Prof. Andrea Diefenbach

Practical exercises and development of a first photographic series. Please bring your camera if you have one!

As part of the talent program, we are once again participating in the BredaPhoto Festival competition together with eight other European universities. A total of three students will be selected to present their work at the festival in the fall of 2026. Five students from each university will take part in the multi-day “pitch” in Breda in mid-March. This year's festival theme is: Consolation. A familiar melancholy tune, a beautiful work of art that stirs the heart, a meal shared with loved ones—sometimes, consolation is found in small things. And its importance is vast. When the world turns dark and despair threatens to swallow us whole, that bright light will help us rise again. Loss is personal yet also related to crises on a global scale, and through it all we search for solace, for ways to endure. Consolation doesn’t solve major crises, but it steadies us. Cultivating togetherness, being with family, friends, and allies, taking care of one another, fiercely advocating for justice and peace, even recharging our batteries alone or in the silence of nature, can all serve as refuge, somewhere to return in times of need. Art, spirituality, even daily rituals, maintain alive our hope, our shared humanity, and our sense of justice. The seminar is dedicated to the question of what consolation means today – when and where it can be experienced or given. Exploring this is an exciting task. As a university, we are naturally invited to approach this topic in our own way. And with that, we also invite all those who find the topic too internal and despondent – who would rather talk about inconsolability itself. Students who are already working on a topic that can be integrated into this year's concept are also invited. In addition to the course dates, there will be short excursions to The Hague (tbc) and Hamburg or Berlin. Participating universities • St. Joost, Breda, NL • KABK, The Hague, NL • MOME, Budapest, H • Lahti Institute of Design and Fine Arts, FIN • HfK Bremen, D • Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences, D • Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Antwerp, B • LUCA School of Arts – Campus Sint Lukas, Brussels, B • LUCA School of Arts – Campus Narafi, Brussels, B

As part of the talent program, we are once again participating in the BredaPhoto Festival competition together with eight other European universities. A total of three students will be selected to present their work at the festival in the fall of 2026. Five students from each university will take part in the multi-day “pitch” in Breda in mid-March. This year's festival theme is: Consolation. A familiar melancholy tune, a beautiful work of art that stirs the heart, a meal shared with loved ones—sometimes, consolation is found in small things. And its importance is vast. When the world turns dark and despair threatens to swallow us whole, that bright light will help us rise again. Loss is personal yet also related to crises on a global scale, and through it all we search for solace, for ways to endure. Consolation doesn’t solve major crises, but it steadies us. Cultivating togetherness, being with family, friends, and allies, taking care of one another, fiercely advocating for justice and peace, even recharging our batteries alone or in the silence of nature, can all serve as refuge, somewhere to return in times of need. Art, spirituality, even daily rituals, maintain alive our hope, our shared humanity, and our sense of justice. The seminar is dedicated to the question of what consolation means today – when and where it can be experienced or given. Exploring this is an exciting task. As a university, we are naturally invited to approach this topic in our own way. And with that, we also invite all those who find the topic too internal and despondent – who would rather talk about inconsolability itself. Students who are already working on a topic that can be integrated into this year's concept are also invited. In addition to the course dates, there will be short excursions to The Hague (tbc) and Hamburg or Berlin. Participating universities • St. Joost, Breda, NL • KABK, The Hague, NL • MOME, Budapest, H • Lahti Institute of Design and Fine Arts, FIN • HfK Bremen, D • Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences, D • Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Antwerp, B • LUCA School of Arts – Campus Sint Lukas, Brussels, B • LUCA School of Arts – Campus Narafi, Brussels, B

The mentor provides individual support to students throughout their studies, answering questions about organization and structure and offering tips on learning techniques. The focus is on the students' needs, experiences, skills, current and future challenges, wishes and problems relating to their studies. During the meetings, topics such as module selection, managing self-study time, problems with CPs, exams, ideas for activities after graduation and, if necessary, referral to professional contact points are discussed. Considering the standard period of study, students should make the most of their studies. The mentors also provide support with the early planning, implementation and follow-up of their semester abroad or internship semester. In addition, the mentoring program offers support with self-organization and guidance on the increasing digitalization of studies.

