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Breaking Naming: The Multi-Valency of Being Human Stefan Prakash Eicher Submitted to the faculty of the Herron School of Art and Design in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Fine Arts in Visual Art in the Herron School of Art and Design Indiana University May 2017

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Breaking Naming: The Multi-Valency of Being Human

Stefan Prakash Eicher

Submitted to the faculty of the Herron School of Art and Design in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree

Master of Fine Arts in Visual Art in the Herron School of Art and Design

Indiana University

May 2017

1

Introduction

InhisbookIdentityandViolencetheNobel-prizewinningIndianeconomist

AmartyaSenarguesthatconflictandviolencearesustainedbythe“illusionofa

uniqueidentity”1.Theactof‘naming,’placingpeopleintocategoriesof‘theother’

basedonasingledifferenceinsocio-economic,ethnic,racial,orreligiousidentity

createsadistancethatpredilectsviolence,whetherphysical,psychological,or

systemicinnature.Yetinrealityhumanbeingsexistwithinapluralityofidentity

andthecommondenominatorofhumandignity.

Despitethelinksbetween‘naming’andviolence,theactof‘naming’isan

extensionofthehumandriveformeaning,makingsenseoftheuniverseamong

otherthingsthroughlanguage,culture,andart.Yetart,whenit‘works,’worksbest

becauseofitsveryabilitytobreak‘naming,’disablingthemasteryoflanguageand

thecertaintyofopticalassumptionsbroughttoaworkbytheviewer.Artcreates

theopportunityforthegenerationofnewmeaning,tobothseetheworlddifferently

andenvisionadifferentworld.

ThesisStatement

Myworkseekstobreakthe‘violenceofnaming’—theconsequencesof

categorizingpeopleaccordingtosingleorsimplisticidentities—bybreakingthe

‘namingofviolence’—transformingdepictionsofviolencebyunderminingthe

abilitytofitthemeasilyintopre-existingvisualcategories.Throughthecreationof

dislocatingjuxtapositions,visuallayering,andthedeploymentofsurrealismmy

1AmartyaSen,IdentityandViolence:TheIllusionofDestiny.(NewYork:W.W.Norton&Co.,2006),16.

2

workchangesthesubstanceandmeaningofoppositionalrelationshipsandobjects

ofviolence,andintheprocessexploresthemulti-valencyofhumanidentityand

connectionsbetweenpeople.Atasecondarylevel,withinthecontextofwar,and

specificallyWesterninterventionsintheMiddle-EastandCentralAsia,myworkis

alsoacritiqueofimperialismandpower.

ThesisExhibitionandThesisPaperObjectives

“BreakingNaming:TheMulti-ValencyofBeingHuman”isaninstallationof

threelarge-scalepaintingsandtwosmallersculpturalinstallationswhich

collectivelyserveasmyThesisExhibition.

InthecourseofthisthesispaperIwillexploremystrategiesfor‘breaking

naming’byusingspecificdescriptionsoftheworksaslaunchingpointsforformal,

thematic,andconceptualdiscussionsoftheworks.IntheprocessIwillalsodrawon

examplesfrommyresearchandwillfinallyclosewithanexplorationofthe

theoreticalandmetaphysicalframeworkforthepieces.Iwillbeginthoughwithtwo

briefdiscussionsonthenatureofhumanidentityandtheconceptofnaming.

TheViolenceofNaming,PluralIdentity,andHumanConnection

FormuchofmylifeIhavestruggledwiththeviolenceof‘naming,’being

placedtooquicklyintosingularandsimplisticcategories.GrowingupinIndiawith

EuropeanheritageIlooklikea‘foreigner,’andamtreatedassuch,yetidentifyasa

‘local’andbecauseofIndianbirthandcitizenshipexpecttherighttobelong.Based

onmyethnicityIamviewedasthe‘other’whenIdon’tnecessarilyfitthatcategory,

inhabitinganidentitythatisneitherthisnorthatbutboth.

3

Namingandcategorizationareenlistedtoexcludeandexertcontrolacross

gender,racial,ethnic,religious,andpoliticallines.Conflictsacrosstheglobe,

whetherfueledbytribaldifferencesinAfrica,ethnichistoriesintheBalkans,

religiousidentitiesinSouthAsia,orimperialismpastandpresent,arefannedinto

flamebyreducinghumanbeingsandcomplexsocio-culturalrealitiesinto

caricaturesofthe‘other.’AmartyaSencallsthisthe“miniaturization”ofhuman

beings:“Oursharedhumanitygetssavagelychallengedwhenourdifferencesare

narrowedintoonedevisedsystemofuniquelypowerfulcategorization.”2Attempts

ateithercelebratingordown-playingdifferences,whethermulticulturalismor

sincereattemptsatinterfaithecumenicalism,makeasimilarmistakeofreducing

identitiestosingularcategories.

Thetruthisthathumanbeingsexistwithinapluralityofidentity.The

TalibansoldierinAfghanistanismorethanan‘enemy’ora‘radicalMuslim.’Among

manythingsheisalsoafarmer,poet,father,orphan,student,friend,citizen,speaker

ofPashto,andamanstrugglingtomakeendsmeet.Forme,thejuxtapositionof

beingboth‘local’and‘foreign’hascreatednewmeaning,amulti-valentidentitythat

synthesizesbothcategoriesandpointsmetothecommondenominatorofshared

humandignity.

NamingandtheBreakingofNaming

Namingrunsdeepinourbones.Itspringsfromtheinstinctandcapacityto

makesenseofrealityandproducemeaning,theprocessofunderstandingathingby

placingitwithinacategory.Itisaprofoundlyhumanact.Naminggenerates

2ibid.,15

4

language,thebuildingblocksofculture,andliesatthecornerstoneofscience,

producingknowledgeandbestowingmastery.Yetmasteryisatwo-edgedsword,

bothempoweringanddestroying.Givenourfiniteplacewithinthecosmos,naming

holdsoutthepromiseofcontrol,autonomy,divinity,andyetpivotsasatoolof

oppression,andultimatelyofourownundoing.Frenchphilosopherandsocial

theoristMichelFoucaultwarnedofknowledgeaspower,boththatitgenerates

power,butalsotheinverse—thatknowledgeiscreatedbypower—masteryatits

hubricworst3.Thereisgreatironyinthedualnatureofknowledge,initsabilityto

bothilluminateandblind.Namesbecomeourmarkersofcertainty,andgiventhe

limitationsofhumanknowledgeandexperience,certaintyisadangerousthing.

