'The Ship of Fools', a course in collaboration with Berlin University of the Arts (UDK).

The Ship of Fools appears in Plato's 'Republic' as an allegory for the government ruled by fools. It is also the title of a satirical poem addressing the folly of humanity, written by Sebastian Brant in 1494 in Basel, one of the well-known and significant works of the Renaissance period. Additionally, it is the title of one of the most enigmatic works by the painter Hieronymus Bosch. The widely recognized metaphorical expression, with its various interpretations and meanings, has been explored across different mediums over the years: visual art, dance, theater, cinema, and more.

The International School supported a joint course with the Visual Communication Departments at Shenkar and at UDK. The course, held in the fall semester of 2023, was led by Shenkar's faculty, Itzik Rennert and Kobi Franko, along with UDK Professor, Henning Wagenbreth. Ten Shenkar students of diverse design and illustration backgrounds participated the course. Throughout the collaboration, students explored the subject by various perspectives, including political, social, historical, personal, autobiographical, and more. The tangible outcomes of the course were visual in nature, ranging from posters to illustrations for texts, comics, and character series.

The culmination of the joint course took place in Berlin during a four-day workshop with guidance of faculty of both institutions. The workshop provided an opportunity for collaborative work on a common theme, exchanging ideas and meeting students from different cultures and institutions with different teaching methods.