‘Visual Activism in the 21st Century: Art, Protest and Resistance in an Uncertain World’ – Thursday 1st September 2022, 09.00-17.30

Only 2 weeks to the ‘Visual Activism in the 21st Century: Art, Protest and Resistance in an Uncertain World’ event. This event marks the publication of our anthology: ‘Visual Activism in the 21^st Century: Art Protest and Resistance in an Uncertain World’ (Stephanie Hartle and Darcy White (Eds), Bloomsbury Academic. Pub. 25 August 2022).

The event offers a wonderful opportunity to meet fellow researchers – both seasoned and early career – as we explore together the surprising variety of current and emerging practices of visual activism, as activists, artists, and curators flex to the changing world around them in these most uncertain of times. Key questions will be around the different approaches and methodologies appropriate to this relatively new area of academic study; how research is altered by the urgency of these times; the ethical issues and responsibilities that should be considered; and the ways in which our work as academics can be mobilised to help bring about social change. Such current issues, and others, ensure that this promises to be a rewarding day.

We are delighted to announce that in addition to a selection of presentations by our contributing authors, the day’s proceedings will include two keynote contributions by notable academics in this field of enquiry:

Suzana Milevska – Independent Scholar and Curator  

Paula Serafini – Queen Mary University of London  

Location: Sheffield Hallam University – Cantor Building, 153 Arundel St, Sheffield City Centre, S1 2NU. The event is free, and lunch and refreshments are provided – booking is essential.

Online attendance is also available, click here to book a place.

For further queries please contact Darcy White or Stephanie Hartle.

 

PROGRAMME: All timings are given as BST  

 

09.00 Registration and Refreshments

09.45 Welcome and Introduction by Darcy White and Stephanie Hartle

First Panel: Art and Agency

10.15 Keynote address by Suzana Milevska followed by Q & A: Art, Agency, and Activism: The Affordance of Contemporary Art for Social Change 11.15 Refreshments

11.40 Monica Merlin – ‘Ripples in water’. Minor Episodes of Feminist Visual Activism by Three Women Artists in the PRC (2007-2015). 

12.00 Stefanie Snider – ‘America is Black, Indigenous, and Muslim’: Tatyana Fazlalizadeh’s Public Challenges to White Nationalism.

12.20 Q & A and Panel discussion

12.45pm – Lunch (Provided)

1.45 Keynote address by Paula Serafini followed by Q & A: Extractivism and Visual Politics 

2.45pm A provocation – and discussion

3.15 Refreshments

Second Panel: Activist Methods and Approaches

15.30 Karen Stock – Jason deCaires Taylor’s Submerged Sculptures and the Iconography of Slow Violence 

15.50 Stefka Hristova – Sociality, Appearance, and Surveillance in Digital Political Activism 

16.10 Amina Ejaz – Farida Batool: A Pakistani Visual Activist  

16.30 Q & A and Panel discussion / plenary

17.15 Closing remarks

Close 17.30