23/05/2026
Last night’s session with Anca Pârvulescu was a fascinating and thought-provoking exploration of literature, identity, technology, and the politics of the human face.
Drawing from her recent book Face and Physiognomy in Literary Modernism, Anca guided us through the ways modernist writers such as Virginia Woolf, Marcel Proust, and Thomas Mann used facial descriptions to explore memory, belonging, morality, and social identity. The discussion connected literary modernism with contemporary debates around facial recognition technology, surveillance, cosmetic culture, AI, and digital identity.
What made the evening particularly engaging was the way literature became a lens through which to examine today’s world. From “Instagram face” and “Zoom face” culture to wider questions about privacy, migration, representation, and the assumptions we make when reading faces, to newer concepts such as "PainFace".
The Q&A opened up rich conversations around q***r narratives, migrant memoirs, AI and objectivity, as well as the historical links between physiognomy, politics, and power.
A huge thank you to Anca for such an insightful, accessible, and intellectually generous conversation, and to everyone who joined us live and contributed to the discussion.
Next month on 19 June from 6pm, we are going to explore the Romanian Folklore and Its Archaic Heritage with Ana Chelariu. Register here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/carteadevineri-in-dialogue-with-ana-chelariu-tickets-1987741400036
Join in conversation with Ana Chelariu on her book "Romanian Folklore and Its Archaic Heritage".