MC: Prof. Jennifer Doyle: About Sex

When we say that an artwork is “about sex,” what do we mean? This Masterclass aims to provide a platform for exploring the development of art historical and critical writing about sex, sexuality and gender. We will address the challenges of working with difficult material—art that speaks to vulnerability and trauma—and discuss the process of reckoning with the legacy of art history’s own patriarchal, racist and homophobic structures. This Masterclass will furthermore make room for the exploration of our own writerly voices as we discuss the line between the personal and the confessional, and the relationship between identity, perspective, and insight.  

Key questions to be explored include:

• - How do we recognize sexuality within artworks? To what extent is our ‘radar’ influenced by highly subjective, subconscious, as well as socially ingrained desires? Can we rely on our methodical lens, and what are its blind spots?
• - How do affects like arousal, shame, or disgust come into play when interpreting such artworks? Should we incorporate them in our research - how (not)?
• - What language should we employ to convey our findings? How does an objective jargon sterilize the message or perpetuate the hegemonic methods of Western "scientia sexualis"? Conversely, would a more colloquial or poetic "ars erotica" overstimulate and distract from academic findings?

This Masterclass will be of particular interest to researchers in the fields of art history, sexuality, gender and queer studies, but it also offers valuable insights for scholars working on different topics that similarly navigate delicate intersections of intimacy and the public sphere (e.g. mental health, emotions, death, …). Your active participation will enrich the depth and diversity of the discussions, fostering a supportive environment for emerging scholars to explore these critical questions.

// Prof. Jennifer Doyle

Please register on Stud.IP:

online link: https://webconf.hrz.uni-giessen.de/b/lis-an6-2ti-khj, Zugangscode: 490531

https://www.uni-giessen.de/en/faculties/ggkgcsc/research/research-groups/gcsc-research-areas/research-area-3-cultural-transformation-and-performativity-studies/research-area-3-cultural-transformation-and-performativity-studies