Minutes of meeting of the General Assembly Beijing 2016

 

COMITÉ INTERNATIONAL D’HISTOIRE DE L’ART
_____

General Assembly

Thursday, September 15, 2016
15:15-17:30 at Lake House(Lin Hu Xuan)
Beijing
Peking University

 

Agenda approved by Ulrich GROSSMANN, President of CIHA

 

Minutes by Thierry Dufrêne and Jean-Marie Guillouët

Presents:
LaoZhu (LZ), Ulrich Großmann (UG), Peter Schneemann (PS), Thierry Dufrêne (TD), Marzia Faïetti (MF), Claudia Mattos (CM), Shigetoshi Osano (SO), Marc Gotlieb (MG), Toshio Watanabe (TW), Jaynie Anderson  (JA), Gerhard Wolf (GW), Fatima Morethy Couto (FMC), Federico Freschi (FF), Cuothemoc Medina (CM), Xue Yongnian (XY), Shao Dazhen (SD), Claire Roberts (CR), Enikö Roka (ER), Joseph Sisa (JS), Steven Nelson (SN), Nicola Courtright, Nakamura Toshiharu (NT), Maria Serlupi Crescenzi (MSC), Claudia Cierivia (CC), Peter Krieger (PK)

Invited:
Savita Kumari (SK), Jean-Marie Guillouët (JMG), Maria Clara Bernal (MCB), David Roxburg (DR), Patricia Zalamea (PZ)

 

1. Welcome

UG gives praises to the Chinese committee for the quality of the organization and the warm welcoming.

TD reminds that this is the outcome of an exceptional fruitful collaboration. For instance, the call for chairs has been issued and decided through a selection made together by the board and the Chinese committee. This work has been done collectively and associated junior chairs inseveral trinomials. Like in Nuremberg, several pre-conferences and associated colloquiums took place (in Hangzhou or about gardens in Forest University for instance). TD hopes that this spirit of free exchanges and broader collaborations will continue and strengthen for the next Congresses.

 

2. Approval of the minutes of the last General Assembly (27.06.2014)

The minutes of the last meeting of the general assembly is unanimously approved. The assembly wishes to warmly thank TD for his work at this occasion.

 

3. Report of the President

The President UG gives his last report before the election of the new board. He reminds and summarizes the works done during the last four years and highlights the challenges the CIHA is facing for the next mandate.

After the Nuremberg congress about « the Challenge of the object », the german government of the Federal  Republic of Germany has developed a program to support the examination and research of “objects” in  museums. Here in China, the positive effects of the CIHA’s activities and the planning of new congresses can also be felt like the setting up of a chair for art history by our dear colleague Lao Zhu at the University of Beijing (before that, art history was only  taught in China at art academies, now it has been accepted as a valid part of the humanities). UG is delighted that the CIHA Board was able to contribute, in a small way to the achievement of this goal.

UG recalls the interesting intermediary colloquia since the last Congress : in 2013, in Naruto where we discussed the question of the original and the copy ; in 2014, in Marseilles was devoted to the theme of cultural exchange in the Mediterranean. There, the General Assembly passed a decision for the holding of a double congress in 2020, to be held in Florence and Brazil – the second city being either Rio de Janeiro or Saõ Paulo. For the first time, contacts were made and formed with art historians from Algiers, Morocco and Tunisia.

In May 2015, the Swiss National Committee convened a conference in Zurich focusing on all aspects of contemporary art. The same year a colloquium was also held in Rome in the MAXXI, the Italian museum of art for the 21 st Century. Here too, we found a new and exciting museum.

Finally, in February 2016 a colloquium in Brussels dealt with the Renaissance under Francois the First and the relations between France and the Southern Netherlands.

This list shows that, with a total of five colloquia, the last four years have been enriched with more than their fair share of important art history events. UG is particularly pleased that three of these events were held in museums, for - due to their different approaches - the linking of the research done in museums and that done in universities has never been easy. Perhaps the congress held in Nuremberg four years ago contributed to the overcoming of some of the mutual prejudices.

For the immediate future there are a number of important tasks that must be tackled. The modification of the statutes currently under way is aimed at clarifying ambiguities relating to the limitation of the terms of office of members of the Board and the General Assembly to a period of eight years.

