Fluorescence and Wood:
The Use of Fiber Optics Spectroscopy
for the Identification of Wood
Abstract:
The identification of wood with the use of visibly induced ultraviolet fluorescence has been used mostly for the timber industry and has only briefly been explored for the field of Art Conservation. Making use primarily of solvent dispersion, the need for a more reliable, faster, and less invasive technique for wood identification is of pressing importance. Thanks to the recent advancement in Fiber Optics Spectroscopy (FOS) the possibility of creating repeatable fluorescent responses from wooden art objects has become more of a possibility. During this paper, FOS technology was employed to explore the potential usefulness of the technique with art and cultural heritage objects.
Mind, Body, & Byzantium:
The development of phenomenological experience through the appropriation of Byzantine Art
Abstract:
Despite the vast research of the modernistic approach to Venetian 16th century painters, little exists about the impact of the Byzantine style on the artistic development of the Venetians. Venetian Renaissance paintings, as compared to works of central Italian painters, display a deeper exploration of the surface of a painting and its agency in the world. Raised and trained in a city teeming with Byzantine art and mosaics, Venetians were exposed to a rich artistic tradition rivaling that of their Roman and Florentine counterparts. In order to better understand Venetian art, this paper builds upon current research of the phenomenological aspects of Byzantine art as well as ideas of the link between the mind and body. By analyzing works by such artists as Giovanni Bellini and Giorgione alongside the mosaics of San Marco, this paper explores the physical aspects and phenomenology of Byzantine and early Christian gilded mosaics to argue that the portrayal of light, tactility, and materiality of 16th century Venetian Renaissance paintings was initiated by the prolonged interaction of the artists with mosaics.
Language of Symbolism and Space:
The Study of a 17th Century Islamic Prayer Rug
Abstract:
Although deeply rooted in Islamic tradition, the true reasoning behind the Islamic prayer rug’s architectural design is widely unknown. In order to explore the symbolism of imagery and the transportation of the mind and the body in space through prayer, this paper studies Islamic prayer rugs and the origins of their traditional imagery. By showcasing deep spiritual meaning throughout the designs of the prayer rugs, abstract ideas are reinforced with images of Paradise and the architectural elements of the mosque. By creating a now mobile sacred space, the prayer rug allows the devout to interact with the space and transport their mind into the realm of God in attempts to better understand Him. Using ideas of phenomenology and engaging with the physical act of prayer, this paper explores the interaction between the devout and the prayer rug through the use of a 17th century Ottoman prayer rug.