Research output per year
Research output per year
Accepting PhD Students
PhD projects
Areas of interest: Contemporary art, especially expanded print practices; photography; installation; intermediality; drawing,
Key words: craft, technology, technique; discursivity, citationality and performativity; haptics and surface; ‘screen’, ‘skin’ and the ‘imprint’; multi-and/or intermediality; repetition, copy, reproduction; materiality; narrative in contemporary art; print in the public sphere; the frame in printed art
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Dundee Bachelor of Arts (Painting), Edinburgh College of Art |
Master of Arts (German Literature and Political Science), Rupprecht-Karl-Universität, Heidelberg |
Master of Education, Rupprecht-Karl-Universität, Heidelberg |
Dr Ruth Pelzer-Montada is an artist and scholar with a particular interest in print media. She holds a PhD in art practice, a BA(hons) in Painting from ECA and an undergraduate and postgraduate degree in German Literature and Political Science from the University of Heidelberg. She has been teaching Visual Culture and historical and critical studies at ECA and other Scottish art colleges while pursuing her research through both artistic projects and writing. Her work has been exhibited in Scotland and abroad. Her writing has appeared in international peer-reviewed journals and conference publications and online. She is currently completing a book project Print Matters. An anthology of critical writing on prints and printmaking since 1986 for Manchester University Press.
Between 2010-2012 she acted as external examiner for Printmaking at National College of Art and Design, Dublin.
From 2004 to 2007 Ruth was an elected member of the Council of the Scottish Society of Artists (SSA).
As a lecturer at ECA and other art colleges, Ruth has taught a wide range of art and design-related subjects and currently teaches across all the undergraduate and postgraduate courses in the School of Art. She is course organiser of the Second Year Visual Culture course Art Now. Practices, theories and institutions which – in addition to students in the School of Art ─ is attended by students from across the university. Specialist undergraduate courses developed by Ruth include the history and theory of photography; postmodern, postcolonial and identity theories in relation to art and, more recently, narrative in contemporary art.
The juncture of art practice and visual culture discourses are at the centre of Ruth’s research. Her teaching and research are closely intertwined. Since 1998 her artistic practice has involved printmaking and installation. Her critical and theoretical concerns in turn have been informed by her artistic practice. The notion of ‘repetition as difference’ serves as a practical and poetic metaphor for this interweaving of a multi-dimensionally understood ‘practice’ and ‘theory’ relationship. Ruth is particularly interested in contributing to the development of a critical discourse on print media in the context of contemporary art.
She is a member of the Material/Technê/Materialisms School of Art research cluster.
In addition to developing her artistic practice and curatorial activity, Ruth has contributed to numerous international conferences and peer-reviewed as well as subject-specific publications, such as Art Journal, Visual Culture in Britain, Print Quarterly, IMPACT Conference Proceedings and Art in Print. She has also written catalogue essays and gallery texts for artists.
Her academic writing and art criticism has explored a range of concepts and themes affiliated with contemporary cultural and aesthetic practices, especially in relation to prints/printmaking. These include:
Current PHD students
Rachel Adams, School of Art (SGSAH - Scottish Graduate School Arts and Humanities Research Award)
Leanne Gonczarow, School of Art (SGSAH - Scottish Graduate School Arts and Humanities Research Award)
Sandra de Rycker, School of Design (SGSAH - Scottish Graduate School Arts and Humanities Research Award)
Julia Smith, History of Art
Matthew Attard, School of Design
Elizabeth Palmer, School of Art (ECA PhD Award)
Forthcoming:
Miriam Hancill, School of Art (ECA PhD Award)
External Examiner, Royal College of Art
2016 → 2018
External Examiner, National College of Art and Design Ireland
2010 → 2013
Research output: Contribution to specialist publication › Article
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Other chapter contribution
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter
Ruth Pelzer-Montada (Speaker)
Activity: Visiting an external institution types › Research and Teaching at External Organisation
Ruth Pelzer-Montada (Contributor), Laura Guy (Contributor) & Antony Schrag (Contributor)
Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in conference
Ruth Pelzer-Montada (Contributor)
Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in conference
Ruth Pelzer-Montada (Contributor)
Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in conference
Ruth Pelzer-Montada (Participant)
Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in workshop, seminar, course