PhDArts Public Defense Donald Weber
You are cordially invited to the public defense of the research project entitled Bureau of Operational Landscapes by photographer Donald Weber. The defense consists of two parts. On 10 December, Weber will elucidate his work for the doctoral examination committee at Maasvlakte in the Port of Rotterdam in front of a select audience. On 11 December at 14.30, Weber will publicly defend his dissertation in the Academy Building at Leiden University.
The Bureau of Operational Landscapes examines the relationship between landscape photography and logistical landscapes, with the Port of Rotterdam as a case study.
In his dissertation, Weber argues that the complex spatial configurations of contemporary logistical sites demand a new photographic methodology to interpret and engage with these landscapes. This argumentation resonates in his initiation of the Bureau of Operational Landscapes – a conceptual and practical framework – through which he reimagines landscape photography as a more-than-representational act that solicits public engagement with logistical space.
Through the Bureau of Operational Landscapes, Weber utilizes both landscape photography and site-specific encounters to expand public perception and scrutiny of the port. This way, the logistical landscape may be made more legible to the public, encouraging a relationship beyond the official narrative that governs these vital yet often overlooked spaces.
Supervisors
Prof. dr. Anke Haarmann, Professor in Practice and Theory of Research in the Visual Arts, Academy of Creative and Performing Arts, Leiden University
Dr. Ali Shobeiri, Assistant Professor, Centre for the Arts in Society, Leiden University
