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The
Bible and Visual Culture
An Interdisciplinary Symposium, University of Wales, Lampeter,
14-15 April 2005
Introduction
The symposium initiates an interdisciplinary and collaborative
project joining the fields of Biblical Studies and of Visual
Culture and Art History.
Valuable insights into the rich narrative and poetry of the
Bible are often gained through an appreciation and critical
study of the cultural afterlives of its characters, events,
imagery, and doctrines. Artistic expressions of biblical themes
and ideas can convey the essence of the biblical text, and
involve the viewer more personally and vividly, than a purely
literal reading of it.
Moreover, visual expressions of the Bible can draw the viewer
into the very subject matter itself, serve as an interpretative
or exegetical tool, and illuminate the text (in the sense of
adorning, illustrating, and casting light upon it), as well as
provide a commentary on the religious and theological values of
the producer, percipient, and the social and cultural context of
the artwork. |
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Conversely, the study of biblical texts can illuminate the
artwork, helping to establish, for example, its iconographical
and narrative significance, and didactic, liturgical, and
devotional intent or function.
While the disciplines of Biblical Studies and Art History and
Visual Culture are mutually beneficial, rarely do they interact
significantly in the context of serious academic research and
teaching. Furthermore, little research has been conducted on the
nature of the complex relationship that exists between the
textual and visual articulation of biblical thought, or in order
to develop a theoretical framework in which to examine the
various types of correspondence between word and image.
With this in mind, this interdisciplinary symposium and project
make use of existing methodologies in the disciplines of the
History of Art and Visual Culture and Biblical Studies, and
explores new approaches that encourage the systematic
investigation of visual expressions of biblical subject matter.
The project is headed by an historian of art and visual culture
and a biblical specialist who are the directors of two research
centres that have come together to promote this project – the
Centre for Studies in the Visual Culture of Religion,
based in the School of Art at the University of Wales,
Aberystwyth, and the
Centre for Contemporary Approaches to the Bible, based
in the Theology and Religious Studies Department at the
University of Wales, Lampeter.
The symposium and project are seeking to attract students
interested in investigating the visual afterlives of the Bible,
and exploring the relationship of the Bible and visual arts in
the contemporary world. You may have a variety of reasons for
doing so, including:
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a
general interest in the cultural afterlives of specific
characters, themes, or books of the Bible; |
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an interest in the
visual expressions of biblical themes, distinct and unique to
geographical or national areas, or distinct to specific
denominations; |
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an interest in
gender issues in the Bible conveyed through art; |
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a curiosity about
how artistic representations of biblical themes can challenge
traditional theological interpretations; |
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you may be a
teacher who wishes to acquire insights into the importance of
the visual in teaching areas that relate to religion; |
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you may be
interested in exploring biblical art located in your local or
national gallery; |
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you may be a
historian of art and visual culture who wishes to acquire
cognizance of the biblical texts and culture informing religious
art in the Christian tradition; |
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you may be an
artist who is seeking to engage biblical subject matter and
ideas in your work. |
Symposium Speakers
Revd Dr John Baggley is a Roman Catholic priest who
has written extensively on the way theology, prayer, liturgy,
and iconography form part of an integrated whole in the Orthodox
Christian
tradition.
Ms Katie Edwards is completing her PhD at the Department of Biblical
Studies at the University of Sheffield on the Bible and film,
and has delivered several papers in the USA and in Europe on
this topic.
Prof. John Harvey is an historian of art and visual culture
and an art practitioner. He is Professor of Fine Art at the
School of Art, University of Wales, Aberystwyth and Honorary
Visiting Research Fellow at Lampeter. His research interests
include post-Reformation religious art, the visual culture of
popular piety, and the visual transliteration of biblical texts.
Dr Martin O’Kane lectures in biblical studies at Lampeter,
His research interests include the Bible and the visual arts and
he is chair of the research seminar group ‘The Bible and Visual
Culture’ for the European Association of Biblical Studies.
Dr Gesa Thiessen is Reader in Theology at Milltown Institute
of Theology, Dublin and Honorary Research Fellow at Lampeter.
She is author of Theology and Modern Irish Art and
Theological Aesthetics.
Dr Ulrike Vollmer has pursued studies in theology, film and
the Bible in Freiburg, Leeds, and Sheffield. She is interested
in cinematic interpretations of biblical texts, especially of
those texts that centre around female figures, as well as in
discovering possibilities for fruitful dialogue between the
Bible and film.
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Programme
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Thursday 14 April |
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6.00
pm |
Dinner
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7.30
pm |
Inaugural Lecture: 'Behold': Representation, Exposition, and the
Hermeneutics of Seeing (Prof. John Harvey).
The lecture will be web cast live on
http://www.lamp.ac.uk/media/video. It will be followed by an
interactive email session for viewers. |
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Friday 15 April |
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9.15
am |
Visualisation in the Language and Literature of the Bible.
Case Study: The Blessing of Jacob in the Hebrew Bible (Dr
Martin O'Kane).
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10.00
am |
The
Visualisation of Gospel Narratives on Icons. Case Study:
The Gospel Infancy Narratives (Revd Dr John Baggley).
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10.45
am |
Coffee
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11.15
am |
The
Paradise Paradigm. Case Study: Evocations of Eden in the
European Landscape Tradition (Prof. John Harvey).
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12.00
pm |
Painted on Canvas – Framed Through the Lens: Judith
(Mis-)Interpreted.
Case Study: The Biblical Judith (Dr Ulrike Vollmer).
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1.00
pm |
Lunch
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2.00
pm |
The
Depiction of Biblical Themes in Modern Art. Case Study:
Twentieth Century European and North American Art (Dr Gesa
Thiessen).
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2.45
pm |
The
Body in Biblical Tradition and Visual Culture. Case Study:
The function of Adam and Eve in Contemporary Advertising (Ms
Katie Edwards).
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3.30
pm |
Tea
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4.00
pm |
Workshop: Presentation of themes suitable for development as
research degrees (Prof. John Harvey, Dr Martin O’Kane, Dr Ulrike
Vollmer). |
Information and
Booking
Conference fee; £20 (students and unwaged free)
Full board: £28
B+B: £17.50
Thursday evening dinner: £6.30
Friday lunch: £4.20
Contact
Ms Karen Asmuss
Tel: 01570 424938
Fax: 01570 424987
Email:
k.asmuss@lamp.ac.uk
Department of Theology and Religious Studies
University of Wales
Lampeter SA48 7ED
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