Next Issue
Volume 14, December
Previous Issue
Volume 14, August
 
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
0.3
Journals
Arts
Volume 14
Issue 5
share announcement

Arts, Volume 14, Issue 5 (October 2025) – 27 articles

Cover Story (view full-size image):  
  • Issues are regarded as officially published after their release is announced to the table of contents alert mailing list.
  • You may sign up for e-mail alerts to receive table of contents of newly released issues.
  • PDF is the official format for papers published in both, html and pdf forms. To view the papers in pdf format, click on the "PDF Full-text" link, and use the free Adobe Reader to open them.
Order results
Result details
Section
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
15 pages, 3481 KB  
Article
Royal Ideology and Elite Integration in Theban Tombs as Precursors to the Amarna Period
by Melinda K. Hartwig
Arts 2025, 14(5), 125; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14050125 - 20 Oct 2025
Viewed by 99
Abstract
This paper will examine how tomb chapel imagery changed to depict a state of being that marked a theological and cultural shift during the reigns of Thutmose IV and Amenhotep III. The iconography of the royal kiosk scene reflects the growing influence of [...] Read more.
This paper will examine how tomb chapel imagery changed to depict a state of being that marked a theological and cultural shift during the reigns of Thutmose IV and Amenhotep III. The iconography of the royal kiosk scene reflects the growing influence of solar theology. At the same time, the king, as the mediator between the gods and humanity, appears as the primary source of the tomb owner’s well-being in the afterlife. Scenes of family life give way to depictions illustrating the tomb owner’s official role in relation to the king. Likewise, many of the so-called innovations in Amarna tomb decoration are already evident, such as the depiction of locality and specificity, setting and action, emotion, and the spontaneity of the here-and-now. At this time in the tomb’s transverse halls and porticos, the king dominates the decoration in the public areas of the chapel, along with depictions of the deceased’s service to him. Family images are gradually relegated to the inner hall of tombs, becoming almost non-existent by the late reign of Amenhotep III. By the reign of his son, all tomb scenes became oriented towards Akhenaten, who alone would provide, along with the Aten, for the deceased’s cult, career, social identity, and eternal survival. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ancient Egyptian Art Studies: Art in Motion, a Social Tool of Power and Resistance)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 367 KB  
Review
Unlearning the Colonial Gaze: Grada Kilomba and the Poetics of Disobedience
by Luciana da Costa Dias
Arts 2025, 14(5), 124; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14050124 - 20 Oct 2025
Viewed by 176
Abstract
Since the mid-twentieth century, a profound reconfiguration of the epistemic ground of ‘art’ itself—aesthetic theory—has taken place. This review examines how modern logic and the inseparability of the modernity/coloniality pair have impacted aesthetic thought, revisiting traditional aesthetics through the concept of a decolonial [...] Read more.
Since the mid-twentieth century, a profound reconfiguration of the epistemic ground of ‘art’ itself—aesthetic theory—has taken place. This review examines how modern logic and the inseparability of the modernity/coloniality pair have impacted aesthetic thought, revisiting traditional aesthetics through the concept of a decolonial aisthesis. Methodologically, it mobilises a bibliographic review of decolonial thought in dialogue with feminist theory and undertakes a case-based analysis of Grada Kilomba’s exhibition Poetic Disobediences (2019). This review also forms part of a larger research project on decolonial aisthesis, feminisms, and performance art, with results disseminated in various contexts. Distinctively, it foregrounds Kilomba’s installation The Dictionary (2019) as a central case study, emphasising how it dismantles the grammar of “healing” through language and performance and exploring its implications through the lens of Latina and Black feminisms. The results highlight the need to critically rethink aesthetics: if aesthetics is a modern and thus colonial construct, it must be unlearned and reimagined from within. The review concludes that poetic and epistemic disobedience emerge as insurgent gestures capable of destabilising coloniality in art, pointing not to the abolition of aesthetics, but to its decolonial reconceptualisation as a theoretical and methodological horizon. Full article
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 6174 KB  
Article
Tracking Change in Rock Art Vocabularies and Styles at Marapikurrinya (Port Hedland, Northwest Australia)
by Sam Harper
Arts 2025, 14(5), 123; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14050123 - 11 Oct 2025
Viewed by 260
Abstract
Track engravings dominate the rock art assemblage across Marapikurrinya (Port Hedland) in Northwest Australia, with social change through time linked to changes in how and when this graphic vocabulary is employed. Discrete styles have been identified within the broader engraving body, which is [...] Read more.
Track engravings dominate the rock art assemblage across Marapikurrinya (Port Hedland) in Northwest Australia, with social change through time linked to changes in how and when this graphic vocabulary is employed. Discrete styles have been identified within the broader engraving body, which is argued to have been produced semi-continuously over the last 7000 years, from the point of sea-level stabilisation in this region. It is proposed that changes in these styles reflect and negotiate environmental, demographic, and social changes. In the most recent stylistic phases, track motifs dominate, and it is argued to reflect change in marking strategy, from localised territorial bounded art to regional social harmonisation. This paper explores the potential functions of track motifs as a vocabulary distinct from other figurative art, using Marapikurrinya as a case study. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Rock Art Studies)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

28 pages, 6683 KB  
Article
Food Labels as Media and Artistic Artifacts—A Case Study of Muszynianka Water Labels
by Patrycja Longawa, Andrzej Adamski and Jacek Wiśniowski
Arts 2025, 14(5), 122; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14050122 - 11 Oct 2025
Viewed by 302
Abstract
Food labels are common elements of everyday life. However, from the point of view of communication researchers (especially visual communication), they are incredibly interesting cultural artifacts, located at the intersection of communication, design, technology, and regulation. This article analyzes the evolution of the [...] Read more.
