This two-day conference builds on the USC Visual Studies Research Institute 2014-15 theme of Material Evidence and asks how materiality studies have contributed new insights to Visual Studies. While there is a substantial body of literature on materiality, we seek papers that focus on the question of material evidence and the ways that it intersects with, opposes, and/or redefines visual knowledge. In particular, the conference examines how the technical examination of objects and the use of both new and old tools—from microscopy, chemistry, and photo enlargement to digital manipulation—have rendered new knowledge. How has a concern for the material dimensions of objects helped to reconsider and expand the visual experience? What are the implications for materially oriented fields, such as art history, design, material culture, archaeology, or even engineering, medicine, and forensics? On the other hand, how has what we used to consider visual evidence become materialized? And to what ends has material evidence been applied or interpreted? We welcome abstracts from both junior scholars who have earned the Ph.D. and senior scholars for pre-circulated 20-page papers that deal with the topic of material evidence from any historical era and a wide perspective of disciplinary approaches. Speakers will be reimbursed for travel expenses and receive lodging in Los Angeles.

Submit a 250-word (1 page) abstract, cv and contact information by November 20 to: vsri[at]usc.edu. Questions, please contact Professor Vanessa Schwartz: vschwart[at]usc.edu or Amy Ogata: amyogata[at]usc.edu