Relationships among the Aesthetic, culture, and music are problematic- Frequently considered as epiphenomenal to culture, music and the arts are typically seen as adjuncts to ceremonial activity- This dissertation examines the nature of the Aesthetic, music and performance in the context of the Lolo, Araigilpua Village, West New Britain Province, Papua New Guinea, in an attempt to develop a definition of the Aesthetic applicable for cross-cultural research and to discover the ways in which the Aesthetic and culture articulate. For the purposes of this dissertation, the Aesthetic is defined as that facet of religion focused on responses to extraordinary powers thought to maintain what are considered to be proper relationships between human members of a community and extraordinary powers. Three forms of aesthetics, social, performance, and musical, are taken as the means and methods of directing interactions between man and extraordinary powers. At present, the Lolo are engaged in a process of secularisation resulting primarily from the introduction of Christianity, Western medicine and money. This dissertation examines the relationship between the Aesthetic and social life, and addresses the impact of changes to the Aesthetic. / Arts, Faculty of / Anthropology, Department of / Graduate

It would seem almost inconceivable that art could, of its own accord, move society towards the kind of ultimate resolution of conflict necessary for an emergence of the egalitarian paradise on earth that was proposed by most Messianic philosophies in the nineteenth century. Art continually appears to be in the process of undermining any attempt by theoretical philosophy to contain or describe it as an absolute. This seems to be the source of much of the irony of art objects and their tacit philosophical implications. We can assume then that there is a somewhat paradoxical basis for the phenomenon of art as we have come to understand it historically. Any object, in order to be meaningful, has to carry a charge. Whether this is of a magical quality or pertains, as we conventionally recognize it, to some social understanding, what we call an ideology, the art-object does not exist without meaning. It is important to realize that I am not drawing a distinction here between ordering or disordering phenomena. Destruction is equally meaningful as construction, these are not value judgments, evil is as present a phenomena as good, and probably as intrinsically human. The concept of creativity that permeates our knowledge and respect for the powers art traditionally held, are historical understandings. As a civilization, we may have done away with mythological stories of our origins, cosmogonies, etc., but we have tended to unconsciously replace them with conceptual, as opposed to imagistic, alternatives, still largely mythic in construction, although we do not popularly recognize them as such. I am using myth here in Levi-Strauss' sense of the word, i.e.: "the unconscious social truths, those principles which provide the broadest base for a society's conception of itself.”¹ One task of this thesis will be to sort out the confusion which has resulted because of the ideological entanglement with mythic (religious) and scientific conceptions that has characterized the central arguments surrounding the arts in the early years of the twentieth century. Revoluntionary Russia now appears as a particularly dense arena for the combat of extreme or polarized beliefs as to the nature of art, and the artist's responsibility relative to an emerging mass consciousness. In this context there was a comparatively conscious merger of ideological propositions into what was previously considered a uniquely aesthetic or pure art production. Such a situation was contingent to the life and work of Kasimir Malevich (1878-1935). My intention is to demonstrate the art historical antecedents to such a period relevant to Malevich’s conceptions and the relationships which interconnect the development of his aesthetic with the philosophical and political concerns of his time. The ethos in which the artist emerges is especially indivisible in this instance from… [abstract continues] / Arts, Faculty of / Art History, Visual Art and Theory, Department of / Graduate

As a museum educator who embraces social education and reflects on the postmodern condition, I found working within a traditional museum context to present challenges. As a result, I conducted an action research project focusing on ways to improve my own practice and affect change based on my engagement with visual culture discourse and the docents I teach. Having chosen action research, I implemented various teaching approaches and collected data over the course of several months. These data collection methods included interviews, museum documents, observational notes, recorded teaching practice, and daily journal entries. Narrative analysis was then used to interpret the collected data, specifically focusing how participants, including myself, make sense out of our experiences and how we value them.

