Search Results (32)

In an era where artificial intelligence is rapidly expanding into creative domains, the challenge of modeling human-like cognition and emotion in generative processes becomes increasingly central. The present study was made in connection with the exhibition of Munch’s works held in Rome from February to June 2025. Indeed, the paper introduces the concept of a Cognitive Digital Twin grounded in the Super Time-Cognitive Neural Network (STCNN) framework and applies it to the case of Edvard Munch, the iconic Norwegian expressionist. The proposed system—Munch Digital Twin—goes beyond static generative models by integrating temporal, emotional, and cognitive dimensions through a complex-valued time representation t = a + i·b, where a denotes chronological time and b encodes imagination, memory, and creativity. We define Edge Knowledge as an output-stage re-ranking criterion that admits a generated response only where corpus evidence, knowledge-graph constraints and the LLM surface jointly agree (the boundary, or ‘edge’, between documented identity and machine inference). STCNN allows this twin to process real inputs (text, visual prompts, emotional cues) and generate outputs that reflect both the rational and expressive styles of Munch. The imaginary components of the network enable speculative and affective expansions of known artworks—such as reinterpreting The Scream under new emotional or social contexts. This paper presents the theoretical underpinnings of cognitive digital twins, the architecture of the STCNN-based model, and a prototype implementation trained on Munch’s paintings, letters, and critical essays. The system—comprising a GPT-4-Turbo cloud profile and a 4-bit LLaMA-2-13B edge profile for language, Stable Diffusion 1.5 + LoRA for image generation, a Neo4j knowledge graph, and FAISS retrieval—is trained on approximately 600 letters, 100 artworks, and Munch’s diaries and criticism, and evaluated across 100 interactive sessions with 14 students and expert raters. Headline results against an unconditioned baseline include CLIPScore +13.8%, FID −25.5% (small-sample, indicative), and emotion-cosine similarity +44.9%. Ethical implications surrounding posthumous digital emulation, authorship, and emotional manipulation are also discussed. The Munch Digital Twin represents a new paradigm in AI-driven art, where machines do not merely replicate, but collaborate across time with human legacies, enabling an anticipatory and emotionally intelligent form of computational creativity. This work is primarily a conceptual and architectural contribution, supported by a proof-of-concept prototype and a preliminary, non-controlled user study; the quantitative results are indicative and not yet confirmatory. Full article

Historical and cultural districts are the outcome of cultural sedimentation brought about by urban development, and they embody distinctive urban historical and cultural connotations. Ignoring the protection of the historical and cultural value contained in streetscapes will not only decrease the life quality of residents but will also diminish distinctive local urban features. This study focused on the Fangcheng historical and cultural district in Shenyang. The scenic beauty estimation method was employed to evaluate urban style and features’ visual quality, while the semantic differential method was used to obtain the subjective perceptual features of samples. The study also systematically explored the dynamic relationship between urban style and features’ quality and subjective perception in historical and cultural districts. The results show that color richness, coherence, iconic status, and continuum all exert significant positive predictive effects on visual preferences regarding urban style and features. Color richness was the primary determinant of urban style and features’ visual quality. Continuum interfaces, a unified spatial texture, and coordinated dimensions contributed significantly to improving urban style and features’ visual quality in historic and cultural districts. The distinctiveness and cultural iconic status of historical and cultural districts enhanced the residents’ identity and place memory. Moreover, the coherence and continuum of style between the old and new elements promoted an integrated aesthetic experience. The evaluation results revealed that the overall visual quality of urban style and features of most streets was medium. However, streets with a higher visual quality cluster among historical streets and commercial streets. The residential streets demonstrated a significantly lower visual quality. Establishing a comprehensive evaluation system that integrates urban style and features, subjective perception, and the style of historical and cultural districts can contribute to covering the shortage in the traditional urban style and features’ research and also provide a basis for urban regeneration at the micro scale. Full article

