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Arts

Arts is an international, peer-reviewed, open access journal promoting significant research on all aspects of the visual and performing arts, published bimonthly online by MDPI.

Open Access— free for readers, with article processing charges (APC) paid by authors or their institutions.
High Visibility: indexed within ESCI (Web of Science), and other databases.
Rapid Publication: manuscripts are peer-reviewed and a first decision is provided to authors approximately 41.9 days after submission; acceptance to publication is undertaken in 8.4 days (median values for papers published in this journal in the second half of 2024).
Recognition of Reviewers: reviewers who provide timely, thorough peer-review reports receive vouchers entitling them to a discount on the APC of their next publication in any MDPI journal, in appreciation of the work done.

Impact Factor: 0.3 (2023)

Imprint Information Journal Flyer Open Access ISSN: 2076-0752

Latest Articles

13 pages, 15910 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Return of Decorative Trends in Modern Architecture: The Example of Poznań, Poland

by Piotr Drozdowicz

Arts 2025, 14(2), 31; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14020031 - 12 Mar 2025

Aesthetic tendencies in architecture are disposed between two poles: rich ornamentation and formal restraint. The principle of an empty wall and the rejection of decoration are perceived as features of contemporary architecture. However, does the thesis attributed to Adolf Loos that ornament is [...] Read more.

Aesthetic tendencies in architecture are disposed between two poles: rich ornamentation and formal restraint. The principle of an empty wall and the rejection of decoration are perceived as features of contemporary architecture. However, does the thesis attributed to Adolf Loos that ornament is a crime still apply? This study covered 50 buildings completed between 2000 and 2022 in Poznań (Poland) and 810 photographs were obtained. In order to analyze the research material from an aesthetic point of view, the author refers to the past concept of decorum, which distinguishes it from the concept of ornament. The result of the research presented in this article is a typology of contemporary decorative elements, which includes eleven types of decorations. The study of construction in Poznań reveals the widespread presence of new ornaments, which demonstrates a universal human need for decoration. Increased decorativeness, which characterizes the declining periods of architectural styles, indicates that the modern style of architecture has also fallen into a “Rococo phase” in terms of aesthetics. This raises a question about the direction that the development of architectural decorations should take. A clear need to return to the idea of decorum is observed, encouraging further research as well as the elevation of the design value of modern ornaments through professional design research. Full article

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29 pages, 8198 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Role of Tall Buildings in Sustainable Urban Composition—The Case of Hanza Tower in Szczecin (Poland)

by Zbigniew Władysław Paszkowski, Klara Czyńska and Natalia Emilia Paszkowska-Kaczmarek

Arts 2025, 14(2), 30; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14020030 - 11 Mar 2025

Tall buildings are a unique category of architectural objects, as they are characterized by a strong self-presentation effect and have a significant visual impact on the urban composition and the surrounding cityscape. This contextual impact has a one-way character—it is directed from the [...] Read more.

Tall buildings are a unique category of architectural objects, as they are characterized by a strong self-presentation effect and have a significant visual impact on the urban composition and the surrounding cityscape. This contextual impact has a one-way character—it is directed from the tall building to its surroundings, the neighborhood, the entire urban area, and the landscape. The context of the surroundings generally has no effect on tall buildings. Tall buildings are usually solitary structures, focused on their own composition. Conversely, the impact of a tall building is multifaceted: it is symbolic, iconic, and compositional, in the sense that it is a ‘strong’ form that draws attention to itself. This study analyzes and evaluates the case of the Hanza Tower, a tall building in Szczecin, and its impact on the city of Szczecin in terms of urban, architectural, and historical contexts, as well as its location in relation to its surroundings. In this case, the authors have considered the spatial and cityscape impact of skyscrapers when viewed from a distance, as well as the role a skyscraper plays in terms of its symbolic, contextual, and compositional significance within the city. Attention is drawn to the sustainable correlation of the placement of the tall building with the spatial composition of the city layout to make its overall structure legible. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aesthetics in Contemporary Cities)

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26 pages, 17005 KiB

Open AccessArticle

When the Buddha Came to Nagoya: Immersive Reading in Kōriki Enkōan’s Illustrated Accounts of Traveling Temple Exhibitions

by Daniel Borengasser

Arts 2025, 14(2), 29; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14020029 - 6 Mar 2025

The illustrated books of Kōriki Enkōan (1756–1831), a samurai and amateur illustrator from Owari domain, offer a unique window into the culture of spectacle and display that flourished in late Edo-period Japan. Included in his corpus are several manuscripts that document kaichō, [...] Read more.

