Harmonious Inner and Outer Climates
(2024)
author(s): Ilva Nieuwstraten
published in: Royal Academy of Art, The Hague
Thesis / Research Document of the Royal Academy of Art, The Hague, 2023.
BA Interactive / Media / Design
on the inner climate of the body
This study investigates the relationship between the inner experiences of the human body and the state of balance of earth’s climate. The current state of the earth is worsening and the current way of living is not sustainable, climate change wise but also health and mental health wise. Changes need to be made to the way humans live their lives, for (men- tal) health, environment and survival of all beings.
There are three stages in which this research takes place: meeting, befriending and becoming. The meeting chapter looks at the human body experiences of breathing, emotions and (graceful) movement and what these mean in relation-
ship with environmental awareness. During befriending we dive into the human body’s microbiome, neurodiversity, mental illness, burn out, education and war and how these influence the climate crisis. The last chapter called becoming, looks into the philosophy of time and space in relationship with environmentalism and viewing the earth as one’s own body.
The three stages are designed to help us understand the rela- tionship to the disturbance of the climate and our role in it. The research looks into methods to become aware of one’s body. For instance, Just being—breathing—gives the body and its microbiome time to heal. Another method being zooming out and metaphorically seeing the human bodies as the microbiome of earth. .
Magic and sorcery as creative methodology
(2024)
author(s): Carolina Albuquerque
published in: Research Catalogue
Studies in art production using sorcery, magic and rituals to access the unconsciousness and engage art production and performances. As part of the PhD research and as result of the class of Actual Thought in Arts, this publication aims to demonstrate the possibilities of utilizing ancestral practices to contribute to the creative process. To achieve this, themes such as the unconscious, magic and sorcery, mythology, and decolonialism are intricately connected to the development of art and performance in this context. There is no way to disconnect one area from the other. When discussing magic, it is essential to understand the reasons for its marginalization. Magic has been utilized in numerous rituals, and rituals can be viewed as performances of artistic actions that permeate our unconscious.
"ART THOU PAYING ATTENTION?" - PRESENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY IN THE PERFORMING ARTS
(2023)
author(s): Camilla Damkjaer
published in: Research Catalogue, Stockholm University of the Arts (SKH)
This essay is reflection on the research project “ Presence and sustainability in the Performing arts” conducted by Camilla Damkjaer and Johanna Garpe at Stockholm University of the Arts 2021-2023.
The project started from the idea that the premise of the performing arts is to capture people’s attention. At the same time our attention is under pressure through experience economy, digitalisation and work-life conditions. We wanted to explore ways of creating sustainable relations to attention within this field. The purpose was of the project was therefore to develop a more sustainable relation to attention within the performing arts, in the meeting with meditative practices.
Mindfulness for violinists
(2023)
author(s): Sacha Paredes Sánchez
published in: KC Research Portal
An overabundance of mental distractions may prevent musicians’ minds from being in the moment while practicing. The present mixed-methods study examined the effects of three newly designed mindfulness meditations on six conservatory violinists’ levels of dispositional mindfulness, mind-wandering and respective variables. Thought probes were used before and after the intervention to examine frequency of mind-wandering and contextual variables (task difficulty, fatigue and stress, and motivation) during two hours of participants’ instrumental practice (one of technical work another of a new piece in their repertoire). FFQM (Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire) and MfM (Mindfulness for Musicians) questionnaires were used to measure mindfulness levels before and after the intervention. Interviews and meditation logs were used as qualitative data. Results indicated that all participants became more mindful at the end of the meditation week for all mindfulness’ facets for the FFQM and MfM questionnaires. However, the improvements were particularly noticeable for the “Acting with Awareness” and “Non-Judge” facets for the FFQM and for “Describe” in the MfM. Results showed opposing trends in mind-wandering levels throughout the intervention. That is, some participants showed higher mind-wandering at the post-intervention and others lower. However, contextual variables such as fatigue, motivation or worry, may have also affected how much participants wandered while practicing (e.g. some of them showed more rumination when being more worried and having slept less). Overall, results from the experiment evidenced the importance of including mindfulness in violinists’ daily practice as a useful routine to become more aware and less distracted.
Lessons in the Shadow of Death
(last edited: 2017)
author(s): Elisabeth Laasonen Belgrano
This exposition is in progress and its share status is: visible to all.
A voice.
Alone.
Sounding as a prayer.
As a meditation.
Moving through lamentation and hope.
In the middle of life.
In the middle of living.
In the shadow of Death.
There is a voice.
Voice of Life itself.
Voice of God.
A performance of a vocal prayer.
Voice - Elisabeth Belgrano