Conceptual Art in the Expanded Field

International workshop

The workshop critically examines the complexity of artistic production from the late 1960s onward that has commonly been grouped under the term “conceptual art,” bringing together established scholars and emerging researchers from European universities. While this field has been the subject of extensive scholarship, its history has often been framed around a limited number of canonical figures and relatively orthodox interpretations of their work. Building on our specific research interests—including feminist and subversive practices, experiences of migration, and material and cultural history—this workshop approaches conceptual art through a range of complementary perspectives, including archives, documentation, and exhibitions; global circulations and diasporas; political, social, and infrastructural stakes; memory and temporality; and categories such as race and gender. Rather than treating conceptual art as a closed historical episode, the event seeks to establish connections with contemporary societal issues that continue to shape artistic production today, thereby encouraging productive dialogue between historical research and present concerns.

Finally, this conference represents an initial step toward establishing a research network dedicated to conceptual art. Our goal is to organize an annual meeting where researchers can present current findings and further develop shared themes. Such a format would also make it possible to initiate collaborative transnational projects, including a traveling workshop ((Basel, Fribourg, Paris), as well as future symposia and publications.
 

With the support of Kunsthistorisches Seminar Basel and Centre André-Chastel, Paris.
 

Workshop organized by:

Anja Delz, Universität Fribourg
Louis-Antoine Mège, Sorbonne-Université/documenta Institut
Paula Stoica, Universität Basel
Emma Wils, Sorbonne-Université