The illustrated books of Kōriki Enkōan (1756–1831), a samurai and amateur illustrator from Owari domain, offer a unique window into the culture of spectacle and display that flourished in late Edo-period Japan. Included in his corpus are several manuscripts that document kaichō, public exhibitions of sacred icons and temple treasures hosted by Buddhist temples and other venues. While most studies of kaichō emphasize their popularity in the capital of Edo, this article focuses on Enkōan’s illustrated manuscript of an exhibition of the famous Seiryōji Shaka that was held in Nagoya in 1819. Situating the event and its visual documentation within the statue’s legendary history as a traveling icon, the study explores how Enkōan’s careful manipulation of text and image created an immersive reading experience that allowed its readers a kind of virtual access to the exhibition. Considering the author’s position within the contemporary social hierarchy, it also addresses the role that samurai values may have played in shaping the representation of kaichō and illuminates its intersections with urban spectacle and emerging exhibition practices in early modern Japan. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Japanese Buddhist Art of the 19th–21st Centuries)

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53 pages, 8226 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

The Avant-Garde Innovation and Free Improvisation in Soviet Music: Three Contextualized Interviews

by Dennis Ioffe

Arts 2025, 14(2), 28; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14020028 - 4 Mar 2025

This Special Issue of ARTS allocates considerable scholarly and analytical attention to the intricate exploration of performative traditions of experimentation within the Russian and Soviet milieus [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Music vis-à-vis Other Arts in Eastern and Central Europe: Performance, Literature, Theatre, Art/Architecture and Visuality)

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27 pages, 9690 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Child in Time: Children as Liminal Agents in Upper Paleolithic Decorated Caves

by Ella Assaf, Yafit Kedar and Ran Barkai

Arts 2025, 14(2), 27; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14020027 - 4 Mar 2025

Among the multiple zoomorphic and geometric images that dominate Upper Paleolithic decorated cave walls in Europe, some intriguing human hand stencils and finger flutings stand out. Dozens of these marks are attributed to toddlers and children aged 2–12. Accompanied by older group members, [...] Read more.

Among the multiple zoomorphic and geometric images that dominate Upper Paleolithic decorated cave walls in Europe, some intriguing human hand stencils and finger flutings stand out. Dozens of these marks are attributed to toddlers and children aged 2–12. Accompanied by older group members, they entered these deep, oxygen-depleted and sensory-deprived spaces, climbing and crawling in dark, wet, difficult-to-navigate environments where one might easily get lost or separated from the group. So, why would anyone bring young children into such dangerous locations? Relevant archaeological and anthropological studies form the basis of our hypothesis that the journeys of Upper Paleolithic hunter-gatherers to the depths of deep caves along with their young children should be seen in the framework of active connection with the cosmos as practiced by many indigenous societies worldwide. Indigenous societies often view children as liminal agents with unique physical, cognitive, and mental qualities that allow them to return to the supernatural realm more easily than adults. This makes them especially adept mediators between the world of the living and that of the spirits. In this paper, we examine children’s contribution to the creation of Paleolithic cave art as active agents. Their presence in caves (liminal spaces in themselves) and their participation in the creation of rock art might thus reflect their unique role in early human cosmology and ontology. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Rock Art Studies)

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21 pages, 4853 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Outside the Palaces: About Material Culture in the Almoravid Era

by Sophie Gilotte and Yasmina Cáceres Gutiérrez

Arts 2025, 14(2), 26; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14020026 - 3 Mar 2025

The material legacy of the Almoravid dynasty is evident in a limited number of public and military works promoted by the authorities, reflecting their policies on territorial expansion and urban planning. Other aspects, such as its integration into the Mediterranean economy, its ideological [...] Read more.

