An Interview With The Director Hildegund Amanshauser

The opening speech of the Academy 6 weeks ago by Hildegund Amanshauser

Photo: Mira Turba

Since 2009 you have been directing the International Summer Academy of Salzburg. During those years what have you learned at this Academy?

What definitely changed is my approach towards people, who are called so to say amateurs. Let’s put it this way, people, who are artists, but not living from their art. When I came from Münster Academy of Fine Arts, I thought this is really tough. Because until then, I worked in a professional field, where you always draw a thick line between professionals and the others − those, who believe they’re professionals and the others that the “artpeople” believe they are not. I found out that there is not such a difference, especially when you look at the artworks. I think there might be a difference of lifestyle or how the money is earned. From time to time it might also be another approach to what art production is. There is no such borderline as professionals tend to think.

What I’ve also learned is that I really prefer mixed groups. Going back to my experience in the Art Academy in Münster, there were very young people from that region in Germany and maybe some students from South Korea or Erasmus students. To put it in a very short, I could say it’s much more fun to work in here.

As there are people from Lahor to NY…

Yes. What I take home with me every year is that our Western way of seeing things is just one possible approach of many. We have no idea how people in the global world think and function if we don’t speak to them, if we’re not in an exchange. There are various views and cultural backgrounds. Often it’s nearer than what one supposes, but it can also be very far away.  This communication with artists from more than 50 countries in the Summer Academy enables many new insights on what the world is today.

Looking back to the past 6 weeks, what was your highlight?  

For me, of course it was the conference Global Academy?. The fact that this project that we’ve been developing for 1,5-2 years became public… It was extremely interesting for me and I got so many new ideas. I was also proud that there was a big audience, even though it was a very specific conference for the people who are really involved in the topic − people all around Germany and Austria cameto listen and discuss with all the experts who came from all over the world. So it is a hot topic, indeed. It was a very good starting point to work further on this project.