Gesture and Affect

GESTURE AND AFFECT

On April 10th and 11th, 2025, the Institut d'études avancées de Nantes will host the research workshop led by former fellows Florence Ninitte and Patricia Hayes. This workshop will explore the question of gesture through its photographic, performative, political, social, psychological, and philosophical manifestations. It will focus on the gesture as an end in itself, rather than merely a means of action, and its role in shaping visions of the future between consensus and disintegration.

The main goal is to promote a careful reading of visual and literary artifacts, while linking the attention given to the gesture with conceptual, political, and ethical issues. Drawing on the work of Georges Didi-Huberman, particularly his project Soulèvements, the workshop will examine the connection between gesture and emotions or the absence of discourse, especially in the context of colonial photographs.

The gesture will also be analyzed in medieval representations, where it appears codified, allowing for an understanding of its social and ideological uses. Finally, the workshop will bring together participants from various disciplines to create connections beyond traditional academic boundaries.

Online registration: https://forms.gle/m2oLR1SkL2JMR8jc6