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BIP programmes
COLLABORATIVE PROJECT WITH THE ACADEMIA DI BELLE ARTI DI L’AQUILA, ISIA ROMA AND LYCEÉ AUGUSTE RENOIR OF PARIS.
EASD Castelló hosts International Graphic Research Project on the Spanish Deck
The Escola d’Art i Superior de Disseny (EASD) Castelló held its International Week from May 4 to 8, 2026 bringing together students and faculty from several European institutions for a dynamic program of academic and creative exchange. This year’s edition reinforced the event’s international scope with the participation of partner institutions including Lycée Auguste Renoir in Paris, ISIA Roma, and the Accademia di Belle Arti di L’Aquila in Italy.
Within this framework, the school hosted an international research and artistic creation project focused on the Spanish deck of cards, examined as both a piece of material culture and a symbolic device of power. The workshop was led by professors Xavi Montava and Eva Salas, lecturers in the Master’s program in Screen Printing and Printmaking.
Structured across three intensive sessions, the initiative combined theoretical reflection, historical analysis, and technical planning for graphic production. Participants explored the Spanish deck through a critical, comparative lens, tracing its evolution from possible Asian origins to its consolidation in Europe.
A central focus of the study was the deck’s distinctive tripartite male hierarchy—king, knight, and jack—contrasted with other European models such as the French deck, which includes the figure of the queen. The absence of a female counterpart in the Spanish system was interpreted as a symbolic construct tied to the visual reproduction of patriarchal power, underscoring the idea that playing card iconography is far from neutral.
From a technical standpoint, the project combined intaglio printmaking and screen printing, incorporating techniques such as drypoint, aquatint, soft-ground etching, mezzotint, photogravure, and laser engraving. The production system established a formal language based on black-and-white or grayscale imagery for the engraved elements, with screen printing used as a color accent layer.
The initiative was grounded in a robust theoretical framework integrating cultural history, gender studies, and iconographic analysis, positioning playing cards as valuable historical sources. Overall, the project presented the Spanish deck as a historical, graphic, and political artifact—one capable of encapsulating centuries of symbolic authority and its ongoing presence in contemporary visual culture.
COLLABORATIVE PROJECT WITH THE ISIA PORDENONE
During March 2026, professors Pilar Quemades and Tica Talamentes, together with students Diego Escribano, Ferran López, Sara Torner, Claudia García, Andrea Sánchez, Pablo Vilar, Laura Pérez and Carla Vives, participated in the Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) “Low Density Design – Craftmanship 5.0”, held in Pordenone, Italy, as part of the XV Pordenone Design Week.
The programme brought together students and teachers from different European countries in a multidisciplinary environment focused on product design, innovation, contemporary craftsmanship, and new technologies applied to design. Through collaborative work in international teams, the students developed projects alongside participants from different cultural and academic backgrounds, exploring new working methodologies and different ways of understanding contemporary design.
The experience encouraged us to reflect on both the strengths and weaknesses of our own education and design approach, while discovering new perspectives on product design, creative processes, and the importance of collaborative work. The constant exchange of cultures, methodologies, and sensitivities greatly enriched both the academic and personal learning experience.
During the stay, participants attended workshops, lectures, and visits to different cultural and professional spaces related to design and digital manufacturing. One of the most inspiring experiences was the visit to the FABLAB in Venice Mestre, where we were able to discover advanced manufacturing technologies and large-scale 3D printers applied to contemporary design and production.
Beyond the academic learning, daily coexistence became one of the most valuable aspects of the experience. Strong bonds were created between them, our students, and the participating professors, generating an atmosphere of closeness, support, respect, and companionship that made the experience truly unforgettable. We shared intense working days, cultural visits, and moments of leisure and coexistence that allowed us to discover different ways of living and understanding design.
Between pizzas, pasta, and ice cream, they built memories and friendships that will always remain in their hearts.
COLLABORATIVE PROJECT WITH THE ISIA ROMA DESIGN
The Blended Intensive Programme (BIP), developed through a collaboration between EASD Castelló and ISIA Roma Design, has proven to be a highly valuable academic and human experience for participating students. Held from January 19 to 23, 2026, the initiative took place within the framework of the international workshop Data Metropolis – Roma Design Experience and was led by Professor Eusebio López Jiménez.
The programme brought together students and faculty from several European institutions, including participants from Rome, Paris, Finland and Catalonia, fostering a shared environment to explore innovative approaches to urban representation, data visualization and contemporary design applied to current social and urban challenges.
The BIP was structured around intensive, collaborative methodologies that combined research processes, visual experimentation, interactive design and critical thinking. Students worked in multidisciplinary and international teams, addressing the complexity of the contemporary city through tools linked to information design, data visualization, artificial intelligence and experimental urban storytelling.
The project’s approach placed a strong emphasis on collective creativity, analytical skills and the development of accessible communication formats aimed at engaging wider audiences. This methodology allowed participants to rethink how urban realities can be interpreted and communicated in a rapidly evolving digital and social landscape.
One of the most enriching aspects of the programme was the cultural exchange among participants from diverse European backgrounds. Beyond the academic dimension, the BIP enabled students and staff to build personal and professional connections, contributing to a deeply international experience aligned with the core values of the Erasmus+ programme.
The stay in Rome also offered a unique opportunity to engage directly with Italian culture and the city’s exceptional historical and artistic heritage. Students visited internationally renowned monuments, museums and cultural spaces, gaining first-hand insight into the relationship between history, architecture, art and contemporary life in one of Europe’s leading cultural capitals.
Daily life in the city further enriched the experience, allowing participants to explore Italian gastronomy, social dynamics and local cultural expressions, adding an essential human dimension to the academic programme.