The material legacy of the Almoravid dynasty is evident in a limited number of public and military works promoted by the authorities, reflecting their policies on territorial expansion and urban planning. Other aspects, such as its integration into the Mediterranean economy, its ideological spread, and the vitality of its productive sectors, are well represented through coinage, inscriptions, and sumptuary arts. However, understanding everyday material culture beyond aristocratic circles remains elusive. This paper explores the influence of the Almoravid period on al-Andalus’s material culture, identifying antecedents and impacts on later periods. We analyze artifacts from the Albalat site (Romangordo, Cáceres, Spain), contextualized in the first half of the 12th century, comparing them with contemporary and earlier examples across the Almoravid empire. Emphasis is placed on ceramics, highlighting their diverse nature with inherited traits from the Taifa period, and innovations that persisted into Almohad culture, considering the role of production centers in disseminating these models. The transition from Almoravid to Almohad is also examined through everyday items like a casket adorned with bone inlays, representing a link in Andalusian ivory handicraft evolution. This analysis aims to deepen understanding of Almoravid heritage in the Iberian Peninsula. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Islamic Art and Architecture in Europe)

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37 pages, 45201 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Celestial Light Marker: An Engineered Calendar in a Topographically Spectacular Geoscape

by Richard Stoffle, Kathleen Van Vlack and Heather Lim

Arts 2025, 14(2), 25; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14020025 - 3 Mar 2025

Humans have been monitoring light from the solar system to tell the time and plan activities since Time Immemorial. This is an analysis regarding why Native Americans living in the upper Colorado River Basin chose to monitor light from the western sky using [...] Read more.

Humans have been monitoring light from the solar system to tell the time and plan activities since Time Immemorial. This is an analysis regarding why Native Americans living in the upper Colorado River Basin chose to monitor light from the western sky using a light marker that is approximately 4.02 miles long and 2.07 miles wide, or approximately 12.7 square miles. The light catching is accomplished in a massive geoscape by carefully calibrated and engineered stone markers. The scale of this light marker and its functional topographic components makes it one of the biggest and most elaborate in North America. As such, it is a World-Balancing geosite. This analysis is based on 522 ethnographic interviews, with 316 that were conducted during the Canyonlands National Park (Canyonlands NP) ethnographic study and 206 that were conducted during two BLM ethnographic studies. The findings are situated among tribally approved ethnographic findings from more than a dozen other studies conducted by the authors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Rock Art Studies)

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35 pages, 20117 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mexico, Myth, Politics, Pollock: The Birth of an American Art

by Elizabeth L. Langhorne

Arts 2025, 14(2), 24; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14020024 - 3 Mar 2025

Challenging the still widespread modernist and Eurocentric understanding of Pollock’s art as a formal advance based in Picasso’s cubism, this study explores the pervasive impact of Mexican art, political culture, and myth on the creation of Pollock’s Birth c. 1941. The recent discovery [...] Read more.

Challenging the still widespread modernist and Eurocentric understanding of Pollock’s art as a formal advance based in Picasso’s cubism, this study explores the pervasive impact of Mexican art, political culture, and myth on the creation of Pollock’s Birth c. 1941. The recent discovery of Pollock’s early exposure to Diego Rivera’s use of the Mesoamerican myth of Quetzalcoatl invites a reconsideration of the sources of his art. The myth of Quetzalcoatl challenged Pollock, who responded not just to Rivera but also to Siqueiros’ understanding of the political significance of art and to Orozco’s call for Quetzalcoatl’s return in a modern migration of the spirit at Dartmouth College. Made aware of the positive potential of this mythic symbolism by his Jungian psychotherapy, we see Pollock using it to counter the destructive force of fascism depicted in Picasso’s Guernica 1937. In the process he discovers his own artistic identity in Birth as a mythmaker in a time of war, capable of generating new Pan-American symbols and forms to challenge the hegemony of Picasso. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Visual Arts)

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44 pages, 15045 KiB

Open AccessPerspective

Exploring the Creative Art of Sergei Kuriokhin—Avant-Garde Musician, Cultural Theorist, and Cineast: Four Sergei(s) and Two Memoir Interviews

by Sergei Chubraev

Arts 2025, 14(2), 23; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14020023 - 1 Mar 2025

This text explores the life and legacy of Sergei Kuriokhin, a multifaceted artist who profoundly impacted Soviet and post-Soviet culture. Known for his radical experimentation in music, theater, and film, Kuriokhin defied conventional genres through his groundbreaking project, ‘Pop Mechanics’, which blended jazz, [...] Read more.

