In the summer semester of 2025, a practice-oriented teaching concept was trialled as part of the „Digital Burnout“ project module, which linked photography, artificial intelligence and digital platforms. The starting point was the assumption that digital space is not only a technical environment, but also a place characterised by power relations in which visibility, identity and value are negotiated. The aim was not only to analyse this space theoretically, but also to actively use it as an artistic and experimental space for action.
The teaching format combined hybrid teaching, flipped classroom and tandem teaching with curator Anika Meier, who provided practical insights into digital art, NFTs and the art market. The students worked continuously on their own projects and used real platforms such as Substack, Instagram and an NFT platform to publish their work and reflect on its impact in the digital space. In addition, online instructional videos were available that taught the basics of AI applications, their history and ethical issues and served as a basis for practical work.
A central component was the close integration of theory and practice: content from the educational videos and discussions was translated directly into artistic experiments. The students developed individual positions between analogue photography, AI-generated images and digital forms of distribution. The work was jointly reflected upon and developed further in regular feedback formats.
The excursion to Berlin was another important practical component. During the Gallery Weekend, the students gained insights into current artistic and curatorial positions, including a studio visit to Anna Ehrenstein and a visit to her exhibition. These experiences made it possible to deepen and critically scrutinise the topics covered in the seminar in direct exchange with artistic practice.
The project showed how the combination of digital tools, artistic practice and real platform structures can create a learning space in which students not only acquire skills, but also develop their own positions within digital image cultures.