Regarding that matter, UG is very sorry to say that the new statutes may not be able to solve a fundamental problem. This arises when, over years, the Board negotiates with a country and new members are acquired for the founding of a National Committee. As National Committee members it is by no means certain that these colleagues will be able to attend the nextcongress. For when their term of office ends after eight years, they might never have attended a CIHA event and consequently cannot participate in promoting our ideas. UG thinks that the CIHA needs, in addition to the fluctuating board members, a form of personal membership specially tailored for individual art historians interested in the CIHA, this being the only way for us to maintain long-term contact with such colleagues. Communication between art historians from different countries can only be enhanced when we personally know the people concerned and to ensure this we need new models of membership and new approaches.

Clear improvements have however been made regarding the preparatory work necessary for conferences and meetings. Agendas and schedules are sent out well in advance and where appropriate, written documents pertaining to individual topics are distributed. Transparency is seen as an important requirement if the CIHA is to continue working successfully.

In these areas as well as in all its other undertakings UG wishes the new Board and the Chinese presidency every success.

 

4. Report of the Treasurer

In his function as treasurer, Peter Schneemann presented the financial report 2015 to the General Assembly (including the period January – August 2016).

The active funds have slightly increased from 203.380 CHF at the end of 2014 to 204.965CHF at the end of 2015.

The income from membership fees went down to 11.403 CHF. While the report`s numbers are based on the Swiss currency, the membership fees are in Euro currency (as well as the major account). Hence the report reflects the effects of the weak Euro.

The treasurer reminds delegates of the fact that certain countries declared themselves as unable to pay their debts due to financial problems (Greece, Slovakia). In other cases the delegates do not fulfil their responsibility to direct our bills to the adequate institution. This indicates a major problem, since the responsible institution differs from country to country (national academies, national association, private sponsors etc.).

The treasurer reminds the new members of the successful policy that travel expenses for Board members are taken over either by the respective hosting institution of the colloquia and congresses or by their home institution. CIHA only provides financial support in justified cases of necessity. The accumulation of funds should be strategically used to support experimental projects like the next congress (Collaboration between Brazil and Italy). The members of the Bureau are documented with the independent audited annual report 2015 and the intermediate report until August 2016, established by the Gewerbe Treuhand AG Bern.

PS expresses his gratitude for the productive and collegial collaborations. As from September 1st , 2016 Tristan Weddigen will take over his function as Treasurer of CIHA.

PS is very happy to be able to hand over the account in “good shape”. In 2003 CIHA operated with 124.000 CHF. The new treasurer is able to start with ca. 210.000 CHF (31.8.2016). The market conditions reflect a series of turbulences that create a very difficult environment for investors. The new Bureau is asked to review the current investments.

The General Assembly approves the report and expresses its sincere thanks for Schneemann’s high commitment as Treasurer of CIHA and unanimously discharges him from his responsibilities for all fiscal matters.

 

5. Admission of new National Committees

TD presents 3 new National Committees as members of the CIHA.

  1. Colombian committee : The situation of art history in Colombia is presented by Maria Clara Bernal, Head of the graduate school of the Arts and Humanities and associate professor at the Art Department, Universidad de Los Andes, Bogotá and PatriciaZalamea, Decana, Facultad de Artes y Humanidades, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá.
  2. Indian committee : Savita Kumari, assistant professor in the Department of History of Art at the National Museum Institute of History of Art, Conservation, and Museology (New Delhi), presents the activities of her institution. She will be supplementaray representative of India while Prof. Anupa Pande, Dean at the National Museum Institute, will be the titular member. She also presents the next colloquium that will be held in New Delhi in 2018.
  3. Argentinian committee : in the absence of Gabriela Siracusano, our well-known argentinian colleague, TD presents the bid of the Argentinian Committe and reported on his meetings with Gabriela, Marisa Baldassare, Diana Wechsler and the President of Universidad Nacional de Tres de Febrero (Buenos Aires) to constitute an argentinian committee due to the active community of art historians in this country.

The admission of the 3 new national committees is approved unanimously by the GA.

 

6. Representatives renewal

TD shows to the assembly slides summarizing the members and countries of the board and the GA.

UG highlights that we at the CIHA can all too easily loose contact with such countries, as was indeed the case with Poland, the Netherlands, Spain, Greece and Austria and where the losses suffered have only partially been made good. He thinks that the CIHA needs, in addition to the fluctuating board members, a form of personal membership specially tailored for individual art historians interested in the CIHA, this being the only way for us to maintain long-term contact with such colleagues.

The list of new representatives is unanimously approved.

 

7. New statutes

TW summarizes and recalls all the changes and modification proposed to the statutes of the CIHA. He reminds the long discussion process which led to the elaboration of this new statutes.