Theactofart-making,aswideasthatcategoryis,couldinsomewaysbe

understoodasatypeofnaming,e.g.amanipulationofformthatproducesmeaning.

Whatgivesapaintingofasunsetitssignificanceisthefactthatitisnotthesunset

itself,butahumanbeing’sinterpretation,inasensetheir‘naming’oftherealthing.

BelgiansurrealistRenéMagritte’spaintingTheTreacheryofImagesfeaturesa

paintingofapipewithaninscriptionthattranslates:“Thisisnotapipe.”Inone

simplestatementMagritte’simagecanbeunderstoodtosumupboththelimitsand

thepossibilitiesofart.Whileacommentonthelimitsofrepresentation,thegap

between‘language’and‘thing’impliesthatartmatterspreciselybecauseitisnotthe

thingitself.Thisgap,despiteitsconsequent‘treachery’andcontestationof

meaning,pointstotheuniqueabilityoflanguageandarttocreatethingsthatexist

3MichelFoucault,Power/KnowledgeSelectedInterviewsandotherwritings1972-1977,ed.ColinGordon(NewYork:PantheonBooks,1980),93.

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purelyintherealmofthesymbolic,generatingthe‘symbolicculture’uniqueinthe

naturalworldtohumanbeings4.

Andyetartisalsoaboutbreakingnaming.Artthat“works,”worksbecauseit

succeedsinbreakingthecategoriesofcertaintyinherentinnaming,disablingthe

masteriesofknowledge,language,cerebrationandtheopticalassumptionsthe

viewerbringswiththemtoawork.Itisintherealmofexperiencethatartisableto

by-passandsubverttherealmofknowledge.Phenomenology,aphilosophical

methodofinquirysometimesreferredtoasthe‘scienceofexperience,’pointstothe

extenttowhichourperceptionofrealityisshapedbyourlivedexperiencesinan

interconnectedworld—ratherthanmerelyonpre-conceiveddidacticCartesian

‘facts’5.Themorethosepre-conceived‘facts’canbesuspended,themoreour

understandingofrealitycanacquireneweranddeepermeaningthroughan

experiencethatinvolvesnotjustsensoryperceptionbutemotion,volition,and

action6.Thephenomenologicalepistemologyofartcreatesjustsuchapossibility.

Artiseffectivewhenitbecomesaffective.Goodart,artthathastheabilitytoaffect

anotherhumanbeing,breaksthemarkersofcertaintyandopensusuptoalarger,

deeperexperienceoftruth.

ChoosingWarasaNarrativeContext

Thethreelarge-scalepaintingsandtwosmallersculpturalinstallations

whichmakeupmyThesisExhibitioneachmakereferencetowar.Asachild

4“SymbolicCulture,”Wikipedia,accessedMarch24,2017,https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbolic_culture5“Phenomenology,”Wikipedia,accessedApril7,2017.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phenomenology_(philosophy)6“Phenomenology,”TheBasicsofPhilosophy,accessedApril7,2017,http://www.philosophybasics.com/branch_phenomenology.html

6

growingupinIndia,thefewmoviesmyfathertookmetowatchwerewarmovies

because,asheexplainedittome,“thesemovieshelpuslearnaboutreality.”Ihave

chosentosetmyThesisExhibitioninthecontextofwar,specificallythemodern-day

conflictsinAfghanistanandSyria,becauseofwhattheyteachme.Formethesetting

ofwarprovidesanopportunitytotracephysicalviolencetothepsychologicaland

systemicviolenceof‘naming.’Thesettingalsothrowsupasurrealisminherentin

thejuxtapositionsofviolenceandhumanity.ButitconnectstootherassociationsI

have:Mymother’sstoriesgrowingupinWWIIGermany,anearlyschool-boy

fascinationforWWIImemorabilia,andhearingfriendsattheinternationalboarding

schoolIattendedinNorthIndiafearfortheirfathers’safetyasaidworkersin

neighboringAfghanistan.Afewyearsagotwoofthosefathersendedupbeingkilled

byrogueTaliban,justafewmonthsbeforemywifeandIwerehopingtovisitoneof

them.AsaresultofthesecollectiveexperiencesIfindmyresponsetoviolence

teeteringonanedgebetweenfascinationandabhorrence,aresponsethatreflectsa

dualityinbothnamingandhumannature.

BreakingNamingthroughJuxtaposition

ThecentralpieceinmyThesisExhibition,TheOppositeofFear,isanoiland

acrylicpaintingmeasuring60”x84”whichdepictsthemomentofsonic

compressionwhenamortarisfiredbyUSmilitarypersonnelinAfghanistan.Three

Americansoldiershunchoverinphysicalrecoil,theirheadsturneddownwardsand

awaybytheforceoftheexplosion,whileaTalibanmilitantstandsamongthem

drinkingfromwatergushingoutofthemouthofthemortar.Whilealayerofdust

liftsoffthegroundaroundtheiranklestheshadowsofthemarineshaveturned

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inexplicablyintowater,aceruleanblueintenseagainstthepaletansofthedesert

andthemarines’

uniforms.Thehorizonof

theAfghandesertformsa

boundarybeneathwhich

theUSMarinescrouch,

theirbacksmimickingthe

mountainstoeitherside.

Abovethehorizonthe

AfghanTalibanstandagainstabluesky,observing,asifinadifferentspace,a

differentframeoftime.Itisthemortaranditssurrealtransformationintoapipeof

thirst-quenchingwaterthatbreachestheboundaryofthehorizonandbreaksthe

binary.Thetwoworldsconnect,bothliterallyandmetaphorically.

