Hosted in the vibrant art community of downtown Cincinnati, Ohio, SECAC 2025 will be organized around the theme of Flux / Flow. Though related terms, the concept of flux connotes a constant state of potential change and transformation, whereas flow can evoke the continuity and sequence of a river or the march of time. Recognizing that art has flourished in periods of change, the 2025 conference will elevate the fluidity of artistic journeys both past and present and consider how art reflects and responds to an ever-shifting cultural landscape. SECAC 2025 promises a dynamic mix of presentations, discussions, and exhibitions, all situated in the center of a city with both a long and storied history in the visual arts and a resilient and dynamic contemporary art scene.

Art and Crisis.

Session organized by Michael Anthony Fowler.

Natural disasters, war and genocide, famine and plague, political and economic collapse, regime change, mass migrations. Humanity has persisted through innumerable crises across its long history. But its future—its ability to remain in flux—has perhaps never felt as tenuous as in our current era of global climate change. Crisis, as captured in its Greek etymological root, is a critical moment, one demanding discernment and decisive action. This session seeks art historians specializing in any geographic context or periodization whose research addresses the dynamic intersection of art and crisis. The aim is to encourage diachronic and comparative consideration of the roles that art, artists, and their clients and publics play in crisis. In what ways has art reflected or responded to crisis, either as critique or as part of the (re)solution? In what ways has art caused or contributed to crisis?

Interested scholars should submit for consideration an abstract (in English) of 200 words (max) via the following online portal: https://secac.secure-platform.com. The portal will remain open for submissions from Saturday, 1 February 2025 through Tuesday, 1 April 2025 at 11:59 p.m. EDT.

Questions regarding the above art history session may be addressed to the chair at fowlermaetsu.edu. For general inquiries about the annual meeting, please contact Academic Director Tracy Stonestreet (SECACdirectorumw.edu).

N.B. Any scholar whose paper is accepted to the session must be (or become) an active member of SECAC through the date of the conference and pay the conference registration fee.

Individual/Institutional Designee $230.00
Independent/Adjunct $135.00
Student $95.00
Retired $100.00