Search Results (49)

Recent scholarship highlights growing interest in the relationship between cultural heritage and sustainable development. However, existing research predominantly focuses on pluralistic governance systems in the West, which limits applicability in authoritarian contexts and leaves evaluation mechanisms underdeveloped. Addressing this gap, this paper proposes the Evidence-Based Disciplinary Assessment (EBDA) approach, a guiding framework that integrates research evidence, historical narratives, and legacies to broaden heritage recognition across five dimensions: cultural, social, environmental, economic, and institutional-governance. The framework demonstrates how disciplinary knowledge valuation can contribute to sustainable heritage in historic art districts. We digitally map spatial clusters of 1347 artists’ residences and identify neighborhoods central to Shanghai’s Republican-period art scene. Through case studies of two existing neighborhoods and qualitative interviews with local officials, we show how evidence-based disciplinary narratives foster neighborhood pride, support adaptive reuse, attract cultural tourism, and align with governance frameworks to promote long-term preservation. Nonetheless, EBDA has limited relevance for social sustainability, particularly in enabling community-led conservation and supporting emerging artists. This hybrid model contributes to both theoretical debates and practical strategies for historic district development. Full article

This article discusses the role of artistic interventions in shaping communities in selected Polish cities. It especially explores marginalized urban areas that are gaining new identities through art. A crucial aspect of the analysis concentrates on the influence of artistic activities on the formation of social bonds. Moreover, it focuses on the revitalization strategies that incorporate artistic activities designed to beautify spaces and enhance residents’ sense of security. It also includes examples of grassroots initiatives undertaken by artists in degraded areas. This study employed a qualitative methodology. In addition to reviewing the literature, a comparative analysis of case studies encompassing murals, site-specific installations, graffiti, and participatory art was conducted. The selected case studies demonstrate that art is not merely an esthetic endeavor but an important tool for solving spatial and social issues. Artists’ activities in difficult areas of a city lead to perceptual, visual, and functional changes. However, the question was whether the process of co-creation with the local community translated into stronger neighborly relationships or a greater sense of security. Full article

Since the turn of the 21st century, urban studies and planning research has examined the strategic role of artists, arts organizations, and cultural activity as local and regional economic development catalysts. This article shifts the spotlight from the “creative class” and “creative industries” as drivers of a “creative city” to study the role of art, culture, and creative practices in community-led, place-based efforts to stabilize neighborhoods and advance more hopeful, healthy, and equitable urban futures. It explores Boston’s Chinatown, where community-based art activism has a long history of addressing critical issues such as reclaiming land taken by interstate highway and urban renewal projects, as well as combating gentrification and displacement through site activation. The case study focuses on Residence Lab, a community-based arts residency program initiated by the Pao Arts Center and the Asian Community Development Corporation that brought together multimedia artists with residents to collectively preserve Boston’s Chinatown through creative and artistic activation of underutilized sites in the neighborhood from 2019 to 2022. We examine a selection of ResLab projects, which give form and meaning to the struggles and aspirations of being at home in Chinatown and embody the art activism of partner organizations and program participants, along with the ResLab’s impacts on participating residents and artists. The concluding discussion considers ResLab’s contributions and implications for the shifting ways in which urban, political, and artistic cultures have intersected and impacted one another in Chinatown along with the relationship between collective action and the preservation and transformation of culture in the urban frame. Full article

Amid the accelerating processes of modernization and commercialization, traditional rural public spaces are increasingly losing their cultural value and social functions. This study investigates the transformative role of art intervention in enhancing the quality and cultural significance of rural public spaces, with a focus on Machang Village in Tengchong, China. The study first develops a conceptual model to explore the causal relationships and pathways between these influencing factors. Drawing on this framework, the research then uses Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to empirically test a multi-dimensional resident satisfaction model that incorporates spatial aesthetics, functional suitability, historical-cultural identity, and emotional cognition. Through field surveys and data collected from 224 residents, the study reveals that cultural emotions and functional completeness are the most influential factors in driving overall satisfaction. Artistic innovation and aesthetics contribute moderately, indicating that visual creativity alone is insufficient without deeper cultural integration and functional coherence. The findings suggest a dual-pathway satisfaction mechanism, where both symbolic emotional resonance and practical usability shape residents’ perceptions of public space quality. The study offers theoretical and practical insights into optimizing rural public space design, advocating for art-led, community-engaged, and culturally embedded approaches to rural revitalization. Full article