TheTalibanfighter’scuppedhandsandtheflowofwaterconstitutethe

centralfocusofthepainting,theviewer’seyeledtothembythemiddlemarine’s

flung-outarm,thelineofthemortar,theformationoftheclouds,andthetriangle

createdbythetwomarinesandthecrow.Thecuppedhandsandwaterarethepivot

betweentwoworlds,thatoftheUSmarinesintheforeground,andtheworldofthe

Talibanbehind,wherethreeotherfightersquietlyobservefromadistanceand

closerupthreeAfghanboyswalkmysteriouslypastcarryingartilleryshells.This

juxtapositionoftwooppositerealities,andthecollapseofspacebetweenthem

achievedbythedrinkingTalibanfightercreatesathirdreality,avisualconnection

whichbreaksspatialandnarrativeassumptionsandforcesacomparison,anda

connection,betweenTalibanfightersandUSmarines.

Figure1TheOppositeofFear,60”x90”,Oil&AcryliconCanvas,2017

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RenéMagrittewasamasterofjuxtapositionandputtingthingstogetherthat

didn’tbelong.ArthistorianRexButlerwritesaboutMagritte:“Foucault'sargument

aboutMagritteisthatwhatweseeinhispicturesisthedisappearanceofthe

commongroundbetweenobjectsandbetweenobjectsandthelanguagethat

designatesthem.”Heclaimedthatitwastheactoftakingawaythecommonground

betweenMagritte’sobjects,placingtheminthoseunusualrelationships,which

allowedtheviewertocomparethemwitheachother.WritingaboutMagritte’s

paintingHegel’sHolidayButlerarguesthatitisthisthatallowsoppositestofind

unity.Hegel’sHoliday,apaintingdepictingaglassofwaterontopofanumbrella,

wastheresultofMagritte’sattempttocapturethesignificanceoftheglassofwater.

Inthecourseof150sketches,alinewhichkeptappearingintheglasseventually

turnedintoanumbrella,firstinsidetheglass,theninthefinalversion,underneath

it.Magritte,inalettertothecriticSuziGablik,declaresthatthisobject,whichhas

twoopposingfunctionswhenitcomestowater,isthe“exactsolution”tohisattempt

toshowthesignificanceoftheglassofwater7.

AsapainterIfoundmyselfworkingwith

juxtapositionsearlyinmyresearch,e.g.pairinglarge

transcendentskieswithflatroads,havingafour-lane

highwaypackedwithcarsandtruckstransformover

thenexthillintothetreesofanorchard,orplacingan

Americanfamily’slate-nightdinnerwithinthe

nocturnalruinsofabombedoutSyriancity.AsI

7RexButler,“SovereignStain:onReneMagritte’sHegel’sHoliday,”accessedFebruary15,2017,http://www.artdes.monash.edu.au/non-cms/globe/issue3/hegels.html

Figure2SpeedofGrowth(SlowDown),27"x20",AcryliconCanvas,2016

9

beganworkingwithsculpturalobjectsI

createdarainingumbrella.Iengineereda

store-boughtblackumbrellatorainwater

fromwithinitscanopy.Standing

mysteriouslybyitselfonawhitepedestalit

suckswaterfromahiddensourcewithin

thepedestalandthroughanarrayofplastic

tubinghungunderneaththecanopydropsa

gentlerainonthegalleryfloor.Mygoalwastorearrangetwoelementsthatare

otherwiseinoppositiontoeachother—rainandumbrella—totrytoachievea

transformationofthoseelements.Asaresultthenatureofboththerainandthe

umbrellachangesintoeithersomethingthatcannot

beadequatelydescribed(asenseofconfusionasto

thefunctionofeachpart),ortosomethingthatis

consideredwhollydifferenttotheoriginal(e.g.rain

thatisliterallyashower—gentleandwelcomed,or

theumbrellaasasourceofwater).This

transformation,achievedthroughsurreal

juxtaposition,iswhatIamexploringintheTaliban

fighterdrinkingwaterfromthemouthofamortar

firedbythethreemarines.Itisarearrangementofelementsthatchangesthe

natureoftheelementsthemselves.

Figure4YourDayJustGotBetter,72”x45”x45”,Umbrella,Tubing,Pedestal,Pump,2016

Figure3AQuietWar,28"x34",AcryliconCanvas,2016

10

BreakingNamingthroughSurrealism

Thesecondofthethreepaintings,TheYouinI,60”x72”insizeandpainted

oiloveracrylic,isbasedonanactualphotographofalocalAfghanvillagerserving

teatotwoUSMarinesstretchedoutontheground,machinegunsattheready,infull

defensivecombatposition.The

surrealismoftheworkisrootedin

itssurrealhistoricalreality.Ifind

thesettingofwarparticularly

illustrativeof‘theviolenceof

uniqueidentity.’Thehumanityof

theotherisstrippedawaybythe

singularcategoryof‘enemy,’with

soldierstypicallyundergoing

elaboratetrainingtodesensitizethemselvestothehumanityoftheiropponent.The

imageryofoccupationalforcesmovingthroughhumanlandscapes,bristlingwith

weaponsandwalledoffbymultipleprotectivelayersofhelmetsandHumvees,

entersthesurrealwhenjuxtaposedagainstcommonciviliansgoingabouttheirdaily

tasks.

Thispaintingcapturesamiracleofhumanconnectionthatactuallytookplace

withinthechaosofarmedconflict.Andyetforallitssurrealismthemomentislessa

miraclethanasimpleoutworkingofthelogicofhumandignity.Foundinmanynon-

Westerncultures,theAfghanvillagerispracticinganunderstandingofhospitality

thatcutsacrossallcategories.Thedignityofthevillagerandtheculturaltradition

Figure5TheYouinI,60”x72”,Oil&AcryliconCanvas,2017

11

oftreatingavisitorwithrespecthavebrokenthenamingresultingfrom/causing

violence.