The article has two objectives: It begins by noting that, in memory studies, indexicality has thus far played a role primarily in the analysis of photographs. Central to this was Roland Barthes’ insight that photography should be read not only as an iconic sign but also as an indexical sign: a photograph touches us not only through what it shows, i.e., not only as a pictorial representation of its referent, but also through the fact that it is an imprint of light, causing it to function like a trace in the snow. While the insight into the indexical quality of photography has been extremely fruitful, it is surprising that other indexical signs (such as shadows or echoes) have received no attention in the discussion of memory studies. The first objective of this essay is to make a start on this, and it does so in dialogue with a Norwegian comic book. In Steffen Kverneland’s Skygger (Shadows), family memories of the German occupation of Norway play a decisive role. Most studies of World War II in contemporary literature focus on how historical events are represented. Kverneland takes a different approach. He is not interested in the representation of memories but in the function of remembering. He relates memories of World War II to current crises and to the aesthetics of his artistic work. The second objective of this essay is to analyse the comic, paying close attention to the various dimensions of indexicality. Full article

This article examines the revival of the Romantic Ballad in contemporary anglophone writing through Vanavil K. Ravi’s The Ballad of the Warrior-Girl, which reimagines the Tamil folk figure, Kuyili and her role in the Sivagangai rebellion, a Romantic-era anti-colonial uprising in South India. In retelling this folk memory, Ravi mobilizes a Romantic-era form to recast an instance of a local uprising, rife with caste dynamics, into a national and globalized narrative aligned with neo-nationalist storytelling conventions. By transforming a lower-caste, female militant in a local language into a Hindu, pan-Indian icon of patriotic martyrdom, Ravi’s ballad participates in a larger trend of globalized translations. I situate the text within intersecting histories of Romanticisms, balladic traditions, and the global circulation of literary forms. Through this, I outline what I call the ‘global ballad’ as distinct from the ‘globalized ballad’. While the latter flattens cultural difference into consumable cosmopolitanism, the former centers opacity and untranslatability across rhizomatic relationalities. I show how reading literary texts alongside different critical traditions is a productive way to counter the exoticized, neoliberal circulation of literature in translation. Full article

Precise characterization of the thermospheric neutral wind is essential for comprehending the dynamic interactions within the ionosphere-thermosphere system, as evidenced by the development of models like HWM and the need for localized data. However, numerical models often suffer from biases due to uncertainties in external forcing and the scarcity of direct wind observations. This study examines the influence of incorporating actual neutral wind profiles from the Michelson Interferometer for Global High-resolution Thermospheric Imaging (MIGHTI) on the Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) satellite into the Thermosphere Ionosphere Electrodynamics General Circulation Model (TIE-GCM) via an ensemble-based data assimilation framework. To address the challenges of assimilating real observational data, a robust background check Quality Control (QC) scheme with dynamic thresholds based on ensemble spread was implemented. The assimilation performance was evaluated by comparing the analysis results against independent, unassimilated observations and a free-running model Control Run. The findings demonstrate a substantial improvement in the precision of the thermospheric wind field. This enhancement is reflected in a 45–50% reduction in Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) for both zonal and meridional components. For zonal winds, the system demonstrated effective bias removal and sustained forecast skill, indicating a strong model memory of the large-scale mean flow. In contrast, while the assimilation exceptionally corrected the meridional circulation by refining the spatial structures and reshaping cross-equatorial flows, the forecast skill for this component dissipated rapidly. This characteristic of “short memory” underscores the highly dynamic nature of thermospheric winds and emphasizes the need for high-frequency assimilation cycles. The system required a spin-up period of approximately 8 h to achieve statistical stability. These findings demonstrate that the assimilation of data from ICON/MIGHTI satellites not only diminishes numerical inaccuracies but also improves the representation of instantaneous thermospheric wind distributions. Providing a high-fidelity dataset is crucial for advancing the modeling and understanding of the complex interactions within the Earth’s ionosphere-thermosphere system. Full article

