Illumination: Perspectives on the Way of Light
The origin myths of multiple cultures describe a primordial order of life which emerges from the subterranean world into an upper world of light and growth. In recent eras, light has come to serve as a metaphor for learning and technological advancement. The term “enlightenment” continues to portray humankind as both the embodiment of spiritual growth and an historic era in which science and the humanities grew intertwined. Like moths, we are drawn to the light—everything from the sun to gilded manuscripts to the screens of our own computers. This conference examines the way light has and continues to reveal significant aspects of the human condition.
Papers are invited on topics related, but not limited, to:
Biographical or Personal Transformation as Reflected in Literature, Music, Visual Arts, Dance, or Theatre
Light in Art
Epiphany as Mental Process
Light as Mythological Context in Literature and the Visual or Performing Arts
Light and Technological Art Processes Such as Photography
Objects of Light or Tools for Calendric Measurement
Daily, Nightly, or Seasonal Rituals
Stories of Historical, Cultural, or Personal Emergence, Rebirth, or Transformation
Light as Religious Concept or Aspect of Sacredness
Nations and People—Customs Surrounding Sun, Moon, Nightfall, or Daybreak
The “Enlightenment” as Regional Historical Movement
Effects of Education on Individuals or Underserved Peoples
Humanistic Response to the Loss of the Nighttime Skies in 21st-Century Arts and Literature
Elements of Light in Theatric or Dance Performance
Ceremonial Fire