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Me, PhD Media and Governance & TAM
@ Keio University 

TAM is a combination of art, science, and meditation.
The artistic experimentation of TAM is art for the sake of art.
However, the results of artistic research are really for the betterment of humanity—stimulation of creative capabilities as experiential well-being.

Applicant: Buddhaporn Srisupawat  

Application: PhD (Media and Governance) for  2025 Intake

 

Topic/ Title: Transformative Abstract-Visual Meditation (TAM): Stimulating Creativity with Art for Well-being

Department/ Research Group: Media and Governance/Cognition, Sense-Making and Biophysical Skills (CB)

Theme: Art and Meditation for Well-being / Creation in Everyday Life

Field: An interdisciplinary study combining Media Art (Triptych Photo & Video), Creative Theory. Aesthetic Experience, Psychology, Phenomenology, Visual Communication, and Well-being

 

Potential Advisor: 

Dr. Takashi IBA (Media and Governance): ibasec@sfc.keio.ac.jp

Professor, Faculty of Policy Management

Graduate school of Media and Governance

Areas of Expertise: Creation Practices (Pattern Language), Philosophy of Creation (Natural Deep Creation, Creative Systems Theory), Future Sociology (Creative Society)

 

Dr. Sachiko MORI (Arts & Sciences): sa194663@sfc.keio.ac.jp 

Professor, Faculty of Policy Management 

Graduate school of Media and Governance

Areas of Expertise: Clinical Psychology, Psychoanalysis

Qualifications, Passion & Motivation:

Art is my soul,

Design is my breath,

and Media is my life.

 

The nexus of my academic background with three degrees in media fields, my 20-year work experience in media production, together with my 20-year academic profession at American universities, trigger an epiphany that art, design, and media have embedded, engaged, and extended my life’s experiences.

Reasons to choose Keio University:

I endeavour to complete the Doctor of Philosophy in Media Design  specifically at Keio University due to:

  1. Prestigious university in Art & Design: within around the top 200 of current QS Global Rankings 

  2. Perceptive Integration of Creative Arts and interdisciplinary fields: challenging and extending the potential of art to make a difference

  3. Intensive Training in Art-based Research within Japanese heritage: worth for academic investment as well as meaningful life experiences

Career Ambition: 

The doctoral study in Media and Governance will provide me with the skills and insight to mentor others in creative and transformative experiences and thereby contribute further to the body of knowledge so critical to the understanding of the interconnections between Art and Human Well-being. The fulfillment of a PhD in Media with an emphasis on CB is not just for the sake of my own growth but for the greater good of others, as well.

Spoon Multi Bokeh_DSC1020_Aurora HDR Med.jpg

Abstract Photographic Artwork 

inspired to apply on TAM project, 

demonstrating on form became formless

Series: Transformative Abstraction

Photographer: Buddhaporn Srisupawat

Frok LS 3_DSC1446_Aurora HDR Med.jpg
Frok LS 1_DSC1409_Aurora HDR Med.jpg
Frok CU 3_DSC1423_Aurora HDR Med.jpg
Frok CU 7_DSC1464_Aurora HDR Med.jpg
Frok CU Creative 2_DSC1486_Aurora HDR Med.jpg
Frok Motion 88_DSC1482_Aurora HDR Med.jpg

The study of a Fork: Artistic Experimentation on TAM project, 

envisaging the interconnections

between physical perception and mind awareness 

by using macro photography

with in-camera practice

Title: Fork

Series: Transformative Abstraction

Photographer: Buddhaporn Srisupawat

Anchor 1

About TAM

Abstract/ Synopsis:

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 well-being through a process coined Transformative Abstract-Visual Meditation (TAM).

 

The main theme of the triptych visual abstraction will be epitomised as three stages of mind perception - unconsciousness (figurative long shot), consciousness (figurative close up), and semi subconsciousness (abstract extreme close up). The artistic research will investigate the stimulating impacts of these figurative/abstract transformations with different colour characteristics, blurry effects, along with sequential orders. 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.

