Visual Arts Bachelor SPRING

Exchange courses in Visual Arts Bachelor

A programme of one semester for international exchange students who have obtained at least 120 ECTS in visual arts: graphic design, fine arts and object and jewellery on bachelor level.

Individual coaching in English.

Please note that being nominated by your home university unfortunately does not automatically lead to a guaranteed place at PXL-MAD. The approval of the application is based on:

• A motivation letter
• An extended electronic artistic and personal portfolio that shows your experience in the studio you have chosen. The portfolio should be presenting a minimum of 20 arts works.

SPRING 2025       

*This course is obligatory for all students.

Course content 

For official course catalogue information check the course catalogue:

Course Catalogue 2023-2024  

Course Catalogue 2024-2025 (available from june 2024).

Below you can find a description of the course contents.

Group Exhibition Project 2

A joint Erasmus group exhibition at the end of the semester challenges the students to explore, in one or more individual projects and a group work, the opportunity of being an exchange student confronted with different cultural experiences. The challenges -and thus learning opportunities- are substantial, as they have to collaborate in a multicultural Erasmus students group in a completely new cultural environment without the support of their familiar relational network.
Pieter Vermeulen functions as art director (curator), together with Boaz Kaizman as artist-teacher to whom the students have to sell their ideas for the exhibition to.

Drawing 2

Drawing technique gives immediate access to the world of imagination because in drawing the material world virtually disappears. In this course the student chooses between:
- Model drawing or sketching, as a self-critical continuation of model drawing.
- An experimental approach to drawing in which drawing as a hybrid(cross-disciplinary) visual language is investigated

The student is guided for a semester in the independent development in drawing and in the representation of his artistic actions (with regard to their personal research process). The first two lessons are orientative and consist of focused lectures and other presentations on autonomous and communal work processes in art.
The student is expected to master a personal approach, with which he engages artistically in the class of his choice. It is further expected that the student gradually realizes their own research process with new images and that they can reflect on this. The final assessment is based on form and content and the concrete elaboration of the chosen process. Class is given by Peter Hulsmans and Boaz Kaizman

Studio Graphic Design 2

The Graphic Design program involves experiment, research and dialogue. The projects are illuminated from various perspectives and debate is encouragd. Through fictional and concrete practical assignments, contemporary graphic designing is continually exercised. The final goal is to offer the student a route by which he/she can develop his/her qualities to the fullest in order to be able to meet the multiple needs of a future professional practice that includes research. The type of education opted for is 'assignment driven instruction' (also called project driven instruction) and 'problem driven instruction' in which independent study is important. The teachers function as fictional clients and evaluate the students continually according to established criteria.

The teachers, Kevin Bormans, Luc Rerren, Monique Rutten and Johan Vandebosch, have a strong feeling for practice as they also have a job as an independent graphic designer, as a freelancer for agencies or are active in the research community. In addition to the lecturers, the fellow-students are important for consultation and feedback. By means of group discussions, teamwork and cross-over projects, an interesting cross-fertilization occurs.

Studio Illustrative Design 2

The Graphic Design program involves experiment, research and dialogue. The projects are illuminated from various perspectives and debate is encouragd. Through fictional and concrete practical assignments, contemporary graphic designing is continually exercised. The final goal is to offer the student a route by which he/she can develop his/her qualities to the fullest in order to be able to meet the multiple needs of a future professional practice that includes research. The type of education opted for is 'assignment driven instruction' (also called project driven instruction) and 'problem driven instruction' in which independent study is important. The teachers function as fictional clients and evaluate the students continually according to established criteria.

Complex assignments require a high level from the student in terms of visualization, figuration and visual narrativity as well as in terms of text-image combination. The assignments ask the student to critically examine the stratification of the text-image combination, in a semiotic, narratological and compositional level (grid, layout, book architecture). The assignments also require an artistic and experimental attitude in combination with a professional attitude and skill in the field of chosen material and technique, communication and management. Non-fiction as well as fiction illustration work is done with pencil, pen and brush as well as with 2D and 3D software. The most important thing is to be able to tell a fascinating story in a visual way. Searching for one's own style; the refinement of figuration, expression and composition; experimenting with colors, textures and techniques; working out the combination possibilities with an accompanying text; consulting with publishers, editors or authors and making an illustration press-ready are essential elements in the career of an illustrator. The teachers Kim Duchateau, Christiaan Nauwelaerts, Wout Olaerts, Chalrotte Severeyns, Jenny Stieglitz and Cathy van Maele all have an outstanding experience within various fields of illustration (children’s books, comics, artist book, non- fiction and autonomous artwork) and some of them are active as researcher as well.

Studio Interaction and Motion Design 2

The Graphic Design program involves experiment, research and dialogue. The projects are illuminated from various perspectives and debate is encouragd. Through fictional and concrete practical assignments, contemporary graphic designing is continually exercised. The final goal is to offer the student a route by which he/she can develop his/her qualities to the fullest in order to be able to meet the multiple needs of a future professional practice that includes research. The type of education opted for is 'assignment driven instruction' (also called project driven instruction) and 'problem driven instruction' in which independent study is important. The teachers function as fictional clients and evaluate the students continually according to established criteria.

In the course the focus lays on web design, mobile design, VR design and video.
The goal of the program is first of all to train experts who can be responsible for the innovative conceptual and visual design of app’s, websites and video’s in the audio-visual sector.
In addition, theoretical knowledge, practical knowledge, software knowledge and programming know- how are indispensable for the visualization of the creative ideas of the interactive designer. To accomplish the above goals a distribution of tasks is provided that is based on the expertise of the various internal instructors and that meets the requirements of the curriculum. We also supplement the internal expertise by bringing in external national and international experts as guests for lecturers, workshops, etc. to the extent that our offering can meet a demand.

