The Greek term kairós expresses an idea of ‘grasping the right moment’, which travelled through art, literature, and philosophy. And even today, it is central to debates over, for example, time management. Combining perspectives from classical reception studies and iconology, this ongoing project at KU Leuven (2017-2021) is about the reception of kairós in the visual medium from antiquity to the Renaissance. How was the notion of kairós visualized in images throughout time, from antiquity to the early modern era? And more specifically, how did text and image work together to transform the notion of kairós in various contexts?
The attending speakers from Belgium, Germany, France, Israel, Croatia, The Netherlands, Romania, The United Kingdom, The United States, and Switzerland have not only been selected on the basis of their interdisciplinary skills in the field; but equally because of their distinctive contribution to the method of iconology and visual anthropology.
Many among them are key influencers on, among other things, the importance of the Humanities in terms of peace process work, ecology, and the relationship between Eastern and Western civilizations.
Barbara Baert – Kunstwetenschappen KU Leuven – www.illuminare.be
PROGRAM
Thursday, 18 October
08.30-09.00 Registration
09.00-09.15 Welcome speech by Pierre Van Moerbeke,
Executive director of Francqui Foundation
09.15-09.30 Welcome speech by Luc Sels, Rector of KU
Leuven
09.30-10.00 Introduction by Barbara Baert
10.00-10.30 Coffee break
Part I
10.30-11.30 Giotto, the Eye and the Gaze – Victor Stoichita
Respondent: Herman Parret
11.30-12.30 Time in the Context of Ecclesia/Synagoga – Miri Rubin
Respondent: Inigo Bocken
12.30-14.00 Lunch
Part II
14.00-15.00 Epochal Madness: Notes on the Present Moment – W. J. T. Mitchell
Respondent: Stéphane Symons
15.00-16.00 The Manic Moment – Davide Stimilli
Respondent: Hedwig Schwall
16.00-16.30 Coffee break
16.30-17.30 The Silence of Lifta – Avinoam Shalem
Respondent: Amr Ryad
17.30-18.15 Presentation of the new series Recollection: Experimental Reflections on Texts, Images and Ideas – Veerle De Laet (Leuven University Press) & Ellen Harlizius-Klück
Friday 19 October
08.30-09.00 Welcome & coffee
Part III
09.00-10.00 The Nativity Church in Bethlehem as Kairotic
Space – Bianca Kühnel
Respondent: Marina Vicelja-Matijašic
10.00-11.00 L’occasion de la grâce dans le martyre – Pierre Antoine Fabre
Respondent: Ralph Dekoninck
11.00-11.30 Coffee break
11.30-12.30 A Dialogue of Early Buddhism, Hinduism and
Jainism on the Varieties of Auspicious Moments – Eugen Ciurtin
Respondent: Reimund Bieringer
12.30-14.00 Lunch
Part IV
14.00-15.00 Generating Synchronicity: Bodily and Affective
Techniques – Elisabeth Hsu
Respondent: Philippe Van Cauteren
15.00-16.00 The Moment of the Dangerous Women – Catherine Harper
Respondent: Ann-Sophie Lehmann
16.00-16.30 Coffee break
16.30-17.30 Concluding remarks – Han Lamers & Bart Verschaffel
17.30-18.00 Book presentations: Paul Peeters (Peeters Publishers) & Illuminare – Centre for the Study of Medieval Art
18.00-19.30 Farewell drinks
Contact and registration: stephanie.heremans@kuleuven.be
Registration deadline: 30 September 2018
Medieval Art Research 