Food labels are common elements of everyday life. However, from the point of view of communication researchers (especially visual communication), they are incredibly interesting cultural artifacts, located at the intersection of communication, design, technology, and regulation. This article analyzes the evolution of the labels of Muszynianka, a leading mineral water brand in Poland, from the perspective of media archaeology. It treats labels as dual artifacts—media (information carriers, regulatory objects) and artistic (elements of applied art, design). This article emphasizes the importance of materiality, the non-linearity of history and the analysis of the technological–regulatory “archive.” It develops concepts of labels as complex, multimodal messages, especially in a historical context. The authors conducted a visual analysis of the evolution of Muszynianka’s labels, placing them within broader design trends. To explore recurring visual and narrative motifs, a topoi analysis method was used to identify three basic topoi: Topos of Nature/Mountain Origin, Topos of Health/Vitality/Purity, and Topos of Modernity/Technology. Full article
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

38 pages, 10645 KB  
Article
History and Overview of the Unique Architecture of Pipe Organs in St. Mary Magdalene’s Church in Wrocław (Poland) from the Middle Ages to the Present Day
by Karol Czajka-Giełdon and Krystyna Kirschke
Arts 2025, 14(5), 121; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14050121 - 2 Oct 2025
Viewed by 503
Abstract
The historical pipe organ, an instrument of vast scale and complex construction, has a significant connection to liturgical celebration and to the history of European churches. It is also one of the few musical instruments considered to be a work of architecture. The [...] Read more.
The historical pipe organ, an instrument of vast scale and complex construction, has a significant connection to liturgical celebration and to the history of European churches. It is also one of the few musical instruments considered to be a work of architecture. The evolution of organ building, especially in the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries, required deep knowledge of musical culture and technology. The significance of this relationship is illustrated by the example of the former and present organs of the church of St. Mary Magdalene in Wroclaw (Breslau). The first church organs appeared here in the Middle Ages, and as will be shown, in subsequent eras, their location, form, and décor were changed according to evolving cultural and liturgical mandates as well as changes to the structure of the church architecture. The history of the specific organs of the church of St. Mary Magdalene is the product of a rich history of monumental construction, reconstruction, conservation, and restoration, and it is poised to offer a continuation of this tradition in the present and future of the parish and in music history with proposed restorations and renovations of their historic space and instruments. Full article
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 2684 KB  
Article
Casa da Arquitectura and the Liminality of Architecture Centers: Archives, Exhibitions, and Curatorial Strategies in the Digital Shift
by Giuseppe Resta and Fabiana Dicuonzo
Arts 2025, 14(5), 120; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14050120 - 1 Oct 2025
Viewed by 386
Abstract
This study explores the evolving role of architecture centers in the digital age by analyzing the case of Casa da Arquitectura (CdA) in Matosinhos, Portugal, a hybrid institution that functions as both archive and museum. Positioned within the broader context of museum digitization [...] Read more.
This study explores the evolving role of architecture centers in the digital age by analyzing the case of Casa da Arquitectura (CdA) in Matosinhos, Portugal, a hybrid institution that functions as both archive and museum. Positioned within the broader context of museum digitization and liminality theory, the research investigates how CdA navigates the spatial, social, and procedural shifts inherent in digital transformation. Drawing on qualitative methods, including in-depth interviews with key personnel and on-site observations, the study examines the institution’s strategies in acquisition, curation, and exhibition design. The findings highlight CdA’s innovative approach to archival visibility, the creation of a multipurpose digital platform (“edifício digital”), and the integration of archival acquisitions with exhibition practices. These practices illustrate a condition of triple liminality of the digital museum concerning its process, position, and place. The study also discusses how digitization reconfigures the museum’s organizational model in terms of accessibility and curatorial complexity. By analyzing CdA’s operational and curatorial choices, the paper discusses how digital museums can act as speculative, process-oriented spaces that challenge traditional boundaries between archive and exhibition, physical and virtual, institutional and public. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Museums in the Digital Age)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 257 KB  
Article
From Silos to Synergy: Redefining Collaboration in the Performing Arts and Museum Sectors
by Christos A. Makridis
Arts 2025, 14(5), 119; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14050119 - 1 Oct 2025
Viewed by 441
Abstract
The arts sector—museums, theaters, and orchestras—in the United States and Europe faces increasing financial and operational challenges, from declining attendance to reduced public and private funding. While these organizations have historically pursued their goals independently, their future may depend on fostering collaboration across [...] Read more.
