As evident in academic literature, the study of often marginalized avant-garde and experimental works, seen as a peripheral yet distinctive mode of film and art practice, is likely to facilitate contemporary film, visual arts and visual culture studies. Many post-war productions, including those directed by such artists and filmmakers as Vertov, Bolotowsky, Kubelka, Winkler, Lehman, Welsby, Snow, Fischinger, Dutta, Rashidi, Takahiko, Frampton, Brakhage and others, seem to have received little attention from researchers despite being successfully preserved by international centers dedicated to the conservation, study and exhibition of independent, experimental and avant-garde cinema. Moreover, both landscape and travelogue forms, although central for the history and aesthetics of many national literatures, art movements and cinemas, remain another underexposed aspect of 20th century experimental film imagery, which should be investigated in terms of periodization, production and meaning-making processes pertaining to the artist’s construction and rendering of the surrounding reality. Hence, given the paucity of material offering a number of in-depth scholarly analyses of individual artists' works, it seems that there is a growing need for publications in the field other than wide-ranging anthologies and interview books. 

To fill this gap, the proposed special issue of Papers on Language and Literature seeks contributions, which will examine the broadly defined landscape and travelogue forms in selected works of avant-garde and experimental cinema. The prospective contributors may discuss works of both renowned and less known avant-garde and experimental filmmakers and the ways they revision the representation of landscape and travel. Also, as experimental film practice is still the most prevalent in (yet not confined to) western Europe, North America and Britain, we particularly welcome proposals, which analyze avant-garde productions, including those using traditional 8 mm and 16 mm or video and new media formats, in the larger international and comparative context that transcends a solely national perspective. 

Submission details: We would like to invite paper proposals of approximately 500 words, accompanied by a short biographical statement. The deadline for abstract submissions is November 1, 2019. Please address proposals and/or any inquiries to the Editor, Dr. Kornelia Boczkowska, at [email protected]. Accepted contributors will be expected to submit the complete articles of 5,000-6,000 words (including endnotes) by February 1, 2020.