Visual Studies

Artykuł zawiera opis/charakterystykę wczesnej fazy twórczości poetyckiej Krzysztofa Kuczkowskiego oraz analizę i interpretację wybranych wierszy z książek Prognoza pogody (1980) i  Ciało, cień (1989).  Autor podejmuje próbę wytłumaczenia, dlaczego i w jaki sposób w końcówce lat 80. dochodzi u Kuczkowskiego do zasadniczej zmiany w obrębie świadomości twórczej, w wyniku której wczesna fascynacja lingwistycznym wymiarem poezji stopniowo ustępuje miejsca poszukiwaniom metafizycznym, duchowym, wreszcie zaś otwarcie religijnym.

Showrunner Eric Kripke’s The Boys and its spin-off series Gen V present themselves as razor-sharp critiques of the Marvel Cinematic Universe superhero boom, and the celebrity culture of late-stage
capitalism. This essay argues that Kripke’s critique is tied to the two series’ visual language of violence. Kripke converts the ideologically aestheticized violence of the comic book superhero into the
nihilistically horrifying violence of the body horror monster. As a result, the superhero and the monster are revealed as one and the same, the salient difference between them their respective genre’s faith in
political power. A close reading of Gen V’s elements of body horror in relation to its deep cut references to the feminist iconography of Marvel Comics’ Uncanny X-Men series of the 1980s reveals a falling out
between minority subjects and the institutional frameworks of diversity, equity, and inclusion that purport to advance their prospects for equality.

Digitisation is a technical operation that brings the image back into the wider range of computable representations. This operation can be described as an "allographisation", that is, as a form of explicit notation of the image. The contribution aims at investigating if and how this technical feature impacts on the status of the image itself. In particular, it discusses its semiotic effects in relation to production practices. A crucial test bed is thus provided by the notion of authorship, as new forms of subjective mediation emerge starting from the format, through algorithmic generation and through technologies that modify the creative practices, thus redefining the role of the author. In the contribution, the authorial issue in digital images is addressed semiotically by taking into account three axes: enunciation levels, subject modalisations, and modes of sign production. By means of these notions, and their intertwining, it becomes possible to tackle the complexity of the authorship scenario in digital media.

This paper considers the conditions by which the fluid photographic archive becomes a marker and focus of ‘strong history’ though which people account for and express their difference and distinctiveness, pasts and presents. Within this, the idea of the moving archive brings together absences and presences, circumstance and the moral affordances of evidence. My discussion extends Laura Wexler and Leo Speizer’s notion of ‘liquid time’ as a mode of photographic thinking through Zygmunt Baumann’s earlier use of the term to describe the insecurities and 'decomposition'  of the fluid time in contemporary society in which mass-migration and the fluid definition of ‘home’ are key characteristics.

The Chapter appears in 'Nomadic Camera'  edited by Burcu Dogramaci  Winfried Gerling  Jens Jäger and, Birgit Mersmann.
Leuven University Press 2026
available open access: https://lup.be/book/nomadic-camera/

The aim of this article is to stimulate a reaction on the international dimension of the project of “energy transition” from fossil fuels – coal, oil, and natural gas – to renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, on which there is growing private and public investment. I will  first describe the link between fossil fuels and international conflicts
then, after analysing the evolution of the concept of “energy transition” (today we also refer to it as “green transition” or “net zero”), I will critically reflect on how much truth there is, in light of recent literature, in the assumption that a world transitioning to renewable energy will become cleaner, more cooperative, and less belligerent.

Photographs are powerful because they enable local and global audiences to sec and feel for communities that endure conflict. They convey the meaning of hardship and suffering to dista nt audiences a nd, in doing so, can crea te humanitarian solidarity and political action. H umanitarian photography, just as humanitarianism itself, is inherently linked to its past, including colonialism and larger Eurocentric worldviews. Deeply entre nched visual patterns typically depict victims as helpless a nd assign power and agency to privileged Western actors. Emerging from practices of humanitarian photography, peace photography has inherited this visua l legacy. Scholars need to confront the problematic origi n a nd legacies of humanitaria n imagery to conceptualize productive ways of visualizi ng and enacting peace. Such critical engagement can faci litate forms of peace photography-that is, ways of visualizing humanitarian responsibilities tha t enable scholars, practitioners and affected communities to learn from and address structural inju\ticcs and violence. At the same time such engagements could help postconflict communities work towards peace through forward-looking and genuinely inclusive as well as emancipatory peacebuilding processes.

The distribution outlet (distro) industry has developed as an urban youth creative space that brings together clothing, music, graphic design, community, and lifestyle. A distro no longer functions merely as a distribution space for independent clothing products, but also as an arena for shaping brand identity through visual strategies that remain close to the everyday life of young consumers. In this context, fashion photography plays an important role as a medium of brand communication because it is able to present products, build atmosphere, represent ideal consumer characters, and connect clothing with particular social and cultural aspirations. This article aims to explain the role of fashion photography as a brand communication strategy in the distro industry, especially through the relationship between visual imagery, brand identity, promotional media, and consumer experience. The approach used is conceptual and qualitative by examining literature on marketing communication, visual communication design, fashion photography, and the development of the distro phenomenon. The discussion shows that the strength of fashion photography in the distro industry lies in its ability to build differentiation, strengthen lifestyle associations, and extend brand recall through catalogues, posters, independent magazines, websites, forums, and blogs. Therefore, fashion photography can be understood as a strategic instrument that integrates aesthetics, commercial messages, and community identity. Through consistent visual management, fashion photography has the potential to strengthen the position of a distro as a brand that does not merely sell products, but also offers experience, values, and a way of self-expression.

