About Key Words

Key Words is the outcome of collective study and consists of approximately 100 short pieces. These pieces are direct responses to a few pre-assigned texts, listed in a bibliography at the back of the book. These pre-assigned texts are part of the monthly MAR Reading Days, a seminar that supports participants’ development as artistic researchers. The texts on the syllabus are about productive uses for theory in artistic research, but are also selected to familiarise students with traditions of thought and practice that precede their own.

Before each Reading Days session students were assigned one keyword from the syllabus texts. They would then write a lemma about the word, which had to include a comprehensive definition and context. Everyone was invited to experiment with different genres, as long as they managed to meet the basic requirements of the task.

At the end of the year, we organised a collective editing process for the keywords, resulting in this publication. The selected texts come in many different genres and styles. The book can therefore be read in non-linear fashion. You are encouraged to browse through the pages and land on pieces that intrigue you in the present moment. You can also look at the thematic index in the back or check for specific genres that you are in the mood for. The keywords are organised by specific reading days.