“Absence, hear thou my protestation

Against thy strength,

Distance, and length;

Do what thou canst for alteration:

For hearts of truest mettle

Absence doth join, and Time doth settle.”

John Donne, Present in Absence, 17th c.

Lissa Riviera, Shelburne, Nova Scotia, 2011 (printed 2022)

The theme invites analysis of how the presence, or notable absence, of body is implied, reflected, or symbolically evoked in artistic media.

Certain artifacts and spaces reflect a “trace” of the human body through wear, use, or symbolism. We encourage you to explore questions like how cultural memory, trauma, and history are expressed through bodily absence, or how prehistoric handprints on cave walls, marks on ancient tools, or worn stone steps in historical sites reveal bodies that once existed there. This could extend to digital art forms, where bodies are represented and then erased, calling into question what it means to have a “body” in digital spaces. You might wonder how architectural theory interprets the body itself as a “structure” or “space”. How do marginalized or underrepresented bodies make their presence known in art, or contemporary media?

Tracy Emin, My Bed, 1998

Submissions are now closed. We thank you for your contributions.

The symposium will take place from 10 am - 4:30 pm on February 22nd, 2025 at la Maison Louis-Joseph Forget, 1195 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal. Capacity is limited, so we ask that you please register to indicate your attendance.