This paper examines Christian icons in Panjab, in northern India, and their relationship to the larger discourse on race, iconoclasm, and decentering Whiteness in the United States. I analyze the appropriation of Panjabi idioms woven into Christian icons to interrogate the alleged case of forced conversions of lower caste, Mazhabi Sikhs, and the atmospheres of violence. Focusing on the beheading of Christ and Mary’s pieta statue in a church in Tarn Taran, Panjab in 2022, I investigate the iconic materiality and vexed histories of the religious symbol through a visual studies lens. How do Christian images signal liminal material presences that oscillate between their identity of sacred icons and of hegemonic monuments of white supremacy? Using a Lacanian psychoanalytic and decolonial framework, I argue that entangled in the politics of memory, Christian icons are an impregnated space of intersecting colonial histories of oppression and conversion entrenched in hierarchies of race, class, and caste. This study contributes to understanding the growing impact of Christianity in northern India, the war of narratives being enacted upon its icons, and its relationship to anti-colonial and anti-racial expressions of transnational iconoclasm to posit a bigger question: Is there a way to navigate through the dense matrix of colonialism, race, religion, caste, and violence to reclaim agency through Mignolo’s call for a “praxis of decolonial healing”? Full article

McMahon Hall, an iconic Brutalist dormitory at the University of Washington, has become the site of an interdisciplinary experiment in cultural memory and machine-assisted storytelling. This article presents a method that combines remote sensing with AI-generated voices to produce a polyvocal narrative of architecture through the perspective of the building itself, its material (concrete), an architect, a journalist, and a bird. Drone photogrammetry and generated 3D models were combined with generative AI (text, image, and voice) to reconstruct the site digitally and imaginatively (AI-driven speculative narratives). Through speculative storytelling, the article and the project explore how cultural memory and perception of built heritage can be augmented by machines, offering plural perspectives that challenge singular historical narratives. The Introduction situates the work at the intersection of digital heritage documentation, AI storytelling, epistemology in machine learning, and spatial computing, emphasizing the perception of heritage through different actors. The Theoretical Framework draws on literature in photogrammetry for heritage preservation, polyvocal narrative, and knowledge frameworks of AI. The Materials and Methods detail the workflow: capturing McMahon Hall via UAV photogrammetry, producing a 3D model, and generating character-driven narratives with large language models and voice synthesis. The resulting multi-voiced narrative and its thematic insights are described. In the Discussion, the implications of this approach for architectural heritage interpretation are considered, including its capacity to amplify diverse voices and the risks of bias or hyperreality in AI-generated narratives. The study argues that this polyvocal, machine-augmented storytelling expands the toolkit of remote sensing and digital heritage by not only documenting the tangible form of the built environment but also speculating on its intangible cultural memory. The Conclusions reflect on how merging spatial computing techniques with AI narratives can support new modes of engagement with architecture, positioning this work as a building block toward richer human-machine co-created heritage experiences. Full article

Tanomenon Sorva (TS), a traditional yogurt-based soup at the heart of Pontic Greek cuisine, is examined as a marker of identity among descendants of Pontic Greeks in Western Macedonia, Greece. Guided by social constructionism and practice theories, we conducted participant observation and semi-structured interviews with 11 women aged 54–86 years and analyzed data using reflexive thematic analysis (RTA). Four key themes emerged: (1) Cultural Continuity and Tradition; (2) Social Bonding Through Food; (3) Adaptation, Challenges, and Loss; and (4) Health and Nourishment. We argue that this iconic, tangy soup operates as a cultural code and habitual practice that stitches memory, belonging, and embodied well-being. Against pressures of culinary homogenization, TS remains a powerful symbol and a practical tradition that helps a group preserve its unique identity. Full article

