Photographs are mobile and malleable. They travel between people and places, change appearance and form, and traverse through different settings and environments. In image-led societies, photographs are often disrupted or removed from their original contexts to be repurposed by governments, institutions and researchers, as well as by artists, communities, campaigners, and many others.
How, and to what ends, are these photographs being repurposed, and by whom? How does repurposing photographic materials impact social, cultural, and political phenomena? This conference aims to facilitate discussions on the reuse, recirculation, and transformation of photographs, and explore the ways in which they have been re-employed in both the contemporary and historical contexts.
The perceived truthfulness of photography, shaped by specific historical conditions, operates within particular institutional practices and historical frameworks (Tagg, 1988). Photography functions as a cultural tool employed for diverse representational tasks (Sekula, 1984). While museums serve as one example of institutional uses of photography, others include the press, the state, civil society, medical institutions, and technological apparatuses. For example, photographs are used to assert perceived objectivity and authority over social and cultural interpretations (Stylianou-Lambert and Stylianou, 2014); explore representations and memories of working people (Adams Stein, 2016); and support political activism (Thomas, 2021).
Submission Topics
Papers may, but are not limited to, focus on the repurposing of photographs in connection with:
- exhibitions and collections in museums, archives, or galleries
- news stories on television, online, or in print media
- interviews, focus groups, or research with vulnerable people
- track changes to landscapes or human environments
- analysis of historical events, objects, or societies
- community initiatives or institutional practices
- the study of health issues, diseases, or medical treatments
- examination of scientific technologies or instruments
- promotions of ideologies or policies
- investigations of industrial processes or techniques
- social media content or AI systems
As a PhD-led conference, the event offers an opportunity to refine and reflect upon ongoing and emerging research.
All speaker applicants must be postgraduate students (Masters and PhD), but can be at any stage of their postgraduate journey.
Papers will be 15 minutes long and could be delivered either online or in person. Practice-based presentations, such as short films, practical demonstrations, or semi-interactive workshops, are also welcome.
Repurposing Photographic Materials: Transforming Social, Political, and Cultural Heritage
Hybrid conference: 7-8 July 2025
cfp deadline 30 April 2025
Details: https://studentphotocon2025.wordpress.com/call-for-papers/
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