Arts

12 pages, 231 KB

Open AccessArticle

Nicolas Poussin’s Realm of Flora: The Botanical Renaissance and the Mysteries of the Flower, Sign, Circle and Ellipse

by Frederick A. De Armas

Arts 2026, 15(2), 36; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts15020036 - 6 Feb 2026

In spite of the preeminence of Nicolas Poussin as one of the great classicist painters in seventeenth century France, some of his earlier work has not received the attention it deserves. This article turns to his Realm of Flora (c. 1631) in order [...] Read more.

In spite of the preeminence of Nicolas Poussin as one of the great classicist painters in seventeenth century France, some of his earlier work has not received the attention it deserves. This article turns to his Realm of Flora (c. 1631) in order to study some salient aspects that have been neglected. First, Poussin followed what I call the “Botanical Renaissance.” This study foregrounds which elements he followed and which he transformed. In conjunction with this movement, this article highlights Poussin’s uses of Platonic philosophy through the works of Marsilio Ficino. The importance of Sol in his works is replicated here in the power of the solar rays to nourish nature. Thirdly, we consider the many metamorphoses in the work and their significance. Finally, we turn to the circle in the heavens with the planets, stars and twelve constellations and contrast it with the more elongated circle of the metamorphic figures on Earth in order to highlight the relation between zodiacal signs/stars and the flowers depicted. The circular constellations contrast with an elongated, even elliptical shape of the figures on Earth, perhaps to suggest the conflict, prevalent at the time, between the Copernican heliocentric and circular system with Kepler’s elliptical view of the path of the heavenly planets. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Myths in Art, XV–XVII Centuries)

21 pages, 5579 KB

Open AccessArticle

Art Hiding in Plain Sight: Soviet Conscript Demobilization Albums and Artistic Forms of Commemoration

by Alison Rowley and Dennis Stepanov

Arts 2026, 15(2), 35; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts15020035 - 6 Feb 2026

Abstract

In 1967, the Soviet government altered its expectations and procedures for mandatory military service by reducing the overall length of service and instituting biannual call-ups. This article looks at the demobilization albums created by several generations of conscripts as their time in the [...] Read more.

In 1967, the Soviet government altered its expectations and procedures for mandatory military service by reducing the overall length of service and instituting biannual call-ups. This article looks at the demobilization albums created by several generations of conscripts as their time in the army or navy approached its end. These sources have received little attention to date, despite the wealth of information that they contain. The focus here will be on the artistic styles and different media commonly employed by the young men who made such scrapbooks and how these connect to the overall commemorative aspects of their creations. After discussing how some soldiers literally used parts of their uniforms to fashion their albums, thereby establishing an embodied memory of their time in the armed forces, the focus shifts to the ways in which picture postcard collages commemorated geographic locations and introduced a touristic aesthetic into the albums. Next the article considers the ways in which paintings and cartoons were employed to express concepts of time as experienced by the conscripts. The final section of the article is devoted to the private photographs that were included, specifically those taken to commemorate the friendships built while the young men endured a common rite of passage. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Visual Arts)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 3074 KB

Open AccessArticle

From Craft to Code and Back: Biodegradable Polyester, Institutional Co-Design, and Garment Practice in Nishijin Weaving

by Kaori Ueda

Arts 2026, 15(2), 34; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts15020034 - 5 Feb 2026

Abstract

Nishijin weaving in Kyoto developed as a luxury textile for kimono, yet sustaining the district requires expansion toward contemporary apparel and markets. Within a silk-centred culture and quality regime, polyester has been adopted as a versatile option, and its use has increased, especially [...] Read more.

