Title How is the ambiguous nature of the uncanny expressed through the object/subject relationship within the uncanny art experience? Synopsis The uncanny is, at its core, ambiguous and ambivalent. It is impossible, at all times, to rationally or intellectually comprehend the experience of the uncanny. The objective of this study will be to analyze the ambiguity that is embedded in the object/subject relationship within the uncanny art experience. It will examine the complexity of the relationship by looking at the existing dynamic between the viewer (subject) and the work of art (object). In order to achieve this, artwork by different artists will be looked at in conjunction with theoretical analysis on the concept of the uncanny. An etymological analysis of the German word ‘Unheimlich’ [uncanny] is included in the first chapter to give a more in depth insight into the ambiguous nature of the uncanny. The respective chapters aim to illuminate different aspects of the subject/object relationship in order to give a thorough and complete analysis. The study concludes that the uncanny art experience is best understood in the relationship between object and subject. The acceptance of the ungraspable nature of the uncanny is what ultimately allows a glimpse into its mystery.
Title How is the concept of the ‘body’ realized within the experience of viewing artwork? Introduction ... Chapter 1 introduces the concept of boundaries that define the viewer from the art object and the surrounding space. It discusses the ambiguous nature of these and challenges the notion of the viewer’s own ‘bodiliness’. As exterior boundaries are transcended, the body is realized as a corporeality that includes matter and psyche. Chapter 2 focuses on the notion of the interiority of the body. The transcending of boundaries into the inner space of the body leads to an intense experiencing of material and immaterial embodiment. This condition of inner sensation is found to correspond to the condition of the living body that is both flesh and emotion. Chapter 3 deals with the notion of space and containment. The body is simultaneously contained by exterior space and container of inner space. The dissolution of boundaries and the merging of spaces lead to a crucial moment of definition between states of being. The body is realized as an embodied consciousness that includes matter and psyche. Chapter 4 identifies the value of boundaries in the act of transcending these. The expanding and shifting of boundaries is reflective of the body transforming and moving towards a deeper understanding of embodied being. The concept of the ‘body’ being both matter and psyche is ultimately realized as a condition of human bodily being.