CALL FOR PAPERS for Conference “The Legacy of Robert Wilson” (Deadline: 15 March 2024)

CALL FOR PAPERS

Conference “The Legacy of Robert Wilson”

August 5–9, 2024

The Martin E. Segal Theatre Center, The Watermill Center

The deadline to receive submissions is Friday 15 March 2024.

Information and other queries: robertwilsonconference24@gmail.com

We are pleased to announce an upcoming conference exploring the work of renowned American theatre director and visual artist, Robert Wilson, and its legacy for contemporary visual and performing arts and future artistic production. In celebration of Wilson’s extraordinary career, we invite scholars, critics, and practitioners to contribute to a conference exploring the diverse aspects of his transformative vision and artistic practice. The conference will take place between August 5 - 9, 2024 at The Martin E. Segal Theatre Center at the Graduate Center of CUNY, and on August 8 at The Watermill Center on Long Island. The symposium will combine in-person and virtual keynotes, paper presentations, and panel discussions.

We are seeking original research papers and presentations that critically engage with the work and impact of Robert Wilson across various contexts, including but not limited to:

1. Aesthetic Innovations: Examining the unique visual and auditory elements in Wilson’s stagecraft, his use of light, sound, movement, and non-verbal communication to create immersive theatrical experiences.
2. Dramaturgy and Collaboration: Investigating Wilson’s collaborative process with playwrights, composers, designers, and performers, and exploring the role of dramaturgy in shaping his productions.
3. The Theatrical Experience: Analyzing the audience’s encounter with Wilson’s productions, the immersive nature of his staging, and its influence on the audience’s perception, engagement, and interpretation of the work.
4. Design, Video, Installation, Architecture: Examining the use of form, space, composition, color, and sound in Wilson’s non-theatrical artistic work.
5. Socio-political Relevance: Assessing how Wilson’s work engages with social, political, and cultural issues, exploring its potential to create dialogue, challenge norms, and inspire change, and relating it to BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities and concerns as well as disability studies.
6. Cross-cultural and Interdisciplinary Perspectives: Exploring the cross-cultural influences on Wilson’s work, his collaborations with artists from diverse backgrounds, and the interplay between theatre, music, visual arts, and dance within his productions.
7. Wilson’s Influence on Contemporary Theatre: Investigating the lasting impact and influence of Wilson’s unique style and approach on contemporary theatre practices, aesthetics, and directorial strategies globally.
8. Analyzing Specific Works: Presentations focused on in-depth analysis of specific works by Wilson, encompassing themes, techniques, historical context, and their significance within his oeuvre.

Submission Guidelines:

●  Abstracts of no more than 250 words should be submitted along with a short biographical note and institutional affiliation (if applicable).

●  Submissions should align with one or more of the symposium topics outlined above.

●  All submissions should be in English.

●  Submission Deadline: Friday, March 15, 2024

All abstracts, biographical notes, and general inquiries should be sent directly to the symposium organizers: Frank Hentschker (Director, Martin E. Segal Theatre Center at the Graduate Center CUNY), Markus Wessendorf (Chair, Department of Theatre and Dance, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa), and Viola Kántor (Eötvös Loránd University, Faculty of Humanities, Doctoral School of Philosophy, Art History Program) at robertwilsonconference24@gmail.com.

The Segal Center will award $500 each towards the best new essay from undergraduate, MA/MFA, and PhD students. We are planning to feature selected proceedings of the symposium in the inaugural issue of the online Robert Wilson Yearbook, which will be published by the Martin E. Segal Theatre Center.

The symposium will be free and open to the public. (There may be charges, however, for transportation to The Watermill Center and for conference snacks and refreshments.)

Details regarding the venue, format, and registration process will be shared at a later date.

We look forward to receiving insightful and engaging contributions that shed light on the artistic genius of Robert Wilson, his impact on the world of theatre and the arts, and the enduring legacy of his innovative approach to stagecraft and artistic practice.