Abstracts Philosophy, Religion, and Theology

Subtle exchanges : cultivating relations with duration : eastern, western and esoteric approaches to contemplating art practice

by Jennene Johnston

This thesis aims to consider the potential for perception of the subtle exchanges of viewers and artwork; subject and object. This necessitates an examination of ontologies, concepts of the body, perceptive schemas and modes of consciousness that ultimately destabilise the assumed solidity and individuality of subject and object. Exchanges of subtle effects are continually taking place between viewer and object, and the space between subject and object is alive with interaction. Process philosophy is introduced as the basic ontological perspective underlying this reflection of subject-object relations. Three conceptualisations of subject-object interaction are considered: Western, Esoteric and Eastern, and three types of body-mind proposed by these investigations are discussed. The process and practice of cultivation required to activate intuition as a faculty able to perceive subtle effects are considered. This focuses mainly upon Eastern practices, with emphasis on the interrelation of cultivation and the creation/contemplation of visual art works.