Event overview
A conference hosted at Goldsmiths in association with the Modern Humanities Research Association
From the perfumed verse of Baudelaire to the ‘fleshly’ poetry of Swinburne, from the extravagant and perverse sensory experiences of Des Esseintes in A Rebours to the refined visual aesthetics of Dorian Gray, we encounter corresponding senses (synaesthesia) and extreme sensations, intensified by nervous or pathological psychological states. Reading Decadence, from ancient times to the present day, is to indulge in voluptuous pleasures (and pain), to sample exotic tastes and sounds, and to envisage states of mind in highly visual terms. ‘For each emotion’, as Oscar Wilde imagined for his drama, Salomé (1894), ‘a new perfume’.
This 2 day interdisciplinary conference explores the relationship of Decadence and the senses, and the ways in which Decadent writers attempt to capture fleeting sensations. It is an opportunity to trace common visual, aural and ‘perfumed’ motifs in Decadent works, and to reflect on the extent to which the senses are important to our understanding of the tradition.
Keynote Speaker: Catherine Maxwell (Queen Mary, University of London)
Panels on:
Scents and Sights
Suffering and Sexuality
Music, Dance, Movement
Wilde and the Aesthetic Object
Decadent Spaces
Decadence and the Body
Taste
There will also be entertainment and a Black Buffet on the Thursday evening, and Decadent poetry readings on Friday at lunchtime!
Please see our website for the full programme and registration information.
Dates & times
| Date | Time | Add to calendar |
|---|---|---|
| 10 Apr 2014 | 9:00am - 6:00pm | |
| 11 Apr 2014 | 9:00am - 6:00pm |
Accessibility
If you are attending an event and need the College to help with any mobility requirements you may have, please contact the event organiser in advance to ensure we can accommodate your needs.
