Posted by Colin Herd on 2026-03-18

Ekphrasis, the verbal representation of visual representation, is one of art’s oldest preoccupations. Over the past decade, we have seen a rise in British and Irish innovative ekphrastic poetry and visual art that responds to poetry. Concurrently, there has been a new wave of interest in the efficacy and function of ekphrasis, that focuses on its role as a type of creative practice and a way of thinking through aesthetic judgement. Despite all this activity, no formal consideration of the field of ekphrasis itself has emerged. Ekphrasis underwent a paradigmatic shift in which it was no longer defined by its ‘paragonal’ energy. This paragonal energy stipulated that the verbal and the visual were at odds with one another but contemporary ekphrastic writing is interested in moving beyond that conservative, binary way of conceptualizing the relationship between mediums. This special issue will respond to a glaring gap in ekphrastic research, one that moves away from deconstructing its 20th century framework and focuses on articulating what a contemporary innovative ekphrasis can be in the context of British and Irish Innovative Poetry. 

One of the aims of this project is to bring together a wide variety of creative practitioners, we encourage applications from researchers based outside of the academy, artists, writers, academics. We also encourage critical writing within the context of contemporary ekphrasis such as poetry, ficto-criticism, performances, art criticism, descriptive and cultural commentary. Ekphrasis itself is the site of much artistic collaboration and experimentation. In-keeping with the focus of the journal, this special issues engages with the intersections between poetic traditions of innovation in Britain and Ireland, and how these intersect with contemporary visual arts discourse. 

Your proposal can engage with the following questions: What kinds of modalities does contemporary ekphrasis operate in? What are its attributes/value? How does it function as your practice? How can it help us think through aesthetic judgement/aesthetic experience? Your paper could also be an analysis of a British or Irish innovative practice of ekphrasis.

For full guidelines of accepted forms submissions can take, please see https://poetry.openlibhums.org/ 

Please send a 250-300 word abstract with a title, up to seven keywords, and a 100-word biographical note to ekeksymposium@gmail.com 5th June 2026

Image Credit: La communauté du poème by Agnes Thurnauer