Artistry and Industry: Representations of Creative Labour in Literature and the Visual Arts c. 1830-1900

An International Conference hosted by the
 
Centre for Victorian Studies, School of Arts, Languages and Literatures, University of Exeter 
 
in collaboration with the

Department of History of Art, University of Bristol

18-20 July 2008, University of Exeter

Keynote speakers:      

Michael Hatt (Professor of Art History, University of Warwick)

Talia Schaffer (Associate Professor of English, CUNY)

Plenary Panel:            

Pamela Gerrish Nunn (Canterbury, New Zealand)  

Richard Salmon (Senior Lecturer in Victorian Literature, University of Leeds)

Valerie Sanders (Professor of English Literature, University of Hull)

This interdisciplinary conference seeks to examine the nature and representation of artistic labour within the nineteenth century's expanding print and visual culture. Its focus will be on artistic ‘industry' in a variety of forms including, but not limited to, the nature of artistic work as conceptualised by writers and artists, artistry as a profession, and art as commodity.

Drawing together contributors from Literature, Art History, History, Drama and beyond, Artistry and Industry will also examine the connections and the separations between those artistic milieux regarded as high-culture (painting, sculpture, literature) and those classed as ‘art-industry' - such as pottery-painting, art needlework or engraving - or even hack-work (such as Grub-Street writing).

We seek insights not only into the production, dissemination and consumption of particular texts or objets d'art, but into the myths and images developing around such figures as The Painter, The Lady Novelist, The Man of the Theatre, The Craftswoman, The Poet, The Illustrator and The Muse.

Themes include:

Celebrity/obscurity/notoriety/reputation/respectability

Hand-making/mass (re)production/publishing and distribution

Interior design/ dress design

Designer/Writer/Actor/Musician et al as artist

Fine/decorative/domestic arts

Advertising/literature/manuals for amateur/creative work

Professional/amateur status

Aesthetics/commerce

Literary/visual representation

Conference organizers:

Dr Sunie Fletcher, Dr Kyriaki Hadjiafxendi, Sally-Anne Huxtable, Dr Patricia Zakreski

 Conference Programme

 Artistry and Industry Poster

 Artistry and Industry - Speakers and Abstracts

 Registration Form

 Registration Form - English Dept. Staff Only

 Credit card authorisation form

 

Supported by BAVS