[URBANTH-L] 2008 AAA CFP -- What Do Anthropologists Have to Say about Public Art?

[alee at jjay.cuny.edu]

Call For Proposals (AAA 2008) -- What Do Anthropologists Have to Say =

about Public Art=3F

Organizers=3A Anru Lee (John Jay College of Criminal Justice=2C CUNY) and=
 =

Helen Regis (Louisiana State University)

This panel began as a question that the panelists asked about their =

own involvements in community (re)building that center on cultural =

activities and artistic creations in urban settings=2E  Viewing public =

art as a venue for civil society and public participation=2C we are =

interested in the following issues=3A What part could=2C or should=2C =

anthropologists play in helping defining the =A1=A7publicness=A1=A8 of a =

public art endeavor=3F  What skills or expertise could anthropologists =

contribute to the process=3F  In their collaboration with artists who =

are essentially the creators of the final (public art) products and =

who are increasingly adopting an ethnographic approach=2C what different =

perspectives could an anthropologist bring to the process=3F  To what =

extent =A1V and in what ways =A1V could or should anthropologists separat=
e =

their roles/identities as researcher/ethnographer=2C concerned citizen=2C=
 =

and community activist or a member of the community=3F  Ultimately=2C wha=
t =

do anthropologists have to say about public art that artists and/or =

grassroots cultural workers and activists cannot say (for) =

themselves=3F  How does ethnographic engagement with public art produce =

new theoretical insights=3F  This panel explores the unique contribution =

that anthropologists can make to the study of public art=2E  We seek to =

go beyond art criticism and narrowly defined political economic =

analysis of social relations of production and consumption=2E  =


Please send your 250-word abstract=2C including title and your =

affiliation to both Anru Lee (alee=40jjay=2Ecuny=2Eedu) and Helen Regis =

(hregis1=40lsu=2Eedu) as soon as possible=2E  Thank you=2E  =



Anru Lee=2C Ph=2ED=2E
Associate Professor
Department of Anthropology
John Jay College of Criminal Justice
The City University of New York
TEL=3A (212) 237-8571=3B FAX=3A (212) 237-8937