CFP: Ulbandus XIII -- The Wound and the Imagination

[Ani Kokobobo]

Call For Papers: Ulbandus XIII

The Wound and the Imagination -- Aesthetics of Violence in Slavic Art

For the upcoming issue of "Ulbandus - The Slavic Review of Columbia
University" we are seeking submissions that relate to the problem of
violence and the artistic medium.  As early as the Russian chronicles,
one is confronted with numerous instances of violence in the Slavic
canon.  From early representations of violence as a facilitator of
assiduous martyrdom to its later renderings as a phenomenon that
haunts and traumatizes communities and individuals alike, the wounded,
battered body has occupied the center of many an artistic imagination.
Slavic artists have extensively focused their gaze on violence and
have used their art both as a last resort for rendering the horrors of
history and as means of shocking the public into awareness of the
systemic violence of reality.

When it comes to violence, artists have opted for diverse methods of
representation that have both been influenced by the medium in which
they were creating and the pervading styles of their period.  At
times, however, violence invites a defiance of normative aesthetics.
At times, violent crimes can be seen rendered to the tiniest most
terrifying details; at other times, the artist is overpowered by the
violent dismemberment of the individual and presents a blank,
distorted canvas.  In this issue, we are hoping to capture some of
these variations and invite article submissions that address some of
the following questions, though this is by no means an exhaustive list:

Does the violent moment create a rupture in the overall texture of an
artwork?  Does an artist mask a violent act through representation or
does s/he project it realistically or sensationally?  Does art crouch
before certain types of violence?  What does the post-traumatic
narrative look like?  What are the ethical implications of treating
violence?  Does violence in art strive to provoke a particular
affective response?  Does an artist condition the reader's response;
does s/he seek to shield the reader from the brutality?  How do
representations of violence compare between different artistic
mediums?  Can art, wittingly or unwittingly, propagate violence?  Can
it create cultural mythologies about violence and grant it the sort of
weight that it would not otherwise have?  Is representation itself
self-consciously presented as a form of violence?

Submissions can treat texts from any period and inter-disciplinary
essays that treat film, music and the visual arts are encouraged.

In addition to scholarly articles, Ulbandus encourages submission of
original poetry, fiction, translations, photography and artwork.
Contributions from outside of the Slavic field are warmly invited.
The deadline for submissions is JUNE 1, 2009.

Manuscripts should be in MLA format, double-spaced and not exceed 25
pages in length.  Electronic submissions are strongly encouraged and
may be sent to ak2448 at columbia.edu in .doc or .rtf format.

Interested applicants may also submit 2 hard copies of the paper to:

ULBANDUS (attn: Submissions)
Columbia University
1130 Amsterdam Avenue,
Mail code 2839
New York, NY
10027

After acknowledging receipt of your paper, we will prompt you to also
send an electronic copy.  For inquiries or questions, see our website at
www.columbia.edu/cu/slavic/ulbandus/, or write to: ak2448 at columbia.edu for
more information. Ulbandus is a peer-reviewed journal.

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