CALL FOR PAPERS
2010 Graduate Student Symposium: MIS/RE/PRESENTATION
University of Michigan

November 13, 2010

Keynote Speaker: Professor Bronwen Wilson, Department of Art History, Visual
Art and Theory, University of British Columbia

The critique of the single narrative hegemony in art history has allowed for
new methodologies to revise, re-evaluate, and reinterpret
misrepresentations. These new interpretations that seek to excavate,
elaborate and, in some cases, destroy different forms of misrepresentation
are, however, themselves based on layered paradigms of representations
judged of varying strength and legitimacy. Correspondingly, some artists
have used misrepresentation intentionally to disrupt accepted modes of
seeing and believing, further complicating the story.

The exercise of deconstruction or revision is here itself up for critique.
In this symposium, we invite papers that critically investigate how
effective and/or ineffective the notion of mis/re/presentation is as an
interpretative framework in art history, art theory and artistic practice.
Some questions to consider are: What role do Œorigins¹ play‹the origins of
the misrepresentation or the 'truth' that is misrepresented? Is agency
removed from the artist, and/or original viewer (in the case of historical
works)? How are systems (social, political, ideological, aesthetic, etc.)
implicated in the dissemination of misrepresentations? Why would artists
choose to deliberately mislead the viewer in their work? How is such a
strategy 'successful' or 'unsuccessful'? How does the re-presentation of
misrepresentation fit into the new narratives of art history?

Participants are encouraged to consider modes and forms of misrepresentation
across all time periods, media, and locations of art production from
prehistoric to contemporary. Possible paper topics include but are not
limited to: artists' intentional or unintentional acts of misrepresentation,
Viewer's perception and reception of art, revisionist art histories, and/or
institutional critique.

Please submit an abstract (max. 300 words) and a short CV by May 31, 2010
to: misrepresentation.2010gmail.com. The symposium committee will determine
the speakers and reply to all applicants by June 30, 2010.