The arts sector—museums, theaters, and orchestras—in the United States and Europe faces increasing financial and operational challenges, from declining attendance to reduced public and private funding. While these organizations have historically pursued their goals independently, their future may depend on fostering collaboration across these traditionally siloed institutions. By pooling resources, expertise, and, most importantly, audiences, cross-disciplinary partnerships can amplify the impact of cultural institutions while addressing shared challenges. For instance, museums and performing arts organizations could collaborate on immersive experiences that integrate visual and performing arts, attracting a broader and more diverse audience base. Similarly, joint programming and shared digital platforms could reduce overhead costs and expand outreach. These partnerships also enable the arts to present a unified case for public and philanthropic support, leading to greater collective societal impact. Drawing on successful examples of cross-sector collaboration, this paper explores practical strategies for fostering synergies among arts institutions. By working together, the arts can not only enhance their resilience in a challenging environment but also redefine how cultural experiences are created and consumed, ensuring their relevance and vibrancy for future generations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Arts and Urban Development)
24 pages, 2380 KB  
Article
Resisting Chauvinist Stereotypes: The Impertinence of Russian Painting at London’s International Exhibition of 1862
by Rosalind Polly Blakesley
Arts 2025, 14(5), 118; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14050118 - 30 Sep 2025
Viewed by 392
Abstract
The Russian empire’s displays of applied and decorative art at the Great Exhibition of 1851 and its immediate successors have long galvanised scholars for their semantic complexity. By contrast, Russia’s first selection of paintings for this fiercely competitive arena, shown at London’s International [...] Read more.
The Russian empire’s displays of applied and decorative art at the Great Exhibition of 1851 and its immediate successors have long galvanised scholars for their semantic complexity. By contrast, Russia’s first selection of paintings for this fiercely competitive arena, shown at London’s International Exhibition of 1862, failed to ignite the public imagination and has largely evaded the historian’s gaze. While the three-dimensional artworks provided a recurrent source of wonderment for their superlative craftsmanship, stupendous materials, and often hyperbolic proportions, the paintings were apparently flat in every sense of the word: derivative, lacklustre, and incapable of capitalising on the opportunity that international exhibitions offered to present a national school. The dismissive comments they attracted set the tone for many later accounts, embedding the idea that Russian painting prior to the twentieth century was of limited consequence—a perception that would prove convenient to those asserting the originality of the avant-garde. Yet renewed consideration of Russia’s display of paintings in 1862 suggests that their critical reception speaks to concerns that went well beyond the pictures’ supposed obligation to represent a national school. Notably, a small but significant number of history and portrait paintings by academically trained and often well-travelled artists challenged notions of Russians as primitive and parochial. The technically adventurous of these parried the belief that Russian art was insufficiently mature to experiment in painterly effect. Most audacious of all, they broached unspoken national boundaries by daring to suggest that Imperial Russian artists could innovate in areas on which the success of British painting rested. The attitudes towards Russian painting in 1862 thus invite fresh scrutiny, revealing as they do a disruptive arena in which aesthetic rivalries and chauvinist sensibilities came to the fore. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue In the Center and on the Periphery: Russian and Soviet Art and Visual Culture)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

23 pages, 6954 KB  
Article
Music and Narrative: Philip Glass’s Post-Minimalist Technique in The Hours Interacts with the Structure of the Film
by Bomin Wang
Arts 2025, 14(5), 117; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14050117 - 28 Sep 2025
Viewed by 301
Abstract
This study explores how Philip Glass’s post-minimalist techniques in the film score of The Hours interact with the film’s non-linear narrative structure. By integrating musicological analysis and film narrative theory, the paper examines the use of micro-variations, additive processes, and repetitive harmonic structures [...] Read more.
This study explores how Philip Glass’s post-minimalist techniques in the film score of The Hours interact with the film’s non-linear narrative structure. By integrating musicological analysis and film narrative theory, the paper examines the use of micro-variations, additive processes, and repetitive harmonic structures in Glass’s score. These techniques are shown to not only intensify the emotional resonance of the film but also reinforce its fragmented temporal flow across three interwoven storylines. Case studies of specific scenes illustrate how the music’s subtle evolution parallels the narrative’s thematic continuity and psychological depth. This research contributes to the understanding of post-minimalist film scoring, emphasizing the aesthetic and structural synergies between music and moving image. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Film Music)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 882 KB  
Article
Human Skeletons in Motion, Defleshed Animals in Action and Transformation of Species in Northern Tradition Rock Art
by Trond Klungseth Lødøen
Arts 2025, 14(5), 116; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14050116 - 25 Sep 2025
Viewed by 358
Abstract
This paper addresses attention to iconographical expressions in the Northern Tradition rock art of Scandinavia that have received limited awareness. Yet, as it will be demonstrated, this iconography contains valuable insights into past ideas and concepts. This study also examines the background for [...] Read more.
This paper addresses attention to iconographical expressions in the Northern Tradition rock art of Scandinavia that have received limited awareness. Yet, as it will be demonstrated, this iconography contains valuable insights into past ideas and concepts. This study also examines the background for the production of Northern Tradition rock art. Recent dialectic procedures within prehistoric rock art research and studies of archaeological remains, including multidisciplinary methods, dating measures, and demographic analyses, have contextualised Northern Tradition rock art into a more defined reconstructed past social context, at least regarding Western Norway. This has further connected the rock art to demographic changes at the end of the Late Mesolithic period. It is argued that this demographic development triggered the production of rock art, allowing a deeper insight into past world views through iconographical visualisations. Based on this background, it is also argued that the imagery of the Northern Tradition reflects past societal conditions and work as a proxy for insight into Late Mesolithic world views. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Rock Art Studies)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 221 KB  
Article
Wrapping Up “Through the Eyes of Those Who Are No Longer”: Paolo Taviani’s Leonora addio (2022)
by Marco Grosoli
Arts 2025, 14(5), 115; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14050115 - 24 Sep 2025
Viewed by 647
Abstract
The first film signed by Paolo Taviani without his brother Vittorio (who died in 2018) in more than 60 years, Leonora addio (2022) recapitulates and condenses an entire career by recounting the grotesque (real-life) journey of the burial, cremation, exhumation, transfer (from Rome [...] Read more.
