Taking as a starting point, the idea of art as a “medium of social conflicts” (Horst Bredekamp), the conference poses the question of how the visual imagery mediate the social imaginary in various modalities of revolutionary praxis, and how the abstract concepts of revolution, resistance and revolt have been made visible and intelligible through different forms of visual culture – from photography and cinema to comics and political posters. A series of interrelated questions evolve around this theme, namely: how has the very idea of a “Revolution” changed with the course of time? What role do current or recent events, new theories and practices play in this re-vision? How are the concepts of “Representation” and “Revolution” related to each other? How has the idea of the Revolution been re-actualized, re-enacted and reformulated in recent political performances, media representations and artistic practices? And last but not least: what role do visual images play in the revolutionary praxis – as “multipliers of meanings, power and emotions” (W.J.T.Mitchell)?
During two days scholars from fifteen European countries will be discussing the issues related to iconography and various forms of the representation of revolutions (from 19th century till the digital era), discourses of resistance, different cultures of protest and artistic responses to the most significant political turbulences of our times, in local and global contexts (see the conference program).
On the second day of the conference (December 1, 2017) a prominent German scholar and filmmaker Alexander Kluge will deliver a keynote lecture “Yearning for the childhood of thoughts. Marx and Eisenstein in the same house”, followed by the screening of his film News from Ideological Antiquity: Marx/Eisenstein/Capital (2008). This special event has become possible thanks to the support of Goethe-Institut in Lithuania.
The conference language is English. Alexander Kluge’s lecture will be delivered in German (with translation into English). The film will be screened in German with English subtitles.
The conference program is available online.
