The upcoming conference, a cooperation of vorarlberg museum (Bregenz), Institute of art history (Innsbruck) and Institute for Architectural Theory and History (Innsbruck), continues a line of inquiry from the lecture series “Out into the World: Vorarlberg Architecture and Craftsmanship from the Early Modern Period to the Present”, held in Bregenz and Innsbruck in 2023/24, where the speakers focused on timber architecture, the four-poster bed, and wheel wall clocks from the Montafon. It soon became clear that Vorarlberg’s architecture and craftsmanship deserved even more attention from scholars and the public, not only to broaden the regional perspective, but also to extend the view beyond national borders and to bring larger questions of history, art and cultural studies into the discussion.
The architectural and craft heritage of Vorarlberg has contributed significantly to all artistic genres (including design), leaving global traces that have yet to be fully explored. The unwavering persistence and dynamic development of building, craft and artistic traditions in this rural region between Lake Constance and the Arlberg, which have flourished for almost 400 years, is nothing short of remarkable. Vorarlberg arts and cultural technologies continue to enjoy international standing, particularly in the artisanal trades and architecture. Research has provided fundamental insights into various periods from the Baroque to the present day, providing a solid foundation on which to build and explore new areas of investigation. Key areas of research include
- social history of Vorarlberg artists, tradespeople and patrons
- institutional history
- migration of technologies, forms and styles
- the relationship between tradition and innovation
- resources and economy
- centre and periphery
- architecture and urbanism
- craft, design and architecture
- stylistic, material and technical characteristics of ‘Vorarlberg building or craft schools’ as compared to other centres.
Hence the conference, which is due to be held at vorarlberg museum in Bregenz on 13 and 14 March 2025, will focus on architecture and craftsmanship as its two main pillars. This Call for Papers invites architects, artisanal tradespeople, those in the applied arts (designers) and academics working in these fields to present new perspectives on the development of Vorarlberg’s building and craft culture. Contributions on all artistic genres and periods are welcome. In addition, those that transcend the traditional hierarchies of “high art” and “low art” and instead focus on previously underestimated areas of artistic production are encouraged. Contributions that depart from a linear narrative of success and progress to explore a history of conflict and challenge in the provincialisation of Vorarlberg are also welcome, particularly as those that shed light on how regimes of judgement and decision-making (artists, patrons, citizens, institutions) have contested and continue to challenge interpretive authority. A diachronic view of this complex narrative, spanning generations and centuries, and comparing past and present, could also be interesting and offer new insights.
The different formats are intended to provide a varied, illuminating and, not least, practice-oriented conference programme. We therefore welcome a wide range of contributions, including presentations of approximately 30 minutes, participation in panel discussions and the organisation of excursions to workshops, (architectural) monuments or other locations. You are kindly invited to submit your proposals by Friday, 21 June 2024. Presentations can be given in English or German. Please send an abstract (max. 4000 characters, including spaces) with content, choice of format, a short biography and your contact details to: vorarlberg-tagung@vorarlbergmuseum.at