Tuesday, April 21, 2009

"Blood, Absinthe, and Aphorisms: New Currents in Aestheticism and Decadence"


If you're lucky enough to be in New York city at the end of this month, be sure to check out "Blood, Absinthe, and Aphorisms: New Currents in Aestheticism and Decadence." The conference is being held free of charge with no prior registration required at the City University of New York, New York, NY from April 30- May 1, 2009.

The conference will be bringing together scholars from various academic backgrounds "to examine aestheticism and decadence in late Victorian literature, art, theater, politics, and popular culture." Reginia Gagnier will be this year's keynote speaker and the opening roundtable will examine "What's New in Decadence and Aestheticism." Other speakers include Dennis Dennisoff, Joseph Bristow, Linda K. Hughes, Richard Dellamora, and Margaret D. Stetz. Topics covered include presentations on C. R. Ashbee and British utopias, Sarah Bernhardt, Oscar Wilde, and romanticism; Aubrey Beardsley and the art of the poster (that one sounds like a lot of fun!); Edward Carpenter and domestic interiors, and Black decadence in the work of M. P. Shiel.

The conference will be held at the Graduate Center, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY.

For more information, check out the conference's website.

9 comments:

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

Oh, this sounds perfectly wonderful. You simply must go, and report back!!

Margaret said...

I would love to go, but I have a feeling I'm not going to be able to make. Oh well, one of these days!

Tracy said...

Another something else I would love to go to as well! Off to see that link... Happy Day, Margaret! :o)

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

Bonjour Margaret! Thank you for visiting! And what a lovely blog you have! I enjoy visiting the Medieval Muse and The Beautiful Necessity as well. You must visit Grace on the second blog. She has exactly your style. I do love this type of art and style. Please visit often and watch for my posts on the house. Anita

Margaret said...

Thanks for stopping by, Tracy!

--Welcome, Anita! I just love your blog and I will definitely be keeping tabs on the posts about your lovely house!

Robin said...

Oh my, I would dearly love to go to this. sounds wonderful!

Margaret said...

I know, I love the title of the conference. It's the kind of title I would have loved to have for a paper back in University!

Bay Area Tendrils said...

The conference sounds provocative, and likewise, your interest in the Pre-Raphaelites, which I also find fascinating. I't's good to come upon interesting connections on blogcatalog. Do drop by for a visit:
http://BayAreaTendrils.blogspot.com
Historical gardens, landscape architecture, & other musings. LIterature and myth influence many designers! Cheers, Alice

Gigi said...

Oh heavens! This reminds of a paper I had to write in grad school -- 15 pages on hedonism & excess among the aesthetes & decadents. I sweated blood over this and nearly tossed my computer out the window in the process. By some miracle, I did manage to get a B on the paper -- given begrudgingly (and most likely with some disgust) by my prof ;).