From the Introduction by Michelle Bumatay and Katelyn Knox :
The theme of the 2009 conference, the "Branded City,' carries a double meaning : first, it references both the city as it has been recorded by artists (writers, painters, illustrators, musicians, architects, etc.) as well as literal and figurative inscriptions on the city, and second, it leads us to investigate the way in which cities function as a "brand." How is the city depicted? How have French and Francophone cities influenced and branded the works of artists from around the world? How has the city been marked and thus shaped, physically or historically by the influx and outflow of people? Whereas the roundtable discussion, inspired by several conference presentations, sought to think beyond the limits of Paris, this issue of 'Paroles gelées' focuses solely on the métropole.
