Enfilade

From the Call for Papers:

Journal18, Issue #23 (Spring 2027) — Untitled

Issue edited by Catherine Girard, Sylvia Houghteling, Meredith Martin, and Hannah Williams

Proposals due by 3 April 2026; finished articles will be due by 1 September 2026

In 2026, Journal18 celebrates a decade of publishing cutting-edge scholarship on the art, material culture, and social life of the eighteenth century. To mark this tenth anniversary, for the first time since launching Journal18, we will take an open call approach. Unlike our usual tightly themed issues, this “Untitled” issue invites contributions from scholars working on any aspect of visual and material culture of the long 18th century from around the globe, drawing on diverse methodologies, perspectives, and global contexts.

Our “Untitled” issue of Journal18 offers an opportunity for open reflection and critical intervention in the field of eighteenth-century studies. What assumptions, canonical narratives, or disciplinary boundaries merit reconsideration today? What methods, sources, or frameworks might illuminate eighteenth-century art in new and unexpected ways? Which objects, artists, or practices remain unexplored, and why? Can we rethink the role of audiences—past or present—in shaping our understanding of the eighteenth century? How can our field speak to contemporary debates, challenges, or experiences affecting the world today?

We welcome contributions that explore, but are not limited to:
• Transnational and cross-cultural approaches to eighteenth-century art.
• New theoretical, methodological, or archival interventions.
• Reconsiderations of canonical objects, artists, or movements.
• Reflections on the evolving field of eighteenth-century art history and cultural studies.
• We are especially interested in work that offers fresh perspectives from underrepresented regions, traditions, or voices within the global eighteenth-century art world.

We anticipate an issue comprised of relatively short texts (max 4000 words). We also welcome contributions that do not follow the standard scholarly essay format, including pieces that are co-authored or take the form of an interview, data visualization, short film, audio recording, virtual exhibition, creative collaboration, or something that has yet to be dreamed up.

Proposals for issue #23 Untitled are now being accepted. The deadline for proposals is 3 April 2026. To submit a proposal, send an abstract (250 words) and a brief biography to editor@journal18.org. Articles should not exceed 4000 words (including footnotes) and will be due for submission by 1 September 2026. For further details on submission and Journal18 house style, see Information for Authors.

Issue Editors
Catherine Girard, St. Francis Xavier University, Nova Scotia
Sylvia Houghteling, Bryn Mawr College
Meredith Martin, NYU and Institute of Fine Arts, New York
Hannah Williams, Queen Mary University of London