Practical Fridays was a workshop series, founded and coordinated by artist Philip Matesic from 2013 until 2019. The series expanded practically on Theory Tuesdays, a nonacademic platform for theoretical discussion. Instead of discussing a theoretical text, participants had a hands-on, collective experience of learning something practical from a non-professional. Each workshop was run by a different person at various locations in Zurich, Switzerland.
Thursday 1st January 1970, 12:00am
During this Practical Fridays workshop, we explored (exercised, learned) the art of (finding, selecting, presenting, cutting, eating, sharing) the perfect watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) with Mirjam Bayerdörfer and Mariann Oppliger. This included the act of choosing, the act of presenting and the act of eating a watermelon.
Location: Barkat Cash & Carry and Fritschiwiese (Zürich)
Thursday 1st January 1970, 12:00am
During this Practical Fridays workshop, Désirée Myriam Gnaba and Cécile Müller (both dancers with “Troupe Élevée”) workshopped how to best present yourself in a music video clip. After a short warm up, we learned how to walk smoothly and rhythmically, how to create and use your presence (especially facially) and how to strike cool poses. The goal of the workshop was to practice all of these skills and put them into a small choreography.
Location: Stadionbrache Hardturm (Zürich)
Thursday 1st January 1970, 12:00am
During this Practical Fridays workshop, Linda Pfenninger and Mirjam Bayerdörfer workshoped how to cut hair in different ways, on both long and short haircuts as well as straight and curly.
Location: Corner College (Kochstrasse 1, 8004 Zürich)
Thursday 1st January 1970, 12:00am
During this Practical Fridays workshop, Michael Günzburger demonstrated the technique of printing yourself so that you can see every hair.
It’s very direct.
It’s drawing for the lazy.
It’s not much work and good for your skin.
Come clean to make a good impression.
Location: Counter Space (Röschibachstrasse 24, 8037 Zürich)
Thursday 1st January 1970, 12:00am
During this Practical Fridays workshop, Mara Züst’s colleague demonstrated how to correctly change a car tire. We then collectively took off the winter tires on Mara’s car and mounted her summer tires.
Thursday 1st January 1970, 12:00am
This Practical Fridays workshop was run by a trio: Dimitrina Sevova, who is a complete amateur in the field of dance, in collaboration with her twin sons, Alex and Andreas Kessi, who are at the beginning of their professional life as ballet dancers.
The workshop focused on the reenactment of Yvonne Rainer’s performance “Trio A (The Mind Is a Muscle, Part 1)” from 1966. “Trio A” is a short dance that consists of one long phrase with repetitions of simple movements that can be broken or bent, but refuse to create a narrative or persona within the dance. We rehearsed: No manifesto! No to spectacle! No to virtuosity!
We moved collectively, using our bodies to reenact the “Trio A” dance movements projected on a wall at Counter Space. The idea was to create an active space of collective dance movement, experience the action of dislocation and an alternative form of ritual.
Location: Counter Space (Röschibachstrasse 24, 8037 Zürich)
Thursday 1st January 1970, 12:00am
During this Practical Fridays session, Lubomira lead a workshop on abstract drawing. Those in attendance made spontaneous drawings without thinking, using a variety of conventional and unconventional drawing tools and materials. Each participant brought their own unique drawing tool to use in the drawing experiments.
Location: Counter Space (Röschibachstrasse 24, 8037 Zürich)
Thursday 1st January 1970, 12:00am
During this Practical Fridays workshop, Pei introduced Mandarin characters and pronunciation. During the workshop, participants began with one of the simplest Mandarin characters – 人 Rén (human, person). The goal was to familiarize the group with basic components of the Mandarin characters; from the strokes, to the units and finally, the assembly.
Location: Corner College (Kochstrasse 1, 8004 Zürich)
Thursday 1st January 1970, 12:00am
During this Practical Fridays workshop, Habib Ahmed Afsar lead a workshop focusing on making art while exploring the god metaphor from a personal perspective. The only skills required were a sharpened sensitivity to materials, objects and people. The planned outcome was to have fun.
Location: Corner College (Kochstrasse 1, 8004 Zürich)
Thursday 1st January 1970, 12:00am
During this Practical Fridays workshop, Lubomira demonstrated monotyping. The art of monotyping produces a unique print, or “monotype”. Stencils, watercolor, solvents, brushes, and other tools are often used to embellish a monotype print. Monotypes can be spontaneously executed, with no previous sketch necessary. This specific printmaking technique was easy to learn with no previous skills required.
Location: Corner College (Kochstrasse 1, 8004 Zürich)