ZKM_Symposia

The Beauty of Uniformity

Thursday, 14 October 2004
ZKM_Lecture Hall, admission free

[-> Information in Deutsch]

The symposium investigates examples of the serial uniformity of clothes and bodies. Uniformity is understood as a social and cultural phenomenon that exerts a considerable influence on social processes. The terms 'uniform' and 'uniformity' have negative connotations because they are associated with law enforcement agencies [army, police]. However, uniform types of clothing are both part of an everyday personal role model and a structural model for mass ready-made clothing. The symposium examines examples of uniforming processes in both historical contexts and situations of radical change, such as the church, the army and companies [corporate fashion], and in areas of modern consumption: the fashion of sub-culture styles and everyday media [film, Internet]. The studies, which form part of the 'Key Themes of the Humanities' programme, are funded by the Volkswagen Foundation [Hanover].

Organisers: Birgit Richard [University of Frankfurt am Main] and Gabriele Mentges [University of Dortmund] in cooperation with the ZKM.

Programme Full version with abstracts and biographies: www.birgitrichard.de

· 10.30 Opening with Gabriele Mentges [Dortmund] and Birgit
  Richard [Frankfurt am Main]: The Beauty of Uniformity

· 11.00-12.00 Andrew Bolton [New York]: Military Technology
  and Uniformity in Fashion [in English]

· 12.00-13.00 Efrat Tseelon [Dublin, Ireland]: Identity,
  Uniformity and Masquerade [in English]

· 14.30-15.00 Sven Drühl [Frankfurt am Main]: The Uniformed
  Artist

· 15.00-15.30 Dagmar Konrad [Dortmund]: The Monastery

· 15.30-16.00 Regina Henkel [Dortmund]: The Stewardess

· 16.30-17.00 Heike Jenß [Dortmund]: Customize me!
  Individualisation in Mass Fashion

· 17.00-17.30 Alexander Ruhl [Frankfurt am Main]: Fascination
  Fighter: the Music Video as a Uniforming Military Event

· 17.30-18.30 Valerie Steele [New York]: Fashion and Uniform
  [in English]

Presented by Gabriele Mentges, Klaus Neumann-Braun and Birgit Richard The Beauty of Uniformity: Convention in the monastery cloisters

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