Thesis (MA (Visual Arts))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / Includes bibliography. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study is motivated by an interest in a host of idiosyncratically interrelated phenomena that can be understood, in my view, as symptomatic of a primary interest in representing experiences of affect, loss, alienation and objectification of an “other”, which in turn, necessitates a critical interrogation of the notion of self. These phenomena include notions of the body (animal and human), private and public spaces, voyeurism, transgression, desire, fetishization, sentimentality and most critically, nostalgia as understood through experiences of homesickness and heimwee. My focus is on the affective potential of contemporary lens-based (photographic and video) art. I approach this study by way of three central ideas: the longing for home (the relationship between self/space); the longing for the body (the relationship between body/self); and the longing for the other (the relationship between self/other). I make use of psychoanalytic and feminist theory, as well as theoretical interpretations of photography and screen-based media, in the broader context of visual art and culture, to frame my discussion. As such, this study draws on the theoretical work of Roland Barthes and Susan Sontag to introduce basic concepts such as the relationship between photography and memory, and develops these to include ideas of the gaze, self and alientation from the self read through Judith Butler and Jacques Lacan’s image of the mirror phase; home and homesickness read through Martin Heidegger, Sigmund Freud’s notion of das unheimlich (uncanny) and Julia Kristeva’s notion of abjection; and Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari’s objectification of the animal-other. This study is intimately linked with, and critically informed by my personal artistic practice, which focuses specifically on the photographic or filmic representation (projection) of separation, displacement and longing for an absent other (home, partner & domestic animal). I discuss my own work relation to selected examples by artists including Shizuka Yokomizo, Sophie Calle, Penny Siopis and Jo Ractliffe, among others, framing the art object and related processes as cathartic, mnemonic and talismanic; acknowledging the paradoxical aspect of photography as simultaneously distancing and acting as a trace of the real; and analysing the evocative (metaphorical or conceptual) allusions made possible by lens-based processes and their presentation as print and projection, image and screen. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: My navorsing is gemotiveer deur ʼn belangstelling in ʼn menigte idiosinkratiese onderling verbonde verskynsels wat myns insiens beskou kan word as simptomaties van ʼn primêre belangstelling daarin om ervarings van affek, verlies, aliënasie en objektivering van ʼn “ander” weer te gee. My fokus sal op die verband tussen kontemporêre kuns en affek wees. Hierdie onderling verbonde verskynsels sluit in: die self en nosies van “die ander”/aliënasie, identiteit, die liggaam, die verbeelding; veiligheid, die huis, huishoudelike ruimte/plek/ontheemdheid; beheer, grense, oortreding, voyeurisme en geweld; verlange, nostalgie (heimwee), misnoegdheid; verlies, gemis, rou, woede, depressie met inbegrip van melancholie; liefde, romanse, sentimentaliteit, kitsch, besit; begeerte, obsessie, objektivering, tot fetisj maak (met inbegrip van objektivering van die huisdier). Ek benader ʼn bespreking van bogenoemde verskynsel deur diskoerse van psigoanalise en feminisme binne die raamwerk van my navorsing. Ek beoog om, met behulp van psigoanalitiese teoretiese verwysings, in hierdie verhandeling die verlange na die huis (die verband tussen self/ruimte, hoofstuk een), die verlange na die liggaam (die verband tussen liggaam/self, hoofstuk twee) en die verlange na die ander (die verband tussen self/ander, hoofstuk drie) te verken. Ek sal voorbeelde van kontemporêre fotografie en videokuns, asook voorbeelde bespreek om kontekstuele verwysing na ʼn bespreking van die uitoefening van my eie kreatiewe kuns te verskaf. Ek sal die uitbeelding (projeksie) van skeiding, ontheemding en verlange na ʼn afwesige ander (huis, maat en huisdier) bespreek. Die veld van my teoretiese ondersoek sal put uit sleutelteorieë van Roland Barthes, Susan Sontag, Sigmund Freud, JaquesLacan, Julia Kristeva, Gilles Deleuze en Felix Guattari, Martin Heidegger en Judith Butler ten einde basiese begrippe in gebruik te kan neem soos die verband tussen fotografie en geheue (die kunsvoorwerp/proses as suiweringsmiddel, mnemoniek en besitter van bonatuurlike, veral beskermende magte), paradokse in fotografie, uitbeelding en verlange/aliënasie, huis en heimwee (die bonatuurlike, ellende), kontemporêre kuns en affek, die starende blik en die objektivering van die dier-ander en die stemmingsvolle (metafories of konseptueel) sinspelings wat deur fotografiese prosesse en aanbieding (druk en projeksie, afbeelding en skerm) moontlik gemaak word.

