The Silent Echo: Archaeology, Obsolete Past, and Iconoclasm

This international conference explores notions of iconoclasm through the present destruction of artifacts and monuments in the Middle East, as well as the role of archaeology in contemporary art.

The conference is taking place in conjunction with the contemporary art exhibition The Silent Echo, opening at the Archaeological Museum of Baalbek on 17 September 2016.

What inspires contemporary artists and archaeologists to “dig” into the past; to study archaeological methods; and to rewrite and reinterpret history? What drives the urge to unveil the mystery of silent objects through layers of narrative? Why is there still a desire to integrate this obsolete past in daily life, and to justify its existence in museums?

Speakers include Assaad Seif, Luc Bachelot, Phillipe Charlier, Karina El Helou, Elena Sorokina, Nigel Tallis, Margaret van Ess, and Marc-Olivier Wahler.

For the full program, click here.