Cultural Studies senior lecturer Dr Warwick Mules was recently invited to present a paper for the ‘EMSAH Research Seminar Series’ organised by the University of Queensland’s School of English, Media Studies and Art History.

The invitation was a reflection of Warwick’s national and international contribution to research in the field of visual media.

Dr Mules' presentation, entitled 'Creativity and Openness: Reflecting on Walter Benjamin's Concept of Aura as Technological Obsolescence' was well received by all in attendance and stimulated some robust discussion.

“My recent seminar presentation at University of Queensland examined media and photographic images in the light of a critical reflection on Walter Benjamin’s theory of aura, as experience conditioned by technological obsolescence. I argued that images should be exposed to their ‘historicity’ – their emergence as technological ‘objects’ fraught with the struggle to see. The seminar presented research on photographic images, and developed what I call ‘creative reading’, opening images out to their potential to transform visuality or the way we see things".

Dr Mules has been undertaking a long-term research project based on the study of visual media.

Over the past decade he has been engaged in research into visual media as both an historical and contemporary phenomenon.

Most recently, this research has included extensive theoretical work in the conceptualisation of visual images and the application of theoretical concepts to specific historical and contemporary sites.

This research has lead to substantial publications, including a book, 25 refereed articles and 6 book chapters, as well as numerous conference papers delivered both in Australia and overseas.

More recently he has been working on the idea of a ‘contact aesthetics’ or a mode of critical reflection and creative activity that works with images as disembodied experiences, linked to potential sites for the exploration of new kinds of embodiment.

The concept of contact aesthetics forms part of a proposed book 'The Visual Imaginary: An Introduction to Reading Visual Culture', to be published by Palgrave in 2007, and is an important aspect of the practical aspects of Dr Mules' research into visual culture.