Walt Whitman and Visual Culture
A special issue of The Walt Whitman Quarterly Review (Fall/Winter 1986-1987) first brought together nearly all the known photographs of Whitman, laying the foundation for the Walt Whitman Archive’s Gallery of Images. Whitman wrote about and sat for sculptors and painters, and he has been the inspiration for many art and film projects. In light of this and the recent publication of several illustrated editions of Whitman’s writings, the Whitman Studies Association invites proposals focused on Whitman and any aspect of visual culture. We seek presentations that explore and analyze Whitman and/or his writings in relation to:

• Advertisements and/or Advertising campaigns (print or digital)
• Architecture/Buildings
• Artists and Art Institutions
• Artist Books; Altered Books
• Comics
• Data Visualizations; digital mapping; digital editions (e.g. Scalar)
• Digital Art
• Exhibits (physical or digital)
• Fashion/Fashion design
• Film
• Graphic Design
• Graphic Narratives or graphic novels
• Illustrated editions of Whitman’s Leaves of Grass or other writings
• Illustrated newspapers or periodicals (past or present)
• Monuments and Memorials
• Painters/Paintings
• Photographs; Photography; Photographic technology
• Picture books; Illustrated children’s or young adult literature
• Political Cartoons
• Products and product design
• Sculptors/Sculpture
• Souvenirs; keepsakes
• Television
• Video Games
• Visual culture and pedagogy (teaching Whitman or his writings with illustrated editions or utilizing any of the above visual forms or techniques when teaching about Whitman or his writings)

This is one of two guaranteed panels sponsored by the Walt Whitman Studies Association at the American Literature Association's Annual Conference in Boston from May 21-24, 2025. 

Please submit a proposal of 250-300 words to Stephanie M. Blalock (stephanie-blalock@uiowa.edu) by Monday, January 13, 2025.