[Commlist] Liquid Blackness CFP - "Informalisms"

CFP—“*Informalisms*”

*/liquidblackness:journal ofaestheticsandblackstudies/**issue8.1,Spring2024*

**

Theproblemof“form" isperhapsmostacutewhenconsidering 
arthistoricaldiscourse’s attachment to the analytical and political 
possibilities of formal readings, and, conversely,BlackStudies’embrace 
oftheinformalityofblack aestheticpractices.Within this broad and 
deliberately meta-disciplinary context, this issue asks about 
informalisms – where “isms” signals methodology, process, and a 
plurality of approaches to informality—in order to explore the 
complicated relation between Black Studies, aesthetic theory/practice, 
and formalist methodologies. More directly, it seeks to know: What is at 
stake in formal readings of black art? What is at stake in aesthetic 
practices investedin formal 
interventions?And,moreprofoundlyandconsequentially:If“form”is a way in 
which art knows itself to be art, then how does black art know itself? 
And how does it know that it knows?

/liquid blackness: journal of aesthetics and black studies///issue 8.1 
proposes “informalisms” as a way to engage with the stakes (or 
rejection) of form in black aesthetictheory,andtohomeinontherelationship 
betweenformandinformalityin blackartandexpressiveculture. Thatis,weoffer 
“informalisms”asahypothesis that might pose some, often contentious, 
additional questions:

What are Black Studies’ stakes in formalism? What are Black Studies’ 
stakes in informality? And what are informalism’s possibilities for 
Black Studies? Can “form” 
operateapartfromextractiveprocessesofabstraction,theviolencesofuniversality,or 
the formal equivalences that undergird processes of exchange? What does 
Black 
Studies’turntoaestheticformdoforitscommitmenttoblacksociality?Underwhat 
circumstances can form be a principle or a strategy of/for 
socialization? How does informality know itself through aesthetic practices?

Weinvite submissionsthatthink alongthesequestionsfromavariety 
ofdisciplinary approaches that engage with, creatively respond to, as 
well as add to the followingprompts:

  * form/informality
  * informality/formlessness
  * formation/deformation
  * form/reform
  * formative/informative
  * informants/performants/deformants
  * formalequalities/equations/equivalences
  * knowing/self-knowing
  * informality/undercommonsensicality
  * improvisation
  * abstraction
  * figure/groundrelation

SubmissionsDue:January15,2023

(Sendtojournalsubmissions /at/ liquidblackness.com) 
<mailto:(journalsubmissions /at/ liquidblackness.com)>


---


  AuthorGuidelines&SubmissionInformation

  * Submission Types:
      o Traditional essays: approx. 3-5,000 words (including
        footnotes)—all essays should be accompanied by at least one
        image. (Please consider
        “fairuse”ofvisualmaterialsincluded,asyoudraftyourpieceandplease
        consultprevious journalissuesforinspirationonhowtobeindialogwith
        visual materials)
      o Wewelcomesubmissionsofinterviews,visual andtextualart,video,and
        other artistic work. Before submitting, please send your
        inquiries/proposals (tojournalsubmissions /at/ liquidblackness.com)
        <mailto:(journalsubmissions /at/ liquidblackness.com)>
      o Questionsaboutthe length, style,formatofexperimentalsubmissions
        can be directed (tojournalsubmissions /at/ liquidblackness.com)
        <mailto:(journalsubmissions /at/ liquidblackness.com)>

  * /liquidblackness/followstheformattingandreferenceguidelinesstipulatedby
    The Chicago Manual of Style
  * Allsubmissions,solicited andunsolicited,willbepeer-reviewed
  * MediaSpecifications
      o We welcome the submission of media files such as video or sound
        clips, which will be published as supplementary data. The
        following audio and
        videofiletypesareacceptableassupplementarydatafilesandsupported
        by our online platform: .mp3, .mp4, .wav, .wma, .au, .m4a, .mpg,
        .mpeg,.mov,.avi,.wmv.,html.
      o Executable files(.exe)arenotacceptable.
      o Thereisnorestrictiononthenumber offilesperarticleoronthesizeof
        files; however, please keep in mind that very large files may be
        problematic for readers with slow connection speeds.
      o Pleaseensure thateachvideooraudio clipis
        calledoutinthetextofthearticle,muchlikehowafigure
        ortableiscalledout:e.g.,“see supplementary audio file 1.”

*About**/liquidblackness/* <http://liquidblackness.com/>*//*

  * liquidblacknessisanopen-accessjournal,whichmeans thatallcontent
    isfreely available without charge to readers or their institutions.
  *
    OurEditorialBoard,AssociateEditors,AdvisoryBoardandMissionStatement
    <https://www.dukeupress.edu/liquid-blackness>

//liquidblackness:journal ofaestheticsandblackstudies is/ sponsored by /

/GeorgiaStateUniversityforits College 
of theArtsandispublishedtwiceyearly by Duke University Press on behalf 
of liquid blackness Limited. /

---------------
The COMMLIST
---------------
This mailing list is a free service offered by Nico Carpentier. Please use it responsibly and wisely.
--
To subscribe or unsubscribe, please visit http://commlist.org/
--
Before sending a posting request, please always read the guidelines at http://commlist.org/
--
To contact the mailing list manager:
Email: (nico.carpentier /at/ commlist.org)
URL: http://nicocarpentier.net
---------------