XI. Biennial Conference - Animals and Their People: Human-animals releationship from the Middle Ages to Post-Modern Period - Kutná Hora 22.-23.4. 2020
„Who are you to lay your hand on the Maker´s work so perfect; you, who cannot create but imperfect things? Dare not think that the God created all the animals for you to play with.” wrote in 1874 Adolf Potůček, a teacher, writer, promoter of silk moth rearing and an Opočno native, in his book Compassion with Animals. It is obvious that in his period not only animals were considered a working tool, food for humans, a tool for earnings or a distinctive mark of wealth, they were friends of children and adults – creatures deserving special protection.
Animals have been a part of the human world from time out of mind; some of the four- and two-leg animals were domesticized quite soon. Some of them were raised for meet, milk and wool, other patrolled human dwellings and cattle, accompanied hunters and aristocrats. Animals were used (perhaps misused?) in wars. Some of them were presented as gifts, they were stolen, killed and cured. They had their own identity, got names, decorated harnesses and collars and had graves and resting places after they died. The same way animals became parts of fine art: they were pictured, entered human stories and were subjects of literary works.
The foregoing topics will be in the focus of the 11th Pardubice Biennale to be held from 22 to 23 April 2020: Animals as Human Partners. The biennial conference will be held in the Dačický House of Kutná Hora. Your written contributions will be published after the review procedure by the University pf Pardubice.
Deadline for applications: 31 January 2020.
