02/19/16: What We Talk About When We Talk About GIFs: Visual Culture and Social Media

Playful, banal, uproarious, creepy, infuriating — the contemporary flavours of the Graphics Interchange Format or GIF have to be seen to be believed. Beloved of artists, activists,and netizens of all stripes due to its particular technical and aesthetic properties, the humble GIF has assumed a major role in contemporary culture and the arts. This afternoon symposium will be a chance to unpack the history, popular culture, and social impact of GIFs, and their place in history of the humanities. Plus: cats!