The main focus in the first semester is formulating and developing the master's project, design research questions, and independently acquiring the relevant skills. Based on the exposé from the admission exam, the portfolio, and the BA thesis, each student presents, reflects on, and discusses their individual approaches, methods, and tools for the further design process in the plenary sessions. Students choose at least one, usually two, professors to supervise their master's project throughout their studies. Compared to the bachelor's program, self-study plays a much greater role in the master's program. In the workshops, students deepen their technical skills and abilities in consultation with the workshop leaders and teachers, experiment with their designs, and acquire the skills and soft skills required for their master's project and profile development. Teaching takes place in the form of plenary sessions and individual discussions, and ideally also in the form of teamwork or intensive exchange with fellow students at the HfK.

The module focuses on deepening and further developing the individual research project on the master's thesis topic. The aim of the course is to independently question, analyze, reflect on, further develop, and interpret the tools and methods of design processes. Collaboration, cooperation, and exchange with fellow students in the Master's pool ID are encouraged. In the plenary sessions, individual design and research approaches, methods, and tools for the further design process are presented and discussed. All students choose at least one, usually two, professors (from practice or theory) who will supervise their master's project throughout their studies and meet with them regularly for feedback discussions. In the workshops, students deepen their technical skills and abilities in consultation with the workshop leaders and teachers, experiment with their designs, and acquire the skills and soft skills they need for their master's project and profile development.

The focus of this module is on deepening and further developing the individual research project on the master's thesis topic. The aim of the course is to independently question, analyze, reflect on, further develop, and interpret the tools and methods of design processes. Collaboration, cooperation, and exchange with fellow students in the Master's pool ID are encouraged. In the plenary sessions, individual design and research approaches, methods, and tools for the further design process are presented and discussed. All students choose at least one, usually two, professors (from practice or theory) who will supervise their master's project throughout their studies and meet with them regularly for feedback discussions. In the workshops, students deepen their technical skills and abilities in consultation with the workshop leaders and teachers, experiment with their designs, and acquire the skills and soft skills required for their master's project and profile development. The aim of the course is to independently critically question, analyze, reflect on, further develop, and independently interpret the instruments and methods of design processes.

Course on artist books and independent publishing The two-week interdisciplinary artist book project ‘Artists as Independent Publishers’ will take place in the second half of November 2025. The project reflects on the artist book as a means of critical inquiry and as a platform for communication between different artistic practices.   Participating students will develop and produce an artist's book using freely chosen printing techniques. The content and form of the books can be individually designed. Each book will be produced in a limited edition of three copies. The project was initiated at the HfK Bremen and is internationally networked: similar events will take place at partner universities in Offenbach, Vienna, Antwerp, Kassel and Durban. From spring 2026, selected results will be presented in an international exhibition series in the partner cities. The opening exhibition will take place from 27 March to 26 April 2026 at the Klingspor Museum in Offenbach. In Bremen, the Centre for Artists' Publications is closely involved in the project. Workshop dates Period: 17–28 November 2025 (compact, full-day) Preliminary meeting: Wednesday, 5 November 2025, 4 p.m. (3rd floor, segment 15, in front of the manual workshops) Visit to the Centre for Artist Publications: Friday, 14 November 2025 at 12:00 Participation: Attendance at all sessions is mandatory. Participation registration Open course for students of all degree programmes. Languages of instruction: German and English Maximum 25 participants Registration by email by 5 November 2025 The course will be accompanied by the following HfK lecturers: Heike Kati Barath, Lena Bartels, Andrea Diefenbach, Katrin von Maltzahn, Tim Schönig, Zane Zlemeša and invited guests. Registration by email: kmaltzahn@hfk-bremen.de, hk.barath@hfk-bremen.de and adiefenbach@hfk-bremen.de

The focus of this submodule is on deepening and developing the individual research project on the master's thesis topic. The aim of the course is to independently question, analyze, reflect on, further develop, and interpret the tools and methods of design processes. Collaboration, cooperation, and exchange with fellow students in the Master's pool ID are encouraged. In the plenary sessions, individual design and research approaches, methods, and tools for the design process are presented and discussed. All students choose at least one, usually two, professors (from practice or theory) who will supervise their master's project throughout their studies and meet with them regularly for feedback discussions. In the workshops, students deepen their technical skills and abilities in consultation with the workshop leaders and teachers, experiment with their designs, and acquire the skills and soft skills they need for their master's project and profile development.