Symposium Agenda - The University of Sydney

ARC Linkage Grant
The Andrew Mellon Australian-Pacific Observatory
The Australian National Maritime Museum
The Sydney Environment Institute
THE SEA - EPISODES AND IMAGININGS
A unique one day symposium examining the construction of histories through film, literature, theatre,
museology, film, visual arts and music with a particular focus on maritime histories and cultures. It will explore
the many facets of storytelling and interpreting maritime historical events through a multitude of creative
disciplines. These historical narratives are drawn from primary and secondary source materials and can include
oral histories, naval records, scientific and ethnographic research, ships logs, official records such as births,
deaths and marriages, and passenger crew lists.
The symposium brings together eminent cultural theorists, historians, museum curators, documentary
filmmakers, writers, composers, collectors and visual artists to
interrogate and navigate through the complex terrain of public
history, to engage in debate about the transmission and
presentation of history, the role of historical fiction and specific
genres such as documentary-dramas, musical compositions,
museum master narratives and visual arts.
Episodes and Imaginings will be linked to the Sydney Climate
Change Network‟s marine environmental humanities and social
science conferences being presented by the University of Sydney
and dedicated to looking at Coastlines, the other focussing on
Oysters.
The project also links to current maritime, environmental and
underwater archaeological research through an existing Australian
Research Council initiative between the ANMM/University of
Sydney/Queensland Museum and Silentworld Foundation entitled
- Cultures of Coast and Sea: maritime environmental, cultural and
ethnographic histories of north-east Australia 1770-2010. The
symposium also aligns with the ANMM‟s broader interest in researching and mapping out revised master
narratives for the development of the museum‟s core exhibitions and future creative partnerships.
VENUE:
Australian National Maritime Museum
2 Murray Street Darling Harbour Sydney
2