ICFA Annual Conference in Jaipur: Call for papers

We are organizing a meeting in Jaipur, India, from May 16 to 18, 2025. This is a suspended meeting of 2024, and we invite ICFA members and ICOM members who are interested in ICFA to submit presentations for this opportunity.

This time, we will focus on the meaning of Fine Art in India and display different cultural contexts with three session themes:

Session 1—Can Indian Art Be Global?
Session 2—What Does Fine Art Mean in Your Cultural Context?
Session 3—How Do You Display Art from Other Countries?

We welcome submissions that provide new insights, reflections, or case studies related to these themes. Our goal is to create a platform for sharing diverse perspectives and enhancing cross-cultural dialogue in the Fine Art community.

This meeting will be held in a hybrid format (on-site and virtual), but we expect to meet and discuss deeply in person. Selected speakers can have full/partial travel grants, and especially young members are encouraged to apply.

Please indicate your tentative willingness to join and/or make a presentation by filling out this form no later than February 16, 2025. This “phase 1” survey is only to estimate the number of participants. Since the detailed submission of presentation abstracts is scheduled for March, you can express your interest freely at this stage.

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Basic schedule information

Day 1: May 16 (Afternoon)

• Keynote presentation
• Session 1—Can Indian Art Be Global?
• Reception

Day 2: May 17

• Tour of Albert Hall Museum
• Keynote presentation
• Session 2—What Does Fine Art Mean in Your Cultural Context?
• Session 3—How Do You Display Art from Other Countries?

Day 3: May 18

• Museum Day
• Visiting several Museums and related institutions within Jaipur

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Session 1—Can Indian Art Be Global?

India, which gained independence in 1947, has cultivated a rich visual culture that reflects its long history and diverse regional characteristics. However, traditional arts rooted in indigenous and folk practices, including those from India, exist within a context distinct from the Western concept of authorship or artist-ness. For those involved in the curation and organization of museums and exhibitions, it is essential to fully understand these differences. The concept of “global” must inherently presuppose the existence of locality, and this discussion seeks to explore the possibilities of Indian art within that framework.

Possible key topics:

• What does art mean for India?
• Meaning of Religiosity/Originality/Style
• Art and culture after Crown rule
• Art / Folklore / Ethnography
• Narrative of local art

 

Session 2—What Does Fine Art Mean in Your Cultural Context?

Fine art is a concept deeply rooted in the original cultural, historical, and social contexts, yet it now encompasses diverse meanings and values. This session aims to share interpretations of “Fine Art” across different regions. By exploring how various cultural contexts define and understand the concept of Fine Art, we hope to illuminate the unique characteristics of each region’s identity-driven artistic expressions. Under one broad roof of ICFA, we should be able to explore and reflect on the diverse cultural identities that shape the meaning of Fine Art in our time.

Possible key topics:

• History and Fine Art(s)
• What characterizes Fine Art in your culture
• Art as a common ground
• Display of National Art

 

Session 3—How Do You Display Art from Other Countries?

The display of artwork reflects our perspective on the cultural background and history from which the work originates. When displaying art from other countries, our unconscious understandings or misunderstandings may influence the presentation. However, this perspective does not need to be merely reflective; it also provides an opportunity for art to generate new meanings and interpretations. This session aims to share the challenges, significance, curation methods, and approaches involved in exhibiting Fine Art from other cultures. Furthermore, we encourage the introduction of exhibitions or practices that respect cultural diversity while offering a unique global perspective, facilitated through dialogue with artists and institutions from different countries.

Possible key topics:

• East/West +
• Education and Exhibition
• Diaspora and globality