Artists' Moving Image Practice in Britain: From 1990 to today

Artists’ moving image practice is activated by the context of the gallery, by temporary architectural environments, the cinema and the internet, and by social and political performance. Over the last few decades, this kind of artistic practice – which has its roots in film, performance and installation art – has become a phenomenon in its own right.

British artists and institutions have played a pioneering role in this history. From the filmmaking co-ops of the 1970s to recent exercises in digital manipulation, UK-based artists have been at the forefront of artistic experimentation, distribution, and exhibition. This has particularly been the case since the 1990s, when a mixture of artist support agencies and galleries such as LUX, Film and Video Umbrella, FACT, Film London and Channel 4 began re-aligning funding interests and supporting artists’ moving image work. Despite being showcased and discussed by arts and cultural organizations and academics, this field has not been fully explored or historicised.

Featuring keynote lectures and panel discussions with leading specialists – artists, curators, film historians, art historians and critics – the purpose of this conference is to map the recent history of of this dynamic strand of visual culture within a British context, and to develop new scholarly research through thematic discussions and close readings of selected works and artists.

Speakers include Erika Balsom, George Barber, Iwona Blazwick, James Boaden, Steven Cairns, Maeve Connolly, Nina Danino, TJ Demos, Gareth Evans, Kodwo Eshun, Ed Halter, Shanay Jhaveri, Omar Kholeif, Michael Maziere, Mark Nash, Sarah Perks, Colin Perry, Michele Pierson, Gary Thomas, Jonathan Patkowski, Lucy Reynolds, Andrew Vallance, among others.