Kris Martin: Altar/Altering Perspectives Flemish artist Kris Martin’s work exists in relationship to the city of Ghent and his reflection on that city’s medieval past. His pieces that implicitly engage with the Ghent Altarpiece by Hubert and Jan van Eyck question the position of human beings in both physical and subjective relationships to works of art. They invite viewers, particularly residents of Ghent, to participate in a new narrative of Ghent, one that is framed, sometimes literally, by the layers of Romanesque and Gothic art and architecture and the symbolism and visual language of Flemish Christianity. They reveal his baroque interest in bringing together tradition and a contemporary conceptual ideology and fall somewhere between the theatricality of the carnival and the artificiality of the spectacle. While a few pieces pointedly reference a Flemish Catholic ideology, the medieval manipulation of the public and the direct iconography are missing. Through his manipulation of scale and placement in non-traditional locations, the pieces are open to new readings beyond the emotive and didactic. But, much in the tradition of the Northern Renaissance, they engage the viewer intellectually and ask for introspection. Full article

The present article studies aspects of the artistic production at New Kingdom Saqqara, a necropolis of the ancient Egyptian royal residence city Memphis. Following a brief review of the functions of ancient Egyptian tombs, this article will first set out to scrutinize the tomb-making section of society (e.g., size, membership). Second, the corpus of tombs will be reviewed to uncover the diverse nature of the tomb owners and to investigate access to resources required for tomb making. Third, the article will proceed to place the tombs in spatial and temporal context and reflect on the artistic production in a necropolis in motion. Full article

This study explores the role of virtual immersive public art in improving the psychological well-being of urban residents. The research is set in the context of urban environments, where virtual immersive public art has the potential to foster innovation, integrate technology, and organically blend into public spaces. The study evaluates the impact of such art on psychological restoration by focusing on three key dimensions: interactive themes, interactive mechanisms, and artistic characteristics. A questionnaire survey was conducted to collect participants’ real-life experiences and reactions to these art installations. The results show that virtual immersive public art significantly contributes to the restorative experience of urban residents, offering valuable insights into how these installations can promote mental health. Based on the findings, the study provides practical design recommendations for incorporating virtual immersive public art into future urban planning and design projects to enhance urban living conditions and support psychological recovery. Full article

In this text, we discuss the “Beyond Quantum Music” project, which inspired pianists, composers, researchers, and innovators Sonja Lončar and Andrija Pavlović (LP Duo) to go beyond the boundaries of classical and avant-garde practices to create a new style in composition and performance on two unique DUALITY hybrid pianos that they invented and developed to create a new stage design for multimedia concert performances and establish a new musical genre as a platform for future musical expression. “Beyond Quantum Music” is a continuation of the groundbreaking art and science project “Quantum Music”, which began in 2015; we envisioned it as a long-term project. In order to build an experimental dialogue between music and quantum physics, we created the DUALITY Portable Hybrid Piano System. This innovative instrument was essential for expanding the current sound of the classical piano. As a result, new compositions and new piano sounds were produced using various synthesizers and sound samples derived from scientific experiments. The key place for this dialogue between music and science was the Delft University of Technology, the Netherlands, where Andrija Pavlović, as a Kavli artist in residence, and Sonja Lončar, as an expert, spent several months in 2022 collaborating with scientists to compose new music. Later on, we collaborated with the visual artist “Incredible Bob” to develop the idea for the multimedia concert “LP Duo plays Beyond Quantum Music” to be performed at various locations, including the Scientific Institute MedILS Split (Croatia), the Theater Hall JDP Belgrade (Serbia), the Congress Hall TU Delft (the Netherlands), and open-air concerts at the Kaleidoskop Festival (Novi Sad, Serbia) and Ars Electronica Festival in Linz (Austria). Full article