Across the centuries, trees have been recognised as one of the oldest lifeforms on earth, witnessing and subject to the passage of time on a scale that far exceeds human life, telling us who we are in the world. This paper explores the intricate nature of human interactions with trees across a broad chronological and conceptual range, and the cultural, symbolic, and ecological meaning of “iconic” trees, drawing upon a selection of case studies to explore and analyse the relationship between the tree as a living organism and its cultural, textual, and mnemonic meaning. In conducting this, it reflects upon the cultural geographies of presence and absence, and the role of emblematic trees as places of memory and structures of belief. The relationship between human life and the life of trees is shown to be symbiotic; multiple cultural values and symbolic forms are ascribed to trees, and those same trees shape the physical, ecological, and human environment. The social and cultural construction of the landscape and sites of memory is presented as a key component in the formation of narratives and mentalities that define the relationship between humans and iconic trees, material and imagined. Physical, ecological, and cultural erosion, it is suggested, have the capacity of memorialising forgetfulness and creating a space in which the absence of presence and the presence of absence co-exist. The iconic image of the fallen tree, in its presence and absence, exposes the extent to which trees are also human objects, constructed and understood in human terms, and subject to a range of personal, political, and pragmatic impulses. A tree can be iconic not simply because of what it was but because of what it was believed to be, integrating a physical, historical, memory, and ecological or cultural space into our relationship with the natural world. Full article

Nowadays, technological progress has promoted the integration of artificial intelligence into modern human lives rapidly. On the other hand, extreme weather events in recent years have started to influence human well-being. As a result, these events have been addressed by artificial intelligence methods more and more frequently. In line with this, the paper focuses on searching for predicting the air temperature in a particular Slovenian micro-location by using a weather prediction model Maximus based on a long-short term memory neural network learned by the long-term, lower-resolution dataset CERRA. During this huge experimental study, the Maximus prediction model was tested with the ICON-D2 general-purpose weather prediction model and validated with real data from the mobile weather station positioned at a specific micro-location. The weather station employs Internet of Things sensors for measuring temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction, and rain, while it is powered by solar cells. The results of comparing the Maximus proposed prediction model for predicting the air temperature in micro-locations with the general-purpose weather prediction model ICON-D2 has encouraged the authors to continue searching for an air temperature prediction model at the micro-location in the future. Full article

This paper argues for a paradigm shift in heritage conservation—one that integrates affective connections, digital technologies, and circular economy principles to respond to the complex realities of urban transformation. Using the case of the Dennys Lascelles Wool Store in Geelong, this position paper contends that current preservation models, rooted in the Authoritative Heritage Discourse (AHD), are inadequate for addressing the nuanced value of industrial heritage, particularly when physical structures are altered or lost. The demolition of the Wool Store’s iconic bow truss structure exemplifies the tension between rapid urban development and heritage conservation. While the physical element has been removed, the site’s cultural and emotional resonance persists, underscoring the role of affect in shaping collective memory and place identity. This paper positions affect as a critical component of heritage discourse—one that expands beyond materiality to include sensory and emotional dimensions often overlooked by institutional frameworks. Digital heritage technologies offer powerful tools to document, represent, and interpret both tangible and intangible aspects of cultural heritage. In the case of the Wool Store, these tools not only preserve what has been lost but also invite public engagement and reinterpretation. However, preservation should not end with digital replication. A circular economy approach calls for the adaptive reuse of remaining structures, allowing historic sites to evolve functionally while retaining their significance. Full article

