Description
Fragments of all shapes and sizes have played an essential role in the production, transmission, and mediation of knowledge in and of the premodern world: as binding material, writing supports, relics, works of art, and more. So essential, in fact, that fragments now represent some of the most widespread and accessible material witnesses of medieval and early modern material culture. This symposium explores the function and significance of fragments in premodern manuscript and print. Through presentations, discussions, and hands-on workshops involving Newberry collections, this conference will consider not only what fragments did in the distant past, but also what they can do for us today.
Click here for bios and abstracts for all participants.
Schedule
Thursday, April 23
2:00-2:30 pm Coffee and Welcome (Rettinger Hall)
2:30-4:00 pm Fragments at the Newberry (Baskes Boardroom)
Facilitated by Megan Kelly, Newberry Library
4:00-5:30 pm Keynote Conversation (Rettinger Hall)
Moderator: Christopher Fletcher, Newberry Library
Carina L. Johnson, Pitzer College
Ayesha Ramachandran, Yale University
Whitney Trettien, University of Pennsylvania
5:30-6:30 pm Reception (Baskes Boardroom)
Friday, April 24
All Friday events will take place in Rettinger Hall
9:30-10:00 am Coffee
10:00-11:30 am Panel 1
Moderator: Megan Heffernan, DePaul University
"Medieval Fragments between Art and Calligraphy"
Elizabeth Hebbard, Indiana University
"Spilling Ink: Fragmentation for Forensic Science in the Early-20th Century"
Eric Johnson, Ohio State University
"Fragments of You: Printing Fabric Contact Relics"
Suzanne Karr Schmidt, Newberry Library
11:30 am-1:00 pm Lunch break (on own)
1:00-2:15 pm Panel 2
Moderator: Zach Hines, Ohio State University
"Pre/Modern Fragmentation"
Bonnie Mak, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
"Seeking, Finding, and Sharing Illuminated Manuscript Fragments in North American Collections"
Christopher Platts, University of Cincinnati
2:15-2:45 pm Coffee break
2:45-4:00 pm Panel 3
Moderator: Elizabeth Hebbard, Indiana University
"How to Do Things With Fragments"
Leah Whittington, Harvard University
"Reading Fragments, Reading Collections"
Megan Heffernan, DePaul University
4:00-5:00 pm Final Discussion
Registration Information
This conference is free and open to all, but space is limited and registration in advance is required. To register, please click on the link below.
Register Here