The programme has been published and registration open for the Photographic History Research Centere's annual conference, which is themed Photography, Value, History.
What is the history of photography’s value a history of? Is it a labour and economic history? An institutional history of museum cataloguing systems and art market pressure? A history of the values promoted by photography as a cultural and social activity? A history of photographic conventions, trends and fashions? Recent publications like issue 8 of Photographica in 2024 and the PHRC conference of 2023 “Photography in its Environment”, showed the increasing volume of work dealing in one way or another with photography and value.
In this PHRC 2025 conference speakers shall use the ambiguity of the term “value” as a starting point to reflect on the intertwined political, social, economic, scientific and historical factors that have shaped the value(s) of photography. They will use of diverse methodological perspectives to critically analyse what has made photography valuable to a variety of stakeholders.
Papers will focus on topics related, but not limited to themes like:
- Photographic values and ethics
- The markets of photography
- Labour and/or economic histories of photography
- The value of photography as heritage
- Value systems in photography collections
- Photography’s influence on social values
As in recent previous years, the conference is offered in person and online, allowing speakers and delegates to participate remotely or on site.
Details here: https://photographichistory.wordpress.com/annual-conference-2025/
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