ICDHS International conference remembers Anna Calvera
From October 29 to 31 researchers and professionals from the field of the history of design have an important meeting: the International Committee of Design History and Design Studies (ICDHS), which comes back to Barcelona with a very special edition -the 10+1- which pays homage to its launcher, UB lecturer Anna Calvera, who passed away last February.
From October 29 to 31 researchers and professionals from the field of the history of design have an important meeting: the International Committee of Design History and Design Studies (ICDHS), which comes back to Barcelona with a very special edition -the 10+1- which pays homage to its launcher, UB lecturer Anna Calvera, who passed away last February.
The ICDHS 10th+1 conference is organized by the University of Barcelona -through the Department of Visual Arts and Design and the Research Group of History of Art and Contemporary Studies (GRACMON)- together with Història del Disseny Foundation and the Museu del Disseny de Barcelona. “Back to the future. The future in the past” is the chosen logo for this year, which remembers the past editions of this biennial conference and the many fields of research that have been treated since its first edition in Barcelona, in 1999.
During these three days, the conference will offer 170 communications by some of the most internationally distinguished historians and scholars on design, such as Alain Findeli (University of Nimes), Jonathan Woodham (University of Brighton) and Fedja Vukić (University of Zagreb). The program combines parallel sessions on the proposed themes, poster presentation and plenary conferences.
The Paranimph of the UB will hold its opening session (Monday 29 at 9.30 a.m.), to e presided by the Vice-Rector for Arts, Culture and Heritage, Salvador García Fortes. Then, Mireia Freixa, professor of History of Art at the UB will read the opening lecture, titled “Industrial arts vs. arts and crafts: parallels and contrasts between Catalonia and Great Britain in the 19th and 20th centuries”. The last session of the day will be dedicated to Anna Calvera memorial. It will take place at 6.30 p.m. in the Human and Social Sciences Park of the UB (Can Jaumandreu). Those sessions on October 30 and 31 will take place in Can Jaumandreu and Museu del Disseny de Barcelona. Due room capacity, previous registration is required (via this form).
Conference publications
During the conference, the meetingʼs Book of abstracts will be presented as well as the eighteen volumes of Back to the future. The future in the past, which contain all communications from all the themes to be treated in the conferences. These publications -from Editions and Publications of the UB- gather a total of 137 articles that were submitted in this 11th edition, grouped in three main theme blocs: history and stories of design; design studies, and ongoing projects and researches. The articles treat a wide range of topics around contemporary design, from monographic researches on the 100th anniversary of the company Roca to a study on the British avant-garde in early 20th century, as well as the national identity in Mexican design, the impact of the Scottish independence movement in its creative industry, or design as a tool to analyse social changes, among others.
The books are dedicated to Anna Calvera (1954-2018), launcher and founder of ICDHS, whose mark is present in all pages of this publication, and who worked until the last minute on the creation of this conference. These publications will be available in a digital book after the closing of the conference.
Eleven years sharing the best research studies on design
ICDHS is formed by teaching staff from Spain, Cuba, Turkey, Mexico, Finland, Japan, Belgium, the Netherlands, Brazil, Portugal, Taiwan, the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.
Since the departments of Design and History of Art of the UB organized its first edition in 1999, the ICDHS conferences have been held every two years with the dual aim of sharing original studies in the field of history and design studies, in particular those coming from human and social sciences, and to include contributions in these fields from non-hegemonic countries.
“The Taipei 2016 conference celebrated its 10th edition, which was commemorated as a 10th anniversary. Coming back to Barcelona in 2018 means the end of a period and the beginning of a new one. This is the meaning of the chosen number, “10+1”, which means Barcelona 2018 is the end and the beginning of a new chapter. This is about balance and about exploring the real legacy of these conferences”, the organization staff say.
Further information and the complete program for the ICDHS 10th+1 conference is available here.