On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Maastricht University and the 65th anniversary of the Hustinx Foundation, two artists have been selected for a special residency. Over the coming months, Sanne Vaassen and Alessio Faustini will connect their artistic practice with the research taking place at Maastricht University. They will present the results of this during the PAS Festival in September 2026.
Artists from all disciplines, such as musicians, theatre makers, visual artists, and writers, are invited to submit a proposal in December 2025 for a ten-day research residency at Maastricht University. The residency offers a unique environment where artistic and academic research meet, allowing new forms of knowledge, imagination, and reflection to emerge.
With these residencies, the Hustinx Foundation and Maastricht University aim to stimulate cross-pollination between artistic and academic practices. Space is also provided for developing or deepening artistic practice within an academic context. By organizing these residencies, an explicit contribution is made to the visibility of art and artists within the university.
From more than 50 submissions, a jury selected Sanne Vaassen and Alessio Faustini based on the artistic quality, relevance, and originality of their research proposal.
Sanne Vaassen (1991, Heerlen) explores in her artistic practice the fluid transition of matter and phenomena, such as the water cycle, the change of trees through the seasons, and the development of language.
For this residency, Sanne Vaassen focuses on internal bodily processes and the way in which these are captured, visualized, and interpreted within scientific research, particularly epilepsy research. Through this artistic research, Sanne Vaassen aims to delve into how neurological data is visualized and investigate whether she, as an artist, can contribute to making these visualizations more accessible and relatable. She is collaborating with Prof. Dr. Ron Heeren of the Maastricht Multimodal Molecular Imaging Institute and physicians affiliated with Neurosurgery at MUMC+.
Alessio Faustini (2001, Heerlen) develops an artistic practice as a contemporary archivist, in which he collects, preserves, and reinterprets forgotten images and objects. His work arises from a fascination with the analog and the ephemeral: found slides, old photographic equipment, correspondence, and the material remnants of photographic processes. In collaboration with Dr. Joris Roosen of Tracé – Limburgs Samenlevingsarchief and Manuel Boessen, archivist at Maastricht University, Alessio Faustini will conduct research into the early period of Maastricht University and its relationship to the mine closures in the Western and Eastern Mining Regions.
The Hustinx Foundation was founded in 1961 to promote the arts and sciences in Maastricht. The foundation awards various prizes annually and provides financial support to innovative initiatives.
The Maastricht University (UM) was founded in 1976. The UM is located in the heart of Europe and is the most European university in the Netherlands. The education and research at the UM are dynamic, interdisciplinary, and strongly engaged with society.
The Art and Heritage Committee is responsible for managing the art and heritage collections of Maastricht University. It commissions artists from the region, develops various educational projects, and curates exhibitions.
Studium Generale is the UM's platform for science, culture, and society. It programs approximately 80 in-depth programs annually and organizes the biennial PAS Festival.
For questions about the residencies, please contact Barbara Strating, Curator of Visual Arts at UM; Barbara.Strating@maastrichtuniversity.nl.
For questions about the PAS festival, you can contact Studium Generale; PAS-SG@maastrichtuniversity.nl.
For questions to the Hustinx Foundation, you can contact them via the website. www.hustinxstichting.nl or send an email to info@hustinxstichting.nl.