Existentialismand transcendence
The question of existence has always been a central concern in human thought, extensively examined through existentialism. Rooted in Kierkegaard’s work, existentialism explores how the individual navigates the vast world of choices. Choices as an act of choosing between possibilities raise questions on free will, purpose, and morality. So, how do these choices shape our understanding of ourselves and the world around us? Why do we need to choose? And what external forces could potentially influence those choices? To begin with, based on the existential context, the need to choose comes after acknowledging the limitations of life—the de facto impossibilities. For Heidegger, this “de facto impossibility” is identified as death. After individuals acknowledge the inevitability of death, they respond in different ways. Some, like Heidegger, suggest “living for death, while others, like Kierkegaard, turn to faith in God. Instead of these, Camus suggested that we live in rebellion by not denying reality’s purelessness and chaotic structure. The conception of rebellion is complemented by Nietzsche's and Sartre's exploration of destiny and freedom. In Nietzsche’s view, this exploration responds to the problem of fate through loving it. In his case, this love is underscored by the will to make choices. On the other hand, in Sartre’s view, fate is the component that drives the desire to surpass God, which is reflected in our need to control our lives. As a result, life is a reflection of our choices and their regard in life’s gap. The gap that refers to nothingness offers up the space to create meaning or purpose. Whether through faith, accepting absurdity, or conscious decisions, we find ways to “transcend” the Nothingness.
Anish Kapoor,Descension,2014
image credits:Ela Bialkowska
Art and spiritualism
Simultaneously, transcendence is a process that refers to art and religion.They both share the practices of meditation and worship. Religion’s practices, due to its concern with death and life, respond to how we deal with mortality and immortality. In contrast to that response, artistic practices may reflect on religious symbols and images, but they may question their communal rituals and doctrines. Specifically, it allows the individual to explore personally additional meanings, spiritualities, and immanences. Sometimes it may even enhance traditional faith. Such exploration is useful for self-reflection, questioning our sense of self and our emotions. As John Dewey highlighted, art helps us interact with the basic elements of existence—like rhythm, direction, and resistance. Our interaction with these elements shapes our identity by connecting our will with our experiences. However, it will in some cases lead to nihilism, rejecting all meanings and purposes in life and in art as well. Such aspects are vibrant in our times where art is considered more of a spectacle. So, how do artists find purpose when meaning seems lost? Why does art persist in our times?
A collage of artistic representations of various religious symbols
image credits: Howardcorn33
Art as an exploration of identity
One reason could be that art is a meaningful way to communicate and question the human condition.For instance, artists like Anish Kapoor create works that reflect on how we perceive the world and our identities. His use of mirrors and curved surfaces invites viewers to think about the gap between them and the world that surrounds them. This gap encourages introspection and forces us to consider the multiple views we perceive reality.It challenges us to see our perception’s limits and suggests that what we see may not always be real.
Anish Kapoor, Red to Blue ,Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery,2016
image credits: Stefan Tribe
Meanwhile, other artists like Bill Viola have explored the emotional and spiritual dimensions of identity. Especially, his artwork “Ascensions” seems to explore psychological perspectives on Christian concepts such as martyrdom. The stages of the martyr that refer to life, death, rebirth, and transcendence are all symbolized in the water-shaped cross. The cross reminds us of how pain is the road to awe. Additionally, it could remind us of Heidegger’s phrase “to live for death, but in the center of that void we find Being, aka God. At that point, we could consider that Viola’s expression of seeking salvation and maintaining faith aligns with Kierkegaard’s religious stage. In the end, Viola’s discourse on martyrdom could suggest that we reinvent faith and accept pain as an unavoidable truth that shapes our identity’s character.