The first film signed by Paolo Taviani without his brother Vittorio (who died in 2018) in more than 60 years, Leonora addio (2022) recapitulates and condenses an entire career by recounting the grotesque (real-life) journey of the burial, cremation, exhumation, transfer (from Rome to Sicily) and re-burial of Luigi Pirandello’s corpse over more than ten years, as well as by showing in the last thirty minutes an adaptation for the screen of “The Nail” (“Il chiodo”, the last novella by the renowned Sicilian writer). A quintessential testament film refracting the writer’s death in Vittorio’s (one of the film’s many Pirandello-esque mirror games) and alluding to the intellectual legacies of either, Leonora addio daringly thematizes the exploitation of cultural value as well as its political implications—particularly in the specific Italian context and, implicitly yet unmistakably, in the present day too. My paper will analyse Leonora addio paying particular attention to how this subtext intersects the film’s “testamentary” surface, to Deleuze’s “crystal images” (pervasively informing the structure of Leonora addio), to the film’s many nods to Kaos (a 1984 Pirandello adaptation for the screen by the Taviani, analysed mainly through the lens of Lacanian gaze theory) and to the role of death in both films. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Swan Songs: Philosophical Reflections on Death, Time, and Memory in Testament Films)
26 pages, 6020 KB  
Article
Exploring the Interface Between Orality, Text and Images: An Interplay of Black Drawings and Unfired Clay Figures Within the Depths of the Sierra Mixe of Oaxaca, Mexico
by Leslie F. Zubieta Calvert
Arts 2025, 14(5), 114; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14050114 - 23 Sep 2025
Viewed by 786
Abstract
Drawing on archaeological evidence, early ethnographic accounts, and historical documents, this article offers initial reflections on the possible past uses and meanings of a set of black drawings found deep within a cave in what is now known as the Sierra Mixe of [...] Read more.
Drawing on archaeological evidence, early ethnographic accounts, and historical documents, this article offers initial reflections on the possible past uses and meanings of a set of black drawings found deep within a cave in what is now known as the Sierra Mixe of Oaxaca, Mexico. Following this investigative approach, it explores the role of rock art as an interface between orality, imagery, and text in the context of ancient Mesoamerica. To understand the possible ontological perceptions of the creators of these images in the past, it is suggested that this imagery functioned as inscriptions in a dialogue with spatially related unfired figures modelled in clay, which are exceptionally well-preserved in this subterranean space. An interplay of media on various supports is proposed, wherein two-dimensional images and three-dimensional figures may have been used as a combined system for transmitting and circulating intergenerational cultural knowledge, serving as an anchor for collective memory. In this context, rock imagery played a role in a broader communication system in Mesoamerica. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Rock Art Studies)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

28 pages, 312 KB  
Article
Coming to Turkey—Passing Through Turkey: Migration Routes and Spaces in the Cinema of Emigration
by Şölen Köseoğlu and Merve Kılıçbay
Arts 2025, 14(5), 113; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14050113 - 19 Sep 2025
Viewed by 1293
Abstract
International migration is a dynamic phenomenon that shapes urban spaces in Turkey. This study focuses on 18 films that depict the experiences of migrants who see Turkey as a transit country or a temporary stop, offering insights into their journeys and perspectives. Using [...] Read more.
International migration is a dynamic phenomenon that shapes urban spaces in Turkey. This study focuses on 18 films that depict the experiences of migrants who see Turkey as a transit country or a temporary stop, offering insights into their journeys and perspectives. Using a qualitative analysis of cinematic narratives and spatial representations, the study highlights key locations, such as Istanbul, the Aegean coasts, and occasionally the Black Sea, where migrants often find themselves in waiting spaces, like motels, barns, or warehouses, facing uncertainty, violence, and discrimination. By examining these spatial representations and symbolic elements, the study explores how cinema reflects migration’s social and urban impacts, demonstrating its potential as a tool for understanding this complex process. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Film and New Media)
22 pages, 347 KB  
Article
Race and Space in Rap: Conceptions of (Multi)Racial Identity and Urban Life in Rap Music
by Matthew Oware
Arts 2025, 14(5), 112; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14050112 - 18 Sep 2025
Viewed by 651
Abstract
Existing research focuses on how different actors infuse space and place with social meaning. In this paper, I examine how biracial rap artists Drake, Logic, and J. Cole construct their racial identities and depict urban areas in line with the strong-willed trope prevalent [...] Read more.
