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Call for papers: A question of biography

Biographical Traces in the Field of Art History

Can the artist explain the work, and can the work explain the artist? These are questions one may well ask – especially these days when the biographical seems to have made a comeback in art exhibitions, books and academic articles. In monographic presentations, biographies, exofiction and the ongoing efforts to digitise letters and archive collections in Denmark and internationally, the artist’s life often seems to constitute both the starting point and end point of it all, thereby framing the analysis and reading of art. But how are life and work connected? Where does one draw the line between biographical reading, archival studies and biographism? When does biography form part of a self-explanatory end result that cancels out the immediacy of the encounter with the artwork, and when do biography and art become so intertwined that it makes no sense to see the two as separate? When does biography constitute the material which the artist addresses, models and manipulates, and what methodological considerations should this prompt when analysing such works? What do we see when we view art through the lens of lived life – and what do we not see? Is it a manifestation of cancel culture when artist and work become conflated with the result that entire oeuvres are written off? To put it briefly: when and how is biography relevant and when is it not?

The theme also involves the biography of the person carrying out the analysis. Is it important? And if so, in what way? What does it mean to be a situated scholar? What is an autotheoretical practice? What is private/personal/cultural/historical, and how does this inform what we see? What does reflecting on one’s own position mean – for example, does it allow for/qualify a special reading?

When does one’s own biography pose a risk of bias and blind spots, and, conversely, when may it offer particular insight, closeness or privileged access to the object of analysis?

With this call for papers, Perspective wishes to gauge the status of biography in art historical scholarship today and invite reflections on the usefulness and relevance of the biographical.

We invite case-based as well as more methodologically inquiring contributions within the fields of visual arts and art theory. Articles are regularly published at perspectivejournal.dk in both Danish and English. See the journal’s guidelines for authors here.

Deadline for abstracts:
1 September 2024. Send your abstract (400 words or less) to perspective@smk.dk

Deadline for papers:
15 January 2025

PROFILE

Perspective is a digital journal for research articles based on and relevant to research into Danish art. The articles primarily address art found at Danish museums and present research on theory, method or museology based on the work of Danish museums.

Contributors to the journal are mostly Danish and international researchers from art museums, universities and other expert forums. The articles appeal to art museum colleagues and others with a particular interest in and knowledge about art.

The journal is intended to supplement the other channels of publication available within the field of art history and associated disciplines. All journal articles are peer reviewed and published in Danish and English.

The editors of Perspective are responsible for the day-to-day operation of the journal. The editorial staff consists of staff members from the National Gallery of Denmark. The museum hosts and operates the website and ensures that all published material is preserved for posterity and remains accessible. Perspective is sponsored by funds from the Agency for Culture and Palaces.

ARTICLES

The journal exclusively publishes research articles. Other types of work such as exhibition reviews do not fall within the focus of Perspective. Texts published in other contexts are accepted, provided that their contents are amended to constitute a research article that meets the journal’s criteria for publication.

All articles must meet the general requirements applying to academic research and must be presented in clear, easily readable prose. To ensure this, the articles undergo a thorough editorial process, which is managed by the editorial team in consultation with the editorial committee. The editorial process takes place both before and after peer review.

Unless explicitly stated, all content in Perspective is published on the terms described in the Creative Commons Licence CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0. This means, among other things, that the articles can be freely copied, shared and distributed in any format as long as the source is credited. However, the articles may not be used for commercial purposes, and no modified, sampled or remixed versions of the texts may be distributed.

Deadlines for abstracts

Articles will be published on an ongoing basis. All submitted abstracts are discussed by the Perspective editorial committee, which selects and plans the journal’s publications. There are three annual deadlines for submitting abstracts to Perspective: January 1st, May 1st, and September 1st. Abstracts should be submitted to perspective@smk.dk.

Illustrations

The editors encourage all contributors to use, insofar as this is possible, images that have Creative Commons licences, alternatively to select material that is made freely available for their article by e.g. the relevant photographer or other rights holder.

The author must secure all rights to images/photographs and must defray any costs associated herewith, including new photographs. As regards artist copyright, the journal will obtain permission to depict art that is subject to copyright and pay any costs associated with such permission. Photographs of works from the National Gallery of Denmark’s collections are made available for free to all contributors.

In the case of some illustrations, it has not been possible to get in touch with the rightful copyright holder. Legal claims will be honored as had Perspective Journal obtained permission in advance.

PEER REVIEW

Articles in Perspective are accepted for publication by the editors and one or more peer reviewers. Perspective uses the definition of peer review laid down by the Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation (Forsknings- og Innovationsstyrelsen) as one of the selection criteria required for journals and publishers in order to be featured in the so-called Authority Lists, i.e. the lists of publications that qualify for points under the Danish Bibliometric Research Indicator model (BFI). Read more.

For peer review the following applies:

The peer review always precedes publication and is part of the overall publishing process.

All manuscripts submitted must be assessed by at least one reviewer who holds expert knowledge within the field and does not work directly for the publisher.

The reviewer must be well versed in research with PhD-level research experience or higher. Reviewers may be Danish or from abroad and need not be affiliated with a specific type of institution.

The reviewer will prepare a written evaluation of the scientific and academic merit of the manuscript, including any suggestions for changes and improvements. This evaluation will be presented to the author via the editors.

EDITORIAL STAFF

Editor-in-chief

Deputy director for Collections, Research and Conservation, Camilla Jalving, National Gallery of Denmark

Editor

Sarah Holst, National Gallery of Denmark

EDITORIAL COMMITTEE

Perspective’s editorial committee consists of representatives from the partner museums. The editorial committee gives advice to the editorial staff and assists with editorial matters.