April 15, 2023
ICAMT 49th Conference – Porto 2023 Conference, News
The deadline for abstract submission is closed now.
Thanks for your interest and submissions!
* * *
Due to the unprecedented number of the proposals
and the high quality of the majority of them,
communication regarding acceptance/rejection
of Papers, Posters and Short Video proposals
previously scheduled for July 5,
has been postponed until – July 13, 2023
* * *
We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause applicants.
The Abstracts evaluation team works toward delivering a remarkable conference
This year ICAMT 49th International Conference will be hosted by the
University of Porto, Portugal
from 25 to 27 of October, 2023
Along with ICAMT,
the Transdisciplinary Research Centre “Culture, Space and Memory” (CITCEM)
and the Centre for Architectural and Urban Studies (CEAU)
are the Portuguese entities responsible for the organization of this event.
The main theme of the conference is
Undoing conflict in museums:
materiality and meaning of museum architecture and exhibition design
Without conflict, no development. The conference participants will focus on the Power of Conflict – how opposing ideas can harness change in museums and exhibitions, the role of museum architecture and exhibition design in conflict. These are some of the topics which will be addressed during three days in Porto:
- How does conflict take shape in exhibition and museum buildings?
How can museums accept conflict as a power that generates new relationships – between bodies, spaces, and actions as well as between subjects, territories and memories? - Museums are sometimes described as political institutions. But in which ways are “politics” and “the political” produced as conflict zones within architecture and exhibition design?
- Which conflicts arise between different groups and the knowledge played out, both in the creation and throughout the life of the museum?
Each round table is organized around a central contradiction, including the roles of silence, absence, and light; conservation, destruction, and transformation; memory, authenticity, imagination, and hope. The conference offers a range of case studies, including visits to museums to consider how museum practices have taken up various conflicts in terms of architectural options and exhibition-making.
We will also offer different creative, arts/design-based workshops to conceptualize these issues.
Key Theme 1 – Dealing with Conflict
How can lighting, climate control, storage, and security systems (among other “invisible” systems in museums) produce conflict zones (e.g., conservation/access) or contribute to dealing with conflict in a museum context? Resignification of interpretative devices with conflict markers through museum architecture and exhibition design. Climate crisis and environmental sustainability: emerging conflicts and possibilities for action worldwide.
Key Theme 2 – Symbols of Conflict
Architectural and exhibition design processes, particularly experiences developed around complex / contested / controversial heritage. How architecture and exhibition design incorporate processes associated with the slow memory of places and its conflicts. How is slow memory defined in these contexts? The role of museum architecture and exhibition design in revealing, concealing, and transforming conflict.
Key Theme 3 – Processes and Conflict
Dialogues between the global North-South and South-South in museum architecture and exhibition design projects dealing with conflict. Conflicts that take place in the process of developing museum architecture and exhibition design projects that look precisely at conflict-related issues and ways to deal with them (e.g., architects vs museum professionals) Museum architecture and exhibition design as a tool to develop critical awareness around conflict processes.
Key Theme 4 – Healing, Resistance and the Future
The power of museum architecture and exhibition design in fulfilling the social mission of the museum when dealing with conflict. Future perspectives for exhibition design and museum architecture in dealing with conflict. Museum architecture and exhibition design as promoters of healing and resistance.
The conference features the following presentation formats:
Paper Presentations – That will take place in person and last 15 minutes (max)
Digital Posters – Static image (jpeg, jpg) to be displayed online
Short Videos – 8 to 10 minutes presentation to be displayed online
* All submissions and presentations (papers, posters, videos) should be made in English.
An official email of the conference – icamtporto2023@gmail.com
Other Key Dates:
15 July 2023 – Communication of proposal acceptance or rejection
5 September 2023 (midnight GMT) – Deadline for submissions of the final papers, posters, short videos
For the guidelines for
full papers, extended abstracts, digital posters and short videos
please click the button bellow:
For more information and updates you can visit the
HOPE TO MEET YOU IN PORTO!