Existing research focuses on how different actors infuse space and place with social meaning. In this paper, I examine how biracial rap artists Drake, Logic, and J. Cole construct their racial identities and depict urban areas in line with the strong-willed trope prevalent in rap discourse, drawing on theories and insights regarding the production of space. Specifically, I hypothesize that these artists will affirm a Black male identity and perceive place as a hazardous environment, embracing a specific motif in rap mythology. I conducted a content analysis of 386 songs from 2010 to 2023 and found that not all identify as Black and that two artists portray their surroundings as threatening. Nonetheless, each rapper incorporates their environment as a facet of their rap persona. Focusing on biracial artists enables an exploration of meaning-making at the intersection of racial identity and socio-spatial cultural production, thereby broadening our understanding of place. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Arts and Urban Development)
17 pages, 5614 KB  
Article
Marginal Manipulations: Framing Byzantine Devotion Through Gentile Bellini’s Cardinal Bessarion with the Bessarion Reliquary
by Ashley B. Offill
Arts 2025, 14(5), 111; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14050111 - 12 Sep 2025
Viewed by 572
Abstract
In the early 1470s, Venetian artist Gentile Bellini painted Basilios Bessarion kneeling in front of the precious Byzantine reliquary that Bessarion donated to the Venetian Scuola di Santa Maria della Carità. This painting functioned as the cover to the tabernacle where the reliquary [...] Read more.
In the early 1470s, Venetian artist Gentile Bellini painted Basilios Bessarion kneeling in front of the precious Byzantine reliquary that Bessarion donated to the Venetian Scuola di Santa Maria della Carità. This painting functioned as the cover to the tabernacle where the reliquary was stored. Rather than accurately depicting the sacred object, Bellini’s painting reworks the appearance of the reliquary in relation to the figures in the painting and reveals a disjunction between the relic and its cover. The reliquary becomes a somber, monumental object that has more presence as a looming entity than as a combination of parts and histories. This paper positions Bellini’s painted enclosure for the reliquary as a product of the blending of Venetian and Byzantine devotional practices and sacred objects. Bessarion’s reliquary was an aggregate object, and Bellini’s painting continues the reframing of Bessarion’s reliquary to serve as a visual contract of the connection between Bessarion and the Scuola di Santa Maria della Carità and, more broadly, Byzantium and Venice. Bellini’s painting ultimately seeks to capture the sacred mystique associated with Byzantine Orthodoxy while also establishing the reliquary within its Venetian, confraternal present. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Renaissance Rhapsody: Miscellany and Multimodality in Early Modern Europe)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

28 pages, 5721 KB  
Article
Coexistence of Tradition and Modernity for Cultural Sustainability: The Teochew Opera Approach in Malaysia
by Ziqiao Lin and Mei Foong Ang
Arts 2025, 14(5), 110; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14050110 - 12 Sep 2025
Viewed by 647
Abstract
Traditional cultural practices, increasingly impacted by modernisation and urbanisation, are experiencing diminished transmission and declining interest among younger generations. Teochew opera in Malaysia is no exception, pressured under similar challenges in sustaining its relevance and appeal within contemporary society. Considering these shifts, the [...] Read more.
Traditional cultural practices, increasingly impacted by modernisation and urbanisation, are experiencing diminished transmission and declining interest among younger generations. Teochew opera in Malaysia is no exception, pressured under similar challenges in sustaining its relevance and appeal within contemporary society. Considering these shifts, the sustainable preservation and revitalisation of traditional arts has become a pressing concern for scholars and cultural practitioners alike. This study investigates strategies for sustaining Teochew opera in Malaysia, employing qualitative methods including participant observation and semi-structured interviews. The findings reveal that Teochew opera operates within a sacred and secular framework, serving religious rituals and cultural festivals. This duality allows for continuity through tradition in sacred settings and adaptation through innovation in secular contexts. The coexistence of these realms offers a blueprint for sustainable cultural evolution. While challenges such as low youth engagement and limited institutional support persist, the research underscores the potential of educational initiatives and community-driven efforts to renew interest and ensure continuity. The study contributes valuable insights for policymakers and cultural stakeholders seeking to safeguard intangible cultural heritage in pluralistic, rapidly modernising societies. Full article
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 928 KB  
Article
The Weight of Silence: Vermeer’s Theater of Stillness
by Yi Wu
Arts 2025, 14(5), 109; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14050109 - 7 Sep 2025
Viewed by 562
Abstract
As a painter of the Dutch Golden Age and a pivotal figure in the Northern Renaissance, Vermeer’s oeuvre inaugurated a maritime modernity in the wake of the Protestant Reformation through its odes and elegies to quotidian existence. This essay centers on Vermeer’s masterpiece, [...] Read more.
As a painter of the Dutch Golden Age and a pivotal figure in the Northern Renaissance, Vermeer’s oeuvre inaugurated a maritime modernity in the wake of the Protestant Reformation through its odes and elegies to quotidian existence. This essay centers on Vermeer’s masterpiece, Woman Holding a Balance. It scrutinizes and probes the Baroque theater of the soul as depicted by Vermeer through the lens of a post-global, post-colonial Lebenswelt. Grounded in Deleuze’s The Fold, this essay endeavors to furnish a phenomenological and genealogical hermeneutic for Vermeer’s interior scenes. It does so by dissecting Vermeer’s theater of silence, his intrinsic use of light, the female figure behind the fabric, the politics of still life, and the theology and interplay of color. In so doing, this essay aspires to unearth the dialectical, oscillating utopian potential embedded within Vermeer’s imagery. Full article
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 1586 KB  
Article
Confucian Aesthetics in Migration: Critical Strategies and Visual Translation in Malaysian Chinese Art
by Yuanyuan Zhang and Mumtaz Mokhtar
Arts 2025, 14(5), 108; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14050108 - 4 Sep 2025
Viewed by 624
Abstract
Despite widespread recognition of Confucianism’s cultural importance among Malaysian Chinese communities, little is known about how its philosophical principles are reinterpreted and visually transformed by contemporary artists navigating postcolonial realities. This research addresses this gap through a mixed-method approach, combining quantitative data from [...] Read more.
