The Space of Χώρα: A Perspective on Contemporary Art

The thesis proposes a perspective on contemporary visual arts through the viewpoint of Plato’s notion of χώρα (chôra) – a concept, which in Plato’s philosophy is defined as a third kind of being and is designated as a space between the World of Being and the World of Becoming, necessary for the world to originate and become manifested. The text engages with the idea of χώρα in Plato’s dialogue Timaeus, the understanding of the concept in contemporary thought in the work of the philosophers Jacques Derrida and Julia Kristeva, and investigates two distinct yet interconnected artworks – HAEM Blood Bound (2016) by Cecilia Jonsson and Cracks in Time (2009) by Michal Rovner, through the viewpoint of χώρα. In the text, art is considered equal to χώρα, as, it is argued, approaching the main features of Plato’s receptacle – the crucial aspects of ontology, motility and ‘in-betweenness’ as art characteristics could enable a rediscovery of the significance of the messages it implies for...Show moreThe thesis proposes a perspective on contemporary visual arts through the viewpoint of Plato’s notion of χώρα (chôra) – a concept, which in Plato’s philosophy is defined as a third kind of being and is designated as a space between the World of Being and the World of Becoming, necessary for the world to originate and become manifested. The text engages with the idea of χώρα in Plato’s dialogue Timaeus, the understanding of the concept in contemporary thought in the work of the philosophers Jacques Derrida and Julia Kristeva, and investigates two distinct yet interconnected artworks – HAEM Blood Bound (2016) by Cecilia Jonsson and Cracks in Time (2009) by Michal Rovner, through the viewpoint of χώρα. In the text, art is considered equal to χώρα, as, it is argued, approaching the main features of Plato’s receptacle – the crucial aspects of ontology, motility and ‘in-betweenness’ as art characteristics could enable a rediscovery of the significance of the messages it implies for contemporary society. In this manner the research offers a different approach towards art, a prospect for widening its understanding, which, in turn, would allow examining its role and disclosing what it can contribute to the societal issues of the present-day world.Show less

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The Space of Χώρα: A Perspective on Contemporary Art