Whilethecolorblueplayedasymbolicroleinthefirstpainting,anunder-

paintingofbrightreddish-pinkfiltersthroughthiswork,signifyinglife,blood,

energy,andaboveall,love.WheretheshadowsbelowtheUSmarinesinThe

OppositeofFearwerepaintedaflatblue,thesweater—andsignificantlythearmof

theAfghanvillagerextendingthecupoftea—istreatedinasimilarflatwaybutwith

reddish-pink.Theroleplayedbythedeserthorizon,separatingAfghansandmarines

intotwoworldsinthefirstpaintingisplayedherebytheboundaryofthebuilding’s

shadow,themarinesinside,theAfghansoutside.AndyetitisaUSmarineextending

outintothesunlight,acceptingthecupoftea,whichbreaksthatboundary.The

Marine’shand,theAfghanvillager’shand,andthecupofteabeingofferedformthe

centralfocalpointofthepainting.Whileelementssuchasgrenadesstrewnacross

theground,anAfghanandanAmericanboypullingeachothers’ears,andanAfghan

youthbitingintoanappleaddnarrativecomplexitytotheimage,thesanctityofthe

centralinteractionbetweenAfghanvillagerandsoldierremainsintact.

Thethirdpainting,HeLaughed,is

60”x55”insize,paintedwithoilover

acrylic,andutilizesamoretraditional

surrealism.Afighterrunsaroundthe

cornerofawall,duckingfromthemenacing

presenceofahelicopterintheskyandan

approachingdrone.Themassivemachine-

gunheclutchesistransformedintoaclosed Figure6HeLaughed,60”x55”,Oil&AcryliconCanvas,2017

12

umbrella,hisfingerwrappingaroundthehandleasifonthetriggerofagun.The

fighterissmilingawistful,almostmischievoussmile,asifrememberingsomething.

Orishelookingdownatasoccer-ballinthefieldofflowershefindshimselfrunning

through?,WhileanothernodoftheheadtoMagritte,IamdrawingontheVeristic

traditionofSurrealism.JuxtapositionwasacommontechniquewithinSurrealism,

andincontrasttotheAutomatisttradition,whichrejectedanyinterpretation,

VeristicSurrealismbelievedsubconsciousimagesheldpowerasmetaphorsandthus

contributedmeaningtotheworld8.Thusbyputtingfamiliarobjectsintounfamiliar

orunusualcontextsjuxtapositiondrawsonboththeconsciousandsubconsciousto

questionperceptionsofrealityandcreatenewmeaning,muchinthesameway

Magrittedid9.InthecaseofHeLaughedtheumbrella,thesmile,andthefootball

transformtheviolenceandtensioninherentinthesettingintoaninnocenceand

evenplayfulnessborderingonhumor.

WiththisimageIambuildingonresearchundertakenwithapreceding

paintingtitled

GivingAllYou

Got.Inseeking

toaddressthe

violenceof

naming,oneof

mystrategiesis

8CharlesMoffat,“HistoricalOriginsoftheSurrealistArtMovement,”Arthistoryarchive.com.ed.SuzanneMacNevin,lastupdatedAugust2011,http://www.arthistoryarchive.com/arthistory/surrealism/Origins-of-Surrealism.htmlaccessedFebruary21,20179“ReneMagritte,”Wikipedia,accessedFebruary21,2017,https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/René_Magritte

Figure7GivingAllYouGot,60”x128”,AcryliconCanvas,2016

13

toappropriatethevisuallanguageofviolence,andthroughsimilarsubstitutions,to

transformthemeaningofthatviolence.InGivingAllYouGotIattemptedtochange

thatmeaningfrom‘force’to‘connection.’Attheexactmomentthatthejawofa

Mixed-MartialArtfighterisbeingbrokenbythepunchofhisopponent,Iplacea

bouquetofflowersintheopponent’sfist.Theflowersbreaktheoppositionalbinary

betweenthetwoMMAfighters,butbecausethejawisstilldepictedasbeingbroken,

theflowerssitinapositionofvisualdissonance.Foramomentthefamiliarityof

violenceisbroken,itsacceptedparametersundermined,andinsteadofdividingthe

twofiguresintovictimandperpetrator,theflowerandtheactiondepictedachieve

theopposite,drawingthefighterstogetherinanewundefinedrelationship.

Thispaintingworksofcourseonlytotheextentthatflowersarereadasa

metaphorforlove,reconciliation,orcondolence.Metaphorsplayaroleacrossall

threeMFAexhibitionpaintings,consistentwiththetraditionofVeristicSurrealism.

Asrandomasthesurrealismofanumbrellainafighter’shandsis,italsoholds

meaning.Withthethreatofdelugebybothhelicopterandovercastskytheumbrella

speaksofvulnerabilityandindefatigability.Theeffectisheightenedbythe

sweepinglandscapebehindthefighter,reminiscentoftheRomanticdepictionofthe

Sublimewherenatureinstillsfeelingsofawe,terror,anddanger10.Colorspeaks

metaphorically,too,wheregreenisusedtoturnaskyevilatthesametimeas

symbolizelifeandhope.Thedeviceofleavinganareaofcolorflatcomparedwith

therestofthepainting,isrepeatedhereasthegreenwall,itselfametaphorfor

protectivecoverandtenacity.

10“TheRomanticSublime”,TheArtoftheSublime,http://www.tate.org.uk/art/research-publications/the-sublime/the-romantic-sublime-r1109221,accessedApril7,2017.

