Michiel van Opstal

Research Group: Situated Art, Design and Technology

‘Power, control and chance play an important role in every creative process. I explore this complicated correlation.’

Michiel van Opstal was a researcher at the Situated Art and Design research group from 2019 until 2021. He is currently a tutor at St. Joost School of Art & Design in Breda and Den Bosch.

Michiel van Opstal studied Culture and Science Studies at Maastricht University, from 1995 to 2001. During his education, he specialised in culture and media philosophy, and film theory. His master’s thesis was a critical reflection on German philosopher Heidegger’s concept of identity.

From 2003 to 2007, Michiel taught at Leiden University within the Faculty of Arts. He developed minor programmes at the intersection of media philosophy, history, art and politics. Parallel to this, he worked as a creative producer for Het Portaal, a communication agency in Rotterdam that specialises in stakeholder participation. Michiel developed formats and film plans for social documentaries and television programmes. Since 2008, Michiel has worked as a theory and research tutor at St. Joost School of Art & Design in Breda and Den Bosch.

As a tutor and researcher, Michiel specialises in media theory, narratology, photography and film theory. He is interested in the question of how new and old media influence and change our society and our existence. Within this research area his focus is on the following topics:

authenticity in a post-digital age;
new visual strategies of engagement in fine art, photography and film;
new interactive and immersive forms of narrativity;
the democratisation of the image in our visual culture.

m.vanopstal@avans.nl

The power-paradox of situated and participative art & design (2019 – 2021)

This research takes a critical look at the assumption that spectator participation in situated art and design emancipates this spectator, and examines situatedness and participation as a play of power.

Research Group: Situated Art, Design and Technology

Living in cities developed around data and acting within the inscrutable structure of our techno-society demands art and design that can help understand how we relate to these rapidly changing surroundings and to reflect on that relationship. The research group Situated Art, Design and Technology responds to this exigency by fostering a situated turn in art and design through a diverse portfolio of interdisciplinary research projects in partnership with academic and cultural partners, as well as with government and industry.

‘People are the product of their relationships with their environment. It’s important to understand how technological developments influence these relationships.’

Michel van Dartel

‘My practice is situated in between different actors, in this shape-shifting middle many things can happen.’

Tara Karpinski

‘Imagination is the key to a strong inclusive society. Artistic work and situated design can contribute to a better understanding of the other.’

Jenny van den Broeke

‘Investigating the potential of sensory augmentation to bridge the sensory gap between deaf and hearing.’

Michel Witter

‘‘Understanding how creativity and imagination emerge from interactions with our environment will lead to improved innovation processes, tools and technologies.’’

Alwin de Rooij

‘Through an interplay of design and research, the apt questions and necessary tools can be discovered and applied to each research project.’

Antal Ruhl

‘Humans are atmospheric beings, particles, dust, in intimate cycles of exchange, actors with an incredible force.’

Annemarie Piscaer

‘Could experimental sensory translation of art works improve their accessibility for sensory diverse exhibition audiences?’

Eva Fotiadi

‘The tacit and embodied knowledge of practitioners about the complex reality of design can provide an important resource to innovate how we learn and teach’