Work.Master MFA programme

The Work.Master Programme—part of HEAD Genève’s Visual Arts Department—is an international bilingual (French and English), two-year MFA programme devoted to multi-disciplinary, studio-based, contemporary artistic practices.

As an incessantly evolving programme, Work.Master proposes diverse formats which encourage experiment, exchange, and sharing, in order to challenge and develop the participants’ practice over the course of two years. As well as to reflect on the changing conditions of the arts with an increasing emphasis on diversity, post- and de-colonial discourses, climate change and rapidly changing technologies.

Through Lab.Zones, laboratory-like workshops, the participants work with artists—and frequently in collaboration with local and international institutions, independent spaces, and artists—in a range of formats that include critical sessions, publications and print editions, three-dimensional works, performances, and community events.

Theory can be a form of practice that also allows for investigating and challenging one’s position. In Think.Zones working with artists and professionals from different backgrounds the program participants are invited to consider what it means to be human with regards to technology, environment, image and identity production.

Work.Master aims to continuously encourage individual artistic practices across different media by making use of the diverse resources including studio work, experimental and collaborative projects. This practice is also questioned and tested in a continuous manner through a variety of formats that range from autonomous projects set up by students, one-on-one sessions with tutors, group discussions with peers, and ongoing Critical Sessions in which participants are offered feedback to, ultimately, the Grand Tour—the graduation exhibition of the whole Department of Visual Arts of Geneva’s School of Art and Design.

Since February 2023 the programme is run by curator and art historian Krzysztof Kosciuczuk and artist and historian Clovis Maillet.

The current faculty and guest tutors for 2023/24 includes: Mabe Bethônico, Giulia Bini, Caroline Etter, Magdalena Gerber, Fabrice Gygi, Fig Docher, Susanne Husky, Célin Jiang, Christophe Kihm, Charlotte Laubard, Christelle Lheureux, Laure Marville, Reba Maybury, Adeena Mey, Rosa Menkman, Ileana Parvu, Aurélie Pétrel, Mai-Thu Perret, Emmanuelle Pireyre, Bruno Serralongue, Lili Reynaud Dewar.

Among former guest speakers are: Marie-laure Allain Bonilla, Marie Angeletti, Pauline Boudry, Mathieu Copeland, Emilie Ding, Bastien Gachet, Jill Gasparina, Anthea Hamilton, Calla Henkel and Max Pitegoff, Donna Kukama, Marlie Mul, Paulina Olowska, Sonia Kacem, Vaginal Davis and Olga Rozenblum.

Admissions 2024: For detailed information on the process see the admissions page. Tuition fees: The Tuition Fee is CHF 575 per semester. Visas and residence permits: International students are welcome to consult the Student Affairs section of the website of HES-SO Genève.