14

Besidesthese,otherobjectsacrossallthreepaintingsreadmetaphorically,

relatingtoeachotherbyformandcontentinbothsimilarityandcontrast.The

watergushingoutofthemortarinTheOppositeofFear,asymbolofbothsustenance

andhumanneed,findsanechointhecupofteainTheYouinI(ritual&connection),

andtheumbrellainHeLaughed(deluge).The‘IraqiPiedCrow’hoveringabovethe

mortarinTheOppositeofFearisfoundinAfghanistanandinitsunusual

combinationofbeingbothblackandwhitecouldbereadasametaphorformulti-

valentidentityandtheunityofopposites.Placedintheskyitisintendedasa

metaphorfortranscendenceandbothconnectsandcontrastswiththemenacing

helicopterinHeLaughed.LikewisetheeggsinthenestonthegroundofThe

OppositeofFear,couldbereadasmetaphorsforboththefragilityandthepromiseof

life,whilecontrastingwiththegrenadesstrewnacrossthegroundinTheYouinI.

Yetdespitethemetaphoricalreading,attheirsimplest,theseobjectsplayasurreal

role,theirpresenceadisruptiontothecontextofeachpainting.

BreakingNamingthroughLayering

InTheOppositeofFearthehorizonofthedesertplaneextendsattwopoints

intothemarinesthemselves,partiallycoveringthemandcreatingadissonanceof

space.Theeffectbothstrengthensthehorizonlinebutalsocausesthesoldiersto

partiallyvanish.ThethreeAfghanboyswalkingbyareonlypartiallypaintedsothat

theytooexistinaliminalstateofdisappearance/appearance.Oneofthemarines

hastwodifferentpositionsofthesamehand.InHeLaughedthefighterhastwosets

ofarmsandtwofaces.Inadditiontojuxtaposition,oneofthestrategiestobreak

naminginallthreepaintingsisaprocessofover-painting,layering,with-holding,

andrepetition.Thesestylisticelementscauseavisualambiguity,creating‘echoes’

15

outofthesubjectmatterandmaketheimagerymoremalleableand‘messier.’The

resultingvisualdissonancecreatesmysteryandnarrativetension.Inemploying

thesestrategiesmypaintingsmoveawayfromarelianceonwhatRolandBarthes

calledthedidacticStudiumofaworktocreateopportunityforanexperienceof

Punctum,theinexplicable“pricking”oreven“wounding”thattheviewer

experienceswhenmovedbysomethingtheycan’tquiteputtheirfingeron.“WhatI

cannamecannotprickme,”BarthessaysofStudium.OfPunctumhecommented,

“Theincapacitytonameisagooddisturbance.11”

MyspecificattemptsatcreatingPunctumareinspiredamongotherthings

stylisticallyintheworkofthecontemporaryartistsAlexKanevsky,PhillipHale,

ChristianHook,andChristosTsimaris,whoutilizemulti-layering,abstraction,anda

processofvisualde-andre-construction.

BreakingNamingthroughbreakingthe‘TruthofOpticality’

Thethreepaintingsarepaintedinarealisticstyleasrepresentationsofreal

people,basedonphotographsgleanedfromnewssitesandblogs.Ononehand,this

factspeakstotherealityandhistoricityofindividualflesh-and-bloodhumanbeings,

asopposedtothecaricaturesour‘naming’maycreateoftheminourminds.Onthe

otherhand,thevisualdisjunctionsandinconsistenciesmentionedabovecallinto

questionthe‘truthfulness’ofopticality,thebiasand‘naming’inherentinthetaking

ofaphoto.Unliketheuniformityofaphotothepaintingsshowareasandobjects

renderedincontrastingdegreesofdetailandrealism.Incontrasttothesingular

‘truth’ofaphotograph,andbyextensiontheecho-chambersofsocial-mediaand

11RolandBarthes,CameraLucida:ReflectionsonPhotography,trans.RichardHoward(NewYork:HillandWang,1980)

16

distortionofofficiallysanctioned‘alternativefacts,’thepaintingsrevealmultiple

pointsofperspective.Forexample,thelegoftheboywalkingbehindthemortarin

TheOppositeofFearispaintedinfrontofthemortar.Atanotherlevel,these

multiplelayersstandasametaphorforthemulti-valencyofaperson’sidentity.

BreakingNamingthroughScale

EachofthethreepaintingsinmyThesisExhibitionstands5feethighand

placedendtoendwouldrun19feetinlength.Atthisscalethepaintingsbreak

opticalknowledgeandcreateahigh-affectiveandphysicallyimmersiveexperience

fortheviewer.Ichosetobeginpaintingonalargescaleafterwitnessingtheimpact

thatadrasticchangeinscaleachievedafterIbuiltasculpturalsetofeye-glasses5’x

15’x14’insize.Theeye-glassesweremadeofwoodpaintedblackwitheye-pieces

consistingofwhiteplastic

chainhungtocreatethe

illusionofasolidsurfacebut

designedtobestepped

through.Theresultant

disablingofoptical

knowledge,particularlydue

tosize,issomethingIsetouttoachieveinmypaintings.TheMMAfighterswere

paintedroughlytwicetheirlife-sizeandthevisualelementswithinthethreeMFA

Exhibitionpaintingsarelargeenoughtobeseenfromadistanceyetwithenough

detailtodrawtheviewerphysicallyclose.Astheydosothescaleofthepaintings

fillstheviewersfieldofviewandcreatesanimmersiveexperience.

Figure8AWayofSeeing,5'x15'x14',Wood&PlasticChain,2016

17

BreakingNamingthroughUnexpectedPairings

Liningthewallbelowthethree

paintingsisarowoffiftyAK47

bullets.Thebulletsonthefloorare

smallenoughtobeinitially

overlooked,giventhesizeofthe

paintingsabove.Thisisintentionalas

theirpresenceisdesignedas

secondarytothepaintings.Oncloser

examination,insteadofthebulletheadasmallpencilpokesoutofeachcasing,a

pairingofunexpectedelementsdesignedtodisablevisualmastery.Thisinstallation

pieceiscalledWordsarePossibilities.Bycreatingjuxtapositionsofthingsthatdon’t

fitIseektonotjustbreaknamingbut

createnewmeaning.Inmyresearch

thisbeganwitha5”x4”x12”bronze

hammerIcastusingahand-builtwax

model.Byturningtheheadofthe

hammerintoaflowerIsoughtto

changethemeaningofthathammer,a

signifierforforceorpower,intooneof

fragilityandbeauty,tosuggestalternativewaystomakesenseofthathammer,the

hammerbeingasignifierforotherkindsofforce.Inasimilarmanneralthoughthe

shapeofthebulletdoesn’tessentiallychange,itscontentliterallydoes,substituting

Figure9WordsarePossibilities,2.5"x0.5"x220",Bulletcasings&Pencils,2017

Figure10StruckbyBeauty,5"x4"x12",CastBronze,2016

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asignifierfordestructionwithsomethingcompletelybenignifnotopposite,leading

themindtoalternativeassociationsofmeaningsuchasthepowerofwordstobring

lifeandreconciliationasopposedtothefinalityofbullets.