A particularly significant component of the project was the final presentation of student work in front of professionals and institutions connected to research and technological innovation. Several projects developed during the workshop were selected for public presentation to representatives from Sony CSL (Computer Science Laboratories) and Videocittà, highlighting the high quality of the outcomes achieved.
This recognition underscored the participants’ ability to operate in professional and international contexts, while providing valuable experience in project communication, presentation and defense. The initiative ultimately reinforced students’ confidence and preparedness for future challenges within both academic and professional design environments.
COLLABORATIVE PROJECT WITH THE ACADEMIA DI BELLE ARTI DI PALERMO AND ISEC LISBOA
In May 2025, Eva Salas, teacher at EASD Castelló, took part in the Erasmus+ intensive programme E-Conscious Printmaking, hosted by the Accademia di Belle Arti di Palermo (ABAPA) in collaboration with ISEC Lisboa and EASD Castelló.
The project focused on sustainable printmaking practices and ecological approaches to image-making. Participants explored techniques such as anthotype and solar photogravure, using non-toxic materials and natural dyes. Activities took place at ABAPA’s printmaking studios and the Botanical Garden of Palermo, fostering creative experimentation and international collaboration.
The programme concluded with the creation of three collaborative artist books – one per country – highlighting the shared artistic and environmental values of the project.
COLLABORATIVE PROJECT WITH ACADEMY OF DESIGN AND VISUAL COMMUNICATION IN CATANIA UNIVERTISÄT FÜR ANGEWANDTE KUNST WIEN
In spring 2025, teachers Ana Llorens, Marina García-Broch, and Cristina Gabà from EASD Castelló participated in the Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) “Bodies of Water”, hosted by ABADIR – Academy of Design and Visual Communication in Catania, Italy.
This multidisciplinary programme, developed in collaboration with Universität für Angewandte Kunst Wien (Austria) and EASD Castelló (Spain), explored the intersections between water, pedagogy, and design, emphasizing the central role of water in social and environmental change. Through a critical and creative approach, participants addressed topics such as climate crisis, desertification, and the political dimensions of ecology, focusing on the Mediterranean region as a climate hotspot.
The experience included guided field visits to investigate the historical and contemporary relationship between the city of Catania and its water systems, including underground aquifers and ancient water infrastructures. Students developed individual projects that were presented at the end of the week and will be part of the collaborative digital archive Wetscape.
COLLABORATIVE PROJECT WITH THE ACADEMIA DI BELLE ARTI DI CATANIA AND INSTITUTO SUPERIOR MIGUEL TORGA IN COIMBRA
During the 24th Design Week of the EASD Castelló, we have received students and teachers from the Academia di Belle Arti di Catania and the Instituto Superior Miguel Torga of Coimbra to carry out a combined intensive project (BIP) Erasmus+ within the studies of the Master’s degree in Engraving and silk-screen printing.
The Unequal City: a critical approach to reflection and intervention in the city.
The philosopher Martin Heidegger, in his essay «Building, Dwelling, Thinking,» analyzes the meaning of «dwelling» as the use of cities to meet our material and emotional needs. This expanded understanding of housing can be fundamental in rethinking how we plan and organize our cities and urban spaces, not only in terms of functionality but also in promoting human well-being and fulfillment. The right to the city is a collective right for all inhabitants to occupy and enjoy public spaces, regardless of their social, economic, or cultural status. This right means that all citizens have the right to participate in the reinvention of cities to make them more humane, more functional, and better adapted to the needs and aspirations of their inhabitants.
In this context, it is necessary to view the city in a broader sense, as a dynamic organism in constant evolution, and this means rethinking: What does it mean to dwell? How can we build a relationship between people and the space in which they live? How can we build more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable cities?
The project has explored the different layers that make up the city, considering various perspectives and dimensions. In other words, not only the practical functionality of the city but also the everyday experiences, emotional, and spiritual relationships. Through this exploration and using photography, drawing, silkscreen printing, and engraving, the students analyzed and reflected on a variety of issues affecting cities today.
COLLABORATIVE PROJECT WITH THE ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS IN WARSAW AND INSTITUTO SUPERIOR MIGUEL TORGA, COIMBRA
The Lines of War
The exhibition focuses on contemporary approaches to the issues of war and post-war traces (both physical and mental). During their artistic research, the participating artists explored the physical and social space of Warsaw.
Participating artists from the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw: Malwina Bątruk, Ewa Bobrowska, Urszula Grzelka, Marta Jabłońska, Andrzej Jachiewicz, Justyna Kałęcka, Justina Los, Iga Niewiadomska, Marta Normington, Wiktor Olendzki, Barbara Pazio, Adrianna Szadzińska, Filip Zubowski
Curators: Ewa Bobrowska, Lorena Cuenca
CONTEMPORARY VANITAS OF EWA BOBROWSKA
From 9 to 11 April we can see the video art work Contemporary Vanitas by Ewa Bobrowska in the hall of the Museum of Fine Arts and our school.
Contemporary Vanitas presents the vanitas trail as unfolding truth, confrontation with the other, and self-confrontation in light of the concept of parresia as the true discourse.
In addition, the artist will hold a workshop, on 10 and 11 February, where, from the viewing of her video-art work, she will reflect on the topic of vanitas and the psychoanalytic notion of the unity of death. The possible forms of conceptualization and visualization of oppression in contemporary art will be reconsidered. For this, the theme of vanitas in contemporary art will also be reviewed, paying special attention to the artistic productions of Bill Viola, Chris Burden and Bruce Nauman, among others.
