This thesis approaches 'trauma' in theatre and performance from the perspective of communication studies. Since 'trauma' is an unspeakable and unrepresentable inner state, I thus conceptualize the term 'the traumatic/spectrum' to refer to layers of reality, meaning and experience that can be expressed, represented and/or spoken about in relation to a traumatizing encounter. Through practice-led research, I propose a multi-sensorial devising tool for theatre & performance makers primarily, and artists of all disciplines, to facilitate a performance process for individuals who have walked through a traumatic or post-traumatic journey ('journeyers'), and have a desire, need or purpose to communicate to an audience. Based on a syncretism in journalism, ethnography, psychology, and art therapy techniques, this methodology draws out the form and the content through which individuals desire to communicate about their experiences. Conceptualized here as the re-creation process, this methodology tackles different types of communication predicaments or 'distance' between audiences and 'journeyers' when addressing the traumatic, including: disbelief, voyeurism or sensationalism, and the tendency to habituate, fatigue, de-sensitize, avoid, avert and/or alienate from the traumatic and those who journey with this reality. In response, I endorse the interrelation of two aesthetic manifestations that can 'bridge' different types of psychological, emotional, sociocultural and physical 'distance': one is a realm of theatre & performance which renders semantic and somatic forms of expression indivisible, and the other is Magical Realism. These aesthetics are applied as channels and strategies to engage participants in a meaningful, empowering, and pleasurable 'shared' experience beyond the therapeutic. Finally, I propose the term traumagical realism to further identify and explore the parallels between Magical Realism and the traumatic. Traumagical Realism is a liminal territory that can offer a deeper understanding of the traumatic, and catalyze a social, aesthetic and affective force of engagement or 'commun(e)ication' between 'journeyers' and all participants involved in the devising process and culmination of a performance.

Aquesta tesi explora els orígens de la pintura abstracta des d'un punt de vista eminentment conceptual. Parteix de la hipòtesi que l'abstracció es pot considerar la culminació dels ideals estètics del Simbolisme finisecular; i considera que un dels elements de continuïtat entre Simbolisme i abstracció fou l'ideal de l'obra d'art total o Gesamtkunstwerk. La tesi estudia els pintors Vassily Kandinsky i Piet Mondrian per mostrar, a través de l'anàlisi de les seves obres i textos, que aquest ideal d'obra total fou per ambdós un leit-motiv fonamental en la seva evolució vers l'abstracció. En el cas de Kandinsky s'estudien especialment les seves composicions escèniques, i en el cas de Mondrian, l'arranjament del seu estudi, projectes en el marc dels quals es va desenvolupar la seva pintura. En ambdós casos, com també en el Simbolisme, el projecte de l'obra d'art total es considera tant des de la vessant artística, com en relació al seu valor utòpic. / This thesis explores the origins of abstract painting from a predominantly conceptual point of view. It begins with the hypothesis that abstraction may be considered as the culmination of the aesthetic ideals of turn of the century Symbolism, and considers that one of the elements of continuity between Symbolism and abstraction was the ideal of the total work of art, or Gesamtkunstwerk. The thesis studies the painters Wassily Kandinsky and Piet Mondrian to show, through analysis of their works and texts, that this idea of the complete artwork was a fundamental leitmotif for both artists in their evolution towards abstraction. In the case of Kandinsky, it studies in particular his scenic compositions and, in the case of Mondrian, the layout of his studio, the framework within which their painting was developed. In both cases, as in Symbolism, the project of the total work of art is considered as much from the artistic viewpoint as in relation to its utopian value.

De l'ornement architectural à l'ornement liturgique, de l'ornement langagier à l'encadrement du tableau, de l'ornement musical au tatouage, les formes variés de l'ornement témoignent d'un champ d'application illimité qui couvre tous les domaines de l'art. Si chez Kant l'ornement offre un exemple typique de beauté libre, la philosophie et la théorie de l'art lui attribuent souvent un contenu moral ou symbolique l'associant tantôt à la convenance tantôt à la dégénérescence. En tant que forme primitive d'expression artistique il est rattaché aux arts premiers et à la production artisanale, aux antipodes de la véritable création artistique tout autant que du dessin industriel ou architectural. Sa dimension cosmique, d'autre part, fait que des artistes et des historiens le mettent au centre de leur conception de l'art, le considérant comme la manifestation principale du « vouloir artistique » ou une expression privilégiée de l'impulsion artistique vers l'abstraction. Si la spécificité de l'ornement consiste en son caractère accessoire qui lui assigne un statut ontologique particulier entre l'ergon et le parergon le rendant synonyme de « style », sa transversalité met en question les hiérarchies issues de la théorie de la mimesis et brouille les limites entre art et décoration, majeur et mineur, d'autant plus que les notions dérivées de l'« ornemental » ou du « décoratif » dépassent le domaine des arts appliqués et s'emploient pour designer la forme ou la fonction d’œuvres d'art. À ce titre l'étude des différents aspects de l'ornement et des réponses théoriques qu'il a suscitées, renouvelle la réflexion sur le statut de l'art et sa relation avec la vie. / From architectural decoration to liturgical ornament, from rhetorical ornament to painting frames, from musical ornament to tattoo, the various forms of ornament testify to an unlimited scope that covers all artistic and cultural fields. Despite its being considered, from a kantian point of view, as an example of free beauty, philosophy and theory of art often attribute a moral or symbolic content to ornament, associating it to either convenience or degeneracy. As a primitive form of artistic expression, ornament is related to tribal art and to craft rather than true artistic creation or modern design. Its cosmic dimension, however, leads some artists and historians regard it as the basis for their conception of art, as the chief manifestation of the “will to art”, or as a primary expression of the artistic impulse that leads to abstraction. Since its specific character consists in that of an accessory, ornament receives an intermediate ontological status between the ergon and the parergon. Its transversality challenges the hierarchy of art forms and genres which is based on the theories of mimesis, and blurs the boundaries between art and decoration, high and low, since the derived terms of "ornamental" or "decorative" apply not only to decorative arts but also to the style and the function of art works. The study of the different aspects of ornament and of the theoretical responses it raised, contributes to regarding our understanding of the status of art and its relation to life.

