Around Allan Sekulas photography
LIEVEN GEVAERT RESEARCH CENTRE
Allan Sekula, Crystal Eastman, Work Accidents and the Law (1910) Shipwreck and Workers version 2 for Leuven (2005).
International symposium on ‘Critical Realism in Contemporary Art: Around Allan Sekulas photography’
Friday 2, Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 September 2005
STUK Arts Centre
Naamsestraat 96, 3000 Leuven
Entrance is free
Please register by sending an e-mail to: rein.desle@arts.kuleuven.be
The full programme can be consulted at www.lievengevaertcentre.be/sekula_symposium/index.htm
For more information, contact Prof. Dr. Hilde Van Gelder: hilde.vangelder@arts.kuleuven.ac.be
32 (0)16 32 48 67 or 32 (0) 16 32 48 79
Critical Realism in Contemporary Art: Around Allan Sekulas photography is an international symposium organised by the Lieven Gevaert Research Centre for Photography and Visual Studies (LGC) at the University of Leuven, Belgium.
The symposium focuses on the critical realistic dimension of contemporary photography in its twofold relation to nineteenth century social realism on the one hand and to the recent developments in visual culture on the other hand. One of the main goals of the conference is to create a dialogue between artistic researchers and theorists. Therefore, besides contributions of some of the most prominent speakers in the field, there will be two panel discussions which will give voice not only to the theorists but also to practitioners of art. One of the central topics will be the possibility to (re)invent a socio-critical art in a globalised visual culture. Allan Sekula fulfils a crucial role within this discussion.
The conference opens on Friday, September 2nd at 6.00 p.m. with the world premiere of Allan Sekulas new film Lottery of the Sea [2005], accompanied by a keynote lecture by the artist.
In response to the topic, Prof. Dr. William J.T. Mitchell (University of Chicago) has written a new paper, entitled ‘Realism and the Digital Image’, which he will address as the Lieven Gevaert Chair Speaker on Saturday September 3d at 3 p.m.
Other speakers include: David Green, Catharina Manchanda, Wouter Davids, Inge Henneman, Steven Jacobs, Maarten Vanvolsem, Liesbeth Decan, Eva Brems, Frits Gierstberg. The symposium’s chairs and moderators are Hilde Van Gelder and Jan Baetens.
The full programme can be consulted at www.lievengevaertcentre.be/sekula_symposium/index.htm
DATE
September 2,3 and 4, 2005
LOCATION
STUK Arts Centre, Naamsestraat 96, 3000 Leuven
ORGANISATION
Lieven Gevaert Research Centre for Photography and Visual Studies (LGC) [University of Leuven] www.lievengevaertcentre.be
For more information, contact Prof. Dr. Hilde Van Gelder: hilde.vangelder@arts.kuleuven.ac.be
32 (0)16 32 48 67 or 32 (0) 16 32 48 79
Entrance is free
Please register by sending an e-mail to: rein.desle@arts.kuleuven.be
RELATED EVENTS
ALLAN SEKULAS SOLO EXHIBITION ‘SHIPWRECK AND WORKERS. VERSION 2 FOR LEUVEN’
(August 22 – September 26, 2005)
5.30 pm Saturday, September 3rd official inauguration of the exhibition of new photowork by Allan Sekula in STUK, Naamsestraat 96, 3000 Leuven.
At this occasion, Hilde Van Gelder will present the second volume in the LGC-Series, entitled Constantin Meunier. A dialogue with Allan Sekula, which she edited. Contributors to the book are Sura Levine, Marjan Sterckx, Virginie Devillez, Hilde Van Gelder, Eva Brems and Marc De Vos.
EXHIBITION MEUNIER, A DIALOGUE: April 5 September 25 2005 – Nineteenth century social realist thought translated itself into a figurative-realistic painting and sculpture of which Constantin Meunier was one of the greatest exponents in Belgium. The exhibition organised by the City Museum of Leuven in cooperation with the Lieven Gevaert Research Centre for Photography and Visual Studies, under the title Meunier, a dialogue. Contemporary art meets Constantin Meunier in Leuven serves as a pendant to the symposium. Through the confrontation between Meuniers work and contemporary visual art this exhibition has the ambition to discover how new forms of social realism are present in the current art field. It shows that photography today in this respect has taken over several key functions from the traditional artistic disciplines. This is particularly the case in the oeuvre of the American artist and critic Allan Sekula. A new presentation of his outdoor installation Dear Bill Gates (1999) is shown at various strategic locations in the city, next to work by other artists such as Sven t Jolle and Vincent Meessen.