BreakingNamingthroughSwitchingofMedium

StandingafewfeetawayfromThe

YouinIisapedestalwithawhite

tablecloth,asingledinnerplacemat,

andaplate.Nexttotheplatearetwo

knivesplacedinoppositedirections,

hintingthatthediningarrangementis

tobesharedbytwopeopleon

oppositesidesofthepedestal.Onthe

plateisaloafofbreadandtwogrenades.Thegrenadesarethree-dimensional

versionsofthegrenadesstrewnacrossthegroundinTheYouinIbehind,butturn

outtobemadeofanythingbutsteel.Thegrenadesconsistentirelyofbutter,and

duringthecourseoftheexhibitionthesebuttergrenadesfragment,agradualand

non-violentdispersion,givingsustenanceandcreatinghumanconnection:Istand

ononesideofthepedestalandasviewerswalkpastIaskthem“Wouldyouliketo

breakbreadwithme?”Iftheychooseto,Iinvitethemtotearapieceofbreadfrom

theloafIholdoutandsuggesttheydiptheirknifeintothebuttergrenade,whileIdo

thesame.Inviewingandthencuttingintothebuttergrenadetheparticipant

experiencesthebreakingoftheopticalknowledgeofwhatagrenadeissupposedto

looklike.Intastingthegrenadetheyexperienceasuspensionofcerebrationwhich

furtherbreaksthecategoriesforwhatagrenadeshouldbe.Indoingsothe

Figure11WouldYouBreakBreadwithMe?24"x24"x4",Butter,Bread,Plate,Knife,Placemat,Tablecloth,2017

19

participantisplayingaprofoundroleintransforminganobjectofviolenceinto

somethinglife-giving.Theinstallationpiece,andtherelatedperformance,iscalled

WouldYouBreakBreadwithMe?

Ifirstexperiencedtheeffectsofbreakingopticalknowledgewithanumbrella

Ifabricatedentirelyoutofsteel.Achangeinmedium—andthetrompel’oeileffectit

created—broughtachangeinmeaning.

Thebuttergrenadeholdsspecific

semioticsignificance,replacingthe

associationofexplosionanddispersion

withsignifiersforhumanconnection.In

myresearchIcastgrenadesinsugarand

tealeaves,inadditiontobutter.Tea,

sugar,andbutterareusedinmost

culturesforactivitiesthatbringpeopletogether.Inmanywar-tornareasofthe

world,suchasAfghanistan,thesematerialsholdparticularsignificance,e.g.salt

beingasymbolforcovenantandtrust,andteaplayingaspecialroleinhospitality.

Inbreakingbreadwithmetheviewerexperiencesaformofcommunion,aspiritual

connectionwithanotherhumanbeinginawaythatviscerallymirrorsthehuman

connectionstheyseeinthepaintings.Inthemiddleofanartgallerywefind

ourselvessharingameal,andtheinteractioneitherendswithasimple‘Thankyou’

orextendsintoadeeperconversation.Andastheyhelpdismantlethegrenadesby

cuttingintothem—literallyeatingintothem—theviewerparticipatesinasymbolic

defusingofviolence,are-appropriationofthegrenadeforthenourishmentofbody

andspirit.Theflipsidetoenjoyingthetasteofthebutterhoweveristhatthe

Figure12WhentheSkymettheEarth/EvenThisShallPass,45”x45”x36”,FabricatedSteel,2016

20

participantmayalsoexperienceafeelingofcomplicityinwhatthegrenade

originallystoodfor,i.e.violenceandempire.

Naming,Iconography,andImperialism

AllthreepaintingsinmyThesisExhibitionarenailedasun-stretchedandun-

framedcanvasesdirectlytothewall.Atoneleveltheabilitytosimplypullthemoff,

rollthemuplikeabed-roll,andwalkaway,speaksofthemobilityandtransienceof

thesoldiersdepictedinthepaintings.Italsospeakstomyownnomadicexperience

comingasaninternationalstudenttotheUSforalimitedperiodoftime.Without

thethree-dimensionalityofstretchersorouterframesthepaintingsceasetobe

objects,butexhibitedasplainsheetsofcanvasinscribedwithpaintmarkstheycan

bereadasdocumentsorscrolls,referringtothelongevityofancientcivilizations

andthetenacityofhumancultureinthefaceofimperialconquest.Ibeganworking

withthetopicofwariconographically,notintendingtheimagerytotieme

definitivelytoanyonecontext.However,IrealizedIcannotescapethefactthatthe

works,bothliterallyandconceptually,areatsomelevelalsoacritiqueof

imperialismandtheout-workingsofpowerandidentityechoedinFoucault’s

analysis.Powergenerates‘truths’suchas:“Youareeitherwithusoryouarewith

theterrorists,”whichinturnjustifythemachineryofwarand,pittingAfghanagainst

American,resultinthereductionofcomplexhumanbeingsoneithersideofthe

dividinglineintoone-dimensionaladversaries.YetAfghanistanwithitslonghistory

offoreigninvasionshasbeencalled‘theGraveyardofEmpires’12.Inmypaintings

theliminalstateofpeopleappearing/disappearingcanbereadasoverlapping

12MiltonBearden,“Afghanistan-GraveyardofEmpires,”ForeignAffairs,Nov2001,accessedMarch25,2017,https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/afghanistan/2001-11-01/afghanistan-graveyard-empiresaccessedMarch25,2017

21

momentsoftime,thepresenceofthesoldiersjuxtaposedwiththeirabsence—their

inevitabledeparturewiththepassageoftime.Despitetheequivalentproblemof

‘violentnaming’inherentinTalibanandtribalworldviews,thestubborndignityof

thehumanspiritstandswitnesstothetransienceandultimatefollyof‘empire’.

