The Relationship Between The Mind And Body Dissertation (Dissertation Sample)

Dissertation Title: The Relationship Between The Mind And Body: An Analysis On The Impact Of Injuries On An Artist
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Abstract
Titled ‘The Relationship Between The Mind And Body: An Analysis On The Impact Of Injuries On An Artist,’ this study is concerned with determining the impact that injuries have on the mindset and creativity of an artist. The study is directed by the following three research objectives, i.e.: to find out the specific impact that a physical injury and pain has on the mindset of a human being; to determine the validity behind the theory of a cause and effect relationship between injury and creativity in art; and to ascertain whether there is a relationship between art and the healing of physical injuries.
To gain insight into the topic, the research design adopted is descriptive in nature. The data collection method used is secondary data collection method from secondary sources such as books, journals and relevant websites. The data collected is analyzed using a Case Study Analysis using the painter Frida Kahlo as the case study.
From the research findings, it was determined that indeed, the mind, body and art are interconnected. The condition of the body has an impact on the mind; art has an impact on the mind, which likewise has an impact on the body. As such, injuries in the body can spark artistic creativity in an individual and art, on its part, is therapeutic and can greatly facilitate in the healing process of injured bodies.
The study concludes by recommending that more artists’ needs to channel their pain through art and health practitioners should conversely help their patients to channel their pain through art. Further research also needs to be undertaken on this top from an empirical standpoint so as to obtain the requisite quantitative data that would enhance the research findings. These are some of the findings that accrued from the current research.
table of contents
TITLE PAGE - 1 -
ABSTRACT - 2 –
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS - 4 -
1 CHAPTER 1: RESEARCH PROPOSAL - 5 -
1.1 Introduction - 5 -
1.2 Justification - 5 -
1.3 Research Objectives - 6 -
1.4 Scope of the Study - 7 -
1.5 Research Hypothesis - 7 -
2 CHAPTER 2: literature review - 8 -
2.1 Introduction - 8 -
2.2 The impact that physical injury and pain has on the mindset of a human being -8-
2.3 The relationship between creativity and art -10-
2.4 The relationship between art and the healing of physical injuries -11-
2.5 Conclusions -12-
3 CHAPTER 3: research methodology - 14 -
3.1 Introduction - 14 -
3.2 Research Philosophy -14-
3.3 Research Design - 15 -
3.4 Data Collection Methods -15-
3.5 Data Analysis Methods -16-
4 CHAPTER 4: case study analysis - 17 -
3.1 Case Study Analysis of Frida Kahlo - 17 -
5 CHAPTER 5: SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS - 26 -
5.1 Introduction - 26 -
5.2 Summary of Major Findings -26-
5.3 Conclusion - 27 -
5.4 Recommendations -28-
6 LIST OF REFERENCES - 29-
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Figure 1: Frida Kahlo, ‘The Broken Column,’ Oil on Masonite, 1944 - 19 -
Figure 2: Zufar Ali, ‘The Nerve,’ 2013 - 19 -
Figure 3: Frida Kahlo, ‘Without Hope,’ Oil on Masonite, 1945 - 21 -
Figure 4: Zufar Ali, ‘Sheer Back,’1945 - 21 -
Figure 5: Frida Kahlo, ‘Landscape,’ Oil on Masonite, 1946 - 23 -
Figure 6: Frida Kahlo, ‘Henry Ford Hospital,’ Oil on Metal, 1932 - 23 -
Figure 7: Frida Kahlo, ‘My Birth,’ Oil on Metal, 1932 - 25 -
CHAPTER 1: PROPOSAL
Introduction
The mind and body of a human being are interconnected. Art and pain may be considered to be strange bedfellows to some but interestingly; they actually tend to make the perfect pair. It is widely known that several great artists created their most iconic pieces during moments of excruciating pain, be it physical, emotional or psychological, and an analysis of why this relationship between pain and genius exists should make for compelling discourse.