Nishijin weaving in Kyoto developed as a luxury textile for kimono, yet sustaining the district requires expansion toward contemporary apparel and markets. Within a silk-centred culture and quality regime, polyester has been adopted as a versatile option, and its use has increased, especially for kimono-related products, partly because its filament form can substitute for silk and fit existing processes. From this trajectory, we explore a craft–code–craft pathway by integrating a biodegradable polyester grade into Nishijin’s code-based Jacquard production (CGS). Through practice-based research, we trace how design intent is encoded (Houdini → CGS → Jacquard) and how shop-floor constraints reconfigure design (Jacquard → CGS → Houdini), revealing institutional constraints that shape which materials become usable. We report three case studies: (A) 3D woven structures informed by pleat parameterisation, (B) a zero-waste garment using a 25 cm repeat logic, and (C) a fashion show that makes translation processes legible to the public in an exhibition context. While biodegradable polyester can fit existing infrastructure, apparel-grade warp use remains under development due to warping and warp-joining requirements; yarn specifications and design parameters are being revised. By foregrounding translation across tools, roles, and standards, the study proposes pathways for material transition and circularity within a craft system. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue From Craft to Code and Back Again: Rethinking Art, Materiality and Exhibition Practices in the 21st Century)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

22 pages, 1034 KB

Open AccessArticle

Commercial Generative AI as a Tool—The Control–Convenience Spectrum

by Krzysztof Cybulski

Arts 2026, 15(2), 33; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts15020033 - 4 Feb 2026

Abstract

AI-generated content—spanning text, imagery, and music—is becoming increasingly commonplace. As the newest generation of song-producing AI systems garner attention, serious questions emerge regarding the role and place of music producers, particularly in the area of non-artistic, or “utility music”. While it might seem [...] Read more.

AI-generated content—spanning text, imagery, and music—is becoming increasingly commonplace. As the newest generation of song-producing AI systems garner attention, serious questions emerge regarding the role and place of music producers, particularly in the area of non-artistic, or “utility music”. While it might seem that human skills and creativity are unlikely to be replaced entirely by generative AI in domains such as art music or live performance, recent developments in the field suggest that human efforts in creation of advertisement or background music are already being challenged by generative AI systems. However, there is a number of alternative, more balanced forms of human–machine co-creativity. It is in this regard that I am posing a question: can commercial generative AI systems really be classified as tools in the strict sense of the term? In this paper, I am attempting to answer this question by introducing the “Control–Convenience Spectrum”—a concept I believe applies to all human creative processes that utilize tools. It bears some similarities to earlier ideas in complexity theory or flow psychology—particularly, it proposes that the extremes of this spectrum are unlikely to produce compelling aesthetical outcomes or satisfying creative practice. I argue that prompt-driven commercial generative AI systems occupy one of the far ends of the spectrum, thus failing to meet the criteria for a creative expression tool. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sound, Space, and Creativity in Performing Arts)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 260 KB

Open AccessArticle

Jean-Luc Godard’s Europe: Digital Orientalism and Geopolitical Aesthetics

by Anne-Gaëlle Colette Saliot

Arts 2026, 15(2), 32; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts15020032 - 4 Feb 2026

Abstract

This essay contends that Jean-Luc Godard’s late digital cinema elaborates a geopolitical aesthetics in which Europe confronts the return of its repressed histories through the very instability of the digital image. While Europe has long functioned in Godard’s work as both theme and [...] Read more.

This essay contends that Jean-Luc Godard’s late digital cinema elaborates a geopolitical aesthetics in which Europe confronts the return of its repressed histories through the very instability of the digital image. While Europe has long functioned in Godard’s work as both theme and epistemic horizon—echoing the Hegelian cartographies—Film Socialisme (2010) and The Image Book (2018) transform this Eurocentrism into a site of crisis. In these films, what Fredric Jameson terms the “political unconscious” (1981) emerges through the spectral return of Palestine and the Arab world, compelling a reckoning with colonial legacies and the limits of representation. The digital turn proves decisive. Godard mobilizes pixelation, saturation, glitch, and decomposed sound to reveal what might be called the technological unconscious of the medium. I develop the concept of “Digital Orientalism” to designate how Orientalist chronotopes persist in the digital age yet are unsettled by Godard’s experimental manipulation of audiovisual fragments. Through close readings of Film Socialisme and The Image Book, which incorporates works by Arab filmmakers including Youssef Chahine, Nacer Khemir, Ossama Mohammed, and Wiam Simav Bedirxan, I show how Godard’s fractured montages produce symptomatic cartographies of the world-system where repression, memory, and accident collide. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Film and Visual Studies: The Digital Unconscious)

