\u201cTimes of upheaval inspire a search for alternative understandings of reality.\u201d In \u201cSpirituality Has Long Been Erased From Art History. Here\u2019s Why It\u2019s Having a Resurgence Today\u201d art critic Eleanor Heartney identifies a \u201ctrend for spiritually-minded art,\u201d which has resulted in a \u201cnew spirituality [that] manifests itself in a longing for restorative positives, and human-centered social attitudes.\u201d It is within this search for a new, more expansive definition of spirituality that we seek to locate the role of visual art. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the midst of climate crisis, racialized violence, police brutality, the pandemic, and global oppression, creative explorations of spirituality in contemporary art practice provide a unifying forum for reflection and response. Expressions of spirituality in relation to identity are both intimate and diverse. This conference engages with themes of resilience, vulnerability, healing, transcendence, transformation, refuge, and retaliation. We ask, how have individuals and communities grounded themselves during these times of social turmoil? Can new interpretations of \u201cspirituality\u201d aid artists and viewers in overcoming adversity? How are artists redefining spirituality through contemporary artistic practice?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With this call, we invite contributions for the annual Graduate Student Conference hosted by the Contemporary Art, Design, and New Media Art Histories (CADN) Program at OCAD University. We accept cross-disciplinary graduate and independent submissions worldwide, from critical essays to poetry and artwork, and welcome submissions that address intersectional approaches to the theme Practicing Resilience: Redefining Spirituality through Contemporary Art.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Themes could include but are not limited to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\nHow to submit:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n