Social Anthropology Seminar - Roger Canals - Universitat Barcelona
Dates: | 14 November 2016 |
Times: | 16:00 - 18:00 |
What is it: | Seminar |
Organiser: | School of Social Sciences |
Speaker: | Roger Canals |
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Social Anthropology Seminar
Monday, 14th November 2016
Roger Canals – Universitat Barcelona
‘’ Visual Creativity in the Cult of María Lionza (Venezuela)”
Abstract: the cult of María Lionza is one of the most important Venezuelan religious practices. One of the main features of this cult, in which spirit possession is frequent, is what may be referred to as “visual creativity”. This term refers to two different, although interwoven, concepts. On the one hand, it concerns the processes of reinvention of the image of María Lionza and of the spirits constituting her spiritual pantheon. Instances of these processes of iconic innovation can be found at religious altars, in artworks and on the Internet. On the other hand, visual creativity points to the relational nature of the gaze within the cult. Indeed, vision constitutes a fundamental aspect of the ritual process, since it is one of the privileged ways through which the relations between spirits, mediums and participants are established. In this talk, based on long-term fieldwork, I will discuss the role of vision and visual culture in the cult of María Lionza, while providing some methodological reflections regarding how to undertake an ethnography of the visual.
2.016/2.017,
Second Floor Boardroom, Arthur Lewis Building
4:15 – 6:00pm
(Tea and coffee available outside the room from 4:00pm)
Speaker
Roger Canals
Role: Speaker
Organisation: Universitat Barcelona
Travel and Contact Information
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2nd Floor Boardroom - 2.016 / 2.017
Arthur Lewis Building
Manchester