22 pages, 1515 KB

Open AccessArticle

Living Rhythms: Investigating Networks and Relational Sensorial Island Rhythms Through Artistic Research

by Ann Burns

Arts 2026, 15(2), 31; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts15020031 - 3 Feb 2026

Abstract

Awaken, aware, arise, perform, pause, and repeat. The actions of the everyday. Without it, we fall into dysregulation. This paper seeks to examine creative research developed as an experiment during COVID-19, an audiovisualscape in virtual reality (VR). Rhythmanalysis+ is a social, ecological, and [...] Read more.

Awaken, aware, arise, perform, pause, and repeat. The actions of the everyday. Without it, we fall into dysregulation. This paper seeks to examine creative research developed as an experiment during COVID-19, an audiovisualscape in virtual reality (VR). Rhythmanalysis+ is a social, ecological, and sensorial enquiry into materiality, grounded in archipelagic thinking, through the lens of Rhythmanalysis, a form of analysis focusing on the everyday, through the lens of cyclical and linear rhythms. (Lefebvre). The research will also draw on Deleuze and Guattari’s rhizome theory, a botanical and philosophical investigation into networks. Networks form the backbone of the research. Lars Bang Larsen also argues that networks offer a distinctive view on how factual, speculative, historical, and non-human elements envelop and intertwine. Glissant’s archipelagic thought promotes transformation, multiplicity, and a sense of unpredictability. For this work, four inhabitants from Sherkin, a small island off the southwest coast of Ireland with a population of 100, became the research focus. Across four weeks, islanders gathered data from their daily sensory rhythms. Flight patterns of birds and bats were recorded, daily tasks noted, pathways cycled. Relational impacts of animal-odour on farming, weather, and tides were processed remotely, and an immersive cartographic score was created as a direct response in a three-dimensional virtual space. Rhythmanalysis+ analyses our newly altered perceptions of time and space as a material within a virtual world. VR, created as a gaming platform, is being pushed by art itself, forcing us to relook at the natural world, which is not static, but relational. Fluid but equally extractive, it is important to look at technology’s impact on all that is human and how it is perceived within the body as it is reframed digitally. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Impact of the Visual Arts on Technology)

16 pages, 247 KB

Open AccessArticle

Meyerhold’s Biomechanics and the Image of the New Man in Early Soviet Avant-Garde Theatre

by Anastasia Arefyeva

Arts 2026, 15(2), 30; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts15020030 - 3 Feb 2026

Abstract

This article explores Vsevolod Meyerhold’s biomechanics as an avant-garde theatrical and anthropotechnical method developed to forge new subjectivity and redefine roles in post-revolutionary society. It delves into early Soviet avant-garde theatre’s emphasis on movement as a core expressive tool and the transformation of [...] Read more.

This article explores Vsevolod Meyerhold’s biomechanics as an avant-garde theatrical and anthropotechnical method developed to forge new subjectivity and redefine roles in post-revolutionary society. It delves into early Soviet avant-garde theatre’s emphasis on movement as a core expressive tool and the transformation of the actor’s body into a precise instrument for calibrated gestures. Methodologically, the research is based on cultural studies examining relations between art processes and the functioning of social institutions. The article also analyzes a significant corpus of recently published archival materials related to Meyerhold’s development of biomechanical elements and details the structure of Meyerhold’s exercises and their role in enhancing motor skills and expressiveness on stage. The purpose of this article is to interpret biomechanics in the socio-cultural context of early Soviet times, while also examining it as a complex system transcending mere theatrical training. The key finding of the article is that the development of biomechanics encompassed not only theatrical, scientific, and social aspects but also proved close to the ideas of philosophy of Russian anthropocosmism. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The European Avant-Garde(s) and Technologies: Unfinished Modernity and the Idea of Tékhnē—the One Hundred Years’ Revolution, 1850–1950)