Cette thèse vise à répondre à la question L’entreprise d’ameublement IKEA peut-elle être envisagée comme les prémices de réalisation d’une œuvre d’art totale ? La réflexion est menée en deux grandes parties distinctes. La première se concentre sur le concept wagnérien d’œuvre d’art totale. Grâce à la littérature scientifique sur le sujet, il est montré l’importance du wagnérisme pour la culture occidentale du XXe siècle et l’intérêt du concept au sein du champ des études intermédiales. Puis, l’exposition des origines du concept et de plusieurs applications ou réappropriations, telle que celle du Bauhaus, permet d’en souligner la nature socioesthétique et d’en distinguer deux dimensions : une purement idéaliste, celle de l’utopie sociétale en devenir (l’œuvre d’art totale accomplie) ; et une dimension plus concrète, visant l’atteinte de cet idéal grâce aux arts, ce que je nomme les amorces partielles de l’œuvre d’art totale (outil de mise en place de l’œuvre d’art totale). Enfin, en vue de l’étude d’IKEA, l’attention se concentre sur la dimension concrète du concept et est ainsi proposée une liste de caractéristiques propres aux amorces partielles permettant d’évaluer l’objet d’étude. Celle-ci concerne : l’impact massif des actions de l’objet étudié, l’expression d’ambitions sociales, voire utopiques, par celui-ci, et sa capacité à représenter un « commun » du peuple. La seconde partie entièrement dédiée à IKEA vise à vérifier la correspondance entre l’entreprise (les actions de ses acteurs, ses produits et ses effets) et les trois caractéristiques identifiées des amorces partielles de l’œuvre d’art totale. Ceci est réalisé à partir de trois recherches différentes : une étude stylistique comparative entre certaines icônes du design du Bauhaus et du design scandinave avec les produits IKEA ; l’exposition du storytelling mis en place par l’enseigne et l’observation des déclarations de son fondateur, Ingvar Kamprad ; une étude des mises en scène d’aménagements intérieurs au sein des catalogues et des showrooms de la marque. Les résultats de l’ensemble semblent indiquer qu’IKEA est un élément socioculturellement structurant de notre rapport aux objets du quotidien et de notre domesticité . Et que, sous condition d’une authenticité des valeurs exprimées par l’entreprise et d’une correspondance de celles-ci avec les actions mises en place par ses acteurs, elle pourrait peut-être atteindre ses ambitions de créer « a better everyday life for the many people ». En ce sens, IKEA pourrait être considérée comme une manifestation d’une amorce partielle, tout en étant porteuse d’une évolution conceptuelle bien plus fondamentale qu’il n’y paraît. / This thesis aims to answer the question Can the IKEA furniture company be seen as the beginnings of a total work of art? The reflection is carried out in two main parts. The first part focuses on the Wagnerian concept of the total work of art. Through the scientific literature on the subject, the importance of Wagnerism for twentieth-century Western culture and the interest of the concept within the field of intermedial studies are shown. Then, the exposition of the origins of the concept and of several applications or reappropriations, such as that of the Bauhaus, allows us to underline its socio-aesthetic character and to distinguish two dimensions: a purely idealistic one, that of the societal utopia to become (the accomplished total work of art); and a more concrete one, aiming at the attainment of this ideal thanks to the arts, what we call the amorces partielles (partial triggers) of the total work of art (a tool for fulfillment of the total work of art). Finally, in view of the study of IKEA, attention is focused on the concrete dimension of the concept and a list of characteristics of the amorces partielles is proposed to evaluate the object of study. This concerns: the massive impact of the actions of the object studied, its expression of social, even utopian, ambitions, and its capacity to represent a "commun" (common) of the many people. The second part, entirely dedicated to IKEA, aims to verify the correspondence between the company (the actions of its agents, its products and its effects) and the three characteristics identified as amorces partielles of the total work of art. This is achieved through three different research projects: a comparative stylistic study between certain Bauhaus and Scandinavian iconic design objects and IKEA products; the exposition of the storytelling set up by the brand and the observation of the statements of its founder, Ingvar Kamprad; a study of the staging of interior design in the brand's catalogues and showrooms. The results of all these studies seem to indicate that IKEA is a socio-cultural element shaping our relationship with everyday objects and our domesticity. And that, provided that the values expressed by the company are authentic and correspond with the practices adopted by its agents, it could perhaps achieve its ambitions to create "a better everyday life for the many people". In this sense, IKEA could be seen as a manifestation of an amorces partielles, yet at the same time as the bearer of a much more fundamental conceptual shift than it appears.