Orientador(a): Agnaldo Valente Germano da Silva (Agnus Valente) / Coorientador(a): José Spaniol / Banca: Cláudia Fazzolari / Banca: Joedy Luciana Barros Marins Bamonte / Banca: Lucimar Bello Pereira Frange / Banca: Sergio Mauro Romagnolo / Conteúdo: v. 1. Memórias genéticas - v. 2. Algumas reflexões - v. 3. Microuniversos, um processo ecolaborativo / Resumo: Ecologia em Práticas Cotidianas foi um processo colaborativo realizado a partir das poéticas cotidianas de um grupo de pessoas da cidade de Bogotá, na Colômbia. Ele foi desenvolvido a partir de uma perspectiva ecológica e utilizou alguns métodos do construcionismo social. As poéticas cotidianas, tratadas neste trabalho, são os espaços que permitem que a vida se manifeste fora de lógicas produtivas e mecânicas e, entre elas, se encontram os microuniversos: pequenos relatos construídos em um vaso de barro, com plantas e objetos. Concentrei-me neles para compreender melhor estas poéticas, para isso, entendendo que um processo colaborativo só pode ser lido a partir de sua complexidade, apresento aqui um panorama amplo e relacional do processo em que se inscreve a elaboração destes microuniversos. Partindo deste processo, realizei uma reflexão crítica tendo por base uma perspectiva descolonial sobre a gênese de meu processo criativo, gestado em uma matriz colonial e de um olhar individual, com o propósito de compreender as condições que podem determinar seu suceder como prática artística colaborativa. Posteriormente a tese apresenta uma série de reflexões que surgiram de um diálogo que formulava perguntas aos diferentes conceitos sobre artes relacionais, colaborativas e dialógicas, as quais nomeei de Práticas ecolaborativas, as poéticas que estão associadas às dinâmicas da vida cotidiana e suas realidades, as que formam parte de um conjunto de ações humanas para cuidar da vida, que... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Resumen: Ecología en Prácticas Cotidianas fue un proceso colaborativo realizado a partir de las poéticas cotidianas de un grupo de personas en la ciudad de Bogotá - Colombia, el cual fue desarrollado desde una perspectiva ecológica utilizando algunos métodos del construccionismo social. Las poéticas cotidianas son los espacios que permiten que la vida se manifieste por fuera de lógicas productivas y mecánicas, entre ellas se encuentran los microuniversos, que son pequeños relatos construidos en una matera, con plantas y objetos. Me concentré en ellos para comprender mejor estas poéticas, sin embargo, entendiendo que un proceso colaborativo sólo puede ser leído desde su complejidad, presento aquí un panorama amplio y relacional del proceso en que se inscribe la elaboración de estos microuniversos. Partiendo de este proceso, realicé una reflexión crítica desde una perspectiva descolonial sobre la génesis de mi proceso creativo el cual se gesta en una matriz colonial desde una mirada individual, con el propósito de comprender las condiciones que pueden determinar su devenir como práctica artística colaborativa. Posteriormente realicé una serie de reflexiones que surgieron de un diálogo que formulaba preguntas a los diferentes conceptos sobre artes relacionales, colaborativas y dialógicas; así nombré Prácticas ecolaborativas, a las poéticas que están asociadas a las dinámicas de la vida cotidiana y sus realidades, que forman parte de un conjunto de acciones humanas para cuidar la vida, que... (Resumen completo clicar acceso eletrônico abajo) / Abstract: Ecología en Prácticas Cotidianas was a collaborative process based on the daily poetics of a group of people living in Bogotá - Colombia, it was developed from an ecological perspective using some methods of social constructionism. Daily poetics are spaces that allow life to manifest itself outside of productive and mechanical logics. Among daily poetics are microuniverses, which are small stories constructed with plants and objects in a plantpot. I focused on them to better understand these poetics, however, understanding that a collaborative process can only be read from its complexity, I presented a broad and relational view of the process in which the elaboration of these microuniverses is inscribed. Starting from this process, I made a critical reflection from a decolonial perspective on the genesis of my own creative process. The purpose was to understand the conditions that can determine its evolution as a collaborative artistic practice, because it arose in a colonial matrix from an individual perspective. Later I made a serie of reflections that arose from a dialogue that asked questions to the different concepts on relational, collaborative and dialogical arts. Thus I named as ecolaborativas the poetics that are associated with the dynamics of daily life and their realities, which are part of a set of human actions to take care of life, that are not ascribed to hegemonic systems, in which different types of knowledge coexist and articulate each other, and above all... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

