Conference: The Phantom Limb Phenomena @ Goldsmiths College in London

For Immediate Release:

The Phantom Limb Phenomena: A Neurobiological Diagnosis With Aesthetic Cultural and Philosophical Implications.

A conference to be held at Goldsmiths College, Saturday and Sunday, January 15th, and 16th, 2005.

Organized by Warren Neidich, Department of Visual Arts, Goldsmiths College and Jules Davidoff, Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths College

Since its original description in 1866 by the Neurologist S. Mitchell the phantom limb phenomena has attracted many scholars across a broad spectrum of discourses. It describes the condition, found in many amputees, in which sensation of the removed limb persists. As such it has served as a metaphor for many ideas in other fields beyond the scope of neurobiology and neuro-psychology, such as, philosophy, psychoanalysis, cultural studies, anthropology, visual cultural, literature, film and art.

This conference will investigate the following: 1.The Cognitive Neuroscientific and Neuropsychological Implications of the Phantom Limb 2. The Psychoanalytic and Philosophical Implications of the Phantom Limb 3.The Phantom Limb as Cultural Probe 4: Artistic Responses to the Phantom Limb.

Participants include: Peter Brugger- Professor Neurology, University of Zurich, Switzerland, Elizabeth Cohen-University of Rochester, Chris Frith-Wellcome Principal Research Fellow Professor in Neuropsychology, Deputy Director, Leopold Muller Functional Imaging Laboratory, Eleanor Kaufman-Dept of Comparative Literature, UCLA, Norman Klein- California Institute of the Arts, Scott Lash- Director of the Center for Cultural Studies, Goldsmiths, James Leach-Dept. of Anthropology, Cambridge, Mac MacLachlan -Co-Director of the Dublin Psychoprosthetics Group, Dave
McGonigle- Center National Research Scientific,LENA, France Arnold
Modell- Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Andrew Patrizio-Director of Research Development, Edinburgh College of Art, Marq Smith, Editor, Visual Culture Magazine Vivian Sobchack-Associate Dean and Professor of Critical Studies in Film and Television at the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, Janet
Sternburg- California Institute of the Arts Simon Cohn, Dept. of Anthropology, Goldsmiths College, Nicholas Wade-Professor of Visual Psychology, University of Dundee, Andreas Weber- Institute for Cultural Studies, Humboldt University Zu, Berlin, Robert Zimmer- Chairman Department of Computing, Goldsmiths College.

For more information and sign up application form go to www.artbrain.org, upcoming events. Or contact [email protected] or [email protected].