 

The outcome of TAM is to examine the positive impact of stimuli for creative capabilities through experimental wellbeing. Sixty (Thai or Japaneses) 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 colour styles, blurry effects, or sequential orders have the most and least impacts on creativity as the main theme of experiential well-being.

Objectives & Rationales:

  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) on visual art for wellbeing generator in the Denmark hospitals with 98 patients via mix-methods.

  2. To allow participants to creatively experiment with photo-video art forms as the interconnections between physical perception and mind awareness. Inspired by abstract paintings (Kandinsky, Mondrian, Rothko, and Pollock), abstract photos (Strand, Cunningham, and Leiter) and abstract video art (Rythmus 21, Baraka, Koyaanisqatsi, Powaqqatsi, and Naqoyqatsi), TAM will contribute the transformative visualizations; not only from figurative to abstract, but from formalism (form) to expressionism (formless) in terms of simplicity, beauty, and transcendence.

  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 after Post COVID:

  • Thai teenagers are the main casualties of suicide (Mala & Wipatayotin, 2019). Thailand experienced a 22% increase in suicidal rates last year (Bangkok Post, 2021; Thai PBS World, 2020) and was ranked number 1 in ASEAN and 32 in the world for suicide (The Thaiger & The Nation, 2020) with overall increasing suicidal rates within recent three years (Department of Health, Thailand, 2020) resonating critical mental health issues. ​

  • Similar to Thailand, Nipponese youths also experienced critical mental health issues (e.g., illness concern, poor academic performance, concerns about career paths, discord with parents, and etc.) causing suicides especially during COVID pandemic as reported on TRIES (Tsuji, 2024)). Besides, the suicidal rates of Japanese youths were the highest  among G7 countries in 2023 (White Paper on Suicide Prevention, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan, 2023).

 

As teenagers are the main casualties, an Art for Well-being project like TAM in a school or university could be one of the proactive procedures to prevent any future tragedies to a certain extent. Positive mental health and creative mind-set are key factors to avoid committing suicide, as divergent thinking could reduce mental health symptoms  (A.

Beckstein, personal communication, June 20, 2024).

.  

Research Process & Methodology: 

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

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

The creation of abstract phot-video art forms will be used as visual stimuli through the empirical study

 

Triptych Abstract Photography& Video

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).

 

 

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

 

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.  

The artworks will serve as visual stimuli for the Art for Well-being Research

2. Art for Well-being 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 college.

Research Methodology:

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.

Research Design: 

  • Study 1 will use a quantitative approach to examine which visual stimuli (colour characteristics, blurry effects, or juxtaposition) will stimulate creativity. 

 

Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT), as a popular creativity test with respectable reliability and validity (Ball, 1980), will be used to assess creative capabilities.

  • Study 2 will use a qualitative approach using selected favourable Transformative Abstract Videos (converted from photos to be photo slide shows as video clips) in order to re-examine how effective the aforementioned factors will be on creative capabilities.

 

The artistic experiences gained from TAM could 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 as art-based expression

Research Ethic:

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

 

Goal & Expectation:

The body knowledge and reflections generated from TAM Art for Wellbeing Project will be conveyed through a 50,000 words art thesis accompanied by art works as visual stimuli via an onsite exhibition. 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 results could be disseminated via several journal publications.  Tentative Titles are: Psychedelic Colours as Creative Stimulation, Ambiguity as a Creative Stimulation, and Juxtaposition as a Creative Stimulation.

 

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

Frok LS 3_DSC1446_Aurora HDR Med.jpg
Frok CU 3_DSC1423_Aurora HDR Med.jpg
Frok Motion 88_DSC1482_Aurora HDR Med.jpg

Artistic Experimentation on TAM project, 

demonstrating on

bokeh and motion blur effects

by using macro photography

with in-camera practice

through different physical variables

so that form became formless envisaging

link between perception and mind

Series: Transformative Abstraction

Photographer: Buddhaporn Srisupawat

Let’s Work Together

41/225 Maysa Condo # 404, Huahin Soi 7, Huahin, Prachuap Khiri khan, Thailand 77110

Tel: +66(8) 9894-4280

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