Symposium on Post-Screen Cultures and Practices hosted at LSBU
London South Bank University welcomed artists and academics from the UK and abroad to take part in a conference on Post-Screen Cultures and PracticesThe successful one-day symposium was hosted by the School of Arts and Creative Industries, with support from the Journal of Media Practice and the Media, Communications and Cultural Studies Association (MeCCSA) Practice Network.
The symposium sought to explore how, with the proliferation of mobile devices, the presence of the screen in every day life is ever more pervasive, personal and immersive.
According to Ofcom, the tablet has become the must-have device, with over half of UK households (54%) now owning one. Raised as 'screenagers', one in ten (11%) 3-4 year olds now have their own tablet as a pacifier, educational aid and entertainer.
The theme attracted international interest, with papers submitted from colleagues in Singapore, Portugal, Greece, Holland and the United States, as well as from universities across the UK. LSBU’s own staff and PhD students also presented work.
Speakers explored the material as well as the digital character of contemporary screen cultures, raising questions about the nature of the interface and the attempted commodification of audiences.
The day focused on practice-based research and featured papers, presentations of practice, screenings and demonstrations.
A special issue of the Journal of Media Practice will be devoted to publishing a selection of papers presented at the symposium.
Professor Phil Hammond, co-organiser of the symposium, Director of Research & Enterprise, Professor of Media & Communications and Course Director MA Development Journalism, at London South Bank University, said:
“As a School we are committed to supporting innovative and creative practice-based research in the arts and humanities, so we were delighted that our bid to host this event was successful.
“The theme of 'Post-Screen Cultures/Practices' addressees how, via the screen, people today navigate an evolving media and cultural landscape that is increasingly interactive, intuitive and always on.
“One of the most striking things to emerge was a feeling that the current moment is in some ways similar to the earliest days of cinema — a time of vibrant experimentation, in which, while rejecting the fetishisation of technology, artists and professional practitioners are embracing the chance to explore the new possibilities it offers.”
Professor Janet Jones, LSBU’s Dean of the School of Arts and Creative Industries said:
"The Post-Screen Cultures and Practices symposium was a great success. It was an honour to host the incredibly knowledgeable and talented individuals working in the industry and to provide a platform for some of the most cutting edge media practice around the world.”
Find out more about LSBU's School of Arts and Creative Industries.