11 pages, 195 KB

Open AccessArticle

Claiming Place Through Visual Sovereignty—Articulations of Khoisan Belonging in Contemporary Cape Town

by Alta Steenkamp

Arts 2026, 15(2), 29; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts15020029 - 3 Feb 2026

Abstract

This article explores the reclamation of Khoisan identities in South Africa as a multifaceted process of cultural, spatial, and political resurgence. Framed within the country’s constitutional vision of a “Nation of Nations,” the research examines how Khoisan communities—historically marginalised and classified under apartheid [...] Read more.

This article explores the reclamation of Khoisan identities in South Africa as a multifaceted process of cultural, spatial, and political resurgence. Framed within the country’s constitutional vision of a “Nation of Nations,” the research examines how Khoisan communities—historically marginalised and classified under apartheid as “Coloured”—are reasserting their Indigenous heritage through acts of cultural revival and place-based activism. Centred on Cape Town, the ancestral homeland and symbolic epicentre of both colonial encounter and Indigenous resurgence, the article theoretically investigates how creativity, heritage, and activism intersect in processes of reimagining, renaming, and retaking of place. Drawing on theories of visual sovereignty and re-placement, it analyses how visual and performative practices—ranging from protest art and language revitalisation to heritage occupations—function as decolonial acts that reclaim both the image and meaning of place. The article situates the Khoisan revival within broader global movements of Indigenous self-representation and argues that reclaiming place constitutes a living form of sovereignty, restoring relational networks between people, land, and identity. Ultimately, it demonstrates that contemporary Khoisan activism transforms visibility into agency, using culture and creativity as tools to rewrite belonging and to decolonise South Africa’s cultural landscape. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Contemporary Visual Culture in Conflict Zones and Contested Territories)

22 pages, 7664 KB

Open AccessArticle

Joking Aside: Vladimir Tatlin and the Absurd

by John E. Bowlt

Arts 2026, 15(2), 28; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts15020028 - 3 Feb 2026

Abstract

The article queries the conventional interpretation of Vladimir Tatlin’s oeuvre as rational and pragmatic by focusing on more “irrational” aspects such as the visionary and unfeasible Monument to the III International, Letatlin and other, parallel projects that were never constructed or, perhaps, [...] Read more.

The article queries the conventional interpretation of Vladimir Tatlin’s oeuvre as rational and pragmatic by focusing on more “irrational” aspects such as the visionary and unfeasible Monument to the III International, Letatlin and other, parallel projects that were never constructed or, perhaps, were never meant to be constructed. While acknowledging Tatlin’s debt to Cézanne and Picasso and referring to Formalist critics Punin and Tarabukin and to his proximity to Constructivism, the article also emphasizes the common contemporary reception of Tatlin as an actor, a buffoon and even a Holy Fool. The article concludes with copious references to Tatlin’s support of Daniil Kharms and the OBERIU group of Absurdist writers and to his illustrations for the former’s “fairy-tale” Vo-pervykh i vo-vtorykh. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The European Avant-Garde(s) and Technologies: Unfinished Modernity and the Idea of Tékhnē—the One Hundred Years’ Revolution, 1850–1950)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 3683 KB

Open AccessEssay

Worldbuilding with Drawing and Words, an ‘Unproductive’ Counter to the Consumer-Driven, Extractive Models in Higher Education and the Cultural and Creative Industries

by Alexandra Antonopoulou and Eleanor Dare

Arts 2026, 15(2), 27; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts15020027 - 2 Feb 2026

Abstract

Antonopoulou and Dare’s ongoing collaborative projects (Phi Books 2008: ongoing; Digital Dreamhacker 2013: ongoing) enact an open-ended, experimental set of slow ‘Fictioning’ practices and actions that involve performing, diagramming, or assembling to create or anticipate new modes of existence. In this paper, the [...] Read more.

