the-modernist-turn_cfp

							The modernist turn: Counter/Other/Alter/Meta Modernisms in art history and
practice.

Panel at AAH 2010, Glasgow University

Francis Halsall, National College of Art & Design, Dublin
halsallf@ncad.ie

Declan Long, National College of Art & Design, Dublin
longd@ncad.ie

Mick Wilson, National College of Art & Design, Dublin
mick.wilson@gradcam.ie

Unquestionably there is a broad renegotiation of the modernist project within
contemporary art history as well as curatorial discourse, art practice and criticism.
Examples of this include high profile contemporary art projects and events such as
Documenta XII and the Tate Triennial 2009. This panel will investigate the
relationships between current art historical enquiries, re-interpretations of modernism
and its renewed saliency within contemporary art discourse. Papers are invited that
explore the relevance of modernism today and critically interrogate the legacy of
modernism in contemporary art history and art practice.

When Roger M. Buergel took the question ‘Is Modernity our antiquity?’ as one of the
three leitmotifs for the last Documenta exhibition (Kassel; 2007) he stated: ‘It is fairly
obvious that modernity, or modernity’s fate, exerts a profond influence on
contemporary artists. Part of that attraction may stem from the fact that no one really
knows if modernity is dead or alive.’ More recently Nicolas Bourriaud claimed of the
Altermodern exhibition at Tate Britain that ‘A new modernity is emerging,
reconfigured to an age of globalisation – understood in its economic, political and
cultural aspects.’ This panel will rigorously critique these claims.

Suggested questions for papers to address include (but are not limited to):

1 – Is it appropriate to speak of a ‘modernist turn’ (or ‘return’) in art history and art
practice? What would such a turn mean? Is such a thing possible, credible or
desirable? Rather than ask ‘is modernity our antiquity?’ we might ask is modernity
our moment?

2 – If there is a fundamental relationship between the emergence of modernism and
the academic discipline of art history - as the art historian Heinrich Wölfflin suggested
when he claimed that, ‘Art History and Art run in parallel,’ - then what are the
implications for contemporary art history of a ‘modernist turn’? Does it, for example,
suggest the consolidation of art historical methods in the face of the critiques levelled
at it from positions such as ‘the new art history’ visual culture studies and world art
studies?

3 – Does Raymond Williams question ‘when was modernism?’ remain an open one
for art historians and art practitioners? When did modernism begin? Positions talking
from historical areas such as classical antiquity, medieval, renaissance and baroque
are particularly welcomed in addressing these questions.

4 – Medium-specificity appears as a key motif in the discourse of modernism. What is
the historical and artistic legacy of the modernist pre-occupation with medium

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specificity; how is it currently being re-visited; and what other ways might this legacy
be engaged with?

If you would like to offer a paper, please contact the session convenor(s) directly,
providing an abstract of your proposed paper in no more than 250 words, your name
and institutional affiliation (if any).

Deadline for submission of papers: 9th November 2009.

Further details of the AAH Annual Conference 2010 can be obtained from:
www.glasgow.ac.uk/aah10 or www.aah.org.uk.



Organisers


Francis Halsall, Lecturer in history/theory of modern/contemporary art, National
College of Art & Design, Thomas Street, Dublin 8, Ireland halsallf@ncad.ie
Profile at: http://www.ncad.ie/faculties/visualculture/staff/fhalsall.shtml

Declan Long, Co-ordinator, MA Art in the Contemporary World, National College of
Art and Design, www.acw.ie, longd@ncad.ie
Profile at: http://www.ncad.ie/faculties/visualculture/staff/dlong.shtml

Mick Wilson, Dean, Graduate School of Creative Arts and Media, National College
of Art & Design, Dublin, www.gradcam.ie, mick.wilson@gradcam.ie
Profile at: http://www.gradcam.ie/people/mick_wilson.php

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