Call for papers: CLARA – Classical Art and Archaeology special issue no. 2

Background

Continuing a trend of the late twentieth century, the early twenty-first century has witnessed an enduring interest in Greek and Roman antiquity and the classical heritage. A growing number of artists of very different backgrounds, including (alphabetically) Alben, Barry X Ball, Léo Caillard, Mathew Darbyshire, Omar Hassan, Jeff Koons, Bjørn Nørgaard, Francesco Rubino, Yinka Shonibare, Francesco Vezzoli and Xu Zhen have created new works of art based on renowned antique statues such as the Venus de Milo, the Nike of Samothrace, the Apollo Belvedere, the Belvedere torso and the Hercules Farnese. While some artists make new versions of ancient sculptures, other artists create new works in a classical style. Classical images, ranging from statues to temples, also turn up in advertising to promote ideas of high quality and excellent taste. In fashion design, brands such as Versace, Chanel and not least Dolce & Gabbana, who in recent collections have presented male and female couture decorated with Greek coins, Sicilian temples and Black- and Red-figure vases, have similarly embraced the classical.

Topics

The papers should explore how contemporary artists reinterpret, recreate and transform famous artworks of the past by the use of different materials, such as plaster or polystyrene and new techniques such as 3D-scanning. Contributions may focus on all aspects of ‘contemporary classicism’ in art and visual culture, for example: the interplay of art and archaeology; one or more ancient artworks in contemporary contexts; or, a single artist or comparative study of several artists.

Suggested topics include, but are not limited to:

* Classical and Hellenistic statues in twenty-first-century art

* Non-Western ‘classicisms’

* Classical myths and themes in contemporary art

* Archaeological fragments and contemporary art

* Antique images in advertising

* Classical inspiration in contemporary fashion

* Classicism and kitsch

 

Deadline for proposals: 31. March 2021

Proposals should include:

- Title of the paper

- Name, affiliation and email

- Short abstract – ca 300 words

Proposals should be mailed to bente.kiilerich@uib.no, m.p.lindhagen@khm.uio.no, astriklu@ifikk.uio.no