Unfixed is a project that explores the relation between photography, postcolonial perspectives and contemporary art. It includes an exhibition, symposium, workshop, artist commission-residency, and a resulting publication. The title refers to the unfixed nature of photography. It explores the elusive “truth” of photography and its relationship to ideas of ethnicity, culture and identity in contemporary art.
Scholars, artists, writers and professionals are invited to submit proposals for visual and/or textual presentations or papers on topics relating to Unfixed.
Objective
This call for proposals could be addressed through a broad range of topics concerning photographic practice, history and/or archives. Proposals could deal with deconstruction, reconstruction, collage, appropriation, politics, regionalism and location, subjectivity and/or authorship within photography. They could also concern photography’s relationship to other media, vernacular photography, found photography, documentary photography and/or visual culture. Some key theoretical points that strongly relate to the project include cultural hybridity and transculture.
Proposals could also consider current political discussions about culture (assimilation and integration) as they relate to visual culture and photography. Unfixed is looking forward to receiving proposals that look at the inventive aspects of photography.
- Proposals are welcome for both or either platform (publication/symposium).
- Next to ‘traditional’ essays proposals for visual essays are also welcome, which can include vernacular or found photography, and/or photo-works made by applicants, etc.
- Proposals for essays or presentations with innovative formats (performance-based presentations, multimedia projects etc.) are encouraged.
- All proposals by students will be considered as applications for the Workshop.
Prizes
Selected participants will be invited to present at the symposium.
A small financial contribution is available for travel and accommodation for those invited to present at the symposium. This will be distributed according to distance and need.
Rules
- Scholars, artists, writers and professionals are invited to submit proposals for visual and/or textual presentations or papers on topics relating to Unfixed.
- There will be no registration costs for invited workshop participants.
- The conference and workshop language is English.
How to enter?
Mail your proposals to unfixedprojects [at] gmail.com (please replace [at] with @) with the following information by 30 June 2010.
Please use the subject line – CFP.
- Textual essay proposal:
- Proposal (abstract) of 600 words maximum
- Visual essay or presentation proposal:
- Proposal of 400 words maximum
- 5 images maximum (jpeg format, maximum 1mb per image)
Include full name, birth date, contact information, and educational or organization affiliation (where relevant). Please indicate for which platforms you wish your proposal to be considered (publication and/or symposium).
Receipt and answer to all paper proposals submitted is acknowledged. If you do not receive a reply in a week you should assume that your proposal wasn’t received.