Antonopoulou and Dare’s ongoing collaborative projects (Phi Books 2008: ongoing; Digital Dreamhacker 2013: ongoing) enact an open-ended, experimental set of slow ‘Fictioning’ practices and actions that involve performing, diagramming, or assembling to create or anticipate new modes of existence. In this paper, the authors use the visual essay form to evidence how their daily practices of drawing, writing, and exchanging, position art and the artist. These practices unfold without, in this case, the utilitarian, economic, and epistemic priorities and systems of reductive representation which underpin the extractive models of Generative AI and other ‘innovative’ intermediaries, systems which expedite content and regulate consumption in the cultural and creative industries and in ‘arts and humanities’ education. Focusing on their creative practices, Antonopoulou and Dare reposition commodified notions of productivity, creativity, and innovation, seeking what Haraway describes as a way ‘of making, thinking and worlding’ beyond the neoliberal imperatives of extracting profit from labour. Positioned within an era of escalating precarity combined with ecological and political instability driven by extractive colonialism, the temporality of collaboration and drawing over decades is proposed as an act of material resistance to art’s subsumption into the venture capitalist hype cycles. Such cycles are associated with an accelerating array of crises, discussed here. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue From Craft to Code and Back Again: Rethinking Art, Materiality and Exhibition Practices in the 21st Century)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 21352 KB

Open AccessArticle

Music, Morality and Mayhem: Anton Möller the Elder’s Drawings from Marienburg (1587)

by Emily Peppers

Arts 2026, 15(2), 26; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts15020026 - 1 Feb 2026

Abstract

This article examines two drawings by the Prussian artist Anton Möller the Elder (1563–1611), based in Danzig [Gdańsk]. In 1587, a Möller spent time in Marienburg [Malbork] near Danzig, fresh from his post-apprenticeship travels. These drawings evidence his tuition in Northern Renaissance styles, [...] Read more.

This article examines two drawings by the Prussian artist Anton Möller the Elder (1563–1611), based in Danzig [Gdańsk]. In 1587, a Möller spent time in Marienburg [Malbork] near Danzig, fresh from his post-apprenticeship travels. These drawings evidence his tuition in Northern Renaissance styles, subject matter, and disguised symbolism—embodying contemporary Lutheran ideologies of temperance, morality, and the powerful sway of music. While scholarship on Möller’s works is well established (mainly in Polish and German sources in brief catalogue-style entries), this article represents an in-depth analysis of the symbolism in his works—primarily missing from modern scholarship, especially in the English language. Möller’s Folk fair before Marienburg is entertaining, sensational, and serves as a graphic warning not to fall prey to alcohol’s destruction of moral character. Möller directly copies figures from Northern Renaissance artists working in the folk fair genre—I discuss these connections and symbolism. Musicians are given an incendiary role in the scene, spurring revelers on to indulge in base emotions and vices. In stark contrast, Möller’s An Elegant reception with Christburg [Dzierzgoń] Castle in the background, places music at the center of the scene, depicts “active listening” and provides a visual message on how music can cultivate a pure mind and heart, if one’s moral compass is properly attuned. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Renaissance Rhapsody: Miscellany and Multimodality in Early Modern Europe)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 15261 KB

Open AccessArticle

Winners and Losers: The Analysis of a Contemporary Tattoo in Light of Aby Warburg’s Work

by Olaya Sanfuentes

Arts 2026, 15(2), 25; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts15020025 - 1 Feb 2026

Abstract

In light of the ideas of Erwin Panofsky and Aby Warburg, this paper analyzes a contemporary tattoo by a Chilean artist. The image depicts a Spanish native on horseback destroying a Spanish conquistador. It is a reinterpretation of the classic figure of the [...] Read more.

