Call for Papers

Dolls and Puppets as Artistic and Cultural Phenomenon

The presence of dolls and puppets has been a constant feature of life
throughout the history of humankind. The use and perception of dolls and
puppets reflects people’s attitudes towards the world and other people
as well as spiritual concerns. In academic discussions this phenomenon
is usually treated in relative isolation. Theatre historians have their
own vision of the history of dolls and puppets, as do art historians,
ethnologists, film connoisseurs and historians of literature. These
various views do not, unfortunately, often enter into direct dialogue.
The main aim of the conference Dolls and Puppets as Artistic and
Cultural Phenomenon, organized by the Institute of Art History,
University of Warsaw, and the Aleksander Zelwerowicz State Theatre
Academy in Warsaw – Department of Puppetry Art in Bialystok, is to
gather specialists from various fields to share a wide spectrum of
reflections on dolls and puppets. Researchers interested in the
following subjects are kindly welcomed:

- The theme or motif of dolls and puppets as themes and motives in
painting, graphic art, drawing and sculpture
- The theme or motif of dolls and puppets in literature, music, and
theatre
- Dolls and puppets in the visual culture of the 20th and 21st century
- Dolls and puppets as an art medium
- Unusual sculptures resembling dolls and puppets (ancient art)
- Mechanical dolls and puppets
- Esthetics of dolls and puppets
- Dolls and puppets in ritual
- Dolls and puppets as literary, philosophical, political and social
metaphor

Submissions from disciplines such as art history, theatre, literature,
music, anthropology, sociology, history, film studies are especially
encouraged. Relevant topics from any historical period are acceptable.
The conference is focused mainly on the presence of dolls and puppets in
European culture, but analyses of the influence of African and Asian
traditions on European culture (and vice versa) are by all means highly
welcomed. The concluding session of the conference will include a panel
discussion of the outstanding problems in the fields in question and the
perspectives for future research.

The conference is designed to be a platform for the exchange of
opinions, ideas, and historical documentation, as well as the starting
point for a publication. Our plan is to publish a collection of articles
offering an interdisciplinary academic survey of the topic of dolls and
puppets. Such a book, which could be a substantial compendium of
knowledge about this important artistic and cultural phenomenon, is
unquestionably lacking and much-needed.

The conference will be held during the 7th International Festival of
Puppetry Schools, held in Bialystok (for information about previous
Festival programs, see: http://www.atb.edu.pl/festiwal.html).
Participants in the conference are warmly welcomed to take part in the
Festival.

The language of the conference is English. Each contributor will be
given 20 minutes to present his/her paper. Please send abstracts of no
longer than 400 words, together with a short CV (max. 2-sided A4) to Dr.
Kamil Kopania at the following e-mail: kamilkopaniao2.pl. Deadline:
January 31, 2014.
Conference fee: 70 Euros

Conference organiser:
Dr. Kamil Kopania (Institute of Art History, University of Warsaw;
Aleksander Zelwerowicz State Theatre Academy in Warsaw, Department of
Puppetry Art in Bialystok;
http://www.ihs.uw.edu.pl/instytut-2/struktura-instytutu/dr-kamil-kopania/)

Dr. Kamil Kopania
Institute of Art History
University of Warsaw
Krakowskie Przedmiescie 26/28
00-927 Warsaw
Poland

Email: kamilkopaniao2.pl
Visit the website at http://uw.academia.edu/KamilKopania/Call-for-Papers