Teacher for the studio interaction design are Piet Seurs, Bob Dekkers Eli Prenten and Krista Smeets.

Studio Advertising Design 2

The Graphic Design program involves experiment, research and dialogue. The projects are illuminated from various perspectives and debate is encouragd. Through fictional and concrete practical assignments, contemporary graphic designing is continually exercised. The final goal is to offer the student a route by which he/she can develop his/her qualities to the fullest in order to be able to meet the multiple needs of a future professional practice that includes research. The type of education opted for is 'assignment driven instruction' (also called project driven instruction) and 'problem driven instruction' in which independent study is important. The teachers function as fictional clients and evaluate the students continually according to established criteria.

Advertising is about communicating a message. It means searching for the needs of people in a way that is also relevant to the brand. Evidently great advertising will offer solutions with social impact and relevance instead of focussing on profit for the brand. Empathy and insight in your target audience are crucial. It’s about communicating through all possible channels: social media, new technology and even new products. Ofcourse classic media still have a place in advertising: film, print and radio. It requires a broad field of interest to create good advertising. Observe the world with your ears pricked up: have an inquisitive attitude. The more you see, the more inspiration you will have. In the advertising course you will deepen into the key concepts of storytelling, innovaton, research and conceptual thinking in both two and three dimensional outcomes.
The advertising instructors, Katrien Caris, Els Menten are professionals with expertise in the field.

Studio Ceramics 2 

Ceramics has many forms of expression from pottery design to a free representation of figures and concepts. Ceramics are being included more and more in contemporary forms of design and in fine arts. In this course old and new techniques are used to rethink the position of ceramics within contemporary visual art. The combined approach -from matter, knowledge and tradition- is an enrichment of conceptual and spatial thinking. Also the exploration of different forms of expression in clay from sculptural ceramics, ceramic design, installations, performances to total concepts is revieved in this course. The student can develop and set up his own research under supervision. By making choices in the concept and the material, the student learns to further develop his own visual language. The emphasis is on individual development. A very personal approach is expected, both in terms of content and on the visual level, whereby communication is important.
The student participates in study trips, lectures and exhibition visits as part of the curriculum. Marieke Pauwels and Vermeiren Bruno, are the teachers for this studio.

Studio Painting 2

In the Painting department, in a climate of collegial dialogue with the students, they strive to accomplish as broad of a reflection on the visual arts as possible. It is essential to be familiar with ideas about painting in the current times, to be conscious of contemporary international trends in an art-historical perspective. Students are expected to develop a method of working and to focus their research on a subject or theme of their choice. Context, content and workingmethod are discussed on a weekly basis with the studio teachers. It is required to have a research attitude, to visit exhibitions in order to review the work against the background of contemporary painting and art practice. The internationally renowned artists Koen Van den Broek, Stef Driessen and Patrick Vanden Eynde guarantee a high standard of internationally recognized artistic quality.

Studio Printmaking 2

The program of the printmaking studio includes research, experimenting and dialogue. On this base it strives to combine the rich diversity of traditional forms of expression with the creativity and the inventiveness of contemporary art.
The student’s individual concept is used as a starting point. Choice of materials and techniques will be related to the proposed project and content. Questioning and tentative conclusions will be discussed by the student and the docent in individual and group meetings. The student, assisted by the docent, is expected to develop a method that answers both practical and content issues. The student takes part in study tours, lectures and exposition visits, which are part of the curriculum.
De Boeck Peter, Feijen Mike, Gielis Daan, and Peulen Karin, well-known graphic artists, excel in this medium.

Studio Sculpture and Installation 2

In the sculpture atelier the students study contemporary sculpture and gain insight into its historical evolution. Through dialogue they also keep up with what is happening in the broad spectrum of contemporary art. The main focus is to explore and develop your own personal artistic project. A certain degree of independent working is expected. You'll get technical as well conceptual advice. Upon request, assignments can be formulated. Kasper De Vos and Caroline Coolen are young and enthusiastic artists, who already have an impressive list of awards, each have their own view on contemporary sculpture.

Studio Object and Jewellery 2

The atelier for Jewellery Design and Object trains students to be broad-minded, innovative and individualistic designers of ornaments and objects. A researching attitude is cultivated. The atelier rests on three pillars: materials and technique, function and portability, and finally concept and context. The interaction between these components is not hierarchical: each of the three can serve as a starting point to be linked to a design method. The design methods are spread across assignments and projects under the supervision of Nedda El-Asmar, David Huycke, Pauwels Audi, Swillen Anneleen and Karen Wuytens.

Studio Open Lab 2

In Open Lab new artistic possibilities, without a specific focus on one medium or discipline are explored. Students can work around performances, videos, concept thinking and also create art with smell, taste, touch and sound.
Open Lab offers the opportunity to develop oneself into a quirky, authentic and inquisitive artist. Respect for the specificity of the discipline is accompanied by theoretical deepening, attention to contemporary international tendencies, cross-disciplinary projects and individual interviews with both fellow students and teachers. This gives the opportunity to independently develop ones practice, determine ones own position and choose the right tools.

The main focus is to explore and develop your own personal artistic project.
Independent working is encouraged, nevertheless technical as well conceptual and contextual advice is provided. The student takes part in study tours, lectures and exposition visits, which are part of the curriculum.

Teacher Frank Theys has an impressive list of exhibitions and is your guide into video together with Carina Gosselé who masters video, installations and performance art. Finally, the Open lab is coordinated by the internationally well renowned artist Peter De Cupere, tutor and specialist in creating works of art with the sense of smell.