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The cinematic communication process starts with the creative enunciation by the filmmaker and ends with the viewer's subjective perception of the film. This thesis represents a theoretical and experiential investigation of this process and entails critical and self-reflexive discussions of stylistic approaches to filmic representation. The focus of this representation falls on on-screen violence. This study is a practice-led process, and therefore the fields of research are applied to my own work, namely the filmmaking process of a feature film entitled Preek. The research was prompted by my need to take an academic stance on the filmmaking process, instead of a mere practical one, and to form an intellectual awareness of the filmmaker and viewer dynamic. As a practicing filmmaker interested in the mimetic quality of film representations, it was necessary for me to form a conscious apprehension of how a film may be understood as a reflection on reality on the one hand, and an expression formulated through the filmmakers creative decisions on the other. The representation of violence in film was investigated by the way of critical readings of selected films, framed by both contemporary and classical film theory. Through contemporary film theory, I investigated the viewer's perception and identification with the film's diegesis, and particularly with its characters. The „classic‟ film theories of the realists and formalists allowed me to discern two stylistic approaches to the representation of violence in film, and to explore the emotional affect and cathartic release these approaches may elicit from viewers. These discussions were then applied to my own film Preek, in order to critically understand the relationship between filmmaker and viewer. The research and the application thereof, indicated that the stylistic approach to the representation of violence and its intensity in a film, unveils the filmmaker's motivation for communicating through the film medium. The arguments showed that I represented the violence in Preek in such a way that it may result in a traumatic affect on the viewer rather than an appreciation of its aesthetic value, and that this affect is the result of an engagement with the film's diegesis, due to the viewer's own identificatory participation. The research concluded that the viewer's subjective identification with the film forms a triangular relationship and communication between filmmaker, film and viewer. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die kinematiese kommunikasieproses begin met die kreatiewe uitdrukking van die filmmaker, en eindig met die kyker se subjektiewe waarneming van die film. Hierdie tesis verteenwoordig 'n teoretiese en ervaringsgerigte ondersoek van die kinematiese kommunikasieproses, en behels kritiese en self-reflektiewe argumente van stilistiese benaderings tot filmiese uitbeelding. Die fokus van hierdie uitbeelding is op geweld gerig. Die navorsing is 'n prakties-georiënteerde studie en daarom word die navorsing op my eie werk toegepas, naamlik die filmmaak-proses van die vollengte film, Preek. Die navorsing was aangespoor deur my behoefte daaraan om die filmmaak-proses vanuit 'n akademiese oogpunt te benader, in pleks daarvan om 'n suiwer praktiese posisie teenoor die filmmaak-proses in te neem. Vervolgens is die navorsing aangespoor deur my behoefte daaraan om intellektuele bewustheid oor die dinamika tussen die filmmaker en kyker te skep. As 'n praktiserende filmmaker wat geïnteresseerd is in die mimetiese eienskap van film-uitbeeldings, was dit vir my belangrik om 'n duidelike begrip te ontwikkel van die manier waarop film verstaan kan word, eertstens as 'n weerspieëling van realiteit, en tweedens as ‟n uitdrukking wat deur die kreatiewe besluite van die filmmaker gevorm is. Die verteenwoordiging van geweld in films is ondersoek deur middel van die kritiese beskouing van uitgesoekte films wat deur beide kontemporêre en klassieke film-teorie gevorm is. Ek het deur kontemporêre film teorie die