Eyes over London: Re-Imagining the Metropolis in the Age of Aerial Vision

A colloquium organised by the Department of Architecture, University of
Westminster
With the support of the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art

Saturday 15 November 2008

University of Westminster
School of Architecture and Built Environment
35, Marylebone Road
London NW1 5LS

Since the late 18th century, the development of human flight has greatly
expanded the possibilities of visualising cities. London, a vast
metropolis with scarce viewing platforms, has since been the subject of a
wide array of aerial representations, driven by aesthetic as well as
instrumental purposes. More recently, with the diffusion of satellite
imagery and popular „virtual globe“ software, such as Google Earth, aerial
views have become so pervasive that we often take them for granted. The
critical implications of this phenomenon, however, have not yet been
adequately examined.

Eyes over London will explore how the unique city has been re-imaged and
re-imagined in the age of aerial vision. An interdisciplinary panel will
address a broad range of subjects, from balloon photography to the London
Eye, and their involvement in shaping the perception of the metropolis
today. This one-day event will be of interest to a wide audience including
academics and practitioners in architecture, planning, and visual culture,
as well as anyone concerned with the history of London.

In conjunction with the colloquium, the Department of Architecture will
host the photography exhibition Shot from Above: Aerial Aspects of London,
curated by English Heritage, 15-29 November 2008.

Colloquium fee: £40 (students £25)
Includes refreshments, buffet lunch, and wine reception.

Full programme at:
http://www.westminster.ac.uk/sabe/page-1210

For further information and to book a place, please contact:

Scott McCririe-Hallman
Tel: +44 (0) 207 911 5000 ext 3220
Fax: +44 (0) 207 911 5171
email: mccrirswestminster.ac.uk