Paris Bernhard Willhelm Vienne

... it's actually really a ParisVienne moment, as Bernhard Willhelm flew past me on his bike just a week or so ago at the boulevard de Sébastopol x rue Etienne Marcel junction. And today I saw him in Vienna on the occasion of the annual press conference of the University of Applied Arts.

photo: Marleen Daniels

The attendants were the university principal Gerald Bast, new professor for painting Judith Eisler, Robert Schindel from the brandnew Creative Writing bachelor (the teachability of literary writing remains to be seen, imho... - but that'll be because of my positivist schooling...) and, of course, Bernhard Willhelm - who seemed to be having a really good time, came thoroughly prepared, had a little chat with lovely Judith Eisler while Mr. Schindel presented his somewhat lengthy ideas for the creative writing course - and was a more assiduous interrogator than all the journalists that were present - as he showed great interest for the history of the university, and even for the reasons that might explain why the creative writing course (of all things...) was the one with the greatest number of applicants (almost 400 against "only" 100 candidates for the fashion class).

Concerning his ideas for the upcoming academic year, Mr. Willhelm did not rule out the possibility of a final fashion show - but wanted it to take place later than had been the case until now (to give the students - but probably also himself, busy preparing the menswear show in Paris - a little more time). Meaning, of course, that the fashion show will take place after the city's festival for fashion and photography. Hello, Loora?

In order to get his students in shape for the final show and to avoid that there be only one big fashion moment in the entire year, Mr. Willhelm restated his wish to realise several projects throughout the year, presenting each and every single one of them separately in galleries or comparably artsy settings.

Suprise: Andreas Kronthaler (remember the summer issue of i-D ;)) will be flewn in to supervise and oversee a mid-term project by students of the last year.

Well, ever so curious to see what'll happen. And totally in line with the hope that Mr. Willhelm expressed towards the end of the press conference: creativity will bring it all together again, regardless of the crisis...


EDIT + FORGOT: BERNHARD ALSO ANNOUNCED THAT STUDENTS WOULD BE INVITED TO WRITE SOME KIND OF A CREATIVE DIARY +++ WRITING DOWN THEIR INSPIRATIONS +++ COLLECTING IMAGES & OTHER FRAGMENTS THAT ENTER THEIR WORK (OR END UP NOT DOING SO) +++ WHAT A CHARMING IDEA...