A great example of this phenomenon can be found in the life and works of Frida Kahlo, a Mexican painter who was mainly known for her harrowing and raw self-portraits. Kahlo is the main inspiration behind the proposed thesis because she perfectly exemplifies the relationship between pain and art. When she was just 18, she was seriously injured in a crash that devastated her life immensely. While it had an adverse impact on her health and fertility, it effectively transformed her life forever and it’s rumored to be the engine behind her unique creative drive. Her art pieces are astoundingly grim yet agonizingly poignant, especially when viewed from the lens of the knowledge of the pain she had experienced. In addition to Kahlo, other artists with similar pain- filled backgrounds shall be analyzed during the proposed research for a comprehensive analysis into the topic. It is against this backdrop that the proposed research will therefore be an investigation into the devastation of injury and the resultant artistic brilliance it seemingly causes.
Justification
I have personally been affected by an excruciating injury that dramatically changed the way I viewed the world and art in general. Following the injury, I noticed that I increasingly began to subconsciously feel the urge to express my pain and anguish through my art and this can be evidenced through my most recent art works. This pain/ artistic expression dichotomy has thus begun to intrigue me. As such, I want to research and explore just how the devastation of an injury can magnify depression and inspire creativity.
The injury I suffered damaged me physically and after what seemed like an eternity of just enduring, I discovered that my mental state was evolving in such a way that I had started to express my pain and suffering in a constructive and visual manner instead of letting the feelings and emotions fester which could have resulted in more misery and pain. If I had not found this artistic release to help free the pain, I fear that my mental state would have declined and I would have suffered a breakdown. Fortunately, the contrary happened and I ended up finding a new passion for my art and starting a new chapter in this existence.
As a Case Study, I shall use Frida Kahlo as my main influential artist because the mountains we climbed were similar in shape and size. She suffered immense physical torture as I did when I was in my accident that caused me to deteriorate both physically and mentally. I feel like this coincides with my practice very well as my work closely relates to my accident I had when I was 20, an accident that also transformed my life forever and seemingly obliterated my ambitions.
Research Objectives
Primary Objectives
The main study objective of the proposed research is to discover the impact that a physical injury has on an artist and their art.
Secondary Objectives
There are several specific objectives this research seeks to achieve, namely:
To find out the specific impact that a physical injury and pain has on the mindset of a human being.
To determine the validity behind the theory of a cause and effect relationship between injury and creativity in art.
To ascertain whether there is a relationship between art and the healing of physical injuries
Scope of the Study
The scope of the study is limited to the artists of the past 100 years who have experienced physical injuries and pain and who expressed this pain through their works of art.
Research Hypothesis
Research hypothesis have been generated by studying the theories and research results of previous researchers and they are as follows:
There is a positive correlation between mind and body
There is a positive correlation between physical injury and depression
There is a positive correlation between depression and artistic creativity
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
Introduction
There exists a limited body of literature relating to the impact of physical injuries on an artist. Most studies focus on the impact that injuries have on sportsmen or dancers with very few studies devoted exclusively to the artists who have been affected by physical injuries. This is despite the fact that there have been a number of influential artists for whom physical injuries have had a dramatic impact on them and their work. Most of the resources that exist are in the form of articles with very few books or journals exclusively focusing their attention on this most fascinating topic. This knowledge gap is probably attributable to the lack of convergence between Fine Art and the health sciences as well as the lack of resources to undertake such a study for individual scholars.
Nonetheless, despite this dearth of information, the current study will attempt to glean the existing information on the subject to provide a comprehensive overview on the subject. References to various articles, journals, books and Internet resources by various authors will be incorporated into the evaluation. The following discussion will first look at studies that analyze the impact that physical injuries have on the minds of human beings. Thereafter, the literature review will focus the relationship between physical injury and creativity in art. Finally, the chapter will conclude with an analysis of the relationship between art and its healing properties with respect to physical injuries.
The impact that a physical injury and pain has on the mindset of a human being.
The body and mind, though different, are interrelated. The wellbeing of the mind has a direct effect on the body and vice versa. In his influential work, Russell (2007) analyses the psychological impact that sports injuries have on spor...