Bronte Conference - Call for Papers

29 JANUARY 2013 - Call for papers: ‘Re-Visioning the Brontës’, University of Leeds conference in conjunction with the exhibitions, ‘Wildness Between the Lines’ and ‘Visions of Angria’

Recent adaptations and interpretations of the Brontës’ lives and works through film, art, literature and theatre raise questions about the continuing fascination with these literary figures, as well as highlighting the wider potential for artistic intervention or collaboration between artworks and audiences. Similarly, it is through innovative contemporary arts programmes that organisations like the Brontë Parsonage Museum and the Brontë Society seek to move beyond simple ‘caricatures’ of the family and encourage diverse audience engagement.

This one day cross-disciplinary conference will explore the recent ‘re-visioning’ of the Brontës through critically examining artistic responses and interpretations of their work. The conference will address ways in which the legacy of the Brontës is exerting an influence in a range of creative fields, and across a variety of media.

A collaboration between the Stanley & Audrey Burton Gallery and the School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies, the conference is taking place to coincide with two exhibitions. The first, ‘Wildness Between the Lines’, at Leeds College of Art, brings together the work of a wide range of artists who have been influenced by the Brontës. ‘Visions of Angria’, at the Stanley and Audrey Burton Gallery, showcases Brontë material from the University of Leeds Special Collections, accompanied by illustrations from students at Leeds College of Art.

This theme lends itself to a broad field of research and practice. Submissions are welcomed from academics, artists, research students and professionals, and the format is not restricted to formal papers. Topics for discussion might include, but are not limited to:

• The Brontës’ influence in contemporary culture
• Creative adaptations or reinterpretations of the Brontës’ lives and works Curatorial interpretations of the Brontës
• The myth and legacy of the Brontës
• Responses to exhibitions of Brontë material
• Representations of the Brontës in literary biographies 

Confirmed speakers include Jane Sellars (Curator of Art, Mercer Art Gallery, Harrogate) and Professor Blake Morrison (Goldsmiths, University of London) in conversation with Dr Richard Brown (University of Leeds). Please email submissions, including a title, 400 word abstract and CV, to: bronte.revision@gmail.com by no later than Friday, 28 September 2012. Successful applicants will be notified by the 30 November 2012. Further questions are welcomed at this address.

Postgraduate Student Opportunity - Conference Administrator

The ‘Re-Visioning the Brontës’ conference will take place at Leeds in January 2013. This one day cross-disciplinary conference will explore the contemporary ‘re-visioning’ of the Brontës through critically examining recent artistic responses and interpretations of their work. A collaboration between the Stanley & Audrey Burton Gallery and the School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies, the conference will coincide with two related exhibitions at the Gallery and Leeds College of Art. The conference is funded through a HEIF V award, (the University of Leeds Higher Education Innovation Fund).

We are hoping to recruit a postgraduate student from the department for the post of Conference Administrator, to work closely with the organisers (Nick Cass and Liz Stainforth) to ensure the smooth running of the related administration and the conference itself. The post will be for 8 days worked flexibly between August 2012 and January 2013, paid at University Grade 3 (£15,151 pa pro rata). Hours and days to be negotiated. The closing date is Friday, 6 July 2012.

For further details, please follow the link below and download the application form via the 'news' section of the Gallery homepage: http://www.leeds.ac.uk/gallery/

Informal enquiries should be directed to: Nick Cass (N.Cass@leeds.ac.uk) or Liz Stainforth (E.M.Stainforth@leeds.ac.uk).

July Events at the Stanley & Audrey Burton Gallery

What better way to spend those rainy summer weekends than with a trip to the Gallery? There are lots of activities to interest and inspire you, including a talk with Literary Archivist Sarah Prescott (14 July), showing unique manuscripts from Special Collections' fantastic literary archives by writers and poets including the Brontës, Elizabeth Gaskell, Graham Greene, Tony Harrison and Simon Armitage.

