Monday, November 9, 2009

Higher Learning

So this is one of those situations where the translation of German news doesn't quite give the entire story, but as far as I can tell students have taken over the Academy of Arts in Munich. I don't think it was a hostile takeover in the form of the riots that took place in Paris several years ago (that's just not Munich style), but here's what I can put together from the news. It was a movement that came out of Vienna, Austria, focused on cheap or free education for all students as a God-given right. Whenever students start talking about God-given rights or having the same protection as their parents, I know we are in Europe. There have been banners of "Burn the University" outside (see additional items in the photo), which would be a real shame as the building and the school was founded in 1808 by Maximilian I of Bavaria, and is one of the oldest and most signifincant art academies in Germany and certainly at the heart of the Art Nouveu movement that was so influential in Munich. If you know more details, please share.

1 comment:

6-3-2 said...

Art Nouveau had its own distinct off-spring in Munich called "Jugendstil": named after the magazine Jugend, which was made in the city. Franz von Stuck is probably Munich's most famous artist that can be considered Jugendstil, although he worked with other styles as well. Stuck was also a professor at the Academy of Arts and taught Kadinsky and Paul Klee.

In regards to the protest, the sign read "Die Uni brennt - auch in München", which seems to relate to vigor of the movement against tuition and the bachelor system, and not actual burning. It has become a national, and in some ways international movement. The Art Academy in Vienna was the first to have such a demonstration.