Itay Ziv

Abstract Doctoral thesis in fine art, Itay Ziv ” Disabled Art”. Escapism As Artistic Tactic This doctoral thesis in fine arts addresses the notion of “Disabled art” by developing an artistic idea of escapism and its mechanisms and tools. Investigating the nature of artistic escapism the thesis aims at producing a body of knowledge based on my own activity as a visul artist over the last 15 years – a series of steps influenced by escapist patterns of behaviour I have tried to follow. My work concerns the true ability of art to touch upon agonizing topics such as the Holocaust or the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; in more abstract terms, it concerns our instability and sense of belonging in a post-traumatic reality saturated with catastrophic fears. The research focuses on topics that emerge from my artistic practice: authenticity, performativity, lack of hierarchy, anti-heroism, apathy, repetition and vulgarity. In light of these topics I deal with questions such as: What happens when art is not prepared or able to take an active stance with regard to political and social contents? What is the role of an artist when art fails in its efforts to actively engage in our reality and to reflect on it? How does art look like when the artist is simply tired? What is the role of this “disabled” art-making in today's society? In order to outline the notion of “Disabled Art”, I transform its components into various modes of escapist artistic behaviour. The art of escaping has long been practiced by performers who took bonds and cages as a challenge. Sometimes breaking away from the shackles is a way to catharsis, sometimes it is a mere survival mode. Originally the art of escaping did not feature an overt act in itself but involved instead secretly created illusions, such as a disappearance act or a transmutation. The operation of escaping includes always the danger of failure. Escape artists create an act in which they escape from difficult situations that seemingly threaten their freedom and lives. Using magic tricks and illusions, they manage to break free from the obstacles and traps in which they are imprisoned. Even if escape artists manage to leave their audience amazed and confused, their art builds on the ability to create illusions. This research builds on a correspondence between two figures: The Escapist Artist (ME) and his research. ME writes letters. Like in my previous art works the ME character is an imaginary and speculative character who’s seeking for communication. In this research the ME is corresponding with another fictitious character – his research. Their combination, Mechanism of Escapism, a basic artistic approach for creating reflection and responses, is explored in this research as an ideological, political and social default position. The Escapist Artist is a metaphorical and fictional character presented in the thesis as a ghost or a shadow symbolizing cases in which one is unable to find one's true place in the world, a place one can call HOME. An Escapist Artist is constantly on the run in the search for his own identity and roots. He keeps on seeking the place where he belongs to, but at the same time, he keeps escaping from it. This escapistic movement indicates the ways in which an artist and art relate to, and are affected by, today's historical, political and social issues. The research investigates inability in the arts through artistic acts of erasure, disappearance, denial, reluctance, disintegration, absentmindedness, and more. It analyses the artistic escapist approach as a method of expression – an artistic starting point that allows creation out of weakness, avoidance and basic survival instinct. The analysis involves constructing the identity and role of the artist in relation to the function of art today. The narrative in the written part of the thesis consists of three thematic strands: 1. The transformation process in which one becomes an escapist artist. 2. The way of learning how to cope with this situation. 3. The attempts to reach conclusions evoked by this situation.

Acknowledgments

For my doctoral studies, I had to escape to the farthest place that I could find. Only then I could start searching for the way back home. This research is the result of a 4 years’ journey. It is an investigation of the notion and meanings of escapism as an artistic tactic. Along the way I was fortunate enough to meet many wonderful and inspiring people. I would like to express my deepest appreciation and gratitude to all the people whom I had the honor and luck to be trusted and followed by. It was a difficult but inspiring journey, the road was sometimes clear and sometimes a “free falling”. I learned more than a lot about myself as an artist and mainly about the escapist artistic behavior: its importance and meanings in the art field of today.

At first, I would like to thank my supervisor Jan Kaila for accepting me to the program of doctoral in artistic research in KUVA. Thank you for giving me the keys to the gates of this journey, reviling new artistic experiences and possibilities. Thank you for the caring and support all along the way. Great and warm thanks to Mika Elo without whom this research would never come to an end. Thank you for your professional guidance, your support and full commitment, endless hours of work and infinite patient. Thank you Mika for believing in me.

A special thanks stands to Edna Baromi-Perlman, my supervisor and mentor, who guided me through the dark passages of the journey and turned out to be not only a great professional and supportive supervisor, but also a dear friend. I own you all the credits and achievements of this research. I am grateful for the opportunity I had to work with such an inspiring, intelligent and elaborating person like you. You are a magician. Thank you Edna.

