Purpose of this project
– To further sculpture my art theory through the practice of art therapy and psychoanalysis- exploring the self and identity through visual communication and practical research in relation to my understanding of arts role in supporting mental health.
Phsychoanalyst Influence
A strong influence in my work is psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Hermann Rorschach’s and his personality projective methods such as the ink blot test. My concepts and theories directly link to the expression of personality and therefore I feel Rorschach’s influence will encourage direct creative play around expression and identity.
Throughout the development of my art theory, Hegel’s most influential notion was Das Absolute or Absolute Idealism. in Hegel’s terms this referred to complete awareness of the self and world; in order for the aware subject to comprehend is object there in some sense must be identity of thought and being. This concept has played a role in my art theory highlighting importance of the self and thought – this inspired my understanding that as we interact with our environment and art, we can continuously hone in an understanding of our identity and our place in the world which is also the basis of a range of concepts in psychology and psychoanalysis.
Kant’s exploration of aesthetics is interesting to me as he believes that a human’s response to the mere appearance of an object without the determinate guidance of what it is, means we are exploring or responding to its aesthetics. Kant argues a variety of ideas such as his belief that the mind forms the foundation for human experience he argues that reason is the source of ethics and morality, he believes aesthetics rise from judgement and that space and time are shaped through human sensibility, that the world as is “in-itself” is independent of humanity’s understanding and concepts of it. I felt inspired by Kant’s belief’s of pleasure, that it is a basic signal of visual comprehension. So aesthetic judgement determines human cognition rather than the object itself, these ideas are fundamental within my work’s core; exploring the aesthetics and judgement as a means of exploring idenity and the human mind.
In Goodman’s Book, Ways of World-making (1978) I felt captivated by his questions: what is art? When is art? And what is good art? I feel particularly engaged with his exploration of symbolic language and concepts on the the power of audience. Goodman see’s everything as a symbol that classifies areas of reality for one’s self, as do such things as mathematical or scientific theories that make up common understanding of our world. Goodman furthered this concept through the notion of exemplification, I felt intrigued by the ideas that symbols can express qualities such as sorrow and movment without literally possessing them and in that expression is not bound to emotion but harnessed from the audience. This was an influence in my art theory as it draws attention to emotion and audience; I feel this could hold potential in exploring my studies exploring individuality and identity, I will use the foundation of Goodman’s importance of symbols in relation to my resreach on art therapy and physchoanalysis.
Danto is an important influence in my work, I was initially inspired by his creation of the term “Art world” suggesting conceptual artworks are incomprehensible without the input of art communities interpreters, critics, artists and curators, I feel this works well with my theory as it furthers my ideas that art begins and ends with the viewer and is based on the identity of the artworks observer therefore the idea that knowlegde in the field aids the viewers ability to comprehend the work stregthens my statements. I was also interested in Danto’s declaration of the end of art in one of his latest books, this claim was inspired by Hegel’s belief that postmodern art holds no boundies, there is no spirit or special way that art has to be, I feel this applies to my exploration of art as the practice of my project will work of the basis of “no right answer” outcomes. I admired Danto’s belief that to be an artist, means to become a philosopher and I feel this rings true in my art practice.
of creative methods such as drawing painting collage, colouring and sculting. The aim of the session is not to produce great art work but to utilise the work created to further understand yourself. The art can provide a platform for resurfacing memories and narrating narratives that can encourage the emergence of ideas and emotions from the unconscious mind. The practice of art therapy is founded on the concept that self-expression through forms of art and creation has therapeutic properties for those who seek deep understanding of themselves – Art therapists have been trained to comprehend the roles of textures, colour and media within the therapeutic process.
FAYE TIKIC 