Image and Ideology Photography and the Making of Meaning

Images shape our perception of reality – subtly and powerfully. This symposium explores the ideological dimensions of photographic images. The focus is not only on photography as an artistic or documentary medium, but also on its role as an active agent in the construction of social reality. 

What roles do visual codes, aesthetic strategies, and cultural contexts play in the production and reception of photographic content? How do visual narratives influence our understanding of truth, identity, or belonging? To what extent do images reflect and reproduce societal power relations – and how can these mechanisms be questioned or subverted through artistic and theoretical engagement?

The symposium brings together perspectives from theory, art, and practice. At its core is a critical reflection on the tension between image and ideology, and the potential of photography to shift, disrupt, or rearticulate dominant narratives. Through a plurality of perspectives, the symposium foster to opens up space for alternative viewpoints and sparkle new forms of engagement with photographic practices. 

Organized in collaboration between Photoforum Pasquart and the Bern University of the Arts, the symposium will take place on Friday, 10 October 2025, from 10:00 to 18:00 at HKB in Bern.