation was often separated from their artistic process, done at the end of a project. Therefore one can question whether the students are even documenting the artistic process, or rather creating a narrative around it afterwards. The study highlights the importance of varying methods and different modes in documentation to truly capture the artistic process, which could (hopefully) make it more meaningful and interesting for students in the visual art subject.
Still going to DRUM
(2024) Hagberth, Jonas; Hagberth, Jonas; University of Gothenburg/HDK-Valand - Academy of Art and Design; Göteborgs universitet/HDK-Valand - Högskolan för konst och design
This project explores through design the transformative impact of artificial intelligence and automation on labor, particularly within creative fields, through the lens of artisanal AI, AI systems developed with a focus on personal craftsmanship and ethical data practices. Through design speculations rooted in an autoethnographic approach, it explores creative practices, and implications of AI on the creative human in a future post-work society where AI has largely automated labor. Employing drumming as an embodied method used to generate data for artisanal AI algorithms, a counter hegemonic and ethical alternative to dominant data practices and AI driven narratives is presented. Through these algorithms, which are embodied and mediated through an artisanally crafted drumming robot, the project raises several important questions that challenge the prevailing perception of AI, contrasting and highlighting the role of authenticity, ethics, agency, alienation of labor, creativity in contrast to mere utility, and the human element within creative practices. Situating the project within ethical AI and post-work discourses, it seeks to not only envision future roles of the individual creator, but also engage in the bigger discussion on the entanglements of technology and humanity within a data driven society. By merging the artisanal with the algorithmic, this project offers both critique and also a vision for a future where technology ethically amplifies human agency and creativity.
Subjects of narrative
(2024) Metzger, Cedric; University of Gothenburg/HDK-Valand - Academy of Art and Design; Göteborgs universitet/HDK-Valand - Högskolan för konst och design
Subjects of Narrative researches a design methodology mediating shifts in perception, placing storytelling at its core, through using narratives as a red thread to engage individuals in perceptive experiences. An investigation of being together as beings, to open fruitful conversations about wider social, environmental and political issues, through experiences, that sink in and allow a long-term understanding. How can one transform that into a suitable form of interaction, that fits both the initiator and responding? Introducing the concept of Spatial Narration, the research takes storytelling into three-dimensionality, utilising embodied sensory engagement and rhizomatic thinking to enrich not only the moment we are in, but to create an enduring form of mediation that sticks with us and influences the perception and interactions we have. While facing the challenges of interactivity and display, it seeks to redefine spaces, transforming audiences into active components of the latter, through different forms of engagement, and creating a circulating process, that leaves its traces with and through its participants. Subjects of Narrative strives to bridge disciplinary gaps, expand its transdisciplinary potential, and become a versatile methodology for societal impact.
Value and Worth
(2024) Berglund, Therése; University of Gothenburg/HDK-Valand - Academy of Art and Design; Göteborgs universitet/HDK-Valand - Högskolan för konst och design
This project is about the reusing of materials and circular economy in the interior design and architecture industry. I have been exploring the topic and discourse of recycling, in order to execute a project in alignment with the sustainability goals. This has involved investigating the design process in various recycling projects, understanding the latest technological breakthroughs, and mapping the field of the political influences relevant to the topic. The starting point of the project was to deepdive into the process of interior recycling and the reusing of resources and materials in interior architecture projects. This has been a big topic within the architecture industry for the past years and it’s an important approach to interior projects in order to make the industry sustainable and a circular economy. My research question has been about the perception of value in recycled materials, in relation to design and interior architecture. The project has included interviews with experts, both within the interior architecture industry and in the recycling industry, workshops with companies that focus on recycling of materials, and testing and pushing products to its limits. In my design process and as a methodology, I used the knowledge of Neurodesign, an interdisciplinary field of neuroscience and design. The project became a collaboration with the company SWT Paper, in Varberg, and the result is a module system and patterns designed for a product made from recycled paper, called the M-board.
My anxious kinship of furniture - an alchemy of making
(2024) Holmberg, Amalia; University of Gothenburg/HDK-Valand - Academy of Art and Design; Göteborgs universitet/HDK-Valand - Högskolan för konst och design
My Anxious Kinship of Furniture is an exploration of personal disadvantages transformed into creative advantages. It is an exploration rooted in autoethnographic methods. It is grounded in the belief that what one creates is an extension of the self, weaving personal narratives into the fabric of design. This project delves into personal experiences with anxiety and aims to use furniture design as a tool for overcoming these challenges. The goal is not merely the creation of products but to try and embody personal struggles in artifacts, thereby sparking a broader conversation about anxiety. The methodology revolves around techniques of intentional self-reflection, taking on an alter-ego, and practicing rituals as autoethnographic tools. The materials are collected from different rituals where the ritual becomes the method and the material. Physical matter, such as human hair, and Japanese oyster shells, typically considered as waste or invasive material, at least on the West Coast of Sweden, are repurposed as symbolic acts of liberation and an alchemy of making.
SUM OF BETWIXT
(2024) Karlsson, Saga; University of Gothenburg/HDK-Valand - Academy of Art and Design; Göteborgs universitet/HDK-Valand - Högskolan för konst och design
Sum of Betwixt aim to remind people of the act of dwelling within themselves through my own personal narrative of dreams. It is about highlighting the importance of the inner world and gently suggesting its encounters to create their own connections of resonance within themselves. The intention is not to achieve a premeditated tangible result, but about the subjective truths that may surface in engagement with the project. The dreamscape is the space you9re in when you've accepted that it9s impossible to return to the world of dreams, but still yearn to get as close as you can. It'ss an embodied state of dwelling in the in-between. In order to dwell in the dreamscape I've related (in different degrees) to weirdness, magic, metamodernism and emotional knowledge perspectives and worked with narratives of animation, audio and crocheting by methods of collecting, repetition and resonation. The Projection, The Sound and The Blanket are the contributed assemblage of material visualisations that together enable an experience of embodied immersion into one's own mind and dreamscape.

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