AAVS Naples 2019
Casa Morra
Salita S. Raffaele, 20C, 80136 Napoli NA, Italy

AAVS Naples seeks to revisit and reinvent the ‘ornamental’ in architecture through the production of drawings and 1:1 plaster mouldings. From the grammatically-correct Classicism of a 19th century ceiling rose to the geometric abstractions of a Modernist fireplace, from fragments of Pompei’s remains to the grand excesses of a Baroque cornice, we will reconsider a breadth of historical precedents to generate our own formal grammar.

 Here, the students will choose from more than 500 original plaster moulds dating from the 1950’s to today from which to start their investigations. We will learn directly from a plaster craftsman’s expertise, reworking traditional forms that will then be reinterpreted and ornamentally questioned.  Each student will develop and construct a series of their own moulds from which to cast their formal experiments and ultimately a site specific installation within the complex.

The raw material for our experiments will be found in Naples and its rich tradition of stuccowork and plaster moulding.  Students will develop their projects through empirical observation, obsessive sketching and measured hand-drawing.  As well as the daily workshop activities, the Visiting School will include lectures and specially-arranged site visits throughout Naples Old Town.

    • Lectures & seminars on the history, theory and application of mouldings featuring case studies to inform our investigations.

    • Workshops taught by local plaster artisans, introducing mould-making and casting in plaster. Each student will curate a collection of moulds and conduct their own casting exercises.

    • Specially-arranged visits to numerous buildings in Naples with on-site observational sketching and measured drawing.

    • Night-time walks through the city with tutorials in selected sites of the city.

    • Tour of several artists’ workshops across the city of Naples

    • Individual tutorials with design tutors to support each student’s developing work

  • Support in the development of presentation skills, and in curating the exhibition that concludes the project.

To Apply

You may register your interest in AAVS Napoli via the Architectural Association’s Visiting School enrollment webpage. Once you complete the online application and make a full payment, you are registered to the programme. The deadline for applications is: June 20th 2019.

All participants travelling from abroad are responsible for securing any visa required, and are advised to contact their home embassy early. After payment of fees, the AA School can provide a letter confirming participation in the workshop.

Fees & Materials

The AA Visiting School requires a fee of £630 per participant, which includes a £60 Visiting membership fee.

Fees do not include flights or accommodation, but accommodation options can be organised. Students need to bring their own laptops, digital equipment, drawing materials and model-making tools. Please ensure this equipment is covered by your own insurance as the AA takes no responsibility for items lost or stolen at the workshop. Introductory plaster casting materials will be provided.

Eligibility

A brief statement of why you are interested is required. We are are keen to assemble a group of participants with diverse approaches and levels of experience, and so encourage applications from students and professionals in the fields of art, history, architecture, and design.