In light of the ideas of Erwin Panofsky and Aby Warburg, this paper analyzes a contemporary tattoo by a Chilean artist. The image depicts a Spanish native on horseback destroying a Spanish conquistador. It is a reinterpretation of the classic figure of the apostle Saint James destroying his enemies of the faith. First, it was Saint James the Moor-slayer, then Saint James the Indian slayer. The formula, although inverted, is effective in showing the period’s interpretation of opposites confronting each other through violence, demonstrating that these images are visual constructions that emerge whenever there is an emotional climate that justifies them. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Artistic Imagination and Social Imaginaries–Polysemous Readings of Historical Travelling Accounts)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 1065 KB

Open AccessArticle

It’s a Toyland!: Examining the Science Experience in Interactive Science Galleries

by Akvile Terminaite

Arts 2026, 15(1), 24; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts15010024 - 21 Jan 2026

Abstract

Interactive science galleries have transformed how the public engages with science, shifting from object-centred displays to immersive, design-led experiences. This study situates these changes within broader cultural and economic contexts, exploring how design mediates our understanding of science and reflects neoliberal and experiential [...] Read more.

Interactive science galleries have transformed how the public engages with science, shifting from object-centred displays to immersive, design-led experiences. This study situates these changes within broader cultural and economic contexts, exploring how design mediates our understanding of science and reflects neoliberal and experiential values. Using archival research, qualitative interviews with museum professionals, and reflective practice, the research examines the evolution of interactive science spaces at the Science Museum in London—The Children’s Gallery, Launch Pad, and Wonderlab. The findings reveal that exhibition design increasingly prioritises entertainment, immersion, and pleasure, aligning with the rise in the experience economy and the influence of corporate models such as Disneyland. While such strategies enhance visitor engagement and accessibility, they risk simplifying complex scientific narratives and reducing learning to consumption. The study concludes that effective science communication design should balance enjoyment with critical inquiry, using both comfort and discomfort to foster curiosity, reflection, and ethical awareness. By analysing design’s role in shaping the “science experience”, this research contributes to understanding how cultural institutions can create more nuanced, thought-provoking encounters between audiences, knowledge, and space. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue From Craft to Code and Back Again: Rethinking Art, Materiality and Exhibition Practices in the 21st Century)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 4461 KB

Open AccessArticle

Conceptualising Sound, Inferring Structure, Making Meaning: Artistic Considerations in Ravel’s ‘La vallée des cloches’

by Billy O’Brien

Arts 2026, 15(1), 23; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts15010023 - 21 Jan 2026

Abstract

Processes of preparing repertoire for performance in the field of artistic pianism are far from linear, often involving many epistemic modes contributing to an ever-evolving relationship between the pianist, the score and their instrument. Beyond the absorption and internalisation of the score (note-learning, [...] Read more.

Processes of preparing repertoire for performance in the field of artistic pianism are far from linear, often involving many epistemic modes contributing to an ever-evolving relationship between the pianist, the score and their instrument. Beyond the absorption and internalisation of the score (note-learning, memorisation, addressing technical issues), a range of contingent elements preoccupy pianists in their artistic journey of interpretation. These multifarious influences and approaches have increasingly been acknowledged in the field of Artistic Research, which has for some time sought to move beyond textualist, singular readings of works as bearers of fixed meanings and recognise the creative role of performers and the experience they bring. Through scholarly and phenomenological enquiry concerning the practice of ‘La vallée des cloches’ from Miroirs by Maurice Ravel, in this article, I attempt to represent the multi-modal complexity involved in the creative process of interpretation from my perspective as pianist and artistic researcher. I present novel engagement with scholarship in a multidisciplinary sense, demonstrating a dialogue through which scholarship and performance can interact. I reveal new insights about ‘La vallée des cloches’ through the analysis of my own diary entries logged over three practice sessions, exploring the themes of sound conceptualisation, the consideration of musical structure, and the creation of meaning. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Creating Musical Experiences)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

23 pages, 3232 KB

Open AccessArticle

Clouds Are Soul: Goethe Versus P. H. Valenciennes on Caspar David Friedrich’s Sublime Representation of Sky

by Jorge Olcina Cantos and María Rosario Martí Marco

Arts 2026, 15(1), 22; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts15010022 - 20 Jan 2026

Abstract

The representation of atmospheric phenomena and, in particular, clouds was a prominent theme for painters during the transition from the eighteenth to the nineteenth centuries. During this period, under the influence of rationalism and encyclopedism, Luke Howard’s cloud classification (1803) was proposed, gaining [...] Read more.