kyker se waarneming en vereenselwiging met die film se diegesis en veral die film se karakters, ondersoek. Die klasieke film teorieë van die realiste en formaliste het my in staat gestel om tussen twee stilistiese benaderings tot die uitbeelding van geweld in film te onderskei, en om die emosionele effek en katartiese vrystelling wat hierdie benaderings by die kyker kan ontlok, te verken. Hierdie besprekings is gevolglik toegepas op my film, Preek, ten einde 'n kritiese begrip van die verhouding tussen filmmaker en kyker te vorm. Die navorsing en die toepassing daarvan het getoon dat die stilistiese benadering tot die uitbeelding van geweld, asook die intensiteit daarvan in film, die filmmaker se motivering tot kommunikasie deur die film-medium ontbloot. Die argumente het getoon dat ek die geweld in Preek op so 'n manier uitgebeeld het dat dit 'n traumatise affect op die kyker kan hê, in pleks van 'n waardering vir estetiese. Die argumente het verder aangedui dat hierdie effek die resultaat is van ‟n betrokkenheid by die film se diegesis, en dat dit te danke is aan die kyker se deelname aan vereenselwiging. Die navorsing het die slotsom gekom dat die kyker se subjektiewe identifikasie met die film 'n drieledige verhouding tussen filmmaker, film en die kyker vorm.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: To write a life story the auto/biographer must reflect upon the past that was once experienced. When presented with this task of depending on memory and narrative, the auto/biographer often finds himself/herself in the position of creating and imagining, rather than reflecting or presenting the past as it was lived. Fragmentation, forgetfulness, selection, (re)construction and imagination are often inextricably connected to Memory which results in the reliance on an unstable memory to access the past. This dissertation explores how postmodern auto/biographies, specifically the (auto/bio)graphic novel, acknowledges the difficulty of writing about the past when concerned with truth. The (auto/bio)graphic novel disrupts the notion of truth by blurring the boundaries between fact and fiction, resulting in a hybrid form where text and image, reality and imagination co-exist to create new, and often more significant pasts (that can serve the present). / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Om ‘n lewensverhaal te skryf, reflekteer die outo/biograaf op dít wat eens geleef was in die verlede. Deur hierdie proses, wat ‘n afhanklikheid van die geheue behels, vind die outo/biograaf homself/haarself gereeld in ‘n situasie waar hy/sy ontwerp en verbeel, eerder as om die verlede weer te gee soos dit beleef was. Fragmentasie, vergeetagtigheid, selektering, (her)konstruering en verbeelding is soms onskeibaar van Geheue wat dui op die afhanklikheid van ‘n onstabiele geheue in die skryf- en illustreer-prosesse van ‘n outo/biografie. Hierdie verhandeling ondersoek hoe postmoderne outo/biografieë, spesifiek die (outo/bio)grafiese roman, bewus is van die kwessies rondom die skryf van die verlede in verhouding tot waarheid. Die (outo/bio)grafiese roman ontwrig die idee van waarheid deur die grense tussen feit en fiksie te ondermyn. Gevolglik onstaan ‘n hibriede vorm van outo/biografie waar teks en beeld, realiteit en verbeelding gekombineer word om nuwe en meer beduidende verledes te skep (wat so ook die hede op nuwe maniere kan dien). / mlb2013

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / Please refer to full text for abstract.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study is motivated by my own art practice, which exhibits a keen interest in objects and activities historically associated with the domestic, specifically with relation to needlework, in the making or producing of contemporary jewellery. Visual analysis of the work of other contemporary jewellers resulted in my realisation that the use of domestic objects and needlework in contemporary jewellery can refer to the idea of “home” through the use of phenomenological devices such as memory and nostalgia. My own art practice makes specific use of memory and nostalgia, and references trauma as experienced in the home. I investigate these themes specifically as they are depicted in contemporary jewellery. I begin my study by discussing how humans go about forming relationships with the objects with which they surround themselves. I discuss Martin Heidegger’s theory of hermeneutic phenomenology, regarding human interaction with objects and our relationship to them with regard to their specific functionality. I argue that taking the domestic objects out of their context, and in so doing ‘removing’ their functionality, allows the subject (maker, viewer, wearer) to suggest a new ‘background or horizon’ (Thomas 2006: 47) against which the object can now be read and understood. I discuss how jewellery can function as a mnemonic device, and how the domestic objects used in the specific jewellery pieces that I discuss add to this reading, identifying memory and nostalgia as the main devices facilitating a discussion of these themes. From here I work towards a definition of the domestic. By tracing the ways in which the domestic has come to denote a “space” traditionally gendered female, I look at the material culture represented within this “space” and how it relates to women. I draw on Svetlana Boym and Susan Stewart’s thoughts regarding nostalgia and its appearance in contemporary culture. Trauma and how it manifests in individual identities is then discussed with the aid of Michael S. Roth and his discussion surrounding Memory, Trauma, and History (2012). I discuss specific contemporary jewellery projects by Manon van Kouswijk (Lepidoptera Domestica, 2007); Gesine Hackenberg (Ceramic Jewellery, 2006-2011); Esther Knobel (My Grandmother is Knitting too, 2000-2002); and Iris Eichenberg (Heimat,2004). In my final chapter I discuss my own work, and highlight the ways in which I use domestic objects and needlework to reference memory, nostalgia and trauma thematically with relation to my own recollections of home. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie is gemotiveer deur my eie kunspraktyk, wat my belangstelling toon in voorwerpe en aktiwiteite wat histories verband hou met die huis, spesifiek met betrekking tot naaldwerk, in die vervaardiging van kontemporêre juweliersware. Visuele analise van die werk van ander kontemporêre juweliers het gelei tot die besef dat die gebruik van huishoudelike voorwerpe en naaldwerk in kontemporêre juweliersware kan verwys na die idee van "huis" deur die gebruik van fenomenologiese idees soos herinneringe en nostalgie. My kunspraktyk maak spesifiek gebruik van herinneringe en nostalgie, en verwys na trauma soos in die huis ervaar. Ek ondersoek hierdie temas spesifiek soos hulle uitgebeeld word in kontemporêre juweliersware. Ek begin my studie deur die wyses te bespreek waarop mense te werk gaan in die vorming van verhoudings met die voorwerpe waarmee hulle hulself omring. Ek verwys na Martin Heidegger se teorie van hermeneutiese fenomenologie, ten opsigte van menslike interaksie met voorwerpe en die verhouding wat met hulle gevorm word met betrekking tot hul spesifieke funksies. Ek argumenteer dat deur die huishoudelike voorwerpe uit hulle oorspronklike konteks te neem, en sodoende hul funksie te ‘verwyder’, kan die subjek (maker, kyker, draer) 'n nuwe “agtergrond of horison" (Thomas 2006: 47) voor stel waarteen die voorwerp gelees en verstaan kan word. Ek bespreek hoe juweliersware kan funksioneer as 'n mnemoniese toestel, en hoe die huishoudelike voorwerpe wat gebruik word in die spesifieke juweliersware wat ek in hierdie studie bespreek kan toevoeg tot hierdie bespreking, deur die identifisering van herinneringe en nostalgie as die hoof toestelle. Van hier het ek gewerk aan 'n definisie van wat die huishoudelike behels. Deur ondersoek in te stel na die manier waarop die huishoudelike as 'n tradisioneel vroulike "ruimte" geïdentifiseer is, kyk ek na die materiële kultuur verteenwoordig binne hierdie "ruimte" en hoe dit verband hou met vroue. Ek verwys na Svetlana Boym en Susan Stewart se idees rakende