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Paint With Your Pain : Dissociative Feminism and Art in Raven Leilani's Luster

This text investigates the notion of dissociative feminism in the novel Luster by Raven Leilani. The protagonist of the novel, Edie, can be understood as a dissociative feminist using Xine Yao’s understanding of the unfeeling and Leslie Jamison's understanding of wounds. Edie as a dissociative feminist experiences detachment from her feelings and her life. She deals with this through art. Both looking to great works of art and creating her own. The text investigates how Edie understands herself through several great works of art including The Great Wave off Kanagawa by Hokusai, Judith Slaying Holofernes by Artemisia Gentileschi, and Christina’s World by Andrew Wyeth. The text also explores how these artworks are connected to Edie’s own art. As well as the aim of her artistic pursuit. This is done through looking at John Dewey’s notion of Art as Experience as Edie is participating in it. The aim of her artistic pursuit ultimately is to find a way to reconnect to her emotions and to create a channel for healing from a traumatic past and present. Healing is approached through communion with other characters in the novel, most significantly with Rebecca. This is looked at through Bell Hook’s notion of healing.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:mau-67632
Date January 2024
CreatorsDiös, Saga
PublisherMalmö universitet, Institutionen för konst, kultur och kommunikation (K3)
Source SetsDiVA Archive at Upsalla University
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeStudent thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text
Formatapplication/pdf
Rightsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess

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