Imagines: Antiquity in the Visual and Performing Arts

IMAGINES is an international and interdisciplinary research network working on modern receptions of Antiquity in the visual and performing arts. A key objective of the project is the understanding of different forms of interpretation, appropriation or neglect of classical inheritance across epochs and nations. Subject areas under investigation are Theatre, Dance, Cinema, Opera, Sculpture, Architecture, Painting, Comics, Design, and Photography.

The project is interdisciplinary in nature and involves scholars from a wide range of fields from leading universities in Italy, Germany, Portugal, Spain and the UK. IMAGINES collective initiatives include so far seven conferences in different countries (2007 Logroño, Spain; 2010 Bristol, UK; 2012 Mainz, Germany; 2014 Faro, Portugal; 2016 Turin, Italy; 2018 Toulouse, France; 2021 Göttingen, Germany; 2023 Madrid, Spain) with accompanying academic volumes. The next conference will be held in London in 2025. In 2017, the project has also launched a new book series published by Bloomsbury Academic and edited by Filippo Carlà-Uhink and Martin Lindner.

The universal character of the themes of the IMAGINES series is intended to offer a basis not only for interdisciplinary debates on the impact of antiquity in the arts, but also for open discussion on the diversity of reception(s) in different cultural traditions. IMAGINES aims at establishing a fluent dialogues and effective collaboration forms between academia, further education, and the arts and their public. A trademark of IMAGINES is thus the collaboration of non-academic specialists, leaders in their fields who draw on antiquity as inspiration for their work, representing the impact of the ancient world in our time and age.