International Conference: 1956: Legacies of Political Change in Art & Visual Culture
Dr. Nancy Jachec & Dr. Reuben Fowkes
Saturday 4th-Sunday 5th September, 2004
Oxford Brookes University

Marked by the Twentieth Party Congress, which sanctioned the dismantling of the cult of Stalin & the relaxation of constraints on art and culture in the Eastern Bloc, the entanglement of former colonial powers Britain and France over Suez, the escalation of armed conflict in Algeria, and the defeat of the Hungarian Uprising through Soviet military intervention, 1956 was a complex moment in the Cold War, & one which had lasting implications for politically engaged artists. This conference seeks to examine the ways in which the events of that year affected artistic practices internationally, and to consider their legacy for the visual arts. Whilst we welcome all relevant proposals, topics of particular interest could include:

• state patronage of the visual arts
• the politics of artists & artists' organisations
• the emergence & proliferation of national & international styles
• the decolonisation of art