Contemporary Vernacular Photographies

Went to a day of talks on Contemporary Vernacular Photographies. It was interesting, particularly Julian Stallabras and his collection of Actually Existing Sculpture and Sarah Kember's "explorations of the relation between photography and the conception of life as ordinary".


"To live is to be photographed" - Sontag


"Whenever we talk about photography outside of the art historical frame of reference it is as if the conversation just dies. We don't know what to say or how to proceed" - Diarmuid Costello

This day-long symposium examines ways in which contemporary practices might contest traditional definitions of vernacular* photography. Topics for discussion include authenticity in light of citizenship journalism, personal images on shared online platforms, the ethics of family imagery in the media, oral history and the family album, and photography and ambient intelligence.

*The term vernacular photography describes a type of imagery produced by non-professionals for private purposes. This symposium addresses these private images and their migration to the public realm in the era of digitisation.

Speakers are Dr Annebella Pollen (University of Brighton); Prof Gillian Rose (The Open University); Prof Julian Stallabrass (The Courtauld Institute of Art); Dr Sarah Kember (Goldsmiths); Dr Sas Mays (Westminster University); Dr Sophie Beard (UCA); and Trish Morrissey (Photographer).