She emphasises synergies between science, technology, and art
2023-04-13
“I am overwhelmed and full of gratitude and respect for those who recognise my contribution to the ArcInTex project in this way. It is a very important project, and I am very grateful to those who have dreamed and worked on the network, both in the past and those who are working on it now and those who will do so in the future. It's a great recognition that only gives me more strength to continue working in that spirit," she said.
Eglė Ganda Bogdanienė is a textile artist, professor at the Vilnius Academy of Arts, and president of the Lithuanian Artists' Association (LAA). The university places great value on her participation in developing and deepening this internationalisation in education as well as research. Eglė Ganda Bogdanienė participated in the project application for ArcInTexETN and during the project 2015–2018 was responsible for the participation of the Vilnius Academy of Arts.
The ArcInTexETN network was initiated by the University of Borås in 2012 and is aimed at researchers at the beginning of their research careers. From the very beginning, Eglė Ganda Bogdanienė decided to get involved in the network and saw the great opportunities to explore different ways of using textile media to perform contemporary postmodern artworks.
When she joined the network, she was already an internationally established artist, curator, and educator with a large network. She has written books and articles on methodology and the development of Lithuanian textile development in relation to the world textile development in general and she has long experience in teaching and administration in academia, as professor, head of department and deputy vice-chancellor.
At the inaugural conference, she presented the programmes, concepts, and results from her home institution, the Vilnius Academy of Arts.
“The Lithuanian school for textile arts and design is quite unique, deeply rooted in an ethno-cultural tradition with an artistic orientation. Respect for national textile practices and their interpretations in the 20th century helped preserve national identity during the Russian occupation. The national self-image, rooted in traditional practices, consolidated the romantic desire for freedom. Discovering trends in Western contemporary art encouraged me to explore ways of using textile media for the performance of contemporary postmodern artworks," she said.
A contribution to interdisciplinary arts
She listened to presentations from other textile schools and was fascinated by the diversity.
“I saw how our own programme could contribute with our strength in interdisciplinary arts, courage to experiment and avoidance of function and adaptability. Our strengths made us distinctly different from others who focused predominantly on applied arts and design. The diversity of textile education has encouraged me to rethink both the courses at the Vilnius Academy of Arts and my own artistic research and practice. This professional network promised innovative answers about the future of modern textiles. I was impressed by the ability of the researchers to contextualise textile and fashion problems, the interplay between natural, social and technical sciences, embedded values to limit excessive consumption, and the search for sustainable methods to create new products and lifestyles.
We were pioneers in establishing online procedures for a functioning multi-institutional international doctoral programme.
As a member of the Research Training Board for ArcInTex, she worked in a sub-project on textile thinking for adaptive and responsive interior design, dealing with textiles for sustainable forms of future housing.
The conferences and experimental workshops enabled by ArcInTexETN allowed us to improve, learn, communicate and collaborate. We were pioneers in establishing online procedures for a functioning multi-institutional international doctoral programme," she explained.
Exciting period of professional growth
Together, they developed selection procedures for students from all over the world online, assessing not only the relevance and visionary nature of their subjects, but also their social and personal skills and their motivation to follow the life of an active mobile researcher for three or four years, during which they would carry out parts of their research in universities or other forms of organisations in different countries.
“For the doctoral programme, we researched the curricula, teaching methods, evaluation criteria, study evaluations and culture of all participating universities, and we delved into the strategies and approaches to design innovation of different design companies. It was a wonderfully exciting period of professional growth.”
After her involvement in ArcInTex, she took the initiative to renew the organisation of applied art exhibitions in Lithuania, with an emphasis on synergy and collaboration between research, science, technology, and art. ArcInTexETN opened up for doctoral studies and through the network, the doctoral students can present their projects and results to each other. It enables mobility and exchanges of experience for both university teachers and students.
“One dream I have is to organise an exhibition of my own research in the fantastic exhibition space at the Swedish School of Textiles. It is a collaborative project with a colleague, shown in China with great success, about how nature-friendly materials react to atmospheric changes. It invites you to dream about the future of fashion in many different ways.”
How do you see your role of Honorary Doctor in the future?
“I am very humbled and this appointment encourages me to continue my work.”
What will your lecture be about?
“I will share my professional experience and what values mean for creativity, values that can help enable future generations of artists to create, work and live in a world of diversity, sustainability, multiculturalism, tolerance, openness, and harmony. It may sound utopian, but together we can build steps towards it. Faith, hope, love for family, profession, and the world help each of us to create unique and individual meaning in life.”
Public lecture: Active Textile
Welcome to the lecture by Eglė Ganda Bogdanienė, Honorary Artistic Doctor in Textiles and Fashion.
Date: Thursday, 4 May
Practical information about the lecture
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The ArcInTex European Training Network (ETN) aims to strengthen the foundations of design for more sustainable lifestyles by linking Architecture Interaction Design and Textiles in a training network for early-stage researchers. By deepening the links between textile, architecture and interaction design, the network explores new expressions of living in an era of technological innovation through the design of adaptive and responsive environments that connect the scales of the body, the interior, and buildings. The development of the network was funded by the EU – Horizon 2020.