Practice led research into key Buddhist concepts in contemporary art

Abstract

The presentation of this thesis is composed of two parts. The Studio Practice component, which takes the form of an exhibition held at the School of Art Gallery from February 1 to February 10, 2006, and the Studio Report, which documents the nature and development of the research undertaken during the course of study. The Studio Practice component, together with the studio Report, comprises 66% of the thesis. The Dissertation comprises 33% of the thesis. The Studio Practice component has been based in the Sculpture Workshop and examines the embodied experience and the manifestation of key Buddhist concepts in Contemporary Art. The Dissertation discusses the embodiment of the key Buddhist concepts in the work of Hiroshi Sugimoto, and shows that a Zen meditation-like experience can be gained through the encounter with the work, and how this experience is built into the work.