The present research aims to propose the design of a green corridor with a systemic/sustainable approach to function as an ecological lung for the city of Cuzco. A lack of planning has resulted in uncontrolled urban development, with a shortage of green areas, negatively affecting the quality of life. Green corridors stand out as solutions that encourage social interaction and improve public health. This approach recognizes the need for balanced resource management and institutional, economic and social organization. In the specific case of Cusco, the lack of social interaction highlights the importance of addressing these challenges to improve the quality of life for both residents and visitors. The methods developed were an extensive literature review, urban analysis and climate analysis, applying sustainability strategies supported by digital tools (Google Earth, Climate Consultant 6.0, Autocad, SketchUp and 3d Sun Path). As a result, this proposal presents green areas covering 69.96% of the total area, aimed at providing recreational spaces and connecting residents and visitors with nature. Additionally, biolakes were designed, accounting for 3.18% of the area, serving as ornamental elements and contributing to the environmental quality of the urban environment. The botanical zone, encompassing 18.14% of the project, was designed to accommodate a diverse range of plant species, providing an educational and aesthetic environment. The convention area, representing 9.7% of the total area, was designed to host events and community activities, promoting social and cultural interaction. Finally, 0.98% of the space was allocated to the cultural zone, where artistic exhibitions, cultural events, and related activities can be planned, enriching the cultural and social life of the community. These percentages reflect careful consideration of the needs and aspirations of the population, as well as a comprehensive approach to sustainable urban design and the creation of multifunctional spaces. In conclusion, through a green corridor, the aim is to counteract uncontrolled urban expansion and environmental degradation by generating a green lung in the city of Cuzco, naturally regulating the climate and contributing to air and water purification. The absence of green corridors and sustainable approaches to social connectivity in Cusco could reduce the quality of life of residents, affecting their physical and mental health. The lack of green and recreational spaces could increase segregation and alienation in the community, weakening social cohesion. Without green corridors, the city would also face environmental and biodiversity challenges, as well as a reduced ability to respond to extreme weather events. The lack of implementation of these strategies could compromise comprehensive development and quality of life in Cuzco. Full article

The main goal of this paper is to explore the difficulties the refugee minors face in the process of seeking inclusion in Portugal. The project conducting this research takes place in a shelter for refugee minors in Portugal, and its inhabitants are the main focus of the analysis. The research is guided by Applied Anthropology which means that, in methodological terms, we use active listening, participant observation, and artistic workshops in drawing and photography in order to get to know them better and establish a closer relationship with the minors. Our interlocutors are refugee minors, boys and girls, aged between 15 and 18, who have been institutionalized by an NGOD responsible for hosting them in Portugal while they await their residence permit. These minors are characterized by a diversity of nationalities, socio-cultural and ethnolinguistic references and different life projects. The artistic focus (drawing and photography) is explored as a non-invasive methodology, a tool that best helps to express emotions, perceptions and desires in a creative and uncompromising way. We chose to focus our analysis not on the traumatic past, as is usually the case when it comes to refugees, but on the future. In other words: we invite these minors to think about their future, what they want for themselves in Portugal and the European Union. As we discuss our difficulties of conducting fieldwork in the institutionalized context, we conclude the article with the idea that working with refugee minors in that environment should not be an end in and of itself, but rather an opportunity to do more profound research. This investigation should continue, preferably outside the institutional gates, on a more personalized basis. As a practical goal, we also propose the idea of organizing an exhibition with the results of the workshops to facilitate the two-way process of inclusion. Full article

Eviction could hold a different meaning if a home’s immediate surroundings contribute to its residents’ livelihood, especially for informal laborers. This paper explores the notion of the fragility of a home within an expanded space—the space on which a home stands and its surroundings when turned into a contested area. It specifically looks at the slum of Yamuna Pushta in Delhi, which was demolished in 2004. The act uprooted thousands of low-income families who were blamed for polluting the river. The demolition was fueled by new urban visions and planning strategies, political and capitalist ambitions, projections of national pride, and an event-driven approach camouflaged under an environmentalist concern attempting to “clean” the river. Using the photographic works of artist, curator, and activist Ravi Agarwal as a case study, this paper argues the presence of a counternarrative in the works, challenging the projected environmentalist discourse around the river, the slum dwellers. This study further states the dual marginalization of the Pushta residents and the Yamuna by critiquing the economic format of majoritarianism through the growing normalcy and agreeability of the slum demolitions by the urban non-poor disguised as the “greater good”. Full article

