From the call for proposals, 26 October 2010
The title “Systems of Perception” refers to a characteristic phenomenon of Netherlandish art and culture, namely the special importance accorded the cognitive significance of sight. The conference aims to address aspects of visual culture in which the work of art effectively imposes order on that which is visible and that which is perceived.
Individual objects, entire collections of artefacts and indeed architecture can thus be interpreted as an endeavour to organise human experiences using visual means. Early Netherlandish art, for instance, represents an early attempt to create images of everyday-life that encapsulate different realms of religious belief. In the seventeenth century, art and scientific illustrations provided empirical and analytical insights into the “world”, especially in those cases where pictorial representations were used to organise and explain visual experiences. In more modern times, the De Stijl group attempted to establish an autonomous system of art that illustrates underlying patterns and structures. The theme of this conference seeks to investigate the multifarious forms of artistic production that occur in a wide spectrum of genres, media, regions, epochs and methods.
See also http://www.ankk.org/ and http://www.staedelmuseum.de/sm/index.php?StoryID=935 for the registration form and conference program.