Conference at the European Solidarity Centre in Gdańsk

On December 5–6, 2024, the scientific conference „Iconography of Protest. Visual Emanations of Dissent from the 19th Century to the Present Day” took place at the European Solidarity Centre in Gdańsk. Our team – Maciej Kowalewski, Jennifer Ramme, Izabela Kujawa and Dorota Jaśkiewicz – presented a paper titled „Troubles with (Digital) Protest Iconography”.

In our presentation, we explored key concepts such as archives, protest and iconography, focusing particularly on the challenges posed by the overproduction of images in the digital world. We discussed the risks associated with this phenomenon, including message dilution, issues of ownership, detachment from context, manipulation, and fabrication. Additionally, we highlighted ethical concerns related to copyright, misuse, and image protection.

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the European Solidarity Centre for providing excellent conditions and an inspiring atmosphere, as well as to all participants for their valuable presentations and fruitful discussions!