The International Visual Methods Conference (IVMC) is an interdisciplinary conference bringing visual scholars and practitioners together. Held every two years and for the first time in Asia in 2017, the IVMC seeks to foster greater dialogue in the area of visual methods, in both theoretical and practical aspects.

The phenomenon of cities is an increasingly important aspect of the everyday life of individuals. The United Nations reports that as of 2014, 54 percent of the world’s population live in urban areas, with that proportion rising to 66 percent by 2050. Asia and Africa are projected to contribute the most to this growth. Cities come in, and are engaged with, on a variety of scales, shapes and interactions. From global cities to urban neighbourhoods to the bedrooms of our informants, from walking to sensing to mapping the city – the ways in which we have seen, experienced and documented cities are myriad.

In this 5th instalment of the International Visual Methods Conference, we seek papers, presentations and performances that critically examine the city through visual methods. However, we also welcome proposals for topics not directly related to urban life, but nonetheless encompass visual methods.