In order to explain some of the paradoxes and mysteries of the artist's cross cultural experience in Kiribati, he constructed an Artist's Book depicting through visuality, anecdote and reflection, his research process, engaging with current visual perceptions through negotiation with the past. In Kiribati previous encounters with Europeans and Islanders was dominated by English and I Kiribati with significant contributions by French missionaries. Each viewed the other through cultural filters of identity, which were informed by concepts of myth-historical, often heroic pasts, modified by contemporary purpose such as power, trade, evangelism or personal gain. The method of transmission of beliefs about the past differed fundamentally as the Europeans were predominately informed by writing and the I-Kiribati by orality and performance. The non-literary epistemology of the I Kiribati contributed to a cosmology of non-iconic symbols that defined belief systems and social structures. These symbols connected place and space with time, self and group identities. The research found that the all surrounding visual symbol system of sacred meeting house (maneaba), dwelling (bata) and canoe (waa and baurua)) could be partly understood as an ongoing struggle since Deep Time, between the forces of the Ocea n represented by Bakoa, The Shark, and that of the triumph of the coming onto the Land and its people (aba) represented by Tabakea, The Turtle. The performative outcome of this triumph and the spirit of identity (Te Katai ni Kiribati) it engenders is expressed primarily in the ubiquitous I Kiribati Dance. The Artists Book is inspired by the creative classic I Kiribati form of oratory known as Te Kuna, using a structure analogous to the symbolic forms of narrative of Oceanic Voyaging traditionally employed by the I Kiribati. Differences in visual perceptions across cultural interface are understood not only as having the potential for conflict but also as providing positive dynamic force by the interchange of understood differences. The project contributes specifically to the ethnography of English and I Kiribati, semiotic systems and visual epistemologies, indicating directions towards positive outcomes in cross-cultural encounters.

Summary: This work approaches Patočka's philosophy of art from the perspective of ‚care of the soul'. The first part of work describes evolution of the ‚care of the soul' in context of Patočka's philosophy of history from he 30s up to 70s. Based on this description I recognize experience of the soul as the experience of human freedom as inseparable from the ethical and methaphysical dimensions. The second part approaches art from this perspective.Patočka's intepretations of art show that Patočka saw art not only as a manifestation of human freedom, but as reflection of human position in the world and his relation to aletheia as well. However, art stays half way between myth and philosophy due to the fact, that the movement of freedom is not as absolute in art as it is in philosophy. This is evident in expressions that art takes from the fields of our emotions and experience and thus still remains for Patočka in connection with the world and our everydayness. Therefore art represents for Patočka only limited experience of the soul. It is mostly the momentum of transcendence that is important and interesting for Patočka in art, but not the results that, no matter how deep, are still insights about the things in the world. Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)