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Call for Papers/ Art Presentations Seminar in Visual Culture 2010: The Art of Murder Deadline for proposals: 7 Dec 2009 Institute of Germanic & Romance Studies, Room ST 275 (School of Advanced Study, Stewart House, 32 Russell Square, WC1B 5DN London) This series of seminars acts as a forum for practicing artists, researchers, curators, students, and others interested in visual culture who are invited to present, discuss and explore a given theme within the broad field of Visual Culture. In 2010, the theme of the seminar is 'The Art of Murder.' Artists and writers have always been fascinated with the violence of murder and the thrill and sensationalism that comes with it. Many examine it in critical, theoretical or creative forms of expression exploring the hidden fears and desires inherent in breaking the most sacred taboo, the destruction, and thereby for some the renewal, of life itself. Thomas de Quincey considered 'murder as one of the fine arts', and the murderer as artist, in his eponymous satirical article from 1827. W.H. Auden calls murder 'negative creation'; and like the classical rebel-poet/artist Auden's murderer is 'the rebel who claims the right to be omnipotent.' According to legend George Bataille dallied in a more dangerous fashion with the artistic act of murder. Today, artworks by serial killer John Wayne Gacy fetch up to $15,000 at auction. In the Washington-based Museum of Crime and Punishment one can admire art and craft made by Charles Manson and an online search will provide opportunities to purchase one of his sock puppets. Marcus Harvey's portrait of child-murderess Myra Hindley, which was created from the hand-prints of children, attracted much criticism, but it also drew the crowds. When crime writer Patricia Cornwell cut up a painting by Walter Sickert in her quest to prove that Sickert was Jack the Ripper, the art-world was outraged. However, whether we believe Cornwell's theory or not, Sickert's paintings suddenly acquired a new fascination. This cross-disciplinary seminar series 'The Art of Murder' sets out to explore visual representations of actual murder in fine art, theatre, film and literature, as well as our relationship with artefacts and artworks created by criminals. Contributions are invited from individuals working in the fields of art history, philosophy, literary, cultural and visual studies, film and media studies, theatre and history. Artists are also invited to present new (and existing) work on the theme. Please send proposals for art presentations (200 words plus images) or academic papers (200 words) to Ricarda Vidal: [log in to unmask] <http:[log in to unmask]> by 7 December 2009. Please indicate which date you would prefer for your talk. Dates and times: Wednesday 27 Jan. 2010, 6.30pm - 8.00pm Wednesday 24 Feb. 2010, 6.30pm - 8.00pm Wednesday 24 March 2010, 6.30pm - 8.00pm Wednesday 26 May 2010, 6.30pm - 8.00pm Dr Ricarda Vidal Lecturer in Visual Culture Institute of Germanic & Romance Studies School of Advanced Study Stewart House, 32 Russell Squ, London WC1B 5DN <http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=530011&y=181908&z=0&sv=WC1B+5DN &st=2&pc=WC1B+5DN&mapp=newmap.srf&searchp=newsearch.srf> phone: 020 7862 8961