Âşıks, renowned for their adeptness at improvisational poetry, are viewed as the inheritors of certain shamanic functions within historical contexts. Originally, shamans assumed diverse roles encompassing poetry, medicine, and priesthood before social and religious transformations prompted a gradual shift of the poetic responsibilities, first to individuals termed ozan (bards) and later to âşık, beginning from the 15th to 16th centuries. Âşıks share parallels with shamans in their upbringing, developmental stages toward âşıklık (bardhood), and esteemed societal positions. Their reverence for deceased masters becomes evident in their artistic presentations, wherein they express homage to the memories, and consequently the spirits, of their masters by reciting the works of esteemed âşık masters, notably Köroğlu, during their performances. This practice, referred to as “usta malı söylemek” (the performance of the masters’ poems and folk songs) within the Turkish âşık tradition, represents an endeavor to establish a connection with the spirits of ancestors. The resemblance between the tradition of âşıks evolving within the master–apprentice dynamic and shamans invoking the spirits of departed ancestors, embarking on celestial and subterranean journeys empowered by them, and the âşıks’ homage to their masters’ spirits through recitations of their works, thereby sensing their masters’ influence by engaging with them, is striking. This study explores the extent to which contemporary âşıks consciously embrace this resemblance. To this end, a sample group of 34 âşıks residing in diverse regions of Türkiye was interviewed, and the acquired data were analyzed using the document analysis method. Accordingly, all the âşıks who participated in the study were nurtured within the tradition of the master–apprentice relationship akin to shamans. They diligently sought to evoke the spirits of their masters during their performances by reciting masters’ poems and songs, reminiscent of shamans invoking the spirits of deceased shaman ancestors through prayers resembling divine verses. Furthermore, while variations specific to different regions and age groups existed among these âşıks, it was observed that consciously reciting the poems of their masters elevated the masters’ spirits. Simultaneously, they harbored concerns about the potential harm that neglecting this practice might inflict upon the tradition, themselves, and their surroundings. Full article

With the recent advent of research focusing on the body’s significance in music, the integration of physiological sensors in the context of empirical methodologies for music has also gained momentum. Given the recognition of covert muscular activity as a strong indicator of musical intentionality and the previously ascertained link between physical effort and various musical aspects, electromyography (EMG)—signals representing muscle activity—has also experienced a noticeable surge. While EMG technologies appear to hold good promise for sensing, capturing, and interpreting the dynamic properties of movement in music, which are considered innately linked to artistic expressive power, they also come with certain challenges, misconceptions, and predispositions. The paper engages in a critical examination regarding the utilisation of muscle force values from EMG sensors as indicators of physical effort and musical activity, particularly focusing on (the intuitively expected link to) sound levels. For this, it resides upon empirical work, namely practical insights drawn from a case study of music performance (Persian instrumental music) in the context of a music class. The findings indicate that muscle force can be explained by a small set of (six) statistically significant acoustic and movement features, the latter captured by a state-of-the-art (full-body inertial) motion capture system. However, no straightforward link to sound levels is evident. Full article

Interprofessional working is common practice within the health and care sector and particularly within care homes to support the diverse needs of their residents. However, this is less common between the arts and care sectors despite the established impact of the arts on older people’s health, wellbeing, and quality of life. Arts activities that do take place in care homes tend to be time-bound, with artists utilising short-term funding to deliver a defined project often with limited engagement from care home staff due to their competing priorities. This article reflects on qualitative findings from the Artists’ Residencies in Care Homes (ARCH) programme led by Magic Me, which paired four leading arts organisations with four care homes in Essex who worked together over four years to deliver creative arts for the residents. Building trusted relationships and collaborative working between the artists and care home staff was essential for the success of the residencies and for generating and embedding sustainable creative practice in the homes. This article argues that for creative practice to become sustainably embedded in care homes, arts organisations and the arts and culture sector need to embrace interprofessional collaborative practice in health and social care. Full article

Attitudes to animal welfare are not understood well in China, the country with the highest output of farm animals in the world. We surveyed attitudes of the public around China using a team of researchers to conduct individual interviews, with 1301 respondents in total. Contrary to results obtained in several other countries, high school leavers were more concerned about animal welfare than those who had obtained a university degree. We speculate that this may reflect the labour market currently existing in China, with limited opportunities for graduates. Scientists were less supportive, and artists more supportive, of good animal welfare. Urban dwellers were more concerned about animal welfare than rural residents, with village residents in the middle, which confirmed our theory that such a difference prevails in developing countries, where a large proportion of the rural population are involved in agriculture. It is concluded that education level, occupation and living place all have pronounced influences on attitudes to animal welfare in China, some of which follow international trends. Full article