[ecrea] Staging Illusion: Digital and Cultural Fantasy

Sussex Centre for Cultural Studies&
the Centre for Material Digital Culture present:-

Staging Illusion: Digital and Cultural Fantasy

December 8th and 9th, University of Sussex

Tickets =A3190 (=A385 student)

Keynote speakers: Professor Vanessa Toulmin (Director of the National Fairg=
round archive), Dr Sarah Kember (Goldsmiths) and Professor Sally R Munt (Di=
rector of the Sussex Centre for Cultural Studies).

Plenary speakers: Dr Astrid Ensslin (Bangor), Dr Melanie Chan (Leeds Met), =
Professor Nicholas Till (Sussex), and Dr Jo Machon (Brunel).

> From magicians and mediums to immersive media, and from the circus to cybor=
gs, the celebration and/or mistrust of illusion has been a central theme ac=
ross a range of cultures. Notions of fakery and deception remind us that ou=
r identities that are performative. The figure of the =91mark=92 of the fai=
rground scam remains culturally ubiquitous, perhaps more so than ever, in a=
n era of (post) mechanical reproduction. Is new technology a flight from th=
e real or merely a continuation of older cultural forms? Is it necessary, o=
r even possible, to define reality in relation to the illusory? What realms=
 of =91otherness=92 remain to be embraced? This international conference wi=
ll discuss staged illusions across a spectrum of historical, geographical a=
nd cultural contexts, featuring original and exciting papers and performanc=
es.

Panels interrogate staging illusion from diverse perspectives, including: 3=
D cinema, the paranormal, the music hall, digital trickery, the fairground,=
 magicians and illusionists, theatre, science, the museum, the magic of cin=
ema, the gothic, digital gaming, social networking, the circus, advertising=
, illusory bodies and genders, theme parks and digital animation. Over two =
days the conference will also showcase illusory performance pieces, install=
ations and magic.

Panel speakers so far confirmed: Jon Armstrong, Adam Bee, Victoria Byard, D=
iane Carr, Eleanor Dare, Cristina Miranda de Almeida with Matteo Ciastellar=
di, Lane DeNicola, Yael Friedman, Aristea Fotopoulou, Kate Genevieve, Jonat=
han Gilhooly, Dr Rachael Grew, Birgitta Hosea, Jacqueline Hylkema, Jane Ins=
ley, Lewis Johnson, Laura Ellen Joyce, Frances A. Kamm, Ewan Kirkland, Char=
a Lewis with Kristin Mojsiewicz&  Anneke Pettican, Liang-Wen Lin, Joe Marsh=
all, John Carter McKnight, Jenny Munro, Constantino Oliva, Professor Debora=
h Philips, Burcu Yasemin =DEeyben, Jayne Sheridan, Peter Sillett, Frances S=
mith, Marian St. Laurent, Nozomi Uematsu,  Owen Weetch, John Wills.
To register please visit http://www.sussex.ac.uk/sccs/activities/stagingill=
usion, download and fill in the form and return it by post or email to the =
address provided. Deadline for registration is 2nd December 2011.

Visit our blog for updates http://staging-illusion.tumblr.com/

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