Dragons over the world history : an artistic research on dragon culture

Abstract

From the poisonous, fire-breathing lizards that threatens the kingdom, to the mysterious, elegant flying serpent that are worshipped for blessings, dragons, the mythological creature, has long been a popular subject featured in worldwide regions, evoking discussions from artists, historians, and even psychologists. How are dragons’ designs diversifying in different eras and regions, and how might these design choices reflect the society it belongs to? This research project, conducted through in-depth research, involving extensive reading on history, religions and regional customs, along with a visit to the Japanese dragon shrine, focuses on the evolving and diversifying dragon culture, approaches numerous civilizations through the lens of dragons. While the practical section of this project is an ongoing process, this dissertation presents a documentation of the experimentation with media and compositions.