Investigation into experimental, digital video art based on the five states of consciousness of non-dual eastern philosophy and including integral art analysis

Abstract

The title of this MF A Digital Art practice based thesis is Investigation into experimental, digital video art based on the jive states of consciousness of non-dual eastern philosophy and including integral art analysis. The thesis focuses on several questions: What is consciousness? What are the five states of consciousness? How can a digital video communicate the five states of consciousness by use of a metaphor and be analysed using an integral approach? The aim is the creation of a digital video based on non-dual philosophy and an evaluation of the artwork using integral mi analysis. The theoretical foundation comprises two non-dual eastern philosophies; Advaita Vedanta and Kashmir Shaivism, the bases for the five states of consciousness; waking, witness, dream, deep sleep and non-dual. Techniques in film/video theory and aesthetics inform the practical project; the Sea of Consciousness video. Qualitative open-ended interviews with experts are based primarily on video technique. Integral mi analysis theory inclusive of; the subjective (interior) or 'I' perspective (the artist's view in the artwork and their reflections about the artwork), the objective (exterior) 'it' perspective (the artwork itself), the subjective (interior) 'we' or (theoretical, cultural view of the artwork) and the objective (exterior) 'it is' perspective (viewer/expert's response to the artwork) are used to analyse the practical project from a multitude of perspectives. The video's visual imagery communicates each of the five states of consciousness from the artist's philosophical, technical and aesