Foundations of Visual Anthropology Professor Belting’s early work in Byzantine studies and art history laid the groundwork for a new understanding of images. His influential books, including one that connects art with the anthropology of images, reframe visual art as a dynamic field. He bridges centuries-old art traditions with modern interpretations, showing that images are deeply tied to human culture and perception.
Exploring Mental and Material Images The discussion highlights the need to view images not just as material objects but as mental constructs shaped by cultural practices. It draws attention to the interplay between the physical medium of images and the living body that perceives and remembers them. This approach reframes the way images are understood, emphasizing that they are products of both creative production and cultural usage.
Embodied Image and Iconic Presence Images are portrayed as living entities that stem from the body’s capacity to create, recall, and dream. The speaker introduces the idea that visible pictures and mental images coexist as a unified phenomenon. This unity gives rise to what is defined as iconic presence, a dynamic interface between the tangible medium and its internal resonance.
Bridging Absence and Visibility The narrative delves into how images capture the paradox of being a presence that represents an absence. It explains that the creation of images often compensates for a missing physical presence, imbuing them with a symbolic power in religious and cultural contexts. By embodying both the visible and the invisible, images become agents that express divine forces, memory, and cultural identity.
The Gaze as the Force of Animation The discussion emphasizes that the human gaze animates static images, transforming material representations into living experiences. It shows that the act of perceiving an image brings it into existence, blending external appearance with internal recognition. This process underlines the inseparable link between fabrication and perception, where both are vital in giving life to images.
Digital Transformation and Fleeting Image Dynamics The digital age challenges the traditional permanence of images by rendering them transitory and ephemeral. As images shed their material substance, the clear distinction between the physical object and the mental image blurs. This shift forces a reinvention of how images are experienced, emphasizing rapid circulation and new modes of interaction that dissolve long-held boundaries.
Global Perspectives and Redefining Iconology Globalization invites contributions from diverse cultural traditions that question the universal assumptions of Western art history. Scholars and artists from different parts of the world are reinterpreting what it means to create and perceive images. This intercultural dialogue fosters a multidisciplinary approach, prompting a redefinition of art, image, and identity in an ever-changing global context.