Papers of 20 minutes are sought for the upcoming Sensory Decay online symposium, held on November 3rd, 2023. Details available at www.uva.nl/sensory-decay
How do we approach the sensory decay of our buildings and landscapes? What are the opportunities of sensory-based methods?
Sensing decay in and of any constructed environment is a multi-sensory
experience. The stages of decay can be transitory and ever-changing. The
sensory complexity of decay may be added to or confused by concurrent
processes of remaking, rebuilding, and renewal. This symposium aims to
consider how we can isolate and record the sights, sounds, tastes, and
smells of decay within the continuum of deterioration. In tandem, we
seek to recognize how particular sensory aspects of decay may prompt
cultural responses and actions – this could include the aestheticization
of architectural ruins or the conservation choices of deteriorated material, for instance. Our senses also provide tools to
analyze the presence of decay and its temporal stages, for example, in
material heritage conservation or the acoustic properties of a space. A particular methodological challenge is
how we, as sensory analysts across disciplines, can record our own
often numerous but fast decaying experiences as avenues to questioning
and interpreting the past, such as in experimental archaeology.
to approach these ideas, the following sessions are proposed:
Open Session (Chairs: Pamela Jordan, University of Amsterdam School for Heritage, Memory and Material Culture, and Sara Mura, Kiel University Institute of Classical Studies ROOTS)
Papers of 20 minutes are sought across the above four themes for an online symposium held on November 3rd, 2023. We seek
contributions from researchers and practitioners at all levels who
consider applied approaches to these and similar challenges in the built environment, including architects and design professionals, historians, conservators, preservationists, and archaeologists alike. Projects at
early and exploratory stages of development are also welcome. If you
would like more details on each session topic and to submit a proposal, please visit www.uva.nl/sensory-decay. Abstracts of 400 words
are requested by September 4th, 2023.
