SURREALISMS Inaugural Conference of the ISSS

ROUNDTABLE. Contemporary Legacies of Surrealism (2 of 2)

Part 2 of a double session which brings together several experts to explore and discuss legacies and contemporary practice of surrealism. The presence of surrealism in contemporary art, be it as heritage, source of inspiration, practice, or otherwise, is not uncontested. By first offering four case studies, the panel will form a solid basis for a subsequent extended discussion of the issue of surrealism in the contemporary. The panel speakers are practicing artists and academic specialists; they will not only bring a range of experiences and expertise to the table but will also be able to reflect on the issue of contemporary (legacies of) surrealism from an art making-standpoint.

This roundtable explores contemporary legacies and practices of surrealism. Points of discussion will include: contemporary surrealism within the global; contemporary practice vs. legacies and heritage; benefits and pitfalls of periodization models of surrealism; the position (or not) of “canonical” historical surrealism (i.e., 1920s-30s Paris) within modern and contemporary surrealism as well as current art criticism and scholarship worldwide.

Tessel Bauduin
Universiteit van Amsterdam

Patricia Allmer
University of Edinburgh

Jesse Bransford
New York University 

Judith Noble
Plymouth College of Art

Dominic Shepherd
Arts University Bournemouth 

Kristoffer Noheden
Stockholm University