Thinking, making, meditating : reflections on time and boredom through a fine art research project

Abstract

This dissertation is the result of a thorough investigation into the aesthetic and affective state of boredom as seen through the practice of visual art. It investigates how boredom, which is usually written off as unimportant or useless, may be critically rethought as a creative place for emotional involvement, artistic reflection, and temporal awareness. Through the integration of philosophical discourse, contemporary cultural theory, and practice-led approaches, the study investigates boredom as a complex and varied phenomenon that is ingrained in contemporary visual and temporal culture, rather than only as a psychological state. The project evolved from an early interest in contemporary attention and overstimulation, progressively focusing on the complex interrelationships among repetition, quiet, boredom, and visual representation. To express ennui as presence rather than absence, artistic practice, more especially, lens-based media like photography, film, and cyanotype, became essential. Interviews with academics and artists from a variety of fields added to the research by providing insightful information about how boredom functions as a lived experience and a catalyst for creativity. This study's practice component is based on an individual's experience with memory, emotional closeness, and domestic space. In addition to serving as the final piece's physical location, the artist's late great-grandmother's home offered a conceptual framework that allowed for a deeper exploration of the themes of calm persistence, length, and silence. To frame boredom as a rich field for creative and philosophical investigation, the ensuing body of work seeks to move it from its cultural marginality into a more thoughtful and critical light.