nostalgie en die voorkoms daarvan in hedendaagse kultuur. Trauma en die maniere waarop dit in individuele identiteite manifesteer word vervolgens bespreek met die hulp van Michael S. Roth en sy bespreking van “Memory, Trauma, and History” (2012). Ek analiseer spesifieke kontemporêre juwelierswareprojekte deur Manon van Kouswijk (Lepidoptera Domestica, 2007), Gesine Hackenberg (Ceramic Jewellery, 2006-2011), Ester Knobel (My Grandmother is Knitting too, 2000-2002), en Iris Eichenberg (Heimat, 2004). In my laaste hoofstuk bespreek ek my eie werk, en verwys veral die maniere waarop ek huishoudelike voorwerpe en naaldwerk gebruik om tematies na geheue, nostalgie en trauma met betrekking tot my eie herinneringe van die huis te verwys.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this thesis I examine the extent to which interpretations of African material culture play a role in the creation and visualisation of an ‘African aesthetic style’ in South African contemporary jewellery practices. My investigation of an ‘African aesthetic style’ in this thesis is informed by the production, display and writings on African cultural objects. I demonstrate contemporary jewellery design to derive from a critical methodology, particularly as it facilitates a renegotiation of the relationship and dialogue between the producer and viewer of contemporary jewellery objects. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie tesis ondersoek ek die wyse waarop interpretasies van Afrika materiële kultuur 'n rol speel in die skepping en die visualisering van 'n 'Afrika estetiese styl' in Suid- Afrikaanse kontemporêre juwelierspraktyke. My ondersoek van so 'n styl is ingelig deur die produksie en uitstalling van, sowel as diskoerse rondom Afrika kulturele objekte. Ek ondersoek kontemporêre juweliersontwerp as 'n kritiese metodologie, veral ten opsigte van die wyse waarop dit 'n nuwe verhouding tussen die vervaardiger en toeskouer van kontemporêre juweliersobjekte fasiliteer.

Thesis (MA)-- Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis provides a critical discussion of, and motivation for, my jewellery practice, in which fat from the human body is transformed into adornment. Drawing on Julia Kristeva’s theory of ‘abjection’, this research scrutinises the grotesque status of body substances in the modern media, with the intention of changing viewer reactions to these substances from repulsion to aesthetic enjoyment. I consider the influence of popular culture, where idealised bodies are promoted as ‘better’ than non-normative body types, and then consider how (or whether) the abject remainders of the ‘ideal body’ can successfully be refigured as adornment. In order to situate my practical Masters work in the wider field of contemporary avant-garde jewellery practice, I study the work of select jewellers, who also refer to, or use, body substances in critical ways in their work. Through this, I hope to scrutinise both normative notions of the body and of jewellery as adornment. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis dien as ’n kritiese bespreking van en motivering vir my praktiese juwelierswareontwerp, waarin vet afkomstig van die menslike liggaam verander word in versiering. Die navorsing gebruik Julia Kristeva se teorie van ‘abjection’ om die groteske status wat liggaamstowwe in die moderne media het, uit te pluis, met die doel om die toeskouer se reaksie op hierdie stowwe van afkeer in estetiese genot te verander. Ek oorweeg die invloed van populêre kultuur waarbinne geïdealiseerde liggame as ‘beter’ as nie-normatiewe liggaamstipes aangebied word. Ek kyk verder na hoe (en of) die vernederende (‘abject’) oorblyfsels van die ‘ideale liggaam’ suksesvol as versiering omvorm kan word. Om my praktiese werk vir die Meestersgraad binne die wyer veld van kontemporêre avant-garde juwelierswarepraktyk te vestig, ondersoek ek ook werk van sekere juweliers wat ook liggaamstowwe in hulle werk gebruik, of daarna verwys. Hierdeur hoop ek om die normatiewe idees van beide die liggaam en juweliersware as versiering uit te pluis.