This investigative essay examines the unexplored
history of the sensational theft of Mik‘ayēl Ch‘amch‘ean’s
theological masterpiece, Vahan hawatoy (Shield of Faith) in 1815,
Constantinople, through newly accessible archival materials,
including an autographed copy of the purloined manuscript and
previously unavailable correspondence of Mik‘ayēl Ch‘amch‘ean. Far
from being merely another domestic burglary in an affluent district
of the imperial capital, the theft of Ch‘amch‘ean’s magnum opus
illuminates the broader context of contested faiths during the “age
of Armenian confessionalism” (1688–1815)—a period marked by
significant rupture within Ottoman Armenian communities that
produced increasingly polarized Catholic and Gregorian/Apostolic
identities. The theft provides a critical lens through which to
examine these confessional tensions and their material
manifestations in late Ottoman society. Beginning with an analysis
of three distinct narratives of the theft, the essay then establishes
the historical context of Armenian confessionalism as a framework
for assessing Ch‘amch‘ean’s Vahan hawatoy. This approach reveals
not only the circumstances of the theft but also the intellectual and
religious currents that shaped Armenian cultural production during
this pivotal period of confessional polarization.

The article examines richly decorated beaded baskets and related beadwork made by the Somali and Afar peoples of present-day Djibouti and northwestern Somalia during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It explores their historical uses, cultural significance, and origins. A central focus is the xeedho, an hourglass-shaped basket associated with Somali wedding ceremonies. While modern sources describe the xeedho as an important ceremonial object symbolizing the bride and groom, the author finds no historical evidence that the elaborately beaded baskets discussed in the article were actually used as xeedho. Drawing on museum collections, historical travel accounts, and ethnographic records, the article shows that these baskets were likely used to store women’s jewelry, clothing, and personal belongings. Many examples were decorated with glass beads, cowrie shells, and leather, reflecting both aesthetic and symbolic values. The study also discusses the difficulty of determining whether individual objects were made by the Somali or the Afar, as both groups lived in the region and participated in trade networks. The beads used were imported, including Venetian and possibly Chinese glass beads. In conclusion, the author argues that these luxurious beaded baskets should be distinguished from the traditional xeedho wedding basket. They were most likely decorative storage containers that flourished in the late 19th and early 20th centuries but disappeared from use by the mid-20th century.

What scholarship usually considers to be the main work of Wittgenstein’s later philosophy, the Philosophical Investigations, is a compilation of remarks Wittgenstein did not publish; the so-called book On Certainty consists of notes he jotted down towards the end of his life, definitely without the intention of seeing them published; the Zettel are typescript cuttings (with occasional handwritten additions) which, between 1929 and 1948, he thought to be worth putting into a special box, etc., etc. By contrast, Wittgenstein had always regarded his lectures as a form of publication. My intention in the present booklet is to work out a new paradigm for interpreting Wittgenstein, based strictly on the texts he actually meant to publish. These are: 1) the Tractatus,
2) “A Lecture on Ethics”, 3) the 1930 “Foreword” to the Philosophi-cal Remarks, 4) the Moore notes, ed. by David Stern et al., 5) The Blue Book, 6) The Brown Book, 7) the 1945 “Preface” to the Phil-osophical Investigations, 8) MS 144 (commonly known as “Part II” of the so-called Philosophical Investigations). My conclusion is that MS 144 constitutes Wittgenstein’s most mature work, the summit of his philosophical development. I dedicate this essay to the memory of my mentor and friend G. H. von Wright.

This artist portfolio contextualizes my work with "typoems"-typographical asemic poetry exploring aphasic experience as a source of inspiration that reflects on the contingency of our interpretations. Collaged typographic fragments have a specific lineage within Concrete and Visual poetry made by graphic designers and artists engaged with printing processes. Digital design software extends and expands these earlier possibilities that were constrained by the physical limitations of typography by allowing the fluid conversion between letterforms and vectorized graphics, changes that facilitate an exploration of the boundaries between lettering and imagery. Included in this portfolio are examples of my work with typoems published by RedFox Press, Timglaset Editions, and the Post-Asemic Press; the book CMYK-52 Typoems :: 4 typefaces | 4 letters | 4 sections (Timglaset, 2023) won a 45 th STA100, The Society of Typographic Arts,

El argumento por oposición fue identificado por la tradición dialéctica y retórica griega como esquema inferencial y
estrategia persuasiva, y desde entonces ha mantenido una presencia sostenida en la retórica latina y en los tratados
que desembocan en la moderna teoría de la argumentación. Aquí discutimos las principales propuestas
conceptuales clásicas y contemporáneas, que tomamos como punto de partida para ofrecer un esquema aplicable
a discursos multimodales. En términos generales, entendemos el argumento por oposición como una forma de
razonamiento que pone en escena incompatibilidades de las que se derivan juicios de valor enfrentados o antitéticos.
Además de distinguir variaciones del esquema de base, identificamos tres operaciones mediante las cuales las
argumentaciones visuales construyen esa incompatibilidad: la comparación de situaciones simétricas opuestas; la
correlación de posiciones en escalas continuas; y la puesta en evidencia de la ausencia, en una entidad, de
propiedades consideradas normales, esperables o definitorias. La propuesta se desarrolla mediante el análisis de
un corpus visual de política internacional, compuesto en buena medida por materiales de campaña de partidos de
derecha europeos.