This thesis acknowledges the current situation of political unrest in Hong Kong and examines the volatile horizons that began to emerge from late 2014, while also understanding those that came before. The thesis unpacks the relationships between art, architecture and society and their significance in relation to Hong Kong. Through highlighting and identifying the potential restrictions and examining and responding to the legacy and logic of Occupy Central, this thesis proposes an expansion of the space of possibilities for art in Hong Kong.The interweaving of diverse subjects are part of an intersectional methodology. The frequent changing of artists, locations and subjects have evolved out of the geopolitical situation that this author was embedded within and the architectural conditions under consideration in the research. By using techniques of close analysis and interviews, unpacking existing relationships, creating new temporary relationships (intersectionality) through exhibitions, reports, site visits and experimental curatorial strategies within the city, this thesis articulates the positions and subjectivities that can form around an artwork and its communities of production. This thesis navigates the haunted spaces concealed by ideological barriers, exposing varying sites of production and tensions through time and place. Research examines and proposes new ideas and approaches to art and art-working in Hong Kong while considering the marginalised, alienated and the xeno. Through highlighting a hitherto absent sense of commonality between the government and its subjects and exploring all corners of the political spectrum, the research critically examines the roots of ideological logic as expressed in the city-form and sets out to expand the space of possibilities.

Chu Ching Sze Cynthia. / "Architecture Department, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Master of Architecture Programme 1999-2000, design report." / On double leaves. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 133-134). / Table of contents in English and Chinese. / Content 目錄 --- p.1-2 / Scenario 局面 --- p.3-8 / Introduction 引言 --- p.9-12 / Arts and Society 藝術與社會 --- p.13-22 / Chapter - --- Art and Museum / Chapter - --- Art and the Public / Chapter - --- Art and the Disables / Chapter - --- Art and Space / Hong Kong Arts background 香港藝術背景 --- p.23-31 / Problems/Deficiencies 問題 /不盡處 --- p.32-36 / Chapter - --- Messiness in Hong Kong / Chapter - --- Invalid education and limited interaction with the Public on Art / Chapter - --- Inadequate support for local young artists / Chapter - --- Inappropriate spatial quality of the traditional exhibition spaces / Future Opportunities 未來的機會 --- p.37 / Hypothesis 假設 --- p.38 / Issues 爭論 --- p.39 / Scope of Work 工作範圍 --- p.40 / Design Programme 設計程序 --- p.41-59 / Chapter i. --- Target Group Selection / Chapter - --- children / Chapter - --- youth and young adult / Chapter - --- working group / Chapter - --- elderly (retired people) / Comparison / Conclusion / Chapter ii. --- Site Selection / Chapter - --- Tsim Sha Tsui / Chapter - --- Mong Kok / Chapter - --- Causeway Bay / Comparison / Conclusion / Chapter iii. --- Proposed schedule of accommodation/activities / Site and Context 地點與背景 --- p.60-67 / Mong Kok District (Macro) / Chapter i. --- Brief Introduction / Chapter ii. --- District Background / Chapter iii. --- Image Analysis / Chapter iv. --- Zoning and Building Analysis / Chapter v. --- Traffic and Transport / Sai Young Choi Street South / Chapter i. --- Image and street Analysis / Chapter ii. --- Pedestrian Circulation / Chapter iv. --- Vehicular Circulation / Chapter v . --- Potential Locations for the development / Case Study 案件硏究 --- p.68-73 / Chapter - --- "Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York" / Chapter - --- "the Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao" / Chapter - --- Music Videos in Architecture / Chapter - --- Mobile exhibition Pavilion / Interview 訪問 --- p.74-78 / Chapter - --- with artists / Chapter - --- with the Sai Yeung Choi Street Pedestrians / Content 目錄 --- p.80-81 / Conclusion from Part 1 第一部總結 --- p.82 / Design Outline 設計槪述 --- p.83 / Project Brief 項目略述 --- p.84-88 / Chapter - --- Site and Constraints / Chapter - --- Space Programmes / Chapter - --- Design Guidelines / Design Development設計變化及發展 --- p.89-94 / Chapter - --- Original Concept Layout / Chapter - --- Design Diagrams / Chapter - --- spatial relationship / Chapter - --- circulation / Chapter - --- envelope neighbourhood studies / Chapter - --- Design Sketches / Final Design Explaination 最終設計ˇئđ釋 --- p.95-119 / Chapter - --- Architectural Design / Chapter - --- Plans / Chapter - --- Elevation and Section / Chapter - --- Perspectives / Chapter - --- Illustration of internal spaces / Images of the Community- Artists Artspace 市區藝術空間 --- p.120 / Special Studies 特別研究 --- p.121-131 / Bibliography and Reference 參考書及 --- p.132-134 / Acknolegement 鳴謝 --- p.135