Die Dissertation untersucht die Entwicklung des Gesamtkunstwerk-Konzeptes und seine Aktualität, Möglichkeit und Notwendigkeit in Bezug auf ein modernes filmisches Gesamtkunstwerk. Ausgegangen wird von der ästhetischen Theorie und Praxis der deutschen Frühromantik, in der das Konzept wurzelt. In einer umfassenden Betrachtung und Analyse der ästhetischen und gesellschaftspolitischen Dimension des Konzeptes in den Schriften und dem Werk Richard Wagners sollen wesentliche Strukturmerkmale erkundet und soll ein Maßstab für ein ‚positives‘ zeit-genössisches Gesamtkunstwerk gebildet werden, das sich von seinem ideologischen Missbrauch befreit. Erforscht wird, inwiefern der Farb- und Tonspielfilm ein geeignetes Kunstmedium für die Anwendung des Konzeptes darstellt und wie sich die Frage seiner gesellschaftspolitischen Dimension in der globalen Epoche übersetzen lässt. / The dissertation explores the evolution of the concept of the Total Work of Art (ʹGesamtkunstwerkʹ) as well as its actuality, feasibility and necessity in the form of a modern cinematic Gesamtkunstwerk. Starting point is the aesthetic theory and praxis of the Early German Romanticism, in which the concept is rooted. An extensive consideration and analysis of the concept in both its aesthetic and socio-political dimension as developed in the writings and works of Richard Wagner aims to define its essential structural features and to set the standard for a ʹpositiveʹ contemporary Gesamtkunstwerk beyond its ideological abuse. Key is the examination of how and to what extend the sound and colour feature film constitutes a legit artistic medium for the application of the concept as well as how its sociopolitical facet translates within the global era.

S’appuyant sur les théories esthétiques des frères Schlegel, de Novalis et de Schelling, ce travail s’attache à analyser les discours esthétiques et scientifiques dans Les Frères de Saint-Sérapion d’E.T.A. Hoffmann et à étudier dans quelle mesure et jusqu’à quel point l’écrivain se réapproprie les réflexions de ces premiers romantiques et s’en distancie. Confronté au philistinisme, aux malveillances d’autrui et à ses démons intérieurs, l’artiste sérapiontique poursuit un idéal tant social que psychique. Rêveurs, fous, enfants ou encore sous influence magnétique, les personnages hoffmanniens sont tous en quête de reconnaissance et d’identité. Polyformes, polymorphes et hétérogènes, centrés sur l’interaction artistique, le travail de création et la réception, Les Frères de Saint-Sérapion créent une sorte d’« œuvre d’art totale » avant la lettre où se mêlent aussi bien les sciences que les arts. / Using the aesthetic theories of the Schlegel brothers, Novalis and Schelling, this thesis examines aesthetic and scientific discourse as it appears in E.T.A. Hoffmann’s The Serapion Brethren and considers to what extent Hoffmann appropriates early Romantic thought or distances himself from it. Faced with the philistinism and maliciousness of others and with his own interior demons, the Serapiontic artist pursues both a social and psychic ideal. Dreamers, madmen, children or those who are under the influence of magnetidm, Hoffmann’s characters are all seeking recognition and an identity. Polymorphous and heterogeneous, centered on artistic interaction and on the work of creation and reception, The Serapion Brethren is a type of ‘total work of art’ before its time in which the sciences and the arts come together.

This thesis aims to investigate Les Ballet Suédois (1920-1925) and their ambition to create total works of art (Gesamtkunstwerk), a term made famous by the composer Richard Wagner (1813-1883). With regards to modern research into total works of art as expressions of the social or political visions of the avant-garde, this thesis applies theoretical concepts of intermediality and performativity to discern how the company cooperated with members of the Parisian avant-garde. Their joint mission was to regenerate society by uniting the arts and constructing ballets designed as total works of art that conveyed the ideas of the collaborating artists, commonly expressed in written manifestos during this era. In analyzing three works: Dårhuset/Maison de Fous, Världens Skapelse/La Création du Monde, and Relâche, it was revealed that staging total works of art was a common pursuit among artists of the avant-garde. The unique function of the Ballet Suédois was to transgress the ideas of the avant-garde into corporeal, temporal, intermedial manifestations of their radical collaborators. The results showed that Ballet Suédois functioned as enablers that performatized aesthetic, social and political ideas to the stage and, in manifesting the manifestos, had a unique function within the Parisian avant-garde of the early 1920s.