TW then explains that the revision of the statutes has for aim to encourage the renewal of CIHA members holding an office: it is decided that all Bureau members will not be allowed to hold more than two mandates, whichever office was held, except in the case where a member would become president after s/he organized one of the World Congresses.

The new statutes are adopted unanimously by the General Assembly.

 

8. Election of the new Bureau

TD circulates the CV of the proposed new members. The candidacy of David Roxburg for the bureau is defended by Marc Gotlieb, the candidacy of Tristan Weddigen for the position of treasurer is defended by Peter Schneemann and the candidacy of Jean-Marie Guillouët for the position of scientific secretary is defended by Thierry Dufrêne.

Lao Zhu is proposed by the Chinese committee as president of the CIHA.

The General Assembly agrees unanimously.

 

9. Congress of Florence/Saõ Paulo 2019-2020

While in Beijing, CM and MG presented in very general terms the joint congress to be held in Florence and Sao Paulo, which shall start in Florence in September 2019 and will continue in Sao Paulo the following year.

They still are at the beginning of a relationship of exchange of information that shall find several and constant opportunities to work together.

These joint working opportunities shall be related in the near future to the presence of Claudia and other members of the Brazilian organization committee in Europe and specifically in Italy. In April 2017 we will organize a general meeting with members of both the Brazilian and Italian committees to plan the 2019/2020 event.

The general title of the Congress is Metamorphosis and Animism, and it shall be declined in different ways in the two locations, but always jointly, i.e. with the partecipation of Brazilian researchers in Florence and Italian scholars in Sao Paulo.

They therefore thought to slightly renew the structure of the panels, introducing different seminars, discussions and workshops.

As for the Italian Committee of CIHA, it met several times before the Beijing Congress of last September, after setting up a Scientific committee composed by the following members: Claudia Cieri Via, Claudia Conforti, Marco Collareta, Giuliana Ericani, Marzia Faietti, Maria Grazia Messina, Antonio Pinelli, Massimiliano Rossi, Gerhard Wolf.

This Committee has produced a short text, valid only as a draft intended as a starting point to animate the discussion and for the exchange of ideas also with our Brazilian colleagues, and to encourage the dialogue with them.

Still, being only a draft of a document for internal use, it needs further joint discussion. A first session of discussion was held during the CBHA national colloquium, which counted with the presence of Massimiliano Rossi, a member of the Italian Committee. These discussions will develop further over next Spring and Summer, both in Italy and Germany, in the meetings that are being arranged.

The Brazilian organization committee for CIHA 2019/2020 was defined during the CBHA annual colloquium in October 2016 in Campinas, and it is composed by the following member: Claudia Mattos Avolese, Roberto Conduru, Ana Magalhães, Valeria Piccoli, Patricia Menses, Jens Baumgarten, Felipe Chaimovich and Maria Berbara.

 

10. Colloquia

TD presents the intense activity of the last four years and highlights the fact that events have been held on different continents. He reminds that these events have been followed by the publication of proceedings.

 

11. Any other business

 


 

 

COMITÉ INTERNATIONAL D’HISTOIRE DE L’ART
_____

Assemblée Générale
Jeudi 15 Septembre 2016
14h - 17h
15:15-17:30 - Lin Hu Xuan
Pékin
Université de Pékin

 

Ordre du jour approuvé par Ulrich GROSSMANN, Président du CIHA

 

Présents:
LaoZhu (LZ), Ulrich Großmann (UG), Peter Schneemann (PS), Thierry Dufrêne (TD), Marzia Faïetti (MF), Claudia Mattos (CM), Shigetoshi Osano (SO), Marc Gotlieb (MG), Toshio Watanabe (TW), Jaynie Anderson (JA), Gerhard Wolf (GW), Fatima Morethy Couto (FMC), Federico Freschi (FF), Cuothemoc Medina (CM), Xue Yongnian (XY), Shao Dazhen (SD), Claire Roberts (CR), Enikö Roka (ER), Joseph Sisa (JS), Steven Nelson (SN), Nicola Courtright, Nakamura Toshiharu (NT), Maria Serlupi Crescenzi (MSC), Claudia Cierivia (CC), Peter Krieger (PK).

Invités:
Savita Kumari (SK), Jean-Marie Guillouët (JMG), Maria Clara Bernal (MCB), David Roxburg (DR), Patricia Zalamea (PZ)

 

1. Accueil

UG remercie le comité chinois pour la qualité de l'organisation et la chaleur de l'accueil.TD rappelle que cela est le fruit d'une collaboration fructueuse et exceptionnelle (appel pour présidents de sessions, choix en commun, pré-conférence). Comme à Nuremberg, le congrès a été le centre d'un ensemble d'événements plus large que la seule semaine, plus dense, à Pékin: rencontres à Hangzhou ou à l'Université forestière sur les jardins. TD espère que cet esprit de collaboration sera préservé et renforcé pour le prochain congrès.

