This conference investigates the avant-garde's reconfiguration of matter and materials in the quest to generate new meanings and effects. 

Its particular focus will be the manner in which different artistic disciplines adopt strategies, theories and techniques from each other, and how they translate, transform and integrate conceptions and modes of expression from other sign systems.

Proposals are invited for contributions which deal with any of the following: the interference or conflict of artistic disciplines; the interaction of disciplines in artistic movements; the combination of media in single artworks or artistic practices; the treatment of sign as matter and matter as sign; the materiality of art and the art of materiality; art and material environment; the world as matter and meaning; text as thing, things as texts; the transfiguration of traditional or found materials; the material effectivity of the avant-garde; the interdependency of manifestos (meaning) and art (material); technology and the transformation of meaning; the incorporation of the foreign or extraneous.

We welcome contributions across all areas of avant-garde activity: art, literature, music, architecture, film, artistic and social movements, lifestyle, television, fashion, drama, performance, activism, design and technology. We especially welcome contributions which explore the combination of different media or practices within a single work or within a given environment.

The conference languages are English, French and German.

Proposals are welcome from individuals, and from panels of three or four, or exceptionally double panels of six or seven. We especially welcome panel proposals. We will prefer panels where members are drawn from different institutions, preferably across different disciplines, and especially across national boundaries.

Panel proposals should include the following information. Panels must not consist only of graduate students.

1. Title of panel and language of panel (English, French, German – one only)
2. Name, address and email contact of Panel Chair
3. A summary of the panel topic (300 words)
4. A summary of each individual contribution (300 words)
5. Name, address and email contact of  individual contributors
6. Short biography of individual contributors

Individual proposals should include the following information.

1. Title of paper and language of paper (English, French, German)
2. Name, address and email of contributor
3. A summary of the contribution (300 words)
4. Short biography of the contributor

There will also be research seminars for current graduate students conducted in English. Each seminar is for up to 12 graduate students and is led by an experienced professor. There are no auditors. Work is circulated by email before the conference and is not read aloud. There is a discussion of the work and an opportunity to develop ideas in a peer-group context. The available seminars will be listed at the website. If you are a current graduate student and you wish to participate in one of these seminars please submit the following information:

1. Preferred seminar group
2. Title of contribution (English only)
3. A summary of the contribution (300 words)
4. Name, address, and email of contributor
5. Short biography of the contributor

Please submit proposals to the conference email address eam2012@kent.ac.uk by 16 December 2011.

Please DO NOT submit proposals in more than one category.

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