This study examines the influence of dynamic and verbal elements in logo design on consumer behaviour in the luxury retail sector using advanced neuroscience technology (Predict v.1.0) and traditional cognitive survey methods. AI-powered eye tracking (n = 255,000), EEG technology (n = 45,000), implicit testing (n = 9000), and memory testing (n = 7000) were used to predict human behaviour. Qualitative cognitive surveys (n = 297), saliency map analysis, and emotional response evaluation were employed to analyse three distinct logo designs. The results indicate that logos with prominent dynamic elements, particularly visually distinct icons, demonstrate superior performance in capturing and maintaining viewer attention compared with static designs. A strong correlation was found between cognitive demand and engagement, suggesting that dynamic elements enhance emotional connections and brand recall. However, the effectiveness of dynamic features varied, with more pronounced elements yielding better results for industry associations and premium market alignment. This study, combining advanced neuroscience technology with traditional cognitive survey methods, makes significant contributions to the field and opens up new avenues for research and application. The findings provide valuable insights for luxury brand managers in optimising logo designs to enhance emotional connection and brand perception and improve academia by providing powerful tools for understanding and predicting human responses to visual stimuli. Full article

Following the Great East Japan Earthquake, dark tourism was developed in the Tohoku Region of Japan. Notably, two government-built tsunami memorial parks in Ishinomaki and Rikuzentakata have obtained attention for their profound disaster narratives, iconic disaster sites, and expansive layouts. This study is the first to compare the projected destination image presented by destination management organizations with the perceived destination image held by visitors in these parks, and in dark tourism. Using online text data from both supply and demand sides of dark tourism and text mining analyses such as word frequency analysis, co-occurrence network analysis, and affection tendency examination, we revealed similarities and disparities between these two perspectives. Furthermore, this study concluded dimensions specific to dark tourism sites within the cognitive and affective destination image. Based on the findings, the study provides advice for destination managers to improve these sites, including developing non-dark tourism products and improving infrastructures. Additionally, it proposes placing greater emphasis on themes of revitalization and future development, while fostering visitor engagement in local non-profit and citizen activities to strengthen connections with residents. The findings demonstrate the effectiveness of text mining in comparing projected and perceived destination images in the context of dark tourism sites. Full article

There is currently a certain pressure from various mnemonic communities, animated by vernacular interests, to canonize new saints within what is regarded as the flawed saints’ cultural-political movement. Among these new, uncanonized saints, whose memory is commemorated unofficially in various cultural-political registers, there is also the football star Diego Armando Maradona, called by his millions of fans “the Hand of God” (La Mano de Dios). The commemorative culture that thrived around Maradona’s persona—materialized in artefacts, shrines, icon-like paintings, prints, graffiti, stencils, and other memorabilia—do not fit the customary narratives of sainthood, nor to the display and content of the recently inaugurated (2023) memorial to the new martyrs of both the 20th and 21st centuries at Saint Bartholomew Basilica in Rome. The article argues that the commemoration of Maradona by his fans in Italy, Argentina, and worldwide is enacted in pop culture formats aimed at addressing different sets of contemporary mnemonic and spiritual needs. The aim is to offer a fresh conceptual engagement with the contemporary cultural-political phenomenon of “flawed saints” commemoration through the lens of contemporary popular culture, taking the culture of commemoration of Diego Maradona as a case study. Full article

Socialist modernist architecture in the Balkan has left a valuable legacy of remarkable buildings from this century, which brought a mixture of new experiences and local traditions. Unfortunately, after the 1990s, many of these buildings have been neglected, improperly treated, or abandoned. This paper focuses on the iconic socialist modernist office building “Rilindja” in Prishtina, Kosovo, which was built in 1979. In 2010, the building envelope was changed in the name of revitalization, without considering the energy aspect. The study aims to present energy performance analysis through cost-optimal renovation measures of the building envelope while restoring the architectural values before the last renovation. Using Archicad and EcoDesigner STAR, a BIM model was created, and energy analysis was conducted. The findings indicate that eighteen proposed energy efficiency measures can achieve a reduction in energy consumption for heating and cooling of more than 80% over the life cycle period of 20 years. The comparison before and after renovation considering restoring and preserving the inherent values, while integrating energy efficiency measures was necessary, as there is a lack of such studies in the general literature. Finally, the potential of restoring the collective memory through cost-optimal analysis is emphasized as an approach for similar cases. Full article