Abstract/ Synopsis:

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When abstraction, minimalism, and photo-videography are fused, they amazingly create phenomenal art forms in terms of simplicity, beauty, transcendence as well as endless imagination. Inspired by abstract minimal art and motivated by art for wellbeing, this empirical study will use triplet series of abstract photo and video art as visual meditations in an attempt to experimentally boost wellbeing through a process coined Transformative Abstract-Visual Meditation (TAM).

 

In Thailand, the current suicidal rates and juvenile delinquency indicate critical mental health issues. Positive mental health and creative mind-set are key factors to avoid committing suicide. TAM, therefore, is a proposed art for wellbeing project for creative stimulation, especially among juveniles.

 

The main creative component of TAM will be the triptych visual abstraction envisaged as three states of mind perception - unconsciousness (figurative long shot), consciousness (figurative close up), and semi subconsciousness (abstract extreme close up). The experiments will mainly rely on macro photography with in-camera practices and physical variables to achieve different kinds of formative shapes, from form to formless. TAM artwork will finally serves as visual stimuli for the Art for Wellbeing Research. 

 

The outcome of TAM is to examine the positive impact of stimuli for creative capabilities through experimental wellbeing via an onsite photo-video art exhibition. Thirty (Thai or British) high school/ college students will be recruited to participate in this empirical study based on phenomenology and art-based expression. In addition, it will clarify whether motion, juxtaposition (image sequential orders), or visual meditation have the most and least impacts on creativity as the main theme of experiential wellbeing.

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Objectives :

1. To extend the body of knowledge about Abstract Art for Wellbeing. TAM will underpin the use of photographic abstract art form through meditational integration in a different setting, stimuli, and approach from the previous study by Nielsen et al. (2017) in order to contribute the new body of knowledge (Visual Meditation) through an art thesis, exhibition, and potential serial publications.

2. To examine the artistic experimentation on Transformative Visual Abstraction — from formalism (form) to expressionism (formless). TAM will contribute not only artistic disclosure, but also scientific knowledge about the cause (physical variables) and effect (aesthetic appearance and psychological impacts) of this visual abstraction.

3. To promote better mental health in an educational institution. TAM could be applied to instill creative mind-sets among students coping with anxiety, stress, as well as stimulate creative capabilities among students on a regular basis

 

Rationales:

In Thailand, teenagers are the main casualties of suicide – the third cause of death at 17.6% of 13-17 years old (Kim, 2022), a 22% increase in suicidal rates (Rungsang, & Chaimongkol, 2017) and ranked number 1 in ASEAN and 32 in the world (The Thaiger & The Nation, 2020, 1) with overall increasing suicidal rates within recent three years (Department of Health, Thailand, 2020) resonating critical mental health issues.

 

As teenagers are the main casualties, Art for Wellbeing project in school or campus like TAM would be one of the proactive procedures to prevent any future tragedy, to a certain extent. Creativity generates divergent thinking, so students with creative mindsets would not come up with a dead end like committing suicide (A. Beckstein, Oct, 15, 2024, personal communication).

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Therefore, TAM collaborated with Middlesex University could extend to the international impacts by leveraging art-based research to make a difference – re-examining, resolving or relieving – on the specific critical mental health issues in Thailand. Alternatively, TAM could be also beneficial to reinforce the new national policy of Health Promotion by enhancing mental health (Department of Health and Social Care, 2021) for healthy and sustainable lifestyles among British juveniles.

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Research Process & Methodology: 

The Transformative Abstract-Visual Meditation (TAM) project is composed of the following components:

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​1. Artistic Experimentation: Creating visual stimuli to envisage links between perception and mind

Methodology

The paradigm of Practice as Research across the strands of Visual Art Perception (Arnheim, 1974) and Aesthetic Experiences (Dewey, 1934, Melchionne, 2017) associated with (visual) meditation (Ding et al., 2014, Strick et al., 2012) will be implemented, Taking photos of general objects around us in everyday life through a triptych viewpoint could turn it into an abstract photographic piece of art associated with deeper aesthetic experiences as well as experiential wellbeing.

