The branding of a country — the process by which a country becomes aesthetically unified into a nation — goes far beyond flags. California College of the Arts professor Karen Fiss is currently researching the many ways in which imagery is used to cultivate a sense of citizenship. In her forthcoming book, From Nation Building to Nation Branding, she will relate this research to the sharp rise of international art exhibitions and biennials worldwide, specifically within postcolonial and developing countries in which efforts are being made to integrate artistic communities into the globalized art market. Fiss will be presenting a preview of her research in a lecture entitled “Brand the Beloved Country,” which will take place in Tan Hall at UC Berkeley on November 10 at 2 p.m. Fiss is also one of two curators of the exhibit Necessary Force: Art in a Police State, currently at the University of New Mexico Art Museum, which showcases artwork that interrogates police violence and other systemic forces of oppression.
.Brand the Beloved Country
Karen Fiss at UC Berkeley.
