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Postmodern Documentary Photography

Symposium

Photography program at Purdue   /   Deadline: 07/15/14

Documentary photography has long been perceived as a depiction of reality and truth. This form of photography was thought to be less of an art or expression of an idea, and more of a technical process of capturing the reality of a moment, an experience, or a situation. But the advent of the digital technology age in which images are constantly being manipulated, and the development of "in-between" genres, have made this simple perception inadequate.

The symposium, to take place at Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN, will include lectures and panel discussions by internationally recognized artists and art historians addressing the current trends in all or some of the following topics in postmodern documentary photography: Documentary Form, Documentary Subject Matter, Self Representation as New Reality, Challenging Ethical Norms, Digital Manipulation, Re-enactments, and Appropriation. It will seek to gain richer understanding of as well as to define what postmodern documentary photography is.

The 2014 Postmodern Documentary Photography Symposium at Purdue is currently encouraging more participants to come forward with research papers and presentations which explore themes of documentary photography and postmodern techniques. The symposium is to take place at Purdue University from September 24th-25th, 2014.

Location

Yue Kong Pao Hall at Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN

Fees

None

Eligibility

The call is open to researchers, academics, artists and professionals who focus on postmodern documentary photography. The abstract should provide clear and concise information about your research, and should work as a stand-alone document. Proposals might address at least one of the following four themes:

Theme 1: "Credibility and the Digital Age"
In the digital age where images can be easily manipulated and the public has become more skeptical of what can and cannot be called 'factual,' postmodern photographers often explore methods in which they can explore the notion of credibility and digital techniques in their own documentary photography. Proposals on the topic of Credibility and the Digital Age may address changing opinions on the nature of credibility, digital methodology, the relationship between fact and fiction, and other pertinent topics.

Theme 2: "Distance Emotional, Physical, Cultural"
Exploration of the distance between an author and their works, and the work and the original subject matter, are topical points of interest to many postmodern photographers. For this theme, papers which explore the nature of distance in postmodernism may confront ideas about authorship,relationship with photographer and participants, notions of originality, the removal of the presence of the camera, and how these distances affect how we perceive the subject matter, among other similar topics.

Theme 3: "Shifting Subjects, Shifting Approach"
Finding new ways to breathe life into the long-studied field of documentary photography sometimes means discovering unique styles of approaching not only the technical aspect of photography, but also the subjects that are being captured on film. Suitable topics for this theme are analyses of documentary as a formal approach, parts of society which are under-explored, ideas of uniqueness and mundanity, and other similar concepts which reconsider style and subject matter.

Theme 4: "Pushing Ethical Norms"
To some, creating works which reconsider ethical boundaries is a key area of postmodern documentary photography. Works submitted on this topic may focus on seeking out new ethical boundaries to explore, may analyze the ethical nature of photography and the role of the photographer in society, may question how our own social classes impact our works, and other, similar topics on the issue of ethical norms.

Requirements

Abstracts Submission
We invite you to submit an abstract that is significant, original, and previously unpublished which addresses the theme of the conference. The abstract should provide clear and concise information about your research, and should work as a stand-alone document.

All abstract submission must be submitted online by July 15th, 2014 together with the following:
Presenter's names and affiliations; (contact details, organisation, university, etc)
Indicate which theme it is applicable to;
An abstract limited to 300 words;

Submit your abstract to park500@purdue.edu, LMLee@purdue.edu

Considerations

Please check out the site for more information:
www.postmoderndoc.com

Evaluation Criteria

The review panel will review each abstract and will suggest on the acceptance/rejection and comment on the proposal by July 30th.
Authors of accepted abstracts will be invited to present at the symposium, "Postmodern Documentary Photography." A session will consist of 3-4 presentations. Each presentation will last up to 20-minute and will be followed by a 20-25 minutes group discussion at the end of the session.

Contact Information

Min Kim Park
552 W. Wood St
West Lafayette, IN 47907

P: 773-934-2644
W: http://www.postmoderndoc.com
E: park500@purdue.edu