The Concept of Visual Translation
CFP for PAMLA: Pacific Ancient and Modern Language Association, Thursday November 7 through Sunday November 10, Palm Springs, California (Margaritaville Resort)
Session Title: The Concept of Visual Translation, Johanna Drucker, Chair
Abstract: The translation of texts is a familiar, if fraught, act that is the subject of considerable thoughtful examination. But is there an equivalent for visual works? This panel looks at examples of cross-cultural or temporal reworkings of images to challenge certain assumptions about self-evident nature of images and even of vision itself.
Description: Examples of visual translation have occurred in encounters between cultures. The copying of ancient artifacts, or of artistic works that are unfamiliar to, for instance, European eyes results in curiously inflected graphical records. This panel looks at examples of visual translation to ask how these differences of source and new instantiation are registered. Are they shown by changes in style, composition, materials, or other formal aspects of expression? Or is there a conceptual foundation for distinguishing an “original” from its copy? Should a distinction be made between a copy and a translation? Do acts of restoration and conservation perform translations on works? Are there examples of works of deliberate translation, in which an artist decides to rework an existing piece of visual art? Do forgeries offer an example of visual translation by their focus on conspicuous features such that they age differently than originals? Ernst Gombrich’s criticism of the “innocent eye,” and unmediated or direct aspect of human vision also plays a role in reflecting on the remediation of visual images or works. Other questions might be raised about whether equivalents to the study of syntax, vocabulary, meter, rhyme or other linguistic features can be found in visual translations. These and other issues relevant to the question of whether the concept of visual translation can be examined systematically and critically will form the core of this discussion.
Submission instructions: Submit proposal abstracts using PAMLA’s online submission form. Go tohttps://pamla.ballastacademic.com to login. You must create an account first. Only proposals submitted via that online system (https://pamla.ballastacademic.com) can be included in the session.
Deadline: Please propose to the session as soon as possible. Session will close when filled or on June 16th, whichever comes sooner.