On November 4, 2022, I chaired the session Dialogue Between Gendered and Degendered Bodies as part of the Annual Conference of the Universities Art Association of Canada (UAAC/AAUC), organized by the University of Toronto. This session provided a critical discussion space on representations of the body and gender dynamics in contemporary art, questioning the transformations and reconfigurations of gender identities through various artistic media.
Article’s thumbnail: Photo by Marek Studzinski on Unsplash
An Interdisciplinary Approach to the Body in Mutation
One of the major themes of this session was to explore how art reflects, questions, and contributes to the redefinition of gender identities. Through various presentations, we addressed:
- Representations of trans and non-binary bodies in performance, photography, and video.
- The role of technologies and digital practices in redefining the boundaries of the gendered body.
- Posthumanist and cyborg approaches, proposing a vision of the body beyond traditional categories.
Addressed Issues and Perspectives
This session enabled critical reflection on several key issues:
- Representations of trans and non-binary bodies in performance, photography, and video.
- The role of technologies and digital practices in redefining the boundaries of the gendered body.
- Posthumanist and cyborg approaches, proposing a vision of the body beyond traditional categories.
A Space for Dialogue Between Research and Creation
By bringing together artists, researchers, and curators, this session fostered stimulating exchanges on bodies in transition and the artistic practices that accompany them. As chair of this session, I structured the dialogue to highlight new critical perspectives on gendered and degendered bodies in the visual arts.