Queer(ing) Medieval Art, panel at the 59th International Congress on Medieval Studies, Western Michigan University, May 9–11, 2024

This session seeks papers that bring queer methodologies to the study of medieval visual culture. Case studies from across the medieval globe are welcome as are a broad range of approaches. Among the questions for consideration are the following: Under what circumstances does queerness become apprehensible within the visual field? What contextual factors allow it to be sensed, consciously or unconsciously? And once queerness is found to reside within the medieval artwork, does it then have some kind of agency? Instead of addressing accusations of anachronism, the papers in this session look to the past for new directions in queer scholarship. These contributions not only disrupt prevailing assumptions about the Middle Ages, but also highlight what medieval visual and material culture can teach us about more fluid or expansive perspectives on gender, sexuality, masculinity, and femininity.

Submissions should be made through the conference website.

Organizer
Gerry Guest