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Call for paper-based presentations, playful provocations and serious badinage to be included in a two-day symposium interrogating the deployment of humour within contemporary art practices. 2 – 4 March 2012 Mostyn, Llandudno, North Wales, UK Organised by Lee Campbell, PhD researcher, in conjunction with Politicized Practice Research Group, Loughborough University School of the Arts in cooperation with Mostyn, Llandudno. To coincide with ‘Ha Ha Road’, Mostyn, 03 December 2011 - 11 March 2012. www.mostyn.org Friday 2 March 2012: Performance and talk by Bedwyr Williams will launch the symposium. The symposium will then continue on Saturday 3 March and Sunday 4 March 2012 Confirmed speakers include Gary Stevens, Frog Morris and Dr. Gillian Whiteley. ʻMany contemporary exhibitions focus with grim earnestness on the difficulties of social justice, environmental degradation or economic inequity. Adding humour to the equation dismantles the sense of insistent authority and reminds us that we are all complicit in these inequities. Humour can offer an astute as well as cathartic and even magical way to deal with big issuesʼ(Cassandra Coblentz: 2009). Proposals for presentations are particularly welcome for the following enquiries, but not limited to: • humour as an artistic methodology deployed both historically and in contemporary practice embracing fine art forms including painting and sculpture as well as performance-based art practices. • traditional and contemporary perceptions of humour against the ‘serious’ backdrop of the art-world institution, humorous artistic endeavours seeking to poke fun at the art world as Barbara Pollack has stated, ‘humour is one of the most effective means of puncturing pomposity’ (Barbara Pollack: 2004). • humorous devices within artistic practice to shed light on John Morreall’s theories of humour as connected to ‘superiority’, ‘relief’ and ‘incongruity’ (John Morreall:1983). • humour as an artistic, disruptive, and transgressive act, a form of personal and social catharsis to destabilise social norms of correctness. Submission guidelines Please send: • A 300-350 word proposal/abstract including keywords outlining your presentation and state institute affiliation (if any). • A short biography including any websites as relevant. • Send to [log in to unmask] • Please do not send any further attachments with your submission. • Please indicate any particular technical support in your submission. Important dates: 15 February 2012 – 5pm GMT UK time, deadline (all submissions to be sent via email to Lee Campbell, [log in to unmask] with the words SYMPOSIUM SUBMISSION in the subject heading). 18 February 2012- Notification of successful applicants. 2 March 2012 - Launch of symposium. 3 and 4 March 2012- Symposium to be held. References COBLENTZ, C., 2009. Seriously Funny [Publication of an exhibition held at Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art 2009] Ed. Ann Neff R. A 2009 SMoCA MORREALL, J., 1983.Taking Laughter Seriously. State University of New York Press, Albany POLLACK, B., The Elephant in the Room in ARTNews. September 2004. p118-9