In this study I propose that transgressive interpretations of Christian iconography provide a valuable strategy for contemporary artists to engage with perceived social inequalities in postapartheid South Africa. Working in light of Michel Foucault’s idea of an “ontology of the present”, I investigate the ways in which religious iconography has been implicated in the regulation of society. Parodic reworking of Christian imagery in the selected examples is investigated as a strategy to expose these controls and offer a critique of mechanisms which produce normative ‘truths’. I also consider how such imagery has been received and the factors accounting for that reception. The study is contextualized by a brief, literary based, historical overview of Christian religious imagery to explain the strength of feeling evinced by religious images. This includes a review of the conflation of religion and state control of the masses, an analysis of the sovereign controls and disciplinary powers that they wield, and an explication of their illustration in religious iconography. I also identify reasons why such imagery may have seemed compelling to artists working in a post-apartheid context. By locating recent works in terms of those made elsewhere or South African examples prior to the period that is my focus, the works discussed are explored in terms of broader orientations in post-apartheid South African art. Artworks that respond to specific Christian iconography are discussed, including Adam and Eve, The Virgin Mary, Christ, and various saints and sinners. The selected artists whose works form the focus of this study are Diane Victor, Christine Dixie, Majak Bredell, Tracey Rose, Wim Botha, Conrad Botes, Johannes Phokela and Lawrence Lemaoana. Through transgressive depictions of Christian icons these artists address current inequalities in society. The content of their works analysed here includes (among others): the construction of both female and male identities; sexual roles, social roles, and racial identity; the social expectations of contemporary motherhood; repressive role models; Afrikaner heritage; political and social change and its effects; colonial power; sacrifice; murder, rape, and violence in South Africa; abuses of power by role models and politicians; rugby; heroism; and patricide. Christian iconography is a useful communicative tool because it has permeated many cultures over centuries, and the meanings it carries are thus accessible to large numbers of people. Religious imagery is often held sacred or is regarded with a degree of reverence, thus ensuring an emotive response when iconoclasm or transgression of any sort is identified. This study argues that by parodying sacred imagery these artists are able to disturb complacent viewing and encourage viewers to engage critically with some of its underlying implications.

The objective of this dissertation is to establish the notion that art can serve to create and communicate an awareness of the interconnectedness between people and nature. This study debates the theoretical similarities and differences in attitudes toward the planet as interpreted in the artworks of pre-history shamans and traditional societies, 20th century land and urban artists and contemporary environmentally concerned artists. The comparative findings suggest that attitudes of anthropocentricism, greed and power and a denial of Pantheism associated with agriculture, industrial and technological developments, have changed the human-nature symbiosis found in early societies. The creative component of this study has employed the processes of etching and embossing, digital image manipulations and the juxtaposition and layering of images to establish visual metaphors that communicate interconnectedness. Sculptures, billboards, prints and photographs as artworks of the conscience intend to shift socially and personally constructed perceptions from human-centeredness toward a symbiotic worldview. / Art History, Visual Arts & Musicology / M.A. (Visual Arts)

Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment in compliance with the requirements for the Masters Degree in Technology: Fine Art, Durban Institute of Technology, 2012. / I believe that the election in 1994 of the first democratic government in South Africa has presented a challenge to all South Africans in different ways. I believe that one of the principal challenges that the 1994 elections presented to my conservative Calvinistic Afrikaner community was to address its personal, family, community, national and international identity/ies. Arising out of this perspective and perception, I have explored my and my family memory/ies to answer questions about my identity. My study is a journey of awareness: a self-study exploring my identity through critical self-reflection and the development of my art practice. My self-study is multi- disciplinary: it employs interchangeable methodologies allowing for various forms of knowledge generation. My journey of awareness is a “living theory” in which I have developed my “living standards of judgement” and addressed my “living contradictions” (Whitehead 1985; 1989; 2008a; b; c; d). My study illustrates the symbiotic research and creative process of developing an understanding of my identity as a white Afrikaans woman through practicing my art. My art practice assisted in the action/reflection process as well acting as a tool for social action and transformation. / M

This dissertation examines a range of politicized artistic practices in Great Britain during the 1970s, a decade marked by economic decline and social fragmentation. The artists I primarily focus on in the pages that follow—William Furlong, Stephen Willats, Mary Kelly, and Conrad Atkinson—all appeared on Audio Arts, a “spoken magazine” distributed on audiocassette that was founded by Furlong in 1973. During the 1970s, Furlong, Willats, Kelly and Atkinson renegotiated their relationship to art institutions, expanded the role of the artist in society, and conceived of art as a form of political praxis, and this dissertation explores the strategies these artists devised to connect to publics outside the elite, bourgeois audience of art.