Later into the month, there's a felt-making workshop (21 July) with Hayley McColl and an origami-making workshop (28 July) to celebrate the end of the Gallery's 'Paper Trails: Treasures on Paper' (2 May - 28 July) exhibition, where we'll be throwing down the gauntlet to visitors as we attempt to make something close to one thousand paper cranes!

So why not get involved or check the website for further details: http://www.leeds.ac.uk/gallery/events.htm

AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Award - British Museum and partners

AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Awards Programme

RECONNECTING SLOANE: TEXTS, IMAGES, OBJECTS

Applications are invited for TWO AHRC Collaborative PhD studentships, commencing in autumn 2012, on the theme of Reconnecting Sloane: Texts, Images, Objects.

1.         Collecting and Correspondence: Sloane’s Papers and Scientific Networks (Supervised by Dr Arnold Hunt, British Library and Dr Anne Goldgar, King’s College London)

2.         Putting Nature in a Box: Sloane’s Vegetable Substances (Supervised by Dr Charlie Jarvis, Natural History Museum, and Professor Miles Ogborn, Queen Mary University of London)

A third Doctoral studentship in the programme, Visualizing Natural Knowledge: Sloane’s Albums of Natural History Drawings (Supervised by Dr Kim Sloan, British Museum, and Dr Elizabeth Eger, King’s College London) has already been allocated to a named student.

Applicants can apply for both studentships, but must complete separate applications for each as outlined below.

These studentships will focus on the collections of Sir Hans Sloane (1660-1753), which are now divided between the British Museum, the Natural History Museum and the British Library.  The research projects will explore various aspects of Sloane’s collections in order to understand how his collecting practices were involved in the making of Enlightenment knowledge.  The successful applicants will be expected to work closely with the partner institutions, and each other, in order to draw out the intellectual and material connections between the different parts of Sloane’s collections.  They will also participate in the development of new finding-aids for the collections, leading to innovative forms of public engagement.

The award pays fees and an annual maintenance grant (currently £15,590 per year) and the partner institution will contribute up to £1000 pa research costs. The usual AHRC eligibility rules apply to these studentships, including having an appropriate master’s degree by October 2012 and AHRC’s residential requirements.

For both studentships the closing date is 29th June 2012. Interviews will be held in London on 19^th July 2012.  Applicants will need to include a CV, two references, an academic transcript and a 1000-word statement of purpose.

For Collecting and Correspondence: Sloane’s Papers and Scientific Networks Further details are available on the Department of History, King’s College London website, informal inquiries should be made to Dr Anne Goldgar (anne.goldgar@kcl.ac.uk) and applications should be made to Kings College London.

For Putting Nature in a Box: Sloane’s Vegetable Substances Further details on the project and how to apply are available on the School of Geography, Queen Mary University of London, website. Informal inquiries should be made to Professor Miles Ogborn (m.j.ogborn@qmul.ac.uk) and applications should be made to Queen Mary University of London.

Beds and Bedding Conference at Temple Newsam House, Leeds

Bedtime Stories : Beds and Bedding in

Britain 1650-1850.

Temple Newsam House, Leeds. 21-22 June 2012

This two-day conference is being held as part of a yearlong celebratory exhibition of beds

at bedrooms at Temple Newsam House following the restoration of the Queen Anne State

Bed from Hinton House. The conference brings together both museum professionals and

scholars to share insights on historic beds and bedrooms in order to further understanding

and inform the interpretation of beds and bedroom interiors.

Keynote speakers:

Dr Olivia Fryman, Historic Royal Palaces

“Fit for His Majesties use”: Preserving, Cleaning and Repairing Royal State Beds 1689-1740

Dr Sebastian Edwards, Historic Royal Palaces

The Geography of the English Royal Bedchamber in the Late Seventeenth and Early Eighteenth Century

Dr Angela McShane, Victoria and Albert Museum

Beds and the Making of the Domestic Landscape

Ticket Prices: includes lunch, refreshments and Private View of Bedtime Stories exhibition

£40 for both days; £20 per day; Student Discount: £20 for both days; £10 per day

To book, call: 0113 264 7321; or email: temple.newsam.house@leeds.gov.uk