This text explores the life and legacy of Sergei Kuriokhin, a multifaceted artist who profoundly impacted Soviet and post-Soviet culture. Known for his radical experimentation in music, theater, and film, Kuriokhin defied conventional genres through his groundbreaking project, ‘Pop Mechanics’, which blended jazz, classical music, rock, circus acts, and more. His provocative performances often included surreal elements and bizarre satire, challenging cultural norms and the boundaries of Soviet censorship. Kuriokhin’s influence extended into politics, where his satirical “Lenin was a Mushroom” program questioned historical and ideological narratives, stirring public debate. His charisma, intellectual depth, and penchant for the absurd made him a central figure in Leningrad’s avant-garde scene. Kuriokhin collaborated with prominent artists and philosophers, leaving an indelible mark on Russian art and political discourse. This work, presented through the reflections of his close associates, offers insights into his lasting impact on Russian culture, blending history with personal mythologies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Music vis-à-vis Other Arts in Eastern and Central Europe: Performance, Literature, Theatre, Art/Architecture and Visuality)

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24 pages, 11974 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Road to Divine Land: Iconography, Deity, and Aesthetic Style

by Mengxi Tian and Shaohua Ding

Arts 2025, 14(2), 22; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14020022 - 1 Mar 2025

Dongba painting is an ancient art form created by the ancestors of the Naxi people. As a masterpiece of Dongba scroll painting, The Road to Heaven, exemplifies the simplicity and beauty of the primitive Dongba religion and stands as a unique treasure [...] Read more.

Dongba painting is an ancient art form created by the ancestors of the Naxi people. As a masterpiece of Dongba scroll painting, The Road to Heaven, exemplifies the simplicity and beauty of the primitive Dongba religion and stands as a unique treasure within Naxi painting, possessing significant value for both art and religious research. The Road to Heaven serves as an essential religious ritual artifact in the Dongba religion of the Naxi people. Utilizing the format of a long scroll painting, it depicts the Naxi people’s reflections on the origins of life; the relationships between humans, nature, and society; and the exploration of life’s ultimate destiny, thereby presenting a distinctive worldview. This article constructs a theoretical analysis framework based on an iconographic study of The Road to Heaven, exploring the unique artistic representation, aesthetic spirit, worldview, and religious origins of the Naxi people to gain a deeper understanding of the construction of their spiritual homeland. At the level of pre-iconographic description, this article primarily analyzes the subject matter and contents of The Road to Heaven, the materials employed in the painting, and its artistic features. The iconographic analysis examines the thematic elements of The Road to Heaven; the virtual world structure of the Dongba religion’s imagined realms of gods, humans, and spirits; and its simple, natural, vivid, and imaginative aesthetic style. At the level of iconological interpretation, in this article, the characteristics of the religious beliefs shown in The Road to Heaven and the main factors influencing its aesthetic spirit are analyzed. We reveal that although the Dongba religion intersects and integrates with Tibetan Buddhism, Mahayana Buddhism, Daoism, and other ideologies and cultures, ancestor worship remains a dominant force guiding Naxi behavior. The unique natural environment, historical migrations, and multicultural exchanges of the Naxi people are the primary factors shaping their aesthetic spirit. By systematically analyzing The Road to Heaven from the perspective of iconology, this study provides evidence of its profound connections with Naxi social history, offering a more comprehensive view of the Naxi people’s aesthetic spirit and cultural connotations while presenting new approaches for researching The Road to Heaven. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Visual Arts)

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7 pages, 164 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Framing the Virtual: New Technologies and Immersive Exhibitions

by Emily Lawhead and Kate Mondloch

Arts 2025, 14(2), 21; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14020021 - 27 Feb 2025

In 2017, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden organized a major retrospective of Kusama Yayoi’s Infinity Mirror Rooms that enjoyed a six-venue tour of North America [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Framing the Virtual: New Technologies and Immersive Exhibitions)

34 pages, 37538 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Beyond Correlation to Causation in Hunter–Gatherer Ritual Landscapes: Testing an Ontological Model of Site Locations in the Mojave Desert, California

by David S. Whitley, JD Lancaster and Andrea Catacora

Arts 2025, 14(1), 20; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14010020 - 18 Feb 2025

Why are rock art sites found in certain places and not others? Can locational or environmental variables inform an understanding of the function and meaning of the art? How can we move beyond observed patterning in spatial associations to a credible explanation of [...] Read more.

