We typically send and receive postcards to share joyful experiences with friends and family.
But alongside images of sandy beaches and idyllic landscapes, another kind of image proliferated in the early 20th century. The depiction of execution and torture in postcard form was relatively common in the early 1900s and was a practice grounded in Western imperialism.
From Tunisia to China, Vietnam to Hong Kong, tourists and colonial officials chose to communicate with loved ones via a medium that both laid bare the violence of empire and highlighted Western ideas of primitivism and civilization.
In this paper, conceptual artist Jason B Bernard and historian Jennifer Wallis explore the history of these macabre souvenirs, including the ethical issues surrounding their study today.
Speaker -Jennifer Wallis (Centre for Languages, Culture and Communication) & Jason B Bernard (artist)
This seminar will take place live on campus and live online.
