Arts is a peer-reviewed academic journal that publishes cutting-edge research on all aspects of visual and performing arts. The journal provides a platform for interdisciplinary and cross-cultural perspectives, fostering a deeper understanding of art and visual culture in contemporary society.

Special Issue of Arts: Contemporary Visual Culture in Conflict Zones and Contested Territories.

Guest Editor: Ronit Milano, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.

The intersections of art and conflict have garnered increasing scholarly attention in recent years. Visual culture in conflict zones and contested territories offers profound insights into the human condition, reflecting and shaping the socio-political landscapes in which it is embedded. From war-torn cities to disputed borders, artists and visual practitioners navigate fraught environments to produce works that resonate with themes of resistance, resilience, and remembrance. This special issue aims to foreground the critical role of visual culture in these settings, providing a platform for interdisciplinary dialogue and diverse perspectives.
This special issue seeks to delve into the intricate dynamics of visual culture as it emerges and evolves in regions marked by conflict and territorial disputes. Our primary aim is to explore how visual culture in the past fifty years has manifested in and responded to the complexities of conflict and contested territories. We seek to understand how art and visual practices contribute to the discourse on conflict, identity, memory, and activism. By bringing together contributions from scholars, artists, and cultural practitioners, this issue will offer a comprehensive examination of the power and potential of visual culture in these challenging contexts.

We invite submissions that engage with, but are not limited to, the following themes:
1. Artistic Responses to Conflict: Investigating how artists depict and interpret conflict, and the roles their works play in mediating experiences of violence and displacement.
2. Visual Narratives and Memory: Examining the representation of historical and contemporary conflicts through visual media, and their impact on collective memory.
3. Artistic Agency and Activism: Exploring the ways artists and cultural producers engage in activism, and how they navigate their roles within conflict zones and contested territories.
4. The Politics of Representation: Analyzing issues of power, identity, and ideology in visual representations of conflict, and the ethical considerations involved.
5. Cultural Institutions and Curatorial Practices: Investigating how museums, galleries, and cultural institutions approach the exhibition of works from or about conflict zones and contested territories.
6. Technological Interventions: Assessing the influence of digital technologies and new media on the representation and dissemination of visual culture in these regions.

Submission Process:

Visit the special issue’s website for more information and the submission link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/arts/special_issues/26NX00K38B.

Manuscript Submission Information:

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form: https://login.mdpi.com/login?_target_path=https%3A%2F%2Fsusy.mdpi.com%2Fuser%2Flogin%3FauthAll%3Dtrue.

Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/arts/instructions.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Submission of full manuscript deadline: April 30th, 2025 via the Arts online submission system.
Please note that sending an abstract (article proposal, up to 500 words) before the full manuscript submission, enables the guest editor to waive the journal publication fee. The deadline for abstract submission is December 31st, 2024.

For any queries regarding the special issue, please contact the guest editor at milanorbgu.ac.il.

We look forward to receiving your contributions and to advancing the discourse on contemporary visual culture in conflict zones and contested territories.