The ‘green light’ for my dissertation was given by the pre-examiners Denise Ziegler and John Sundholm. Thank you for your sensitive and inspiring observations concerning my art works and thesis. I found your statements and comments very fruitful and important for the completion of the research.

I also want to express my appreciation to all the professors at the doctoral program of KuvA , who during the years of my study have given me new and diverse perspectives about art and life. Thanks to Henk Slager for the contextual and theoretical guidelines and lessons. It was a significant base for the theoretical part of my thesis. Thanks to dear Anita Seppä for participating in my working seminars. Thank you for your comments and for calming me down when needed. I would like to express my great appreciation also to Maija Timonen, Tuomas Nevanlinna, and all the other professors and teachers at KuvA.

In the last 2 years I had the privilege to take part in an Interdisciplinary research school for artistic research TAhTO, which ended in 2015. It was intense and fruitful experience in which I am grateful for. A great thanks to my colleagues whom I had the opportunity to share my knowledge and experience with in this frame: Julius Elo, Henna-Riikka Halonen, Dirk Hoyer, Kiril Kozlovsky, Sirkka Kosonen, Elna Lifländer, Pasi Lyytikäinen, Tero Nauha and Kirsi Törmi. Thank you for being such a supportive inspiration and friends. I would also like to express my gratitude to all the professors and the steering group who took part in the TAhTO: Jan Kaila, Dorita Hannah, Esa Kirkkopelto , Mika Elo, Harri Laakso, Liisa Ikonen, Margit Rahkonen, Hannu Saha, Kristiina Ilmonen, Maija Timonen, Henk Borgdorff, Ylva Gislén, Teemu Mäki, Uskali Mäki, Juha Suoranta, Mick Wilson and to the patient and efficient administration of the program by Michaela Bränn and Hanna Westerlund. Thank you for your comments, lively debates and interesting references.

I would also like to thank all my fellow students at the doctoral program of KuvA: Eija-Liisa Ahtila, Simo Alitalo, André Alves, Mara Ambrozic, Niran Baibulat, Stig Baumgartner, Matthew Cowan, Terike Haapoja, Minna Heikinaho, Timo Heino, Flis Holland, Pekka Kantonen, Shoji Kato, Jay Koh, Pertti Kekarainen, Leena Kela, Anni Laakso, Paul Landon, Johanna Lecklin, Liisa Lounila, Susanna Majuri, Maija Närhinen, Tuula Närhinen, Lauren O’Neal, Ilya Orlov, Kukka Paavilainen, Pilvari Pirtola, Anssi Pulkkinen, Merja Puustinen, Heli Rekula, Markus Rissanen, Juha Rouhikoski, Jaakko Rustanius, Mireia Saladrigues, Elina Saloranta, Tülay Schakir, Milica Tomic, Katja Tukiainen and Markus Tuormaa.

Cordial thanks to the person who was and still is responsible for the administrative side of the doctoral program: Henri Wegelius. Thank you for taking care of me in such a good and welcoming way. Thank you for all your help and commitment during these years.

Last but not least, I would like to thank all the people who helped and followed me in Israel and abroad: Thank you Noa Sadka for reading my text, correcting and helping with such a great effort and care. Thanks to Dafna Ichilov and Tamar Latzman for supporting me all the way and being such a good friend. Thanks to Ibtisam Maraana and Agnishka Pindera for taking part my symposium at the Research Pavilion in Venice. Thanks to Galia Yahav for giving me great ideas and being such an inspiration to me. Thanks to Hadas kedar, Sharon Barak Raif, Ran Lavie, Victoria Hanna, Benny Cohen, Ari Davidovich, Tzippy Harsman Seffy, Maya Zack, Maya Brinner, Reut Ferster, Sigal Barkai, Liran Atzmor, Mika Yaari, Hans Aarsmann, Nimrod Reuveni, Jan Brouwer, Jef Berends, Tali Ben Nun, Arkadiusz Tomalka, Tamar Yaron, Arik Franco and Shay Hindi, Neta alexander, Pilvi Takala, Michal Bionic Levi, Vincent Roumagnac, Nico Florijn, Archilios, Claudia van Ackooij, Ronit Eden, Ewa Chomicka, Sali Haftel Nave, and to whom I’ve forgot to mention.

And most important, thanks to my love Lode Frank, the one who promises me a castle every day, thank you for being supportive and caring all along the way, Thank you all for being there.

Back to: Table of contents

Tip

Tip