Bill Viola,Ascension,The Museum of Fine arts Houston,2000
image credits:Bill Viola
Other art discourses, such as Bruce Nauman’s “Walking in an Exaggerated Manner Around the Perimeter of a Square,” could reveal how the absurdity of everyday life and purpose shape identity. His circular orbit could manifest how the repetition of everyday activities and choices leads to where we begin. Based on Camus, we are free of choices because there are no genuine ones. Instead, there are only mannerisms and repetitive actions. These mannerisms and actions align with Sisyphus, where he had no other choice but to carry forever that big boulder given to him when he wasn’t even asked for that. Consequently, Sisyphus wonders how to invent meaning in his struggle.
Bruce Nauman,Walking in an Exaggerated Manner Around the Perimeter of a Square,1967-68
image credits:Courtney Plummer
Complementary to Nauman’s view, Abramovic’s “The Artist is Present” may suggest that we confront destiny by making choices in order to deal with mortality. Instead of wondering how to give meaning in life, she confronts nothingness through determination that is manifested in her straightforward gaze and silence. Her fearlessness reflects courage, a value that is needed to shape destiny. Destiny is shaped by the conflict of her will and the will of others. Abramovic’s “Amor Fati” explores the absurdity of fate in a non-submissive interaction.This active interaction manifests an ethical stance that shapes destiny. In her example, mortality is not faced with dread like Heidegger considers but with love. She loves life and death with all its challenges. The idea she could propose is that destiny forms identity.
Marina Abramovic,The artist is Present,2010,Lisson Gallery
image cretdits:Marina Abramovic and Sean Kelly Gallery,NY
Art as a manifestation of identity
To sum up, identity is shaped partially by our choices. So, choices reveal our motives, suggestions, and aims. Overall, it reveals the process of our actions. Art in that case serves as a tool to check manifestations of potential actions. Manifestations are affected by processes such as meditation and worship. The ideas that we meditate on and worship become our compass in life to take action. This kind of spiritualism doesn’t refer solely to values found in religions but requests our own discourse on how and what morals serve our purposes.
Index:
1: Heidegger’s “death” refers to as way to be. It is a meditation on the idea of the end of something which reveals the authentic/unauthentic self.
2:Sartre’s freedom claims the limitless possibilities of choices because of the lack of predetermined law, purpose or essence.Nietzsche’s freedom navigates the ways one must be responsible through self-overcoming and individual responsibility for choices. Whereas destiny is shaped through choices.
3:Nothingness refer to the absence of particular meaning or purpose aka lack of essence
4:Nihilism is a view that rejects accepted constructs of morality ,knowledge or meaning
5.Absurdism is the paradoxical situation of trying to answer inadequate questions
6.Amor Fati refers to the attitude of accepting the eternal loops of human condition eg:loss, suffering ,joy etc.
7.Possibility is the notion that individuals have the freedom to choose their path,make decisions and shape their destiny.
References:
Nathan Oaklander, Nietzsche on Freedom ,University of Michigan,2010(page 219)
John C Port,Art, Religion and Material Culture, Oxford University Press,1996 (page 620)
Ilona Ivova Anachkova, Art as a Complement to Religion and Realm of the Spiritual, Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski,2017 (pages 2,7,8)
Suzi Gablik,The Reenchantment of Art, Thames and Hudson Ltd, London,1991 (page 2)
Nietzsche, Friedrich,Ecce Homo, Walter.,1967 (page 714)
Gordon, Jeffrey (1984). Nagel or Camus on the Absurd?" (page 45)
Gilles Deleuze,Difference and Repetition,Columbia university press,1995 (page 15)
Zohreh Shariatinia , Heidegger’s ideas about death,Pacific Science Review B: Humanities and Social Sciences ,2015(page 92,93,94)
Sartre: Nothingness and Bad Faith ,University of Buffalo (page 1)
Belanger,Psychology of Martyrdom,the ultimate sacrifice for a cause,2014( page 496)
I.Onwuatuegwu ,A Critical Presentation of the Three Kierkegaardian Spheres of Human Existence,International Journal of Social Science And Human Research,2020 (page 208)
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