 

2. Approbation des minutes du 27.06.2014

Les minutes de la précédente assemblée générale sont approuvées à l'unanimité. L'assemblée souhaite remercier chaleureusement TD pour son travail à cette occasion.

 

3. Rapport du Président

Le président UG donne son dernier rapport moral avant l'élection du nouveau bureau. Il rappelle et résume le travail fait durant les dernières quatre années et souligne les défis auxquels le CIHA devra faire face durant le prochain mandat.

Voir le texte du rapport du président dans la version anglaise du compte-rendu

 

4. Rapport du Trésorier

PS présente le rapport financier 2015 (ainsi que pour la période janvier-août 2016).

Voir le texte du rapport financier dans la version anglaise du compte-rendu

 

L'assemblée générale approuve ce rapport à l'unanimité et exprime ses sincères remerciements et sa gratitude à PS pour son travail remarquable et son implication. Elle le décharge unanimement de ses responsabilités financières.

 

5. Admission des Nouveaux Comités

Les nouveaux comités colombien, argentin et indien sont présentés par leurs représentants.

  1.  La situation de l'histoire de l'art en Colombie est présenté par Maria Clara Bernal (département des arts de l'université de Los Andes de Bogota) et Patricia Zalamea (doyenne de la faculté des arts et humanités de Los Andes de Bogota).
  2. Mme Savita Kumari (Institut d'histoire de l'art du Musée national de New Delhi), présente les activités de son institution ainsi que le prochain colloque qui se tiendra à New Delhi en 2018. Elle sera représentante suppléante alors que la prof. Anupa Pande, doyenne du même institut, sera la représentante titulaire.
  3. TD présente la candidature du comité argentin en l'absence notre collègue bien connu, de Gabriela Siracusano. Il présente le défi constitué par cette démarche et rappelle les réunions tenues avec Gabriela, Marisa Baldassare, Diana Wechsler et le président de l'université nationale de Tres de Ferero à Buenos Aires en vue de construire un comité argentin, représentatif de l'activité de la communauté nationale dans ce pays.

Les comités sont admis à l'unanimité des votes de l'Assemblée.

 

6. Renouvellement des représentants

TD présente à l'assemblée l'état des membres et pays représentés au CIHA.

JA insiste sur le fait que le CIHA semble être moins "global" qu'il ne l'a été (elle souligne 'absence de membre australien au bureau du CIHA).

UG signale l'attention qui devra être portée à maintenir une relation avec différents comités nationaux qui sont susceptibles de perdre le contact avec les activités du Comité. Il pense quele CIHA a besoin, outre les membres périodiquement renouvelés du bureau, d'un statut spécial de membre individuel, intéressé par les activités du CIHA.

La liste des nouveaux représentants est approuvée à l'unanimité

 

7. Nouveaux statuts

TW présente, rappelle et résume la discussion à propos des nouveaux statuts du CIHA. Il rappelle que la révision des statuts avait pour but d'encourager le renouvellement des membres du CIHA et du bureau.

Les nouveaux statuts sont adoptés à l'unanimité.

 

8. Election du nouveau Bureau

TD fait circuler les CV des nouveaux membres proposés par le nouveau bureau. Les candidatures de David Roxburg (défendue par Marc Gotlieb), Tristan Weddigen (défendue par Peter Scneemann) et Jean-Marie Guillouët (défendue par Thierry Dufrêne) sont présentées à l'assemblée. Tristan Weddigen et Jean-Marie Guillouët sont proposés respectivement aux fonctions de trésoriers et secrétaire scientifique.

Ces propositions sont adoptées à l'unanimité.

 

9. Congrès de Florence/ Sao Paulo 2019-2020

MF et CM présentent l'état des travaux à propos du prochain congrès double de Florence et Sao Paulo en 2019 et 2020. Le thème en sera: Métamorphose et animisme.

Voir le texte de cette présentation dans la version anglaise du compte-rendu

 

10. Colloques

TD présente l'activité riche et intense des quatre dernières années et souligne le fait que des événements se sont tenus dans les quatre continents. Il rappelle que ces événements ont été suivis par des publications d'actes.

 

11. Questions Diverses