The SMUS RBA commission: ec(h)otoning is a fully funded one-year commission, part of a multi-phase research-based art (RBA) programme run by the Mexican artist platform TRES as part of the Global Center of Spatial Methods for Urban Sustainability (SMUS). The project duration is 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027 with two on-site residencies.
From a strictly ecological perspective, an ecotone is defined as a transitional area between two distinct ecosystems. By applying the term to the urban realm and converting it into a verb, the project aims to extend this transitional area to mixed methodologies, as well as to different forms of knowledge and practice. The project aims to stimulate dialogue and collaboration on urban sustainability research addressing wicked urban problems.
The selected artist will receive mentorship from TRES and collaborate with scholars from:
- Chulalongkorn University, Thailand;
- Diponegoro University, Indonesia and
- IT Kharagpur, India.
The two residencies are:
- A two-week residency at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand, in May 2026
- A site-based residency between one and three months at one of three host universities.
This is open to international artists from the Global South who are working within the field of research-based art. There is no age limit. The project is seeking artists who are committed to long-term research projects that are process-driven, participatory, community-engaged, and/or site-specific and that emphasise transitional zones of ec(h)otoning, attuned to ecological and socio-cultural flux. They can be working in any medium or combination of media.
What is provided:
- Monthly research stipend from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027 (400-700 EUR)
- Roundtrip airfare to Bangkok and accommodation during the two-week residency
- Accommodation during the one to three-month residency period at the chosen university
- On-site travel allowance during residency period
- Production and documentation budget of 8,400 EUR