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Method

The process of art making and artefact of TAM will serve as tools to reflect Practice as Research for artistic inquiry through the process of Triptych Visual Abstraction – from figurative form (formalism) to abstract (formless). 

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Triptych Photographic Abstraction

Inspired by abstract paintings (Kandinsky, Mondrian, Rothko, and Pollock), abstract photos (Strand, Cunningham, and Leiter) and abstract video art (Rythmus 21, Baraka, and Qatsi trilogyi), the transformative abstraction of TAM artwork could seemingly envisage the submergence into surrealistic realm as mind's journey for creative incubation.  

 

As the main production techniques, the 360-degree macro photography will be utilised in search of composition as well as blurry effect for the aesthetic abstraction through several physical variables—ranging from distance (focal), time (exposure) and vibration (camera shakes), or etc.

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The study of a Fork:

Artistic Experimentation inspired to apply on TAM project, demonstrating on shot variation through different physical variables so that form became formless as link between perception and mind 

Title: Fork

Series: Transformative Abstraction

Photographer/ Researcher: Buddhaporn Srisupawat

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To convey the 3 stages of perception, the triptych photographic abstraction will epitomise the interconnections between physical perception and mind awareness, possibly fusing with meditation, as the following analogy:

• The representation of Unconscious stage (Unaware of any particular thing) as Long Shot (LS) of figurative subjects .

• The representation of Conscious stage (Focusing on one thing) as Medium Shot (MS) of figurative subjects .

• The representation of Semi-Subconscious stage (Not thinking about anything, but deep into the subliminal mind) as Extreme Closeup (ECU) of (non-figurative) abstract forms in the same series. Seemingly submerged into the unrealistic or surrealistic realm, where only the mind can wander through.  

 

All physical variables affected Transformative Visual Abstraction will be recorded  systematically as metadata in photo files along with production notes to serve as the retrievable references of cause-and-effect experiment, reflecting Practice as Research. 

 

TAM artefacts will be evaluated by experts in the fields of visual art and psychology in terms of aesthetic quality and psychological impacts as well as research validity. TAM artwork will be finally used as visual stimuli in the Art for Wellbeing Research.

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​​​​​​​2. Art for Wellbeing Research: Searching for impacts of visual meditation on creativity

The use of abstract photo-video as visual meditation for creative stimulation regarded      as experiential wellbeing will be examined via an on-site photo-video art exhibition at a selected school or college.

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Research Methodology/ Design

Two experimental case studies will be used to investigate on students’ wellbeing in relation to their artistic experiences along with visual art as meditation from art expression and phenomenology using mixed-methods via an onsite photo-video art exhibition.

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• Study 1 will use a quantitative approach to examine which visual stimuli (colour characteristics, blurry effects, or juxtaposition) will stimulate creativity using Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT) on control group and test group.

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• Study 2 will use a qualitative approach using selected favourable Transformative Abstract Videos (converted from photos to video clips) in order to unveil further insight into the creative capabilities which cannot be measured by the TTCT from Study 1. The qualitative approach, therefore, will be employed by the following:

• In-depth interviews

• Viewing visual stimuli with or without Visual Meditation

• Art intervention  through creative self-expression as well as creative problem solutions of art making

Research Ethic:

IRB approval will be mandatory as the study uses human participant.

 

Goal & Expectation:

The ultimate outcome of this study is to explore if the utilisation of TAM will have a positive impact on creative capabilities. In addition, this artistic research will also identify which factor (colour styles, blurry effects or sequential juxtapositions) has the most and least impact on creativity as the main theme of the wellbeing experience.

 

Besides, the body knowledge from TAM could be disseminated via serial publications with tentative titles such as: Minimal Abstract and Psychedelic Colour as Creative Stimulation, Serenity and Ambiguity as a Creative Stimulation, and Juxtapositions as Creative Stimulation and Solutions. The artwork of TAM served as the visual stimuli could be also presented through exhibitions.

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At least, the outcomes could introduce the abstract art meditation as a self-art therapy to practice on a daily basis like ‘a (visual) meditation a day keeps the psychologist away’.

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