Why are rock art sites found in certain places and not others? Can locational or environmental variables inform an understanding of the function and meaning of the art? How can we move beyond observed patterning in spatial associations to a credible explanation of such meanings and ensure that we are not confusing correlation with causation? And what variables were most relevant in influencing site locational choices? These and related problems, whether recognized or not, are the subtext of the last three decades of rock art site distributional and landscape studies. They are now especially important to resolve given the need for accurate predictive modeling due to the rapid transformation of certain regions from undeveloped rural areas into rural industrial landscapes. Partly with this problem in mind, Whitley developed a descriptive model that provides an explanation for the location of Native Californian rock art in the Mojave Desert. It identifies the variables most relevant to site locations based on ethnographic Indigenous ontological beliefs about the landscape. These concern the geographical distribution of supernatural power and its association with certain landforms, natural phenomena and cultural features. His analysis further demonstrated that this model can account for two unusually large concentrations of sites and motifs: the Coso Range petroglyphs and the Carrizo Plain pictographs. But unanswered was the question of whether the model is applicable more widely, especially to smaller sites and localities made by different cultural groups. We documented and analyzed three petroglyph localities with seven small petroglyph sites in the southern Mojave Desert, California, to test this model. These sites are attributed to the Takic-speaking Cahuilla and Serrano tribes. Our study revealed a good fit between the expected natural and cultural variables associated with rock art site locations, with the number of such variables present at any given locale potentially correlated with the size of the individual sites. In addition to the research value of these results, this suggests that the model may be useful in the predictive modeling of rock art site locations for heritage management purposes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Rock Art Studies)

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21 pages, 9659 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Variable Properties of Auditory Scene Analysis in Music

by Adam Rosiński

Arts 2025, 14(1), 19; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14010019 - 14 Feb 2025

This article explores the variable properties of auditory image analysis during the perception of musical works, which are influenced by the specific elements to which the listener directs their attention. Traditional analyses of musical compositions typically involve brief comparisons with auditory phenomena described [...] Read more.

This article explores the variable properties of auditory image analysis during the perception of musical works, which are influenced by the specific elements to which the listener directs their attention. Traditional analyses of musical compositions typically involve brief comparisons with auditory phenomena described in scientific studies, such as those by A.S. Bregman. However, these analyses are often limited, offering only a narrow perspective on the works. In contrast, the approach presented in this article extends the theories and experiments developed by Bregman and others, providing a more comprehensive understanding of entire compositions or selected sections rather than focusing solely on isolated passages. This broader framework enhances auditory image analysis and serves as a foundation for further research. The expanded analysis integrates within music theory, enabling a deeper exploration of musical structures, particularly in the context of perceiving multilayered music where multiple sound sources may share similar acoustic features. The author illustrates how acoustic and perceptual factors contribute to complex mental representations through graphic and musical examples. To substantiate the claims, classical works by composers such as F. Chopin, A. Guilmant, and J.S. Bach are analysed, further highlighting the variable properties of auditory image analysis. Full article

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15 pages, 5210 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Form and Detail in the Half-Timbered Architecture of Western Pomerania, Poland

by Piotr Krzysztof Arlet

Arts 2025, 14(1), 18; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14010018 - 12 Feb 2025

The conducted archival and field research focused on the analysis of details in timber-frame construction in Western Pomerania within the borders of the Republic of Poland. The researcher examined the influence of high architecture on the vernacular architecture of towns and villages in [...] Read more.

