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The discussion of this study project is from author’s creative search concerning “body image” during 2005-2007. In the idea and practice of art production, we must respect the bodies of self and the others’ in order to explore the content of ink painting and the nature of life so that ideas of art creation may be promoted and continued. In this creative project, it is expected to achieve the following four objectives: 1) Investigate works and content of Chinese traditional figure painting concerning “body image”; 2) Explore nature of “body image” through observation, recording, outline and research; 3) Develop a personal style of ink figure painting; 4) Refer and examine personal artworks and discussion to search for future direction from the perspectives of aesthetics, philosophy, and classical painting theories. In order to achieve the above-mentioned research objectives, we adopt research methods as follows: 1) Philosophical research (e.g. Chapter Three Body Seeing); 2) Literature review (e.g. Chapter Two Literature Review); 3) Work analysis (e.g. Chapter Four Art Creation Analysis). There are five chapters in this thesis summarized as follows: Chapter One Introduction includes research motive and purposes, methods and scope, and terminologies. Chapter Two is to analyze classical literatures and images. It includes discussion concerning creative thinking for figure paintings and explores the similarity and difference of body image presentation between Chinese figure painting and modern ink painting. Chapter Three is regarding creative ideas and practice; body structure and seeing are explained in this chapter. By using Western philosopher Merleau-Ponty’s theory, the relevance among body space, body presentation and the body concept in Chinese Lao Chuang thoughts is discussed. Chapter Four is to explain the artworks. It mainly studies the art pieces during the time in Graduate School, focusing on seven representative productions from the following five perspectives: creative concept, theoretical foundation, content and style, materials and skills, overall presentation. Chapter Five, the conclusion, includes research conclusion, future direction for creating new pieces, and reflection. The lessons learned and fruitful results achieved from this creative project are summarized as follows: 1) This production is based on “human” body as a research subject. In the process of creation, we honestly see body’s true nature and spiritual image, and also unveil certain state of life and essence by using ink materials. 2) The creative study of “body image” is to be demonstrated by using ink materials. The uniqueness of Eastern painting materials such as brush pens, ink, paper, and inkstone is presented in the project. Compared with Western painting materials, ink paintings are more stable, self-contained, and reserved. Painters may see themselves deep inside in a spiritual world by blending water and ink during art creation. 3) We summarize former classical literatures concerning “body image” and analyze creators’ images. In production process, we investigate theoretical content and the nature of art pieces to clarify the historical evolution and relevance in the entire landscape. Transform the essence from the heritages by ancients to a theoretical foundation which can be used by author as a basis for art creation. It further establishes a complete concept for author’s “body image” production career. 4) “Body image” is a psychological image projected by an individual. It symbolizes the fitness of an individual’s psychological conditions. The author is using ink style to express the perception, ideas and feelings towards human body and loyally present self’s psychological image or experience in artworks. It can be discovered that the entire art piece is full of senses of gloominess, closeness, and depression. These obscure grayish ink vocabularies directly expose author’s contradictive and disturbed inner self. 5) Using “body image” as a major thinking pattern, it is necessary for the author to constantly retrospect and ponder what the source of affection is for a future more extensive and thorough demonstration in artworks.
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