Denna undersökning angriper Nationalmuseums skolmaterial ”Omöjliga kroppar – om skönhet, mode och genus” utifrån ett posthumanistiskt/ nymaterialistiskt perspektiv. Genom analysmetoden diffraktion identifierar jag hur dessa perspektiv skulle kunna ges utrymme i detta material. Syftet med detta är ett antagande om att de genererar kunskaper och förståelser som är viktiga för en långsiktig hållbarhet. Syftet är inte att finna brister i materialet, som förhåller sig till existerande kunskapsparadigm, läroplan, och konstsamlingar och fyller sin funktion i den kontexten. Snarare att belysa vad som kan uppstå i mötet mellan det som redan existerar, det som utifrån ett visst behov och funktion är under utveckling, och teorier som kan tyckas vara kontrasterande, komplexa och avlägsna. Detta har genererat följande frågeställningar: Vilka möten och brytningar framstår genom diffraktion av posthumanistisk/ nymaterialistisk teori och undervisningsmaterilet ”Omöjliga kroppar”? Samt: Vilka nya möjliga sammankopplingar framträder i dessa möten och brytningar mellan posthumanistisk/nymaterialistisk teori och undervisningsmaterialet ”Omöjliga kroppar”?Jag har här avgränsat mig till tre teorier: den decentrerade människan, den uppluckrade tiden och den materiella agensen. Dessa förklaras här och jag undersöker var de möter (dvs. förstärker) formuleringar i studiematerialet, och var de bryter mot det (dvs. presenterar ett kritiskt eller avvikande perspektiv). I dessa möten och brytningar har jag identifierat möjliga sammankopplingar mellan teorierna och studiematerialet, i bemärkelsen omformuleringar av text eller förskjutningar av fokus som kan bana väg för nya tankar och samtal. Resultatet visar att en decentrering av människan i detta material är utmanande, då vi förknippar ”skönhet, mode och genus” med mänsklig kultur, men kan åstadkommas exempelvis genom att i text och samtal beskriva människor som en art bland andra, och inkludera dessa andra i diskussioner om exempelvis makt. En uppluckring av tiden låter sig göras om man frångår materialets linjära, kronologiska organisation och söker andra mönster eller ingångar. Studiematerialet erbjuder även flera möjligheter att betrakta materiella föremål som i besittning av en egen agens. Denna metod att applicera filosofiska begrepp och teorier på konkreta undervisningssituationer skulle sannolikt, om den tillämpandes i fler sammanhang, kunna leda till en förändring i tankemönster och förgivettaganden, förändringar som på sikt kan generera mer ”hållbara” kunskaper och förståelser om världen och vår plats i den.

We live in an increasingly globalized world where mutual dependencies are clearly visible, especially in the lives of children and young people. Therefore, schools must prepare students for a life in which society houses multiple cultural diversity, give them global education, and create conditions for sustainable internationalization. Not much research and writing has been done about intercultural and multicultural art education in Sweden, because of this we chose to delve into this subject in our overview project. This knowledge overview examines the intercultural and multicultural meaning in visual arts education through scientific research. The main aim of this study is to investigate whether intercultural methods can help both students and teachers reach a better understanding regarding diversity in schools. Furthermore, this knowledge overview aims to gather different resources that touch on the concept of integrating multiculturalism into different pedagogy approaches that centers around visual arts. Our SAG project hopes to widen the perspective that current teachers have on/against diversity within education and which effects it may conjure.

The aim of this study was to research the visual arts classroom and its impact on the teaching possibilities within. The visual arts subject has been subject to many studies based on curriculum and policy documents. This study chose to focus its research on the physical elements of the classroom, which meant the classrooms construction, materials and furnishing as the focal point. Observations have been made to study these layers in the visual arts classroom in three separate schools in the south of Sweden, which were all public elementary schools. In the three schools there have been four visual arts classrooms observed, and the teachers of these classrooms answered an open question survey around the time of the observations. The material was then analyzed using frame factor theory and Foucault’s power theory (1979). Based on the observations and the survey multiple discoveries were made. There is a power in how the classrooms are furnished, and the funding of the school has a big impact on what the art teachers can do. Most of the art teachers wants to work with three-dimensional materials and assignments, but feel limited due to either space, class size, limited budget, or limited time among others. The primary materials the teachers were working with were therefore paints or pencil crayons on paper. The study has also seen the similarities and differences in the arts classrooms furnishing and has shown some ways that the students try to create their own persona and revolt against the school structure.