The conducted archival and field research focused on the analysis of details in timber-frame construction in Western Pomerania within the borders of the Republic of Poland. The researcher examined the influence of high architecture on the vernacular architecture of towns and villages in Western Pomerania throughout historical development, specifically on distinct, characteristic building types. In this study, I took into account the impact of local traditions as well as those brought by settlers. The groups of timber-frame structures that were investigated included residential buildings in small towns, rural cottages and farmsteads. The analyzed structures were erected from the second half of the 17th century to the early 20th century. This broad timeframe is explained by the limited number of structures with preserved wooden ornaments in the studied area. Particular attention was given to the relationship between detail and the form of the structure, as well as its impact on the perception of the whole. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Applied Arts)

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18 pages, 4851 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Implications of Fremont Pottery in Montana

by Lawrence Loendorf and Kathleen Rodrigues

Arts 2025, 14(1), 17; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14010017 - 12 Feb 2025

Fremont pottery was recovered at the Valley of the Shields rock art site in Montana and dated by luminescence at circa A.D. 1500. The Fremont archaeological culture of northern Colorado and Utah is thought to have dispersed circa A.D. 1350, meaning that Montana [...] Read more.

Fremont pottery was recovered at the Valley of the Shields rock art site in Montana and dated by luminescence at circa A.D. 1500. The Fremont archaeological culture of northern Colorado and Utah is thought to have dispersed circa A.D. 1350, meaning that Montana Fremont pottery appeared late in time. Recent research suggests that the Fremont spoke a Tanoan language, and when they disbanded, major groups moved east to join the Rio Grande Pueblos, while another group, the Kiowa, who spoke a Tanoan language are believed to have moved north to the region around Yellowstone National Park. Importantly, artifacts found with Montana Fremont pottery are made of the same material type that was found in an excavation beneath a panel of Castle Gardens-style rock art figures at Valley of the Shields. These combined discoveries suggest that Montana Fremont pottery is the product of the proto-Kiowa, and they are the most likely group to have made Castle Gardens-style rock art shields. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Rock Art Studies)

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33 pages, 49068 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Interlaced Arches and the So-Called sebka Decoration: Origin and Materialisation in al-Andalus and Its Reinterpretation in Medieval Castile

by Ignacio González Cavero

Arts 2025, 14(1), 16; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14010016 - 10 Feb 2025

In this article, I aim to address one of the most characteristic decorative elements of the Almohad period, the so-called sebka decoration. With this aim in mind and through the research carried out and the examples that have been preserved, I consider it [...] Read more.

In this article, I aim to address one of the most characteristic decorative elements of the Almohad period, the so-called sebka decoration. With this aim in mind and through the research carried out and the examples that have been preserved, I consider it appropriate to know the origin of this ornamental motif that is so recurrent in the Andalusian architectural panorama and to analyse not only its compositional scheme but also the different formal variants that arose around it. Furthermore, its use in other buildings in the Kingdom of Castile is a further indication that allows us to approach a scenario where cultural and artistic transfer between al-Andalus and the Christian territories was a reality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Islamic Art and Architecture in Europe)

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39 pages, 14057 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Rock Art and Hunter–Gatherer Landscapes: Iconography, Cosmology and Topography in Southern Africa

by Geoffrey Blundell and Ghilraen Laue

Arts 2025, 14(1), 15; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14010015 - 8 Feb 2025

Landscape studies of hunter–gatherer rock art often suffer from logical flaws. Some of these failings stem from the founding question that researchers ask: “Why do some places have images while others do not?” This question is misleading and not particularly helpful in some—but [...] Read more.

Landscape studies of hunter–gatherer rock art often suffer from logical flaws. Some of these failings stem from the founding question that researchers ask: “Why do some places have images while others do not?” This question is misleading and not particularly helpful in some—but not all—contexts where there is no direct ethnographic evidence to provide an answer. Instead, we suggest that a better question from which to begin is: “How are rock art images related to landscape?”. To answer this question, we examine the relationship between iconography, cosmology and topography in two areas of southern African San rock painting. We argue that cosmology guided iconography and that the imagery, in turn, manipulated topography into landscape for the San. In this view, we do not need to rely on cognitive templates that invest topography a priori with significance that then determines the choice of locale for art. Instead, landscape for the San was socially and symbolically constructed through the placement of imagery. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Rock Art Studies)

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13 pages, 5046 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Uncertainty of Tomorrow in Art on the “Eve” of War

by Rafał Blazy, Hanna Hrehorowicz-Gaber and Alicja Hrehorowicz-Nowak

Arts 2025, 14(1), 14; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14010014 - 7 Feb 2025

Intuitive reasoning is a fundamental aspect of both the creation and interpretation of art. It allows artists to express their deepest emotions and subconscious thoughts, leading to works that can evoke strong reactions in viewers. For those who interpret art, intuition enables a [...] Read more.

