Search Results (128)

This article traces the historical evolution of mural painting as a medium of cultural expression from prehistoric cave art to contemporary street interventions. Adopting a diachronic and interdisciplinary approach, it investigates how muralism has developed across civilizations in relation to techniques, symbolic systems, social function, and its embeddedness in architectural and urban contexts. The analysis is structured around key historical periods using emblematic case studies to examine the interplay between materiality, iconography, and socio-political meaning. From sacred enclosures and civic monuments to post-industrial walls and digital projections, murals reflect shifting cultural paradigms and spatial dynamics. This study emphasizes how mural painting, once integrated into sacred and imperial architecture, has become a tool for public participation, protests, and urban storytelling. Particular attention is paid to the evolving relationship between wall painting and the spaces it inhabits, highlighting the transition from permanence to ephemerality and from monumentality to immediacy. This article contributes to mural studies by offering a comprehensive framework for understanding the technical and symbolic transformations of the medium while proposing new directions for research in the context of digital urbanism and cultural memory. Full article

Archaeology is a well-established discipline that sheds light on human history and uncovers the mysteries of materials, their origins, production methods, and areas of use. It provides significant insights into various topics such as the production history of glass and other materials, trade routes, manufacturing processes, degradation mechanisms, regional usages, and coloring com-positions. Glass, an ancient yet contemporary material, can transmit, absorb, and reflect light. Appreciating glass art requires recognizing its rich history, offering artists technical and aesthetic possibilities in modern life and architecture. This study examines the influence of archaeological research and the artistic character of ancient glass on contemporary glass art. Archaeological findings from Turkey and around the world have been reviewed, with a particular focus on the Phrygian Valley, located in and around Eskişehir, an important region for the Phrygian civilization. Artifacts unearthed through excavations and sur-face surveys conducted in the Phrygian Valley, and preserved in the Eskişehir Eti Archaeology Museum, have been analyzed. The museum houses approximately 22.500 artifacts, including sculptures, steles, ceramics, glass vessels, metal objects, jewelry, and coins. Inspired by these artifacts and Phrygian culture, original glass designs have been created using techniques such as stained glass, lampworking, and glass painting. The aim of the study is to interpret Phrygian art and culture through innovative designs. Full article

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

The aim of this article is to present the main phases of transformation of the Franciscan church in Zagan. This church is one of the best-preserved mendicant order churches in Central Europe and Silesia. Until now, it has not been the subject of detailed research. Based on the findings, it was possible to identify the oldest church as a model example of the principles described in the Narbonne Constitutions. The late Gothic vaulting introduced during the reconstruction represents avant-garde solutions from the late 15th century. The evolution of the church interior’s forms in Zagan is presented against the backdrop of other churches in Central Europe and Poland. Special attention is given to the uniqueness of the church, which stands out among other conventual churches with its use of diamond and net vaults in the chancel and nave. Full article

The present article aims to provide a complete overview of the concepts, regulations, and criteria developed in Europe, in addition to an analysis of their consequences in the Alhambra Palatine City from its Christian period (1492) until the arrival of Leopoldo Torres Balbás (1923). Considering that the first step towards a complete understanding and evaluation of a cultural heritage site is the recognition of the general context before its particularities, this study presents a dual focus, systematically following the chronological progression of the events. Through an exhaustive historical analysis based on the most relevant bibliographical and documentary sources in the discipline of Conservation-Restoration of Historic Buildings, this article begins with an overview of the development of conservation and restoration practises in Italy, France, and England, and subsequently analyses the Spanish and Alhambra-specific contexts. In addition to bringing together in a single document the evolution of the criteria applied to the conservation of monuments and buildings, this study has provided an opportunity to reaffirm their perennial importance in the discipline of heritage conservation. Furthermore, it has provided an opportunity to explore how the Palatine City reflects evolving philosophical paradigms, methodological practises, and their application to one of Spain’s most important architectural complexes, further emphasising the Alhambra’s unique position as a case study and a framework for advancing the scientific discourse on heritage preservation. Full article

