#3 Call for Papers: Special Issue on Multisensory Art - Journal of Art History

Call for papers for Special issue: Multisensory materiality in art: from theoretical perspectives to practice, in Konsthistorisk tidskrift / Journal of Art History.

In recent decades, there has been a growing interest in multisensory art, whether experienced one sense at a time or as integrated multisensory artworks and exhibitions. Insights into the olfactory, auditory, gustatory, and tactile dimensions of art reveal that sensory communication holds significant potential for enhancing our understanding of both historical and contemporary art.

We have recently seen a rising trend of immersive and multisensory art exhibitions, however, as art historians we may find it challenging to research these multisensory experiences using traditional methodologies. The material turn examined the relationship between visuality and materiality. As a next step, the sensorial turn in the humanities in general, and in art history in particular, offers perspectives where the non-visual senses are re-integrated into the analytical discourse and practice.

This special issue seeks to explore how multisensory approaches can demonstrate the - often unspoken - expertise of art historians as more than visual: what we experience in presence of the artwork potentially engages all our senses. As W.J.T. Mitchell (2005) aptly states: "There are no visual media"; every visual experience also elicits other sensory responses. As art historians, we find that a multisensory approach can potentially open for new insights and practices.

Manuscript deadline: 15 April 2025

We invite papers for this special issue on topics such as, but not limited to:

• Olfactory, gustatory, auditory, scenographic or tactile art: examples, methods and theoretical frameworks of non-visual or not-only-visual art.
• Adding sensorial aspects to visual art. How can the other senses enhance communication, meaning and experience of art works, artistic events and exhibitions?
• Curating multisensory art: problems and possibilities in the multisensory museum from the perspectives of research and/or practice.
• Re-thinking historiography: Taking back the sensory aspects of Art history.

Guest editor: Viveka Kjellmer, University of Gothenburg. viveka.kjellmer@arthist.gu.se

For this special issue, we invite articles of maximum 6-8.000 words including references.

For further details, please see the instructions for authors.

Please upload your paper directly in the Taylor and Francis submission portal no later than 15 April 2025. Select "Multisensory materiality in art: from theoretical perspectives to practice" when submitting your paper.

The submitted papers will undergo a double-blind peer-review process, and the timeframe for final manuscript delivery to the publisher, after revisions, is 1 September 2025. Expected publication of the special issue is December 2025.

More information on the Journal of Art History website: https://think.taylorandfrancis.com/special_issues/multisensory-materiality-in-art-from-theoretical-perspectives-to-practice/

Preparations for an autumn musical dinner, inspired by F.T. Marinetti (1932). Photo: V. Kjellmer