BreakingSociologicalNaming

WhyamItryingtobreakthe‘naming’ofviolenceinmyart?Inutilizingthe

breakingofnaminginaphenomenologicalsense,Iamultimatelytryingtoachievea

breakingoftheviolenceofnaminginasocialandexistentialsense.Whatdowedo

withdifference?Howdoweresolvetheproblemofthe‘usandthem’binary?To

breaksociologicalnamingIturnfirsttothelogicoftheHegeliandialectic.German

philosopherGeorgWilhelmFriedrichHegelwasanearlycontributortothe

developmentofPhenomenology,andIfindinHegel’sconceptofTotalityoneof

severalpossiblesolutionstotheproblemofoppositionalstatesofbeingand

oppositionalstatesofconsciousnessvis-à-visathing.IncontrasttoAristotleanlogic

whichdelineatesdiscrete,separateentities,Hegel’sTotalitytoleratesstatesofbeing

whichnegateeachother.The‘Sublation’ofopposingfactors,isan“integration

withouteliminationorreduction.”ForHegelthewholecanbemadeupofpartsthat

contradicteachother.Applyingthislogictotheproblemofidentityallowstwo

seeminglyopposingidentitiestoovercometheircontradictionssimplythrough

closeranalysisofthetwoidentities.Additionally,theveryideaofidentitycanbe

foundtoconsistofopposingstatessuchas‘Particularity’and‘Universality,’both

criticaltoidentityitself.13Itisliterallybypointingtothe‘Universal,’whilestill

13LloydSpencerandAndrzejKrauze,HegelforBeginners,PublishedbyIconBooks,quotedonhttps://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/hegel/help/easy.htm

22

maintainingthelegitimacyofthe‘Particular’thatmyarthopestofinda‘solution’to

theproblemoftheviolenceofthebinary.InMagritte’srearrangementoftwo

objectsinHegel’sHoliday,removingthecommongroundbetweenthembreaks

namingandallowstheobjectstobecompared.Iattempttobreaksociological

‘naming,’theplacingofpeopleintosingularandviolence-justifyingcategories,by

placingthemvisuallyandnarrativelyintonewrelationshipsandtakingawaythe

‘commonground’oftheirconflictandconflictedrelationships.

InaneffortreminiscentofHegel,FrenchphilosopherGillesDeleuzedescribes

astateofpluralityusingtheconjunction‘and,’asopposedtotheattributive‘is.’

Deleuzespeaksofthefinalityoftheverb‘is,’referringtothe“attributivejudgment,”

and“judgmentofexistence”ofmuchofphilosophyandreligion.Inthephrase

“and…and…and…”Deleuze,similartoHegelandhis‘sublation,’findsnotmerelya

summationofmeanings,noraprocessofmeaningchangingfromonetothenext,

buttheco-existenceofstatesofmeaningandexperience.Hewrites:“Ofcoursethe

ANDisdiversity,multiplicity,thedestructionofidentities.Thefactorygateisnot

thesamewhenIgoin,andthenwhenIcomeout,andthenwhenIpassbyitwhenI

amunemployed.Thewifeofthecondemnedmanisnotthesamebeforeandafter.”

ToDeleuzeitisneithertheonepositionnortheotherbutthe‘AND’astheboundary

betweenthetwowheremeaningandsignificancelie,allowingforamultiplicityof

humanexperienceandidentity.14

Inaworldcollidingwithideologiesandtheviolenceresultingfrom

conflictingtruth-claimsFrenchphilosopherJacquesDerridafearedthattheHegelian

14RaymondBelloureditor,“ThreeQuestionsaboutSixFoisDeux,”InterviewwithDeleuzeinJeanLucGodardSon+Image(NewYork:MuseumofModernArt,1992),41.

23

conceptofsynthesismaybetoofinal,‘closingoff’ourexperienceorunderstanding

ofotherness15.Derridasawthe‘usandthem’binarysustainedbywhathecalled“a

violenthierarchy”—onesideofthebinaryinherentlyassumingsuperiority,e.g.the

USmarineovertheTalibanorvice-versa.16Derrida’sdeconstructionofthebinaryis

neitherareversalofthehierarchy—theoneacquiescingtheirclaimofdominanceto

theother—norawhole-salereplacement,denyingthebinarywithahomogenization

ofthetwoidentities.Itisatransformationofthenatureofthebinaryitselfthrough

dismantlingthe“rhetoricalstructures”—or‘naming’thatleadstotheoppositional

relationship—tocreate“aspacethatleavesroomfordifference,ambiguity,and

playfulness”.17Thisunderstandingoftruthhumblesus,underminingourfaithinthe

beliefthatwehavetotalknowledgeandforcingustoconfrontthehubrisofpower,

andopensusuptothedignityandmulti-valencyofthe‘other.’

ItislikelythatDerrida’sinsightsintoDeconstructionismwererootedinhis

painfulexperiencesof‘otherness’growingupJewishinMuslimAlgeriaandasa

brilliantyetpoorstudentataprivilegedschoolinCatholicFrance.Critiquingthe

constructionofthe‘other’isattheheartofPostcolonialstudies,foundedbythe

Arab-AmericanacademicEdwardSaidwhoinasimilarveinbroughthisbi-cultural

perspectivetothediscipline.Saidrecognizedhowthemanufactureofthe‘other’

fuelsbothhistoricandcurrentimperialistagendasoftheWest,suchasthosedealt

withcontextuallyinmypaintings.BuildingonFoucault’sconceptofhowatotalizing

15WilliamDesmond,“Hegel,Dialectic,andDeconstruction,”Philosophy&Rhetoric,Vol18,No.4(PennStateUniversityPress,1985),261.16JaquesDerrida,Positions,trans.AlanBass,(Chicago:UniversityofChicagoPress,1981),41.17“HierarchicalOppositions,”Deconstruction-in-music.com,accessedMarch23,2017,http://www.deconstruction-in-music.com/proefschrift/200_deconstruction/210_hierarchical_oppositions/hierarchical_oppositions.html

24

discourseconstructsthe‘other’SaidexaminedWesternrepresentationsoftheEast

andrecognizedhowsystematicallynamingthe‘other’exoticyetinferiorservedto

establishthesuperiorityofthecolonizerandjustifythedominationofthecolonized.

