ASCHA | Association of Scholars of Christianity in the History of Art
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“And Who Is My Neighbor?” Refuge, Sanctuary, and Representation in Modern Art and Visual Culture
In February 2026, we are pleased to present a day-long symposium in partnership with the Center for World Catholicism and Intercultural Theology at DePaul University Chicago, as well as a session at the 114th annual CAA Conference, taking place during the same week. Both events focus on a similar theme, “‘And Who Is My Neighbor?’ Refuge, Sanctuary, and Representation in Modern Art and Visual Culture”. We anticipate high interest in this topic and invite you to read both calls for papers and consider submitting your proposal to both events.
Tuesday, February 17, 2026 | DePaul University, Chicago, IL
“And Who Is My Neighbor?” Refuge, Sanctuary, and Representation in Modern Art and Visual Culture
A Symposium
Co-sponsored by:
• Association of Scholars of Christianity in the History of Art (ASCHA)
• Center for World Catholicism and Intercultural Theology, DePaul University
The parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37) endures as a powerful meditation on compassion, hospitality, and the boundaries of moral responsibility. In an age marked by geopolitical instability, mass displacement, and deepening social divides, the question “And who is my neighbor?” acquires renewed urgency. This day-long symposium, co-sponsored by the Association of Scholars of Christianity in the History of Art (ASCHA) and the Center for World Catholicism & Intercultural Theology at De Paul University (Chicago), invites critical reflection on how visual art—particularly modern and contemporary—has grappled with the ethical, theological, and political implications of neighborliness, sanctuary, and the representation of the “other.”
We welcome proposals from scholars, artists, curators, and graduate students that consider the ways in which visual culture has interpreted, challenged, or reimagined the ideals of refuge and hospitality within religious and intercultural frameworks. How have artistic practices responded to religious calls to welcome the stranger? In what ways do images negotiate the tensions between inclusion and exclusion, faith and politics, identity and alterity? How do modern and contemporary artworks embody, resist, or reinterpret Christian and other religious conceptions of community, care, and obligation?
Proposals that engage Catholic visual cultures or interpretive frameworks, perspectives from the Global South, or comparative interreligious approaches are especially encouraged.
Possible topics include, but are not limited to:
Religious art and the visual expression of hospitality, refuge, or care
Artistic responses to migration, border-crossings, and forced displacement
Sacred space, sanctuary, and public art in contemporary contexts
Theological aesthetics and the ethics of representation in modern visual culture
Intersections of race, gender, and class in depictions of the “neighbor”
Community-based or socially engaged artistic practices shaped by religious values
Interfaith artistic collaborations and their impact on conceptions of community and belonging
Submission of Proposals:
Proposals of no more than 300 words, accompanied by CV and a brief cover letter, are due by October 15, 2025 and should be sent by e-mail to Ronald R. Bernier at Bernierr1@wit.edu AND Rachel Hostetter Smith at rcsmith@taylor.edu ; with decisions by end October. Previously presented or published papers, as well as papers already committed to publication, will be considered but should be specifically indicated as such. Acceptance of papers assumes a commitment to attend and register for the symposium.
Symposium Organizers:
Dr. Ronald R. Bernier, Professor of Humanities at Wentworth Institute of Technology, and Dr. Rachel Hostetter Smith, Gilkison Distinguished Professor of Art History at Taylor University, are the editors of Religion and Contemporary Art: A Curious Accord (Routledge, 2023).
The Association of Scholars of Christianity in the History of Art (ASCHA) is a scholarly association that seeks to contribute to the study of art history by facilitating critical study of the relations between the visual arts and Christianity in its many social, historical, material, and theological dimensions, and as manifested in many different time periods, geographical locations, and world cultures. Through annual events and publication projects, ASCHA provides a forum for the advancement of research, dialogue, collaboration, and publication in the area of the visual arts. The association is nonpartisan and ecumenical, inviting the participation of scholars of any or no personal faith commitments. For more information see https://www.scholarschristianityhistoryart.org/ .
ASCHA is an affiliated society of CAA (College Art Association) and hosts a session in the annual CAA conference which will take place in Chicago immediately following the symposium, February 18-21, 2026.
The Center for World Catholicism and Intercultural Theology was founded at DePaul University in 2008 to produce research that will serve the church and the academy. To fulfill this mission, we have paid special attention to the world church that has emerged in recent decades and its growth in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
While our focus has been on the present global communion of faith, we also attend to historical, theological and cultural questions that will contribute to a fuller understanding of Catholicism and the dialogue of cultures today.
February 18-21 2026: 114th annual CAA Conference
ASCHA Session (date and time to be confirmed): “And Who is My Neighbor?”: Refuge, Sanctuary, and Representation in Modern Art and Visual Culture
We are pleased to invite you to join our upcoming session at the CAA 114th Annual Conference in Chicago, February 18–21, 2026.
Topic:
“And Who is My Neighbor?”: Refuge, Sanctuary, and Representation in Modern Art and Visual Culture
Conveners:
Ronald R. Bernier, PhD, Wentworth Institute of Technology, Boston, MA and Rachel Hostetter Smith, Taylor University, Upland, IN
Description:
The parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) remains one of the most enduring narratives in religious traditions, raising profound questions about community, responsibility, and the boundaries of moral obligation. In an era of heightened political tensions, worldwide immigration on an unprecedented scale, and shifting social landscapes, the question "And who is my neighbor?" resonates with urgent contemporary significance.
This session seeks to explore how religious traditions have grappled with the concept of neighborliness, hospitality, and ethical otherness, particularly through the lens of modern and contemporary visual art. We will examine artistic representations of neighborliness, inclusion, and exclusion in various religious and cultural traditions from the 20th century to the present. How have artists engaged with the themes of hospitality, belonging, and social responsibility? In what ways do contemporary artistic practices challenge, subvert, or reaffirm religious conceptions of community and care? How do religious iconographies and theological discourses shape contemporary responses to the ethical dilemmas of our time?
Presentations:
Cynthia Fowler, Emmanuel College: “Adrian Kellard: Acts of Intercession on Behalf of Gay Men”
Kimberly G. Sandoval, Artist: “Cristo en el Valle”
Olga Yunak, Graduate Theological Union: “Icons of Displacement: Alexandra Dabbert’s Religious Art in Exile”
Jeryn Mayer, Houston Community College: Painting the Future: Contemporary Street Art in Belfast
Download and read their abstracts here.
Important dates:
Session date and time: TBC
October 14, 2025: Accepted participants must register for a CAA membership if they are not already members. Register here:bhttps://collegeart.org/membership/individual
January 8, 2026: Session participants must register for the conference by this date. CAA offers several grants for conference registration and travel: https://collegeart.org/programs/support-grants
Please direct any questions to Ron Bernier at Bernierr1@wit.edu.
Annual business meeting: CAA 2026
You are warmly invited to join us for our annual business meeting, where you can learn more about our plans for ASCHA and get involved with our work. Attendance at the business meeting is free but requires pre-registration through the CAA conference site.
Location: Hilton Chicago, 720 South Michigan Avenue Chicago, IL 60605
Meeting Room: Private Dining Room 1
Meeting Date: Saturday, February 21, 2026
MeetingTime: 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM, Central Time