Thursday 2 February, 9.45am–5.45pm & Friday 3 February, 9.45am–4.30pm

Please call the information desk on 020 7522 7888 to check ticket availability and to book.

Arrive for 9.45am start. £25/£20 conc. and members 1 day pass; or £40/£30 conc. and members 2 day pass.

Concessions and members are kindly asked to show proof or ID when collecting tickets on the day.

This two-day event aims to explore the ways in which artists engage with ideas of Perfection. An eclectic group of artists and writers whose lens-based practices engage or disrupt ideas of Perfection, will present works which question how these ideas shape our personal identities, and our social and political systems.

The programme includes formal papers, screenings, artist talks, conversation & performance, new works by emerging artists, and presentations from international guests. 

Participants include: Marco Bohr, Photographer & Lecturer in Visual Communications, Loughborough University, Clive Cazeaux, Reader in Aesthetics, Cardiff School of Art & Design, Charlotte Cotton, Creative Director, National Media Museum, Leslie Dick, Co-Director, Art Program, CalArts, Liam Devlin, Photographer & Lecturer, eCPR/ Goldsmiths, Mark Durden, Artist & Professor of Photography, University of Wales, Newport, David Evans, Senior Lecturer in the History and Theory of Photography, Arts University College at Bournemouth, Oriana Fox, Artist, Catherine Grant,  Writer & lecturer, Visual Cultures, Goldsmiths, Mark Godfrey, Curator, Tate Modern, Michal Heiman, Artist and Lecturer at the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, Jerusalem and the Faculty of Arts, Tel Aviv University, Sarah James, writer and lecturer, UCL, Jo Longhurst, Artist, Leverhulme Fellow, eCPR, Ray Müller, Director, ‘The Wonderful Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl’, Francette Pacteau, Writer and lecturer, Royal College of Art, Julian Rosefeldt, Artist, Aaron Schuman, Photographer, Curator, Editor of SeeSaw Magazine, Eva Stenram, Artist, Jonathan Whitehall, Artist & lecturer, London Metropolitan University and artists Jane and Louise Wilson.

Organised by Jo Longhurst, in collaboration with European Centre for Photographic Research, University of Wales, Newport & The Photographers’ Gallery. Supported by Arts Council England & Leverhulme Trust. Book supported by Hiscox, published by Intellect Books.


Programme

Thursday 2 February

9.45am-9.50am  Welcome
Jo Longhurst, Artist, Leverhulme Fellow, University of Wales , Newport

9.50 -11am  Session 1
Dr Mark Durden, Professor of Photography, University of Wales , Newport , ‘Defining the Moment’
Eva Stenram, Artist, ‘Despoiling the Ideal’
Chair, Aaron Schuman, Photographer, Curator, Editor of SeeSaw Magazine

11-11.30am Break

11.30am-12.45pm  Session 2
Dr Clive Cazeaux, Reader in Aesthetics, Cardiff School of Art & Design, ‘Leading Plato into the Darkroom’
Julian Rosefeldt, Artist, ‘Failure and Perfection: Film Works by Julian Rosefeldt’
Chair, Liam Devlin, Goldsmiths, University of London , and University of Wales , Newport

12.45 -1.45pm Lunch (not provided)

1.45-3.15pm  Session 3
Dr Catherine Grant, Lecturer, Visual Cultures, Goldsmiths, ‘The Effort of Perfection: Performing Adolescence’
Jo Longhurst, Artist, ‘Other Spaces: New Works with Elite Gymnasts’
Chair, Charlotte Cotton, Creative Director, Media Space

3.15-3.45pm Break

3.45-5.45pm  Session 4
David Evans, Senior Lecturer in the History and Theory of Photography, Arts University College at Bournemouth , ‘Post-Human Perfection: The Transformed World of Ernst Jünger’
Screening: excerpt from ‘The Wonderful Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl’, Ray Müller, 1993
Chair, Dr Sarah James, Writer and Lecturer, University College London

Please note: due to unforeseen circumstances, Ray Müller is unable to participate in the symposium in person.


Friday 3 February

9.45am-11am  Session 5
Dr Francette Pacteau, Writer and Lecturer, Royal College of Art, ‘Seeing Through’
Leslie Dick, Co-Director, Art Program, CalArts , USA , ‘Boundary Lines’
Chair, Dr Catherine Grant

11-11.30am Break

11.30am-12.50pm  Session 6
Dr Jonathan Whitehall, Artist & Lecturer, Sir John Cass School of Art, London Metropolitan University , ‘Perfecting Desire: Reconciling Memory’
Michal Heiman, Artist and Lecturer at the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, Jerusalem and the Faculty of Arts, Tel Aviv University , ‘A Perfect Strike: Double Standards and Attacks on Perfection’
Oriana Fox, Artist, ‘Our Bodies Ourselves’
Chair, Liam Devlin

12.50-2pm Lunch (not provided)
With screening of excerpts from ‘Zidane, A 21st Century Portrait’ Douglas Gordon & Philippe Parreno, 2006

2-3.15pm  Session 7
Jane & Louise Wilson, Artists, ‘Erewhon’
Marco Bohr, Photographer & Lecturer in Visual Communications, Loughborough University , ‘From ‘Provoke’ to ‘Girl Photography’: Anti-Perfectionism in Japanese Photography.’
Chair, Mark Durden

3.15-3.45pm Break

3.45-4.30pm  Session 8
Panel discussion led by Charlotte Cotton



Film still © Ray Müller, 'The Wonderful Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl'

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