A Call to Action: Transnational Artistic Solidarities and Decolonial Alliances, 1960s-1970s

Founded in London in 1974, Artists for Democracy (AFD) brought together a group of international artists and activists, including Cecilia Vicuña, John Dugger, David Medalla, and Guy Brett. The collective aimed to support liberation movements across Asia, Africa, and Latin America, as seen in its first major project, the Arts Festival for Democracy in Chile, held at the Royal College of Art. This event was a direct response to the 1973 Chilean coup d’état and featured meetings, exhibitions, and other activities.

AFD embodies the ethos and sensibility prevalent among artists and cultural practitioners in the 1960s and 1970s. In dialogue with initiatives such as the 1974 Venice Biennale, CAYC in Buenos Aires, and FESTAC ‘77 in Lagos, AFD proposed a vision of art rooted in exile, solidarity, and a decolonial imagination, contributing to South-South alliances and alternative circuits of cultural production that challenge institutional and geopolitical boundaries.

In what ways can these forms of artistic collaboration offer new frameworks for transnational approaches in art history? We invite contributions that investigate artistic practices, initiatives, and strategies that emerged in connection with anti-imperialist movements and solidarity with what was then referred to as the “Third World”. Decolonial approaches focusing on marginalised epistemologies and counter-hegemonic forms of dissent are particularly encouraged. Papers exploring the intersection of art, migration, identity, and collective memory are also welcome.

Submit your Paper via this form. Please download, complete and send it directly to the Session Convenor(s) below by Sunday 2 November 2025:

Paulina Caro Troncoso, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, pacarotroncoso@gmail.com

Roberta Garieri, Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, robertagarieri.univ@gmail.com