What, when & where
On the Brink of Change: Imagining the World After the Pandemic in Art and Literature
Special Issue of Novecento Transnazionale edited by Carla Subrizi and Sharon Hecker
States of crisis have historically triggered the potential for radical change in terms of artistic and literary creation, the writing of history, and the emergence of new situations. The forthcoming issue of Novecento Transnazionale was born out of an urgency. Faced with the health emergency that has involved the entire world, the history of art as well as the history of literature are called upon to interrogate themselves and to suggest answers to this crisis. We perceive this condition as being on the brink of change. Two possible directions could be taken: on the one hand, a damaging and uncritical return to the previous conditions. On the other hand, there is an opening for transformation. This appears indispensable. Beyond seeing this situation as simply a “crisis” to be overcome in all the cultural sectors, it can be regarded as the occasion for emergence of deeper change from this crisis. We think it is important to begin this new period by thinking more deeply about the term “crisis” in relation to its original etymology: “radical change”.
We are seeking specific case studies, chosen between 1945 and the beginning of the twenty-first century, that examine the following themes:
– How have crises or emergency situations led and still lead writers, artists and research itself to take on particular social, historical, artistic, literary or political positions?
– How will the museum contend with states of emergency?
– How can history (of art, literature, etc.) and the task of writing itself not only give voice to the crisis but also rethink its own forms and ways of doing things?
– Which poetics and states of artistic research become signs or symptoms of individual, historical or cultural conditions of crisis?
– Nature, environment, ecology and sustainability: how can culture (art, literature, etc.) think up and imagine alternative models and directions to take?
Deadline & how to apply
Please send abstracts of about 300 words by registering and following the instructions for submission on the journal website by September 1, 2020: https://ojs.uniroma1.it/index.php/900Transnazionale
The articles should be formatted in the template provided by the editorial staff and uploaded to the journal website by December 10, 2020.
Other info, Links & conditions
For further information, please contact: carla.subrizi@uniroma1.it or sharhecker@me.com
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