Despite widespread recognition of Confucianism’s cultural importance among Malaysian Chinese communities, little is known about how its philosophical principles are reinterpreted and visually transformed by contemporary artists navigating postcolonial realities. This research addresses this gap through a mixed-method approach, combining quantitative data from 227 fine arts students, qualitative interviews with five representative Malaysian Chinese painters, and visual analysis of 50 key artworks. The results show that Confucianism functions not as a fixed doctrinal system but as a vital meta-framework that allows for the reimagining of core concepts, such as Ren (Benevolence) and He (Harmony), into tools for social critique and cultural negotiation. These ideas are expressed not through illustrative methods but via innovative symbolic and material strategies—ranging from fractured composition to technical experimentation—leading to a variety of personal styles rooted in a shared cultural logic. The study introduces a “critical translation” model for understanding the modernization of traditional philosophies within diaspora contexts, offering both theoretical insights and practical avenues for decolonizing arts education and fostering globally relevant, culturally authentic artistic practices. Full article
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

24 pages, 2040 KB  
Article
Questioning Global Modernist Art Studies Through Their Latest Output: Moroccan Modernism by Holiday Powers (2025)
by Valerie Gonzalez
Arts 2025, 14(5), 107; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14050107 - 3 Sep 2025
Viewed by 763
Abstract
This essay argues that Holiday Powers’ s Moroccan Modernism (2025) offers a compelling case study for rethinking global modernist art from a decolonial perspective, highlighting Morocco’s unique creative, esthetic, and philosophical forces. The questions and issues this book raises, and this essay addresses, [...] Read more.
This essay argues that Holiday Powers’ s Moroccan Modernism (2025) offers a compelling case study for rethinking global modernist art from a decolonial perspective, highlighting Morocco’s unique creative, esthetic, and philosophical forces. The questions and issues this book raises, and this essay addresses, revolve around the problematic of non-European modernism as both a phenomenon of decolonial politics of esthetics, in the Jacques Rancière sense, and an artistic movement born out of the history of Western art through the colonial imposition of the European conception of modernity and system of education. I take particular issue with the dominance of political history, identity discourse, and redundant postcolonial rhetoric that characterizes not only Powers’ narrative but also the account of other area modernisms. This dominance generates a tendency to misestimate art agency and to neglect the investigation of the complex creative, esthetic, and philosophical underpinnings of the modernist construct. A lucid revisiting of Orientalism is mandatory for tackling this understudied aspect of modernism. Yet, I also demonstrate the accomplishments of Moroccan Modernism as a cogent historical exposition of this construct in Morocco, upon the basis of which future studies can be undertaken. Full article
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 449 KB  
Article
Immersive Experience in Design: Participatory Practices of Audience Cultural Identity and Memory Construction
by Man-Ting Ku, Shang-Chia Chiou and Hsin-Te Chan
Arts 2025, 14(5), 106; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14050106 - 3 Sep 2025
Viewed by 1229
Abstract
Immersive theatre, as a contemporary performance form that integrates narrative, space, and sensory participation, has gradually expanded from entertainment consumption to a practice of cultural representation and memory construction. Audiences are no longer merely passive spectators but participate in the narrative through role-playing, [...] Read more.
Immersive theatre, as a contemporary performance form that integrates narrative, space, and sensory participation, has gradually expanded from entertainment consumption to a practice of cultural representation and memory construction. Audiences are no longer merely passive spectators but participate in the narrative through role-playing, situational interaction, and sensory triggers, thereby generating cultural identity and emotional memory. While existing research has preliminarily addressed the characteristics of immersive design and audience interaction, there remains a lack of in-depth exploration into how audiences, after the performance, come to develop cultural positional understanding and sustain memory through participatory practices. Drawing on three Taiwanese immersive productions with strong local cultural contexts—The Great Tipsy, Someone, and Ephemeral Light: Taiwan—this study employs participatory observation and content analysis as an exploratory qualitative inquiry. Findings indicate that audience subjectivity is shaped by role design and the degree of participatory freedom; the depth of interaction and cultural context within narrative strategies determine cultural reception; emotional triggers act as a catalyst for cultural memory construction; and the depth of immersion influences the intensity and continuity of post-performance cultural effects. The three works, respectively, embody “emotional,” “historical,” and “cognitive” modes of cultural influence, producing distinct levels of post-experiential effects. This study further reveals that the formation of cultural identity emerges from the interweaving of design strategies, affective triggers, and narrative participation. These insights not only inform immersive design practices but also suggest the importance of incorporating cultural aftereffect tracking and educational applications to extend the depth and breadth of cultural practice. Full article
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 303 KB  
Article
Topophilia—Space for Human Creation and Interpretation
by Katarzyna Szymańska-Stułka
Arts 2025, 14(5), 105; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14050105 - 3 Sep 2025
Viewed by 591
Abstract
Topophilia, understood as a form of relationship between humans and their environment, can manifest in diverse ways—not only across various domains of art and life but also within the realm of music. This article seeks to expand the thesis of topophilia as a [...] Read more.
