Through its material and technical practices, sculpture embraces a unique intersection between past and present, antiquity and modernity, revival and invention. The historical lineage of materials is cumulative and periodically reinforced. This chronology is most evident in the way that certain materials and techniques have been used in sculptural practice over many centuries, but its influence also remains when materials and techniques change: modern material innovations were often driven and justified by historical precedents.

This conference aims to explore both the minutiae and the broader implications of the complex reference system that has evolved around sculpture’s materials and techniques. What do these cumulative histories tell us about perceptions of sculpture in different times, places and cultures? What can they tell us about the changing status of techniques and practices? We invite proposals for historiographic studies, case studies, or broader iconographic analyses of materials, and particularly encourage participants working in different disciplines, including the history of art and sculpture, conservation-science, cultural studies, literature, archaeology. Please submit abstracts of around 500 wds to Ellen Tait, (e-mail address shown below) by 1 February 2005.