Symposium and workshop in Kassel: "Navigating Diversity"
05 / 2025
Symposium and workshop in Kassel: Navigating Diversity: Artistic Exchange in East, Southeast and South Asia in the 1950s to 1980s.
Co-organized by the documenta Institut and the Goethe-Instituts Bandung, Beijing, Delhi, Hanoi, Jakarta, Kyoto, Manila and Seoul.
The Emerging Scholars Workshop is part of a three-day symposium that explores the cultural and artistic exchanges that contributed to (trans)national narratives while examining geopolitical, ideological and institutional dynamics in East, Southeast and South Asia during the transformative decades of the mid-20th century. It is part of a long-term research project initiated by Su Wei (independent curator and art history researcher) and Mi You (Professor of Art and Economies, University of Kassel/documenta Institut). Supported by Goethe-Institut China, Hanoi, Jakarta/Bandung, Kyoto, Manila, Mumbai/Kolkata, and Seoul, as well as documenta Institut and Goethe-Institut Bandung, Beijing, Delhi, Hanoi, Jakarta, Kyoto, Manila, and Seoul, the project investigates the role of art in constructing (trans)national identities and institutional formations amid geopolitical transformations.
The 1955 Bandung Conference often serves as a reference point for solidarity between 'Third World' countries across Asia and Africa. This symposium explores how artistic practices have conformed to, diverged from, or reinterpreted the ideals of Third World solidarity in the midst of political, ideological and economic struggles. In addition, unnoticed or dogmatically formulated forms of artistic expression, counter-hegemonic endeavors and their resonance in regional and international collaborations as well as in national contexts will be examined.
The symposium will take place from May 23 to 25, 2025. On the first two days (23-24. On the first two days (May 23-24), lectures and discussions will be held by Arlette Tran Quynh-Anh (Hanoi), Grace Samboh (Yogyakarta), Kathleen Ditzig (Singapore), Koichiro Osaka (Kyoto), Merv Espina (Manila), Maria Neuman (Kassel), Michelle Wong (Hong Kong), Mi You (Kassel), Nikolay Smirnov (Kassel), Priya Jaradi (Singapore and Mumbai), Sooyoung Leam (Seoul), and Su Wei (Beijing), to name but a few. The workshop for young researchers will take place on May 25, 2025 and offers young researchers the opportunity to engage intensively with the topics of the symposium, present their research results and participate in joint discussions.
Dates: Friday, May 23 to Sunday, May 25, 2025
Conference: Friday, May 23 to Saturday, May 24, 2025
Workshop for early career researchers: Sunday, May 25, 2025
Location: Fridericianum and University of Kassel
Call for Papers
We invite young scholars who are interested in the topics of the symposium, in particular the following:
- Artistic and cultural exchange between East, Southeast and South Asia in the 1950s to 1980s, including interactions with the West and the socialist bloc.
- Counter-hegemonic artistic practices and their role in transnational and regional dialogues in the second half of the 20th century.
- Case studies of artists, collectives or institutions that traversed and negotiated political, ideological or cultural frameworks within the historical framework.Methods
Methods and frameworks for the investigation and comparison of artistic narratives, cultural policies and artistic practices in the past and present.
Participants selected for the workshop will have the opportunity to present their work and receive feedback from conference participants and peers to develop new insights and methodologies.
Guidelines for submission
Abstract: Please submit an abstract of 300 words outlining your research work.
Curriculum Vitae: Include a brief biography (100 words max) describing your academic background and research interests.
Submission deadline: March 31, 2025
Submission email: office@documenta-institut.de
Accepted participants will be notified by Apr. 15, 2025
Funding details
All selected workshop participants will receive a small stipend. Travel and accommodation must be organized by the participants themselves.
Image: Abstract Art Exhibition: Japan and U.S.A., held at the National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo in 1955.