The representation of atmospheric phenomena and, in particular, clouds was a prominent theme for painters during the transition from the eighteenth to the nineteenth centuries. During this period, under the influence of rationalism and encyclopedism, Luke Howard’s cloud classification (1803) was proposed, gaining followers among scientists and artists of the time. Among the latter, Goethe was instrumental, as he intensely promoted this cloud classification, even dedicating his own poems and drawings to it. From then on, some painters depicted cloud studies following the academic principles recommended by Goethe. Caspar David Friedrich did not adopt these principles and depicted clouds as bodies endowed with freedom and feeling, as fragments of soul. The work of P. H. de Valenciennes played a prominent role in this approach; it was translated into German and became a reference manual for Romantic landscape painting. This paper addresses the scientific and cultural context of that historical moment, studies the importance of the landscape, and its aerial aspect, in the painting of the time and details the role of Friedrich as a singular author of German Romanticism, who did not want to participate in the academic ideas of representing clouds, since the sky was, for this painter, a symbol of the transcendent. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Visual Arts)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 3685 KB

Open AccessArticle

Super-Conscious Dreams: Martin Arnold’s In Tinseltown (2021) and Full Rehearsal (2017)

by Emmanuelle André and Martine Beugnet

Arts 2026, 15(1), 21; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts15010021 - 19 Jan 2026

Abstract

In Tinseltown and Full Rehearsal are examples of digital found-footage practice that explore the creative potential of the glitch. Featuring Monroe and Mickey, the two films conjure up what Walter Benjamin called figures of a “collective dream”. In his recent work, the [...] Read more.

In Tinseltown and Full Rehearsal are examples of digital found-footage practice that explore the creative potential of the glitch. Featuring Monroe and Mickey, the two films conjure up what Walter Benjamin called figures of a “collective dream”. In his recent work, the artist blasts these two figures open and subjects them to a drastic process of digital decomposition, revealing the inner workings of the imaging system that determines their appearance on screen. In doing so, the glitches and malfunctions of the software reveal the presence of a machinic substratum—the convulsing expression of encoded dreams that carry the repressed traces of the mechanical, the graphic, and the organic. However, in their reliance on live-action footage on the one hand and animation film on the other, the two works arguably stand as examples of two separate forms of unconscious, as introduced by Benjamin in “The Work of Art”. In our analysis of In Tinseltown and Full Rehearsal we suggest that Arnold’s work allows for a radical reconsideration of the visual unconscious as previously defined in 20th century thought, exposing the ways in which not only the frontiers between the functioning of the psyche and the machinic have become progressively more porous, but how the very notion of the unconscious is in question. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Film and Visual Studies: The Digital Unconscious)

13 pages, 652 KB

Open AccessArticle

Right Here and Right Now: A Study on the Creative Practice of Site-Specific Improvisatory Dance Performance in Lhasa

by Lin Zhu

Arts 2026, 15(1), 20; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts15010020 - 17 Jan 2026

Abstract

This study focuses on the site-specific improvisatory dance performance Deconstruction and Reconstruction of the Path of Life, a self-directed and self-performed work in Lhasa’ s sacred space dominated by a huge Buddha statue. It aims to explore how site-specific context and altitude [...] Read more.

This study focuses on the site-specific improvisatory dance performance Deconstruction and Reconstruction of the Path of Life, a self-directed and self-performed work in Lhasa’ s sacred space dominated by a huge Buddha statue. It aims to explore how site-specific context and altitude sickness shape performance, and how freedom and meaning are created within limitations. Using auto-ethnography including video documentation, creative journals and reflective observation, this research examines interactions with spatial elements (Xuan paper, Buddha feet, stairs, flowers) and physiological responses to low oxygen. Main findings include that altitude-induced breath difficulty, chest oppression, and movement imbalance became generative forces: breathing rhythm changes (steady-rapid-steady) symbolized life’s struggles, while a “pain-movement-meaning” chain fostered new bodily senses, framing pain as a gateway to spirituality. Rather than treating the space as a static backdrop, this study explores how the material and cultural characteristics of the location actively lead to dance movement choices and choreographic logic under extreme physiological condition. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Musical Arts and Theatre)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 5816 KB

Open AccessArticle

Lola Montès: Max Ophüls’s Final Dive into Circularity and Repetition

by Carlos Natálio

Arts 2026, 15(1), 19; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts15010019 - 16 Jan 2026

Abstract

This article aims to reflect on the testamentary dimension of Max Ophüls’ last feature film, Lola Montès, from a research context that seeks to understand the thematic, narrative, and stylistic traits of film directors’ last films. Through a mobilisation of Gilles Deleuze’s [...] Read more.

This article aims to reflect on the testamentary dimension of Max Ophüls’ last feature film, Lola Montès, from a research context that seeks to understand the thematic, narrative, and stylistic traits of film directors’ last films. Through a mobilisation of Gilles Deleuze’s concept of crystal image, and a film analysis of the work and comparison with other important Ophüls films, this paper argues that the constant movement of the characters and the filmmaker’s camera throughout his body of work is, in this testament film, transformed into an infernal circularity in which its protagonist is imprisoned. This movement without escape, based on the circularity of the circus arena in which Lola is held captive, is ultimately a way of portraying the decadence and exploitation of mass entertainment culture in its logic of capture, exploitation and commodification of its “human products.” The culmination of circularity and repetition in this capture is associated with the degradation of both the living performative body of Lola and the figure of its director Max Ophüls, given that Lola Montès was not only a very difficult film to direct but also very poorly received at the time of its release. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Swan Songs: Philosophical Reflections on Death, Time, and Memory in Testament Films)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

25 pages, 7226 KB

Open AccessArticle

New Architectural Forms in the Landscape as a Response to the Demand for Beauty in 21st-Century Tourism and Leisure

by Rafał Blazy, Hanna Hrehorowicz-Gaber, Alicja Hrehorowicz-Nowak, Wiktor Hładki and Jakub Knapek

Arts 2026, 15(1), 18; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts15010018 - 15 Jan 2026

Abstract

The architecture of spas and recreational complexes is increasingly being analyzed not only through the prism of its formal diversity but also through its functional, technical, and esthetic responses to evolving societal expectations. This article descriptively examines the context of evolving user needs [...] Read more.

The architecture of spas and recreational complexes is increasingly being analyzed not only through the prism of its formal diversity but also through its functional, technical, and esthetic responses to evolving societal expectations. This article descriptively examines the context of evolving user needs and select examples representing new architectural forms integrated into the landscape, responding to the growing demand for beauty (understood subjectively), experiences, and emotional value in 21st-century tourism and recreation. The most diverse and characteristic examples were selected and described in order to maintain a broad context of analysis and illustrate contemporary changes as faithfully as possible. The descriptive approach enables a systematic and comprehensive representation of phenomena, identifying recurring patterns, spatial trends, and contextual relationships. Rather than being limited to numerical data, it provides a structured analytical framework that supports the objective documentation of architectural and urban processes. The aim of this study is to systematize selected design trends that reflect contemporary cultural aspirations and environmental concerns, and to illustrate the evolving relationship between architecture, nature, and users. The results indicate a consistent shift toward landscape-integrated, experiential, and esthetically driven architectural solutions, demonstrating that contemporary tourism facilities increasingly prioritize atmosphere, immersion in nature, and sensory engagement over traditional utilitarian design. This study concludes that beauty, understood as subjective esthetic experience, has become a key determinant in shaping new architectural forms, reinforcing the role of architecture as both a cultural expression and a tool for enhancing well-being in tourism and leisure environments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intersecting Dialogues: Contemporary Art and Architecture in the 21st Century)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Journal Description

Latest Articles

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Highly Accessed Articles

Latest Books

E-Mail Alert

News

Topics

Conferences

Special Issues

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI