Neo-Palladianism in the United Kingdom followed a clear formula when it was first introduced in the 1720s: small and compact villas, a central portico and references to the Villa Emo or La Rotonda....Show moreNeo-Palladianism in the United Kingdom followed a clear formula when it was first introduced in the 1720s: small and compact villas, a central portico and references to the Villa Emo or La Rotonda. This concept changed significantly till the 1750s: wings were added, the complexes became wider and references became more diverse. The early 18th century was also a time of change for the political and social situation in the United Kingdom. The Hanoverians took over the throne from the Stuarts in 1714 and the Whigs governed the country for almost three decades. At the same time the world had become more global thanks to colonization and Britain was constantly in conflict with continental Europe. This meant that the collective identity of the British elite had to be newly created. This thesis discusses how Neo-Palladian country houses on the English countryside were used to create this new collective identity of the British elite in the 1750s?Show less
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...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
