The Beauty of Uniformity

The symposium investigates examples of the serial uniformity of clothes and bodies. Uniformity is understood as a social and cultural phenomenon that exerts a considerable influence on social processes. The terms 'uniform' and 'uniformity' have negative connotations because they are associated with law enforcement agencies [army, police]. However, uniform types of clothing are both part of an everyday personal role model and a structural model for mass ready-made clothing. The symposium examines examples of uniforming processes in both historical contexts and situations of radical change, such as the church, the army and companies [corporate fashion], and in areas of modern consumption: the fashion of sub-culture styles and everyday media [film, Internet]. The studies, which form part of the 'Key Themes of the Humanities' programme, are funded by the Volkswagen Foundation [Hanover].

Organisers: Birgit Richard [University of Frankfurt am Main] and Gabriele Mentges [University of Dortmund] in cooperation with the ZKM.

Programme Full version with abstracts and biographies: www.birgitrichard.de

10.30 Opening with Gabriele Mentges [Dortmund] and Birgit
Richard [Frankfurt am Main]: The Beauty of Uniformity

11.00-12.00 Andrew Bolton [New York]: Military Technology
and Uniformity in Fashion [in English]

12.00-13.00 Efrat Tseelon [Dublin, Ireland]: Identity,
Uniformity and Masquerade [in English]

14.30-15.00 Sven Drühl [Frankfurt am Main]: The Uniformed
Artist

15.00-15.30 Dagmar Konrad [Dortmund]: The Monastery

15.30-16.00 Regina Henkel [Dortmund]: The Stewardess

16.30-17.00 Heike Jenß [Dortmund]: Customize me!
Individualisation in Mass Fashion

17.00-17.30 Alexander Ruhl [Frankfurt am Main]: Fascination
Fighter: the Music Video as a Uniforming Military Event

17.30-18.30 Valerie Steele [New York]: Fashion and Uniform
[in English]

Presented by Gabriele Mentges, Klaus Neumann-Braun and Birgit Richard The Beauty of Uniformity: Convention in the monastery cloisters