Intuitive reasoning is a fundamental aspect of both the creation and interpretation of art. It allows artists to express their deepest emotions and subconscious thoughts, leading to works that can evoke strong reactions in viewers. For those who interpret art, intuition enables a direct and holistic understanding that goes beyond analytical fragmentation, allowing for a more personal and profound engagement with the work of art. Academic research conducted on the works of Polish and Ukrainian students has shown that art in times of unrest reflects deeply hidden emotions. The works of students from Zaporizhzhia collected less than a week before the armed invasion of Ukraine in 2022 indicated national sentiments, fears, and premonitions that were absent from the works of Polish students. The armed conflict with Russia, which has been ongoing since 2014, has strengthened the sense of national identity and patriotism among Ukrainian youth. A comparison of the perspectives of Polish and Ukrainian youth shows differences resulting from direct experience of the conflict and the influence of media, education, and politics on their perception. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aesthetics in Contemporary Cities)

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20 pages, 1336 KiB

Open AccessEssay

Leningrad Contemporary Music Club: An Early Bird of Soviet Musical Underground

by Alexander Kan

Arts 2025, 14(1), 13; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14010013 - 5 Feb 2025

This essay discusses the genesis, evolution, and impact of the Leningrad Contemporary Music Club (CMC), a pivotal hub for avant-garde and experimental music in the late Soviet Union. Founded amidst the socio-political constraints of the late 1970s, the CMC emerged as a sanctuary [...] Read more.

This essay discusses the genesis, evolution, and impact of the Leningrad Contemporary Music Club (CMC), a pivotal hub for avant-garde and experimental music in the late Soviet Union. Founded amidst the socio-political constraints of the late 1970s, the CMC emerged as a sanctuary for jazz, classical avant-garde, and progressive rock enthusiasts. This paper chronicles the CMC’s unique ability to foster creative expression within the repressive Soviet cultural framework, driven by a coalition of visionaries including such musicians as Sergey Kuryokhin and jazz theoreticians like Efim Barban. The narrative highlights the club’s seminal role in introducing Western avant-garde music to Soviet audiences, hosting groundbreaking performances, and cultivating a vibrant community of musicians, critics, and fans. Through an exploration of the CMC’s organisational strategies, cultural exchanges, and its ultimate closure following state intervention, the paper examines how the Club bridged underground and mainstream music while navigating ideological constraints. The research underscores the CMC’s legacy as a microcosm of resistance and innovation, situating its contributions within broader discussions of Soviet countercultural movements and global avant-garde practices. This work contributes to the historiography of Soviet underground culture, shedding light on the interplay between art, politics, and social transformation in late 20th-century Leningrad. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Music vis-à-vis Other Arts in Eastern and Central Europe: Performance, Literature, Theatre, Art/Architecture and Visuality)

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3 pages, 129 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

NFTs, Blockchain, Cryptocurrency, Metaverse: The Web3 Revolution That Has Transformed the Art Market

by Elena Sidorova

Arts 2025, 14(1), 12; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14010012 - 4 Feb 2025

Kevin McCoy’s “Quantum” (2014) sold at Sotheby’s in 2021 for USD 1 [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue NFTs, Blockchain, Cryptocurrency, Metaverse: The Web3 Revolution That Has Transformed the Art Market)

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27 February 2025
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Aesthetics in Contemporary Cities Guest Editors: Maciej Lasocki, Martina Koll-Schretzenmayr, Antonella Contin, Claudia Westermann, Aura Luciana Istrate, Álvaro Clua Uceda
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What is ‘Art’ Cinema? Guest Editor: Colette Balmain
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Art from the Medieval Mediterranean: A Critical View Guest Editor: Justine M. Andrews
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Renaissance Rhapsody: Miscellany and Multimodality in Early Modern Europe Guest Editor: Catharine Ingersoll
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