Call for Papers

Christopher Dresser Symposium- July 3rd 2015

Christopher Dresser Society/ Teesside University/The Dorman Museum - Middlesbrough
Recent scholarship on the Victorian designer Christopher Dresser has focused on the practices of collecting and curating his work, the identification of relationships with manufacturers and the locations and inspirations for his products and designs. Dresser is a specific example of a designer influenced by the technological advances of the nineteenth century. He is also representative of the ways in which cultural and scientific forces shaped Victorian values and behaviours. How can a greater awareness of these contexts help us to understand both Dresser’s and other designers’ work more easily?

The aim of this symposium is to consider new research which may serve to contextualise Victorian design generally, and the work of Dresser specifically. Notably,

• The influence of Japanese, Chinese and Asian travels, writings and artefacts.
• The nature and impact of scientific writings and studies.
• The role of the art and design schools and museums
• The role of pattern books and ‘artistic’ publications.

The Christopher Dresser Society is keen to receive submissions from scholars and connoisseurs working in areas within and beyond art and design history. Submissions from historians of science (botany), travel, museology, collecting, pedagogy, connoisseurship and publishing are actively encouraged to contribute.

The Society will distribute the symposium proceedings via the Christopher Dresser Society website. Discussion is also under way for select papers to be published in an appropriate publication.

Organisation of submissions

• All papers will be subject to the scrutiny of the selection panel
• Each selected presenter will commit to deliver a ready-for-print paper in word format (.doc or .docx) and a PowerPoint (or similar) presentation.
• The title and abstract in English (500 words) of your paper to be sent in to the Symposium administrator adminchristopherdressersociety@tees.ac.uk by February 28th 2015
• Notification of the results of the selection panel will be published on March 10th 2015
• Papers to be published (3,000 words in English) should be sent to the Symposium administrator for proofing and advice before 27th April adminchristopherdressersociety@tees.ac.uk
• Feedback from the reading panel will be made available before end of May 2015
• Full Papers with amendments for publication should be sent to Symposium administrator by June 15th 2015
• For the Symposium presenters should present their work in PowerPoint (or similar format)
• Presentations are limited to 30 minutes with 10 minutes for questions.

The Symposium will take place at Teesside University as part of a 3 day Christopher Dresser Festival which will run in conjunction with The Christopher Dresser Gallery at the Dorman Museum in Middlesbrough.