Chances are, if you are reading this, you are a). a graduate student at Notre Dame, and b). interested in art and politics. Good, because these are the only conditions for participation in this exciting new workshop that is being organized thanks to a generous Mellon grant administered through the Institute for Liberal Arts at Notre Dame.
You may not be exactly sure what we mean by either "art" or "politics," let alone the relation between them. And to be frank, I am not sure I do either. But the purpose of this argument is to facilitate an interdisciplinary discussion among graduate students who care about the question in any sense, so that we might better understand the interesting but nebulous intersection between "art" and "politics".
The "workshop"--which is actually a misnomer, since we plan to meet several times over the space of the fall and spring semester at times yet to be determined--is, first and foremost, an opportunity for students to bring their research interests to bear on the question of politics in art. Additionally, it will be an opportunity to pursue these interests in connection with various cultural performances and exhibitions on campus and in the community. But, above all, it is whatever we collectively make it to be. And so I would like to invite any of you ND graduate students who may be interested to join us for an introductory meeting next Wed., the 22nd, for an informal gathering to discuss your aims and interests in the workshop. I'm thinking sometime in the evening, around 7ish, will work, and we will have food on hand for those who turn up. Specific location and food choice have yet to be determined, but if you could give me a heads up to let me know if you plan to come, along with any dietary preferences, that would be much appreciated. You can either post, or email me at jmille25@nd.edu
I look forward to meeting all of you, and I think this will be an extremely rewarding opportunity for folks of various academic stripes to do something interdisciplinary, interactive, and--above all--interesting.
-- Jay Miller
