Visualising Asia: Deciphering ‘Otherness’ in Visual and Material Cultures – SOAS – 20-21/9/18

Visualising Asia: Deciphering ‘Otherness’ in Visual and Material Cultures
SOAS, University of London
20/21^stSeptember 2018

Confirmed Keynote: Dr Anne Witchard – “The Boom in Yellow”: Colour Coding at the Fin de Siecle

Full speaker programme here

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Historically, Asia has been a contended space of exploration and domination, where both Asian and non-Asian agents sought to define themselves against others. Within this broad historical and geographical context,this international and interdisciplinary conference brings together various forms of visuals, such as films, cartoons, and objects, in their interaction with discourses of ‘other’.  The platforms of visualising Asia were assimilated into daily life and practices, feeding into narratives that transcend any single medium. Due to their visual impact, they became lasting repositories of imagined identities and thus have critical implications for those representing and those being represented. This conference invites discussions on the differing ways ‘otherness’ has been used in both Asian and non-Asian societies through visuals. We encourage the participation from postgraduates, career researchers, scholars, curators, practitioners, and archivists.  The aim is to bring together an array of visualities from across various disciplines in order to reflect on the importance of visuals in knowledge production and circulation within and across cultures and societies.

The conference convenors are Amy Matthewson (SOAS, University of London), and Dr Irene González-López (Kingston University).