Parallax Offsite (MK)
19 – 21 February 2010 in Milton Keynes

Parallax is seeking proposals for presentations at the symposium concerning the situation of art professionals in a global (post-national?) world.

Established by emerging artists, critics, curators, art historians and art managers who met whilst working at the 53rd Venice Biennale Parallax Venice aims to facilitate exchange of experience, knowledge, ideas between art professionals across geographical, political and professional boundaries.

During Venice Biennale 2009 Parallax presented a series of events and performances, opening up a creative dialogue and building a platform for creative encounters with artistic peers across geographical, political and professional boundaries. Challenging the established hierarchies between artist, curator, management, and invigilator roles Parallax provides a new/revised model of social and professional interaction and creates unique professional development and networking events on an international stage.
With the Venice Biennale drawing to its end, Parallax Venice has decided to launch its Offsite Programme. Part of it is a series of events that will take place in February in Milton Keynes, including a symposium concerning the situation of art professionals in a global world.

Taking the Venice Biennale, which was context and catalyst for the birth of the Parallax , as a starting point, presentations are invited to consider:
• The impact of geographical and cultural displacement on art professionals and communities and on art making processes.
Readdress the vital importance of social/physical exchange of artists and art professionals
• Motives and causes of displacement or relocation amongst art professionals.
• Reevaluating established hierarchies in the fields of art production, presentation and acquisition.
• Inclusion, exclusion and access in a global and contemporary art context.
• Expanded roles, constraints and opportunities of art professionals working at biennales and art fairs
• The cause and effect of Biennale displacement on the wide community of international art professionals
• The importance of cultural displacement and the role of the invigilator
• The 'prolonged engagement' allowed by the duration of biennales and other similar large events and its impact on the artist’s work
• Reexamining national representation in a post-national context
• The effect of parallactic situations on artists and art professionals

Proposals are invited from both researchers and practitioners in all fields of Visual Art , including but not limited to students, artists, curators, art critics, art historians , art managers, educators and facilitators.

Paper proposals (Due December 15):
Proposals for individual papers should include a 250-word abstract. Conference papers are normally allotted 20 minutes. Traditional and performative papers are welcome.
Panel proposals (Due December 15):
Panel proposals and proposals for other discursive formats (roundtable discussions, position papers, etc.) should include a 250-word abstract, along with the names, paper titles (if applicable) and affiliations of participants. Panels are normally allotted 1.5-2 hours. Proposals that interweave traditional and performative papers are welcome.
Shift proposals (Due December 10):
Fascinated by the explorations of PSi (http://psi16.com), we invite proposals for “shifts”: innovative session formats that push the boundaries of the well-constructed panel. These may include workshops, performances, and interactive events. We welcome site-specific projects that activate public space, the urban landscape, or the immediate environs of the conference site. Proposals should include a 250-word abstract.

For more details please contact: dobrochna@parallaxvenice.com
All proposals should be submitted by filling out the “Proposal Form” available from dobrochna@parallaxvenice.com

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