Topophilia, understood as a form of relationship between humans and their environment, can manifest in diverse ways—not only across various domains of art and life but also within the realm of music. This article seeks to expand the thesis of topophilia as a category defining the musical space of creation, performance, and perception of a musical work. Topophilia is seen here in the context of human activity in the artistic dimensions—philosophical, creative, architectural, and environmental. The methodological background is derived from the philosophy of place, phenomenology of perception, and musical analysis. This provides the opportunity to apply hermeneutic–philosophical analysis with elements of the theory of place. The thesis of this study is probably one of the first approaches to the category of topophilia in musical analysis, examining the style of composers, such as J.S. Bach, F. Chopin, K. Szymanowski, W. Lutosławski, A. Webern, and I. Xenakis, enriched with elements of musical performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sound, Space, and Creativity in Performing Arts)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

22 pages, 10841 KB  
Article
Smoke Shrouded: Reimagining Bamum Kii and the Troubled Legacies of the Cabinet of Curiosities in 21st Century Museums
by Deirdre A. Lafferty
Arts 2025, 14(5), 104; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14050104 - 2 Sep 2025
Viewed by 682
Abstract
Smoking tobacco is a prominent activity in Cameroon, with each region holding different views on the devices used for smoking. In Bamum, these vessels are called kiis. Many of these pipes, or kiis, have been removed from the kingdom and displayed without proper [...] Read more.
Smoking tobacco is a prominent activity in Cameroon, with each region holding different views on the devices used for smoking. In Bamum, these vessels are called kiis. Many of these pipes, or kiis, have been removed from the kingdom and displayed without proper contextual information in Western institutions since the 1920s. This paper highlights discrepancies in academic pursuits regarding the kii and their decontextualized displays, while also providing ethical guidelines for their future displays. Understanding the intended purpose and cultural significance of a kii allows for the process of restitution in the form of ethical display to take place. Using the Heritage Context Retrieval Analysis (HeCRA) method, the research aim to explore the cultural origins of the kii in the GWU collection, retrieve its cultural context, critique the prevalent cabinet of curiosities display format used in displaying them in museums, and propose ethical frameworks for handling such devices, which are both utilitarian and culturally charged in 21st-century museums. This paper uncovers the true identity of a brass kii and dismantles the cabinet of curiosities and the alignment of African tangible heritage to oddities. The goal is to instigate a new approach to approaching such cultural objects by invoking their original spiritual and cultural symbolism in exhibitions outside of Bamum. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Restitution Beyond Repatriation: Rethinking African Tangible Heritage in Twenty-First Century Museums)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

28 pages, 3104 KB  
Article
Artist-Led Regeneration in Polish Cities: Shaping Community Through Public Art
by Natalia Bursiewicz
Arts 2025, 14(5), 103; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14050103 - 1 Sep 2025
Viewed by 890
Abstract
This article discusses the role of artistic interventions in shaping communities in selected Polish cities. It especially explores marginalized urban areas that are gaining new identities through art. A crucial aspect of the analysis concentrates on the influence of artistic activities on the [...] Read more.
This article discusses the role of artistic interventions in shaping communities in selected Polish cities. It especially explores marginalized urban areas that are gaining new identities through art. A crucial aspect of the analysis concentrates on the influence of artistic activities on the formation of social bonds. Moreover, it focuses on the revitalization strategies that incorporate artistic activities designed to beautify spaces and enhance residents’ sense of security. It also includes examples of grassroots initiatives undertaken by artists in degraded areas. This study employed a qualitative methodology. In addition to reviewing the literature, a comparative analysis of case studies encompassing murals, site-specific installations, graffiti, and participatory art was conducted. The selected case studies demonstrate that art is not merely an esthetic endeavor but an important tool for solving spatial and social issues. Artists’ activities in difficult areas of a city lead to perceptual, visual, and functional changes. However, the question was whether the process of co-creation with the local community translated into stronger neighborly relationships or a greater sense of security. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Arts and Urban Development)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 9574 KB  
Article
From Pin-Up to Paragon: Maksim Gorky’s Evolving Image on Russian Picture Postcards
by Donna Oliver
Arts 2025, 14(5), 102; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14050102 - 1 Sep 2025
Viewed by 794
Abstract
By the end of the nineteenth century, picture postcards had become ubiquitous not only as an inexpensive means of communication but also as objects for collection. Literary postcards were especially popular in Russia, and the rapid proliferation of cards featuring portraits of contemporary [...] Read more.
