Exploring the enigmatic unconscious: An automatic approach
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School of Arts, Design and Architecture |
Master's thesis
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Authors
Date
2022
Department
Major/Subject
Mcode
Degree programme
Master's Programme in Visual Culture and Contemporary Art
Language
en
Pages
112
Series
Abstract
The enigma of the Unconscious mind has baffled many psychologists and artists alike, yielding entire Art movements, such as Surrealism and Abstract Art. Its mystery continues to excite modern thinkers and inspire creative professionals to this day. As a visual artist influenced by the Abstract and Surrealist genres, I gravitate towards the ambiguous nature of the Unconscious, and its connotations in the artistic field. Since self-awareness is one of our defining qualities as a species, there is an unease in our lack of understanding when it comes to the inner workings of our psyche. This thesis explores said paradox by analysing the role of the Unconscious in my artistic process, as well as its implications for the viewer. In approaching these topics via artistic inquiry, the project aims to illustrate the significance of employing the Unconscious in visual art. The present study focuses on automatic methods of production as a means of communication between Conscious and Unconscious states. The aim is to succumb to the intuitive process so that the outcome may be unfiltered and uncorrupted by active decision-making; thereby allowing Unconscious thoughts to emerge and depict themselves in the form of symbols. This artistic research points to the precision of Jung’s theories about Archetypal Imagery as a means of interpreting symbols in our Unconscious. This exploration of automatic techniques cultivated into the form of an art exhibition, the goal of which was to avoid deliberate intention, but instead, allowing to be guided by immediate instinct and chance. This project reveals that in doing so, the work can expand in scope of interpretation, which offers me immense artistic freedom. The fruits of the automatic method are often more insightful and imaginative than those forged from meticulous forethought. The Unconscious should therefore be exploited as a catalyst for creativity.Description
Supervisor
Euro, PiaThesis advisor
Keywords
conscious, unconscious, automatism, archetypes, abstract, symbols