In celebration of our fiftieth volume, the 2020 edition of Ars Orientalis explores transformations—of a representation into a divine manifestation, of art history in an increasingly digital era—through an expanded double issue.
Considering miraculous images across Asia, seven articles reveal the variety of sacred icons and their active and diverse roles in mediating spiritual relationships. The authors delve into the complexity of textual traditions and the complicated question of duplication. These articles, guest edited by Dorothy Wong, are drawn from two workshops held in March 2018.
The expanded Digital Initiatives section in the online version of volume 50 departs from the traditional review format by presenting six peer-reviewed explorations into the ways in which digital tools allow for new approaches to studying, interpreting, and exhibiting Chinese Buddhist art and architecture. Guest edited by Di Luo, these articles show how the application of digital technologies can both advance art-historical inquiry and introduce new methodological concerns.
