艺术史的多样性体现在多个方面，可以从多个不同维度来进行观察和分析。本分论坛拟从艺术门类，艺术地域及艺术的传统与现代等几个维度来深入探讨艺术史的多样性特征：
（一）多元化的艺术史叙事新格局
艺术史通常指的是美术史，尤其是基于欧洲中心主义的美术史。艺术史的多样性，一方面指的是对欧洲中心主义的突破，另一方面指的是对美术的突破。前者呼唤不同艺术传统之间的对话，后者呼唤不同艺术门类之间的协作。无论是不同艺术传统之间的对话还是不同艺术门类之间的协作，最终目的都是增进人类对艺术的理解。
随着全球化的深入发展，欧洲中心主义的艺术史遭到来自其他文化的艺术史叙事的挑战，艺术史研究形成了多元文化对话的新局面。中国有独特的艺术传统，相应地形成了独特的艺术史研究方法。中外学者的对话，会促成艺术史研究领域的跨文化合作，有可能形成新的全球艺术史叙事。
在中国，艺术不仅指美术，也包括音乐、舞蹈、戏剧、电影等艺术门类。但是，受西方影响的艺术史研究，主要指美术史研究，音乐史、舞蹈史、戏剧史、电影史等研究被排除在艺术史研究的范围之外。艺术领域中的这种分门别类研究，实际上是西方现代性的产物。当代艺术实践中的媒介融合趋势，突破了艺术门类之间的壁垒，进而呼唤一种跨越门类的艺术史研究。
将艺术史研究从欧洲中心和美术中心中解放出来，必定会促成不同艺术传统和不同艺术门类之间的合作，进而形成多元化的艺术史叙事的新格局。
（二）不同的艺术、共同的世界
在“不同的艺术、共同的世界”这个问题上有两个追问：
第一，中国艺术有哪些是西方引进的艺术，有哪些是自己原有的艺术。在原有的艺术中，那些被用西方的艺术史方法描述和研究过，哪些部分无法用西方的艺术史方法描述和研究？这是针对历史旧账而言。
第二，西方传统艺术被现代艺术改变之后，西方艺术史针对图像和意义的解释并不符合当代艺术的事实（艺术改变了），图像和信息时代的来临已经改变了艺术的定义和范畴，我们还能用西方艺术史研究已经变化了的艺术吗？无论这种艺术发生在什么地方我们都应该建造一种新的艺术史和艺术学，这种艺术科学不是以文化或国家作为他的分界，而是以全球范围各种全新的，创造性的对艺术的自由理解的差异性作为人类文化差异的基础，是选择的差异、自由决定的差异而不是文化身份和地缘政治对人的限制而形成的差异（虽然事实上艺术依旧在这种限制中）。这是针对当代问题而言。
如果说第一个追问还与各个民族、国家的历史传统有关，第二个追问则是全球时代艺术史的共同问题，是图像时代和信息时代人的自由和创造性的延伸。
拟分为以下几个分议题：
●传播与接受：此议题关于在世界范围内不同艺术文化之间的传播。研究艺术是如何以新的传播方式为其手段，扩展其价值与感觉的影响，从而转变和扩展原来的趣味格局，并形成新的表达形式。不是文化之间相互看待，也不是相互理解和接受，而是“传”和“播”。
●他者与陌生：此题针对如何看待和评价一个外来的和陌生的艺术的问题。在世界范围内由于各种特殊的历史原因，每一个文化都遭遇到一个外来的陌生的艺术，甚至在一个文化内部也有对于不在文化中心和不在传统体制内的“外来”和陌生的艺术。
●误解与曲用：此题侧重在艺术史中误解和曲解，以进一步研究如何接受异文化和外来文化和少数非正统、非传统文化的问题。
The diversity of art history is multi-faceted and can be observed or analyzed from many perspectives. This panel session aims to discuss this diversity from various viewpoints in the art fields: types of art forms, regional art,traditional and contemporary art, etc.
1. The Diversity of Art History
"Art history" is a term often used to refer to the history of the visual arts in an Eurocentric context. The implication inherent to "art history's diversity" suggests putting an end to Eurocentrism, to encourage conversations between different art traditions. It also proposes a wider meaning to the concept of art, and advocates communication between different types of art forms. The ultimate goal of both these conversations is to enhance the overall human understanding of art.
With the expansion of globalization, Eurocentrism has started to be challenged by other cultures’ narratives on art history, and a new multicultural dialogue has been initiated within art history studies. Chinese artistic tradition is unique, and needs unique research methods. Communications between Chinese and foreign scholars will contribute to intercultural cooperation in art history research, and will undoubtedly form a new narrative on global art history.
In China, art not only refers to visual arts, but also includes music, dance,theatre, and film. However, art history research, influenced by the Western world, mainly refers to the study of the history of visual arts, excluding studies on the history of music, dance, theatre and film. This classificationis really the product of Western modernity. An increased interest for multi media in the practice of contemporary art breaks barriers between different art forms, calling for a new approach in the study of art history.
The emancipation from both visual arts and Eurocentrism will definitely contribute to a cooperation between different artistic traditions and different art forms,and will lead to the diversification of narratives within art history.
2. Different Arts in One World
Two questions need to be answered:
1)How can we differentiate art imported from the West, and "native" traditional Chinese art? Within the latter, what can or cannot be defined and studied with methodologies borrowed from Western art history?
2)Modern (Western) art movements have challenged classical art theories and practice, and the Information Age has greatly transformed the definition of art. This has led us to question the validity and the efficiency of traditional art methodologies (such as iconography) to interpret new art forms. As aresult, we should initiate a new chapter in art history that would allow for abetter understanding of contemporary art forms, and that would not berestrained by cultural, political or geographical borders, but would embrace current and global perspectives. Differences in art come from differences in the comprehension of art, and the artists' choice of an art form should not bebound by cultural or political limitations.
● Transmission and adoption: survey of the proliferation of various art forms on the global level. The study of art must be done through new ways of transmission, and expand the part it may play in both economics and awareness so that it may transform and broaden original appreciation patterns and shape a new voice. It is not about approach, understanding or appreciation but about transformation and diffusion.
● Otherness and foreignness: an exploration into the strangeness and unfamiliar aesthetics of “foreign” art. Various historical reasons lead all world's civilizations to eventually encounter "foreign" art, but acceptance or rejection depends on each culture’s own perspective: either enjoyment of a foreign culture’s novelty, or rejection and resistance to foreign ideas and influences caused by cultural inertia.
● Misunderstanding’s fertile ground: a focus on misunderstanding and misinterpretation in art history, and how accepting foreign and unorthodox cultures is not a traditionally raised issue.
