FACING DEATH / Symposium

Post-mortem memorial portraits are part of the hidden history of art, with the fashion for portraying the recently deceased constantly shifting between the private and public and across different epochs and different cultures. In the 19th century as many women appeared at the commercial studios in their mourning wear as in their bridal wear and photographing the dead often accounted for a significant part of the studio’s business. The forensic gaze of science, medicine and criminal detection also directed the camera in new ways to the face of death.

This multidisciplinary symposium will bring together some of the most dynamic voices form the worlds of art history, media, medicine and science to discuss the past, present and future of the facial representations of death.

An audience with Gary Schneider Thursday 19.00 - 20.00. In conversation with Roger Hargreaves of the National Portrait Gallery. Introduced by Ken Arnold (Head of Public Programmes at the Wellcome Trust). To premiere the 'Facing Death' Symposium, South African-born portrait photographer Gary Schneider explores the relationship between science and art, medical and memorial photography through strikingly beautiful images of blood, DNA and strands of hair

Facing Death Symposium Friday 10.00 - 16.45. This multidisciplinary symposium will bring together some of the most dynamic voices from the worlds of art history, media, medicine and science to discuss the past, present and future of the facial representations of death.

Speakers include: Guy Brown (molecular biologist), Eleanor Crook (wax sculptor), Sandra Kemp (curator of Future Face exhibition), Ruth Richardson (author of Death, Dissection and the Destitute), John Stezaker (artist), and Tony Walter (sociologist).

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FACING DEATH / Symposium

mit Ken Arnold, Nigel Barley, Guy Brown, Eleanor Crook, Roger Hargreaves, Sandra Kemp, Sandy Nairne, Ruth Richardson, Gary Schneider, John Stezaker, Tony Walter, u.a.