By the end of the nineteenth century, picture postcards had become ubiquitous not only as an inexpensive means of communication but also as objects for collection. Literary postcards were especially popular in Russia, and the rapid proliferation of cards featuring portraits of contemporary writers helped feed celebrity culture, turning those images into sought-after commodities for consumption. At the same time, celebrating Russian cultural accomplishments through picture postcards also helped shape contemporary perspectives of nation and national identity. As a rising star on the literary scene at that time, Maksim Gorky quickly became an icon of contemporary Russian youth culture and, consequently, a popular subject for picture postcards. With his floppy hair and distinctive clothing, Gorky’s image itself demonstrated his difference from established traditional norms for the profession of “writer,” and his revolutionary leanings and unconventional life challenged the dominant mores of the time. In the Soviet period, as picture postcards continued to serve this function of shaping national identity and values, Gorky’s image was frequently used on state-issued postcards, both before and after his death, but this time in service to the state as the “father of Soviet literature” (and regardless of his uneven and at times ambivalent attitude toward that state). This paper examines the evolution in the use and function of Gorky’s images on pre-revolutionary and Soviet-era postcards. As an early icon of non-conformism and liberation, Gorky’s image ironically was co-opted by the Soviet regime to serve as a symbol of political orthodoxy and conformity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue In the Center and on the Periphery: Russian and Soviet Art and Visual Culture)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

36 pages, 14744 KB  
Article
Saltatory Spectacles: (Pre)Colonialism, Travel, and Ancestral Lyric in the Middle Ages and Raymonda
by Kathryn Emily Dickason
Arts 2025, 14(5), 101; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14050101 - 28 Aug 2025
Viewed by 1478
Abstract
This article examines tropes of (proto)colonialism in medieval European culture and Raymonda (Раймoнда), a ballet that premiered in St. Petersburg in 1898 and is set during the Fifth Crusade (1217–1221). Juxtaposing premodern travel accounts with a postmedieval dance creation, this study illuminates how [...] Read more.
This article examines tropes of (proto)colonialism in medieval European culture and Raymonda (Раймoнда), a ballet that premiered in St. Petersburg in 1898 and is set during the Fifth Crusade (1217–1221). Juxtaposing premodern travel accounts with a postmedieval dance creation, this study illuminates how religious otherness, imperial ambitions, and feminine resistance frame representations of dance spectacle and spectatorship. Following a synopsis of the ballet, the subsequent section considers Raymonda’s Muslim characters vis-à-vis medieval texts and images. Here, I incorporate Crusades-era sources, travel literature, and their accompanying iconography alongside the characterizations and aesthetics that pervade Raymonda. These comparisons apprehend the racializing and (proto)colonial thrust of crusader ideology and Russian imperialism. The final section historicizes Raymonda through medieval lyric and gestures toward an Afro-Islamicate ancestry of lyricism and ballet medievalism. Therefore, while traditional versions of Raymonda project Islamophobia, I posit that a rigorous examination of the Middle Ages imbues this ballet with profundity and intercultural nuance. Ultimately, this article demonstrates how a combined study of premodern travel and postmedieval dance may help scholars challenge the Eurocentrism, colonialism, and Whiteness that pervade medieval studies and the art of ballet. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Artistic Imagination and Social Imaginaries–Polysemous Readings of Historical Travelling Accounts)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 709 KB  
Article
Operative Creativity: Art at the Intersection of Simulation and Realization
by Maayan Amir
Arts 2025, 14(5), 99; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14050099 - 27 Aug 2025
Viewed by 505
Abstract
This essay proposes operative creativity as a conceptual and artistic response to the shifting roles of images in the age of algorithmic perception. Departing from Harun Farocki’s seminal artwork Eye/Machine, which first introduced the operative image as functioning not to represent but [...] Read more.
This essay proposes operative creativity as a conceptual and artistic response to the shifting roles of images in the age of algorithmic perception. Departing from Harun Farocki’s seminal artwork Eye/Machine, which first introduced the operative image as functioning not to represent but to activate within machinic processes, it traces the transformation of images from representational devices to machinic agents embedded in systems of simulation and realization. Although operative images were initially engineered for strictly technological functions, they have, from their inception, been subject to repurposing for human perception and interpretation. Drawing on literature theorizing the redirection of operative images within military, computational, and epistemic domains, the essay does not attempt a comprehensive survey. Instead, it opens a conceptual aperture within the framework, expanding it to illuminate the secondary redeployment of operative images in contemporary visual culture. Concluding with the artwork Terms and Conditions, co-created by Ruti Sela and the author, it examines how artistic gestures might neutralize the weaponized gaze, offering a mode of operative creativity that troubles machinic vision and reclaims a space for human opacity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Contemporary Visual Culture in Conflict Zones and Contested Territories)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

28 pages, 2781 KB  
Article
Curatorial Re-Action in Israel Post October 7th: The Approach of Empathy
by Tamar Mayer
Arts 2025, 14(5), 100; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14050100 - 27 Aug 2025
Viewed by 792
Abstract
This article analyzes responses of museums and art institutions in Israel to the events of October 7th. It stresses the public role of museums in times of crisis, and the ways that diverse curatorial choices reflect upon their institutions’ pursuits. It focuses on [...] Read more.
This article analyzes responses of museums and art institutions in Israel to the events of October 7th. It stresses the public role of museums in times of crisis, and the ways that diverse curatorial choices reflect upon their institutions’ pursuits. It focuses on the case study of curatorial empathy, enacted at the Tel Aviv University Art Gallery, noting its aptness at times of crisis and trauma. The article claims that in a society that experiences both internal and external conflicts, the approach of empathy offers flexibility and openness that allow the museum to respond to public need on the one hand, and poses challenging questions on the other. Such questions are explored through the method of artistic-scientific dialogue. As contentions multiply, overlap, and contrast, the expansion of circles of identification becomes a key strategy in addressing this crisis. This essay argues that empathy is a more thoughtful and productive curatorial approach, because it emphasizes connection rather than only identity. From this perspective, the crisis that started on October 7th is not only that of war, loss, and grief, but also that of a threat to humanness under extreme angst. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Contemporary Visual Culture in Conflict Zones and Contested Territories)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-27
Previous Issue
Next Issue
Back to TopTop