Saidpointedoutthatthesecategories,andtheus-and-thembinarytheyproduce,

extendintothepresentastheimperialismofpaternalisticandaggressiveforeign

policy18.YetPost-colonialismalsorevealsthetenacityofculturestorespondto

oppression,findingidentitybothin‘alterity’(thestateofbeing‘other’)andcultural

‘hybridity’(regainingcontrolbycreating‘transcultural’identitiesoutoftheirand

theiroppressor’sculture).Howdoweovercomethe‘us-and-them’binary?Said

revealedthat“weconstructan‘other’inordertodefineourselves”19.

Postcolonialismremindsusthatthe‘other’ultimatelyis‘us.’Humanizingthe‘other’

ultimatelyhumanizesourselves.Empathy,likeart,istheabilitytoimagine,tosee

oneselfinthe‘other.’InthewordsofGrantKester,aleadingscholarof‘dialogue

aesthetics’:“Wecanneverclaimtofullyinhabittheother’ssubjectposition;butwe

canimagineit,andthisimaginationcanradicallyalteroursenseofwhoweare.”20

AMetaphysicalFramework

Whypursuethesegoals?AtthedeepestlevelisavisionofwholenessthatI

tracetoaJudeo-ChristianarticulationwithinitsCreationaccount:auniverseandall

itscomponentpartsexistingmoralandrelationalinnatureandfunction.Inthis

18Dr.JeaneS.M.Willette,“Post-ColonialTheory:EdwardSaid,”Arthistoryunstuffed.com,Sep6,2013,accessedMarch25,2017,http://arthistoryunstuffed.com/post-colonial-theory-edward-said/19GaryA.Olson,“EncounteringtheOther:PostcolonialTheoryandCompositionScholarship,”JAC,Vol.18,No.1,Specialissue:ExploringBorderlands:PostcolonialandCompositionStudies(1998),51.20GrantH.Kester,ConversationPieces:CommunityandCommunicationinModernArt(Berkeley:UniversityofCaliforniaPress,2004),115.

25

accountacosmicrupturecausedbytheintroductionofsinintoamorallyperfect

universecompromiseseveryexistingrelationship,whetherbetweenCreatorand

Createdrealm,humanstotheselfortootherhumanbeings,orhumanbeingstothe

restofnature.Whatfollowsistheimperativetoplayapartinreconcilingand

rebuildingtheserelationshipsoverthecourseofhumanhistoryinareturnto

universalwholeness.

IfinditfascinatingtoseethisendeavordescribedbyPsychoanalysisasthe

devastationandseparationofbirth-traumaandourconsequentlife-longattemptto

regainwhatwaslostandreturntoastateofone-ness.Inseeingmygoalsthrough

theeyesofPsychoanalysis,theresultingbreakingoftheegotoregainwholeness

takesplacelessthroughself-destructionthanthroughself-denial,eschewingamong

otherthingsthepowerthatcomeswithnaming.Inthecontextofmywork‘re-

union’isbothspiritualandsocialinnature,thereturnto‘thewaythingsshouldbe’

basedonaframeworkforauniversalwholenessthatismoralinnature.Thedanger

ofthisviewbecomingjustanothertotalizingdiscourse,oppressiveinitsdisregard

forculturaldifferenceisoff-setbyanunderstandingoftranscendence,andthe

resultingepistemologythatplacesabsolutetruthbydefinitionbeyondthereachof

created,limitedhumanbeings.Theunderstandingoftruthasaninfiniteasymptote

tobehumblyapproached(yetneverfullyreached),ratherthanafixedCartesian

pointtobeclaimed,changesourstancetothe‘other.’ItinvertsFoucault’spower-

knowledgerelationshipasknowledgeisproducedbylettinggoofpowerand

steppingintotheshoesofthe‘other.’Thiskindofknowledgeempowersusinthe

tasksofempathyandconnectingtothehumanityofthe‘other.’Empathybecomes

26

bothmorallyimperativeandintellectuallyfeasibleandthusliesattherootofmy

attempttobreakthe‘us-and-them’binarythroughmyart.

Theconceptofthewholenessandinterconnectednessofallthingsisalso

affirmedbyPhenomenology.Incounteringthemisleadingbody-mindduality

createdbyGreekphilosophyandModernism,PhenomenologyechoestheHebrew

cosmology.Toanartist,bothGenesisandPhenomenologicalreadingsexplainthe

powerandagencythatvisualandsensoryobjectsexert,andtheprofoundrolethat

sensesplay,connectedbyaspiritualconsciousness.Theartistembodiesthe

rejectionofdualisminbreakingthemind’scontroloverthebodythrough“disabling

themarkersofcertainty.”21AsanartistIseektomakemyartworkaffectiveby

breakingnaming.Throughthisphenomenologicalbreakingofvisualnaming,Ihope

toachieveabreakingofnaminginthecontextofhumanrelationships.Andthusin

visualizingandchampioningthemulti-valentnatureofhumanidentityIhopeto

breakthecore‘us-and-them’binaryandintheprocessmoveeversoclosertoa

universalmoralwholeness.

21PatrickKinsman,“Phenomenology:Theinterpersonalcharacterofperception,”Class-roomLecture,HerronSchoolofArt&Design,Sep30th,2016

27

InstallationViews

28

29

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