Abstract/ Synopsis:

 

When abstraction, minimalism, and photo-videography are fused, they amazingly create phenomenal art forms in terms of simplicity, beauty, 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 current suicidal rates and juvenile delinquents indicate critical mental health issues in Thailand. Positive mental health and creative mindset are key factors to avoid committing suicide. TAM, therefore, is an art for wellbeing project using photo-video art via "visual meditation" for creative stimulation.

 

The main theme of TAM creative component will be the triptych visual abstraction  envisaging as three stages 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. Finally, TAM artwork will serve as visual stimuli to examine on participants’ wellbeing conditions.

 

The outcome of TAM is to examine the positive impact of stimuli for creative capabilities through experimental wellbeing. 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, 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 impact) 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.

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Rationales:

The current suicidal rates and juvenile delinquency indicate critical mental health issues as the following:

• 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).

• Last two years ago, there was a shocking incident of juvenile delinquent – a 14-year-old gunner killed 2 deaths and 5 injured at Siam Paragon department store in Bangkok.

 

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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Research Methodology:

Two experimental case studies will be used to investigate on students’ wellbeing in relation to their aesthetic 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.

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• 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 aesthetic 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 ultimate outcome of this study is to explore if the application of TAM will have a positive impact on creative capabilities. In addition, this artistic research will also identify which factor (blurry effects, sequential juxtapositions or visual meditation) 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: Psychedelic Colour as Creative Stimulation, Ambiguity as a Creative Stimulation, and Juxtapositions as Creative Stimulation. 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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