breath conference at tate

take a deep breath
A conference at Tate Modern, London
15 - 17 November 2007

Nikos Navridis
Difficult breath #9, 2004.
Call for Submissions
Deadline for submissions: 10 September 2007

Breathing is a vital practice, yet most of us hardly ever think of the process. Recent environmental and
ethical developments are calling for a rethinking of the value of breath and its manifestations in
culture and beyond.
Take a deep breath is an interdisciplinary conference on the social, cultural and scientific ramifications
of breathing. It will explore the influence of breath on the work of various theorists and practitioners
and encourage a critical discussion by featuring talks, visual art projects, performances, film
screenings, and musical events.
We would like to invite contributions from a wide range of disciplines, including: visual and performing
arts, literature, architecture, music, philosophy, theology, biomedical and environmental sciences and
sports. Participants are encouraged to submit contributions exploring the following themes:
• Visible/Invisible Respiration: There is general agreement that it can be heard and smelt, yet
why is it taken for granted that respiration is an invisible manifestation of our being alive?
Artists have often explored this paradox. What lies in this tension between the visible and the
invisible breath?
• Contaminating Breath: The exhaled breath brings out in the world an amalgam of volatile
components ranging from vital oxygen to poisonous carbon dioxide. Breathing is vital, yet it
can also be fatal. To breathe upon is potentially to infect or contaminate.
• Hold It Exercise It Manipulate It Breathing can be subjected to active and passive forms of
control. What are the ways with which we control and manipulate our breath? Does the loss
of breath result in the loss of control, or perhaps is it the other way round?

• Beyond Breath: Can we think of breathing beyond its principal corporeal function? Breath as
pneuma and psyche has always been of great significance to psychology, psychiatry,
philosophy and religion. What are the effects of euphoria and phobias, panic attacks or
asphyxia? Is there life after breath?
Keynote speakers include:
Professor Steven Connor (Birkbeck College/ London Consortium)
Professor Howard Caygill (Goldsmiths College)
Mark Cousins (Architectural Association/ London Consortium)
Submission guidelines: Paper proposals of 1000-1500 words outlining a 20 minutes presentation or full
papers (max 4500 words) and a curriculum vitae of no more than two pages should be submitted via
email by 10 September 2007. Visual or/and sound material should be submitted via email at
breath@londonconsortium.com or as DVD/CD copies at the following address:
Take a deep breath
The London Consortium
Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA)
12 Carlton House Terrace
London
SW1Y 5AH
UK
All papers and presentations will be in English.
Selection and Notification: All contributors will be notified whether their submission has been selected
by 20 September 2007.
Dispatch Costs: Contributors are responsible for the costs of sending any visual or sound material.
Submissions can only be returned if the applicant provides a self-addressed and stamped envelope.
Duration: Thursday 15 – Saturday 17 of November 2007
Venue: The conference will take place at Tate Modern.
Take a deep breath is organised by Irini Marinaki, Martine Rouleau and Konstantinos Stefanis in
collaboration with The London Consortium and Tate Modern.
The London Consortium is a unique collaboration between the Architectural Association, Birkbeck
College, the Institute of Contemporary Arts and TATE. We offer challenging, rigorous postgraduate
programmes in the Humanities and Cultural Studies leading to a Master of Research (MRes) or PhD
degree in Humanities and Cultural Studies from the University of London. For more information visit:
www.londonconsortium.com
For further information please do not hesitate to contact us by email at
breath@londonconsortium.com
2007-09-19