Self and No Self: Buddhism as Pedagogy in Contemporary Performance Art is a practice-based investigation into the development of an autobiographical performance art practice based on Buddhist meditation. Specifically, the performance work, entitled Sutra: Five Works for Performance, is a response to trauma testimony and the performance art event as a catalyst for transformation. The performance projects are examined alongside literary and performance theory in order to further understand the ways in which Buddhism is absorbed and expressed in contemporary Western performance culture. The practical work asks the question, What is the role of Buddhist practice in the creation and performance of autobiography? The thesis investigates this further through an examination of literary theory that pertains to Sutra such as trauma and affect theory. Specifically, the work of Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick contributes to an understanding of the workings of the genre through her notion of the ‘beside.’ Contemporary artists whose work is directly influenced by Buddhist philosophy and/or practice is also examined as a way of foregrounding the intertextuality of the genre. Beginning with John Cage as the ‘father’ of Buddhist-influenced performance art, artists include the Happenings and Fluxus movements, Marina Abramović, Meredith Monk and Ann Hamilton as exemplars in the field. To the degree that contemporary Western Buddhist art can be said to reflect as well as influence new expressions of religious faith, it can also be said that they question fixed views of institutionalized religion and foster inter-religious as well as secular dialogue on shared humanitarian principles which are the key components of Buddhistinfluenced arts praxis. It makes the conclusion that the framing of Buddhistinfluenced performance art within the context of contemporary Western society takes on an implicit pedagogical value beyond mere entertainment or commodified experience.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:721043 |
| Date | January 2016 |
| Creators | Clark, Pema |
| Publisher | University of East Anglia |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/64092/ |
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