This article analyzes the concept of floating cities in the context of increasing threats resulting from climate change. It explores the potential of a floating city concept to provide sustainable and livable conditions on a large scale in response to the growing climate crisis. Specifically, this article considers whether climate change is prompting a redefinition of urbanism and examines how the floating city concept can be useful from this perspective. The analysis draws on ideas related to megastructures, particularly those based on platforms. A pioneer in this field was Kiyonori Kikutake, who in 1958–1963 presented three concepts of floating cities under the name Marine City. His designs were centered around modularity and mobility. Today, Kikutake’s vision is experiencing a resurgence as climate change forces architects and urban planners to rethink traditional cities. Contemporary architects such as Vincent Callebaut and Bjarke Ingels are now gaining attention for their innovative designs of floating cities, which are being closely examined by experts and policymakers. The first part of this article provides a comparative analysis of Marine City with contemporary examples of megastructures, such as the Lilypad and Oceanix projects, illustrating how the concept of floating cities have evolved over the centuries. The question is, which solutions developed by Japanese Metabolists remain relevant and how has modern technology enriched and advanced the concept of living on water? The second part of the article analyzes the potential of floating cities to redefine urbanism in response to the growing threat of climate change. This analysis primarily focuses on the possible interactions between floating cities and the environment. The results show that the challenges posed by climate change are redefining the urban planning paradigms formed in the first half of the 20th century. The floating city concept shows some potential as a viable response to these challenges. Full article

Recent research conducted by Heritage Crafts, a prominent national advocacy organisation dedicated to preserving traditional heritage crafts in the UK, has unveiled a concerning trend: several traditional craft skills teeter on the edge of extinction within the UK. This revelation stems from the Heritage Crafts Red List of Endangered Crafts, an initiative which identifies crafts facing the risk of endangerment. In their recent 2023 publication, Heritage Crafts highlighted the distressing decline of cut and engraved glass craftsmanship in the UK, categorising and placing both brilliant cutting (as endangered) and copper wheel engraving (as critically endangered) on the Red List of Endangered Crafts in the UK. This means that these crafts pose the risk of not being actively practised. In December 2023, the alarming downturn of these crafts in the UK was explored and discussed during a conference held at Edinburgh College of Art (ECA), entitled Edo-Kiriko: The Art of Japanese Cut Crystal. This event explored the cross-cultural connection and exchange that exists between Scotland and Japan, drawing upon a rich historical exchange that saw the transmission of Western-style glassmaking from Scotland to Japan in the 1870s–1880s. It also details the more recent exchange that has been in place between Edinburgh College of Art (ECA) and the Horiguchi Kiriko glass studio in Tokyo, Japan. This modern-day exchange has seen the recent transmission of glass-cutting skills through a masterclass led by Toru Horiguchi at ECA. This paper presents this conference, introducing the invited speakers and creating a commentary on the proceedings and the plenary discussions that unfolded. Focus and discussion will be given to the factors that have contributed to the current decline of cut and engraved glassmaking in the UK and the possible measures that could be taken to support and safeguard this field. The final part of this paper will offer a reflection on the conference proceedings and will conclude by making an urgent call for the future of cut and engraved glass craftsmanship in the UK. It is hoped this paper will draw attention to the urgent need for support from education and funding bodies, to safeguard and protect these vital heritage crafts, which boast a rich history in the UK. Full article

One of the key concerns for present-day society is the need to build the environment in which we live in a sustainable way, using green solutions, but without losing the aesthetic values. The following study proves that, when applied in the right way, façade graphics support sustainability. Art glass placed inside the envelope significantly influences a number of aspects related to how a building functions, improving the quality of a given architectural space’s properties. Façade graphics have a considerable effect, as they control the intensity of light penetrating to the interior and provide support sunlight protection. Façade graphics act as a cover that controls how images filter through from the inside to the outside and from the outside to the inside. The graphics may be used to show messaging directed at the public. Art glass located in the external partition has a significant impact on several aspects of the functioning of an architectural object. In the preliminary examination, a few factors that determine the scope of such effect were identified, including the structure of the glass layer and of the image. The objective of this publication is to determine to what degree the structure of an image on glass, and the artistic means associated with it, influence the scope of the visual effect of a glass partition, as well as its functional properties, and how important for the reception of architectural space are the artistic values of glazing, in terms of its form, dynamics, composition, and colours, as well as the means by which the applied image impacts its surroundings. These means result from selection of suitable execution techniques and strategies for shaping the partition. The research concerns aspects of interconnection between graphics and the architectural space; its artistic, compositional, integrating, and covering role. The work is important in further research on the use of facade graphics in the utility and visual aspect. Full article

Written from the perspective of practice-led research, this reflective case study rationalises and charts the production of ‘Clean-Up Workers (Deluxe Series)’—mixed media sculptures that embody notions of waste aesthetic, value and abjection. Integrating discourses surrounding waste theory and using the sink and plug as a metaphor to discuss Lacan’s theory of the objet petit a, the paper is presented as an autobiographical waste narrative. Production of a series of anatomical vacuum cleaners made from re-appropriated artwork found waste materials in the form of ‘pre-owned objects or materials’ and ‘by-products’ of a creative practice’, sit alongside crafted luxurious glass objects and speak of corporeal ageing, dysfunction and the domestic realm. Discarded objects take the form of car parts found in the non-places of the gutter. Through assemblage, these unique items’ ‘use-time’ is recontextualised and elevated as art objects viewed within a gallery arena. Full article

In 2022, the UN marked the International Year of Glass, celebrating the essential role glass has, and will continue to have, in society. One element of this celebration was the importance of glass within art and its history, which the Craft Scotland 2022 Conference: The Power of Glass looked to explore. The aim of the conference was to allow a range of individuals, be they academics, researchers, or students of glass and art history within Scotland and the UK, to access contemporary thought within an under-represented field in the UK craft sector. In this paper, we look to highlight the links between the aims of the International Year of Glass and the proceedings of The Power of Glass Conference, demonstrating how glass artists, makers, and designers are part of a growing international body of creatives who are using the communicative possibilities of glass as a vehicle in which to raise pertinent questions and platform unheard and overlooked narratives. Moreover, they seek to overturn perceived biases of what glass is and its future potential by placing their craft within an arena of judgement beyond discussions of process and technique and by elevating socio-political glass art on par with other forms of artistic protest and commentary. Full article

This paper argues that mapping as a methodology can support localised production, as exemplified in the case study of the design studio Atelier NL which marries contemporary design sensibilities with traditional glass and ceramics craft-making techniques. The paper puts forward the argument that by paying attention to local ecosystem services through mapping, place-based design solutions can be developed. Furthermore, the paper argues that the methodologies deployed by Atelier NL borrow from contemporary art creative mapping practices. This case study uses the framework of the Anthropocene to situate these mapping practices identified within the case study and contextualises these within 20th-century environmental arts practices, and those of the environmental art pioneers the Harrisons in particular. Finally, the paper argues that these mapping practices are responding to the conditions of the Anthropocene which increasingly makes clear that culture and nature are enmeshed, an insight that 19th-century town planner Patrick Geddes argued for more than a century ago. Full article

Glass is made from sand—a finite resource. Hence, there is a need to maintain glass in the industrial cycle as described in the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s circular-economy diagram. This research project examines the reallocation of material resources in the form of waste glass fines from the industrial recycling process for soda-lime glass. According to the plant manager of Reiling Glasrecycling Danmark ApS, the fines are currently sold to be used for insulation. Although this process prolongs the lifespan of the fines before they become landfill waste, a closed-loop circular option would be preferable. In order to establish a closed-loop circular model for waste glass fines, this research investigates their material and aesthetic qualities and proposes a strategy for maintaining the fines in the closed loop cycle together with the soda-lime glass. The fines are manipulated through robotic deposition and formed into 3D geometries. To expand the aesthetic applications for the material, an investigation is conducted by combining 3D geometries with the traditional glassmaking techniques of glassblowing and casting. The research contributes knowledge of the materials’ technical qualities including printability, durability and workability of the 3D prints combined with cast or blown recycled container glass as well as with blown waste glass fines. Technical obstacles are revealed and alternative routes for further explorations are suggested. Finally, the performative and aesthetic qualities of the results are discussed, while artistic applications for recycled soda-lime glass fines remain to be explored in future research. Full article

Knickers, big, small, plain, sensual, provocative, or practical, can be an unremarkable part of everyday life or an object of feminist protest. Women’s clothing, like the experience of womanhood itself, can often have multiple contradictory narratives. In this essay, the author discusses the history of women’s underwear and its links with socio-political revolution and feminist art. Against this contextual background, she discusses the development of the body of sculptures entitled Let’s Hook Up, a series of life-size, paper-thin drawings of lingerie in pâte de verre glass. The author details the artistic processes involved in making the works as well as the conceptual development and exploration of material and meaning. She demonstrates how artwork can act as a gateway to begin conversations about challenging topics like sexual assault whilst also providing a platform for creative expression and connection. Full article

Animal combats (venationes) were a popular entertainment in the Roman world. Splashy panels of inlaid marble (opus sectile) commemorate these bloody contests in several buildings in and around Rome. Among the most well-known are survivals from the 4th century CE Basilica of Junius Bassus and, several decades later, the marble-revetted hall from Porta Marina at Ostia. On the face of it, the wall decoration from these sites memorializes typical Roman activities, but the panels expose the vast geography implicated in these combat spectacles. The brilliant stones used to render them came from lands as far off as the Caspian tigers and Asiatic lions they depicted. The iconography of the panels was also foreign: the animal combat, or symplegma (intertwining), is seen on works from pre-Achaemenid sculpture to Sasanian textiles, and most recognizably, at the Achaemenid palace at Persepolis, where a lion attacks a bull in relief on the Apadana stairway. Reading these panels through a Persianist lens illuminates the ways in which the Persepolitan model animated Roman themes and visual programs. Though they recalled events in the Roman arena, they also imparted political and astrological signification to the decoration by means of their Persian associations. By alluding to the Achaemenid empire, a great power of the past and a continuing rival in the form of the Sasanians, the Roman patron accrued to himself some measure of the veneration for this culture and showed himself able to communicate in an idiom legible to an international clientele. Full article

This article explores the use and adaptation of the iconographic motif of the waiting servant, known primarily from late Roman wall paintings, mosaics, and other media, within the sphere of Late Antique furnishing textiles. Taking as a case study a fifth- to sixth-century CE hanging in the Art Institute of Chicago’s collection, the first section argues that the addition of elaborate, multihued architectural settings and floral motifs in this hanging and several comparable examples built upon the existing waiting-servant iconography offer an enhanced message of “the good life” within the household. Such compositional elements were rooted in earlier Greek and Roman artistic traditions, namely architectural polychromy and the visual interplay between artifice and reality. However, they also exemplify the Late Antique “jeweled style”, an aesthetic characterized by dazzling visual and polychromatic effects and an interest in artistic mimicry of other media. Striking visual parallels between the waiting-servant hangings and contemporary painted interiors suggest that textiles were considered on par with permanent media and operated in a system of cross-media artistic exchange. The article concludes with a consideration of the materiality of the Chicago hanging and its potential functions within a Late Antique residence, exploring how its portability as a woven object encouraged its flexible use within the home and allowed it to convey and even amplify particular messages through its juxtaposition with other objects, architecture, or people. Full article