The Story of Things: reading narrative in the visual

PLACE: Manchester Metropolitan University
DATE: Friday 29th January, 2010

The production, consumption and interpretation of narratives in visual
form is central to contemporary cultures. Within this context, the
notion of narrative finding expression in the visual can be traced, for
example, in the growth of the graphic novel form, the positioning of
cinema as subject matter for art practice and the persistence of the
artist's book as an art form. Visual narratives demand specific forms of
readerly interaction and critical response. They require a shift of
reading focus from text to text-and-image or to image-only, and
therefore require different critical apparatus and analytical skills.

This one day conference will investigate the reading of narrative in
visual contexts, encouraging interdisciplinary approaches in addressing
the following specific clusters of concerns:

- Authoring and reading the sequential narrative: linear and non-linear
approaches.

- Visualising the remembered narrative: archetype, biography,
autobiography.

- Object as catalyst: the potential for narrative within the artefact.

These areas of related interest will facilitate aesthetic and
theoretical interrogations of visual narrative.

Papers are invited which explore or respond to issues of visual
narrative production, consumption and interpretation in relation to
these and other connected areas of concern. We encourage contributions
from artists, academics and other practitioners. Please send proposals
(250 words) for papers (20 mins) to: Jonathan Carson at
j.carsonsalford.ac.uk <mailto:.carsonsalford.ac.uk> by Tuesday 1st
September, 2009.

Jonathan Carson
Lecturer in Critical & Contextual Studies (0.8 - Monday, Tuesday,
Wednesday & Friday)

T: +44 (0) 161 295 6712
E: J.Carsonsalford.ac.uk
School of Art & Design, The University of Salford, HT211 Centenary
Building, Salford, M3 6EQ.

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