Call for Papers

Rethinking the Total Art of Socialism

Session at the College Art Association Conference, Chicago

Co-chairs: Geng Yan, University of Heidelberg; and Christine I. Ho,
Stanford University. Email: yan.gengzo.uni-heidelberg.de and
cihostanford.edu

This panel seeks to open a transnational conversation about the
political economy of socialist art during the Cold War years in order to
grapple with the aesthetic and ideological legacies of socialist
culture. In considering the wide scope of responses, ranging from
outright rejection, appropriation, to cautious revival of shared utopian
ideals, this panel reexamines our current understanding of socialist art
beyond mere instrument of ideological control. How can we historicize
its unified style and working methods, in particular the preference for
representation? What role did the historical avant-garde play in its
formation? How did socialist art mobilize its publics, and how was it
developed in concert with the state penetration of media? To what extent
did the impact of global interactions shape an international socialist
aesthetics? Papers expanding beyond the Soviet epicenter to specific
histories of other Communist states and exploring cross-disciplinary
approaches in addressing various media and media cultures are
particularly welcome.

Proposals for papers to session chairs due May 6, 2013. Every proposal
should include the following items:

1. Completed session participation proposal form, located at the end of
the brochure posted at:
http://www.collegeart.org/pdf/2014CallforParticipation.pdf (also see p.
20 for the listing of this panel)
2. An abstract of one to two double-spaced, typed pages.
3. Letter explaining speaker’s interest, expertise in the topic, and CAA
membership status.
4. updated CV

Christine I. Ho
Ph.D candidate
Department of Art and Art History
cihostanford.edu