This two-day conference seeks to bring together scholars, creatives, and arts-based researchers working on topics related to modernism and/or the contemporary cultural scenes that may have risen from the modernist period, such as literary studies, psychology, musicology, art studies, architecture, philosophy, film studies, media studies and beyond.
If we look at today’s cultural, political, and scientific scene, we find that the pandemic, social and political unrest, technological and medical breakthroughs, new trends in poetry, a renewed interest in classicism and mythology (to name a few) resonate with an era not long ago. We detect a familiar pattern, which can be seen as a recurrence of, or maybe even an extension to the modernist period. Perhaps, as designer Ellen Lupton put it, “A second modernism has emerged, reinvigorating the utopian search for universal forms that marked the birth of design as a discourse and a discipline nearly a century earlier.”
Thus, we would like to explore the following questions: Can we say that we experiencing a sequel to, or a “second wave”of modernism today? What happened to some of the movements and schools of thought that were born during the modernist period? How have some of them evolved? How have they contributed to the cultural scene today, in both the sciences and the arts?

We aim to come together to explore—and perhaps investigate—the intersections between movements, trends, ideas, sciences and aesthetic methodologies during the modernist period and today.

We welcome 15-minute presentations on comparative studies and research topics related to a full range of approaches to contemporary trends in (but not limited to) the following fields:

• Modernist art movements (surrealism, cubism, impressionism, futurism, vorticism, etc)
• Breaking away from conventions (in many areas such as art and lifestyle, etc.)
• Psychoanalysis
• Philosophy
• Music
• Literature
• Media
• Architecture and design
• Spirituality
• Experimentation with language and form
• Inter-War periods
• Historical comparisons
• The emergence of creative collectives
• The effects of modernism on contemporary society and its relevance today

Presenters can either share academic papers and/or creative work (poetry, prose, photography, music, painting, etc.), as we highly encourage arts-based research. We welcome proposals from scholars, creatives, graduate students, and professionals.Please send abstracts of 250-words and brief biographies to info@labrc.co.uk by January 15, 2023. We aim to notify participants of accepted proposals and our conference’s keynote speaker will be announced by January 15, 2023. The registration fee is £150 (waged)/£100 (unwaged, students) for two days (including tea, snacks, and lunch). Please let us know of any access needs or dietary restrictions.

Conference organisers:

Dr. Roula-Maria Dib (LABRC, Indelible, and Psychreative): info@labrc.co.uk

Christina Heflin (Université de Paris I – Panthéon-Sorbonne)

Dr. Omar Sabbagh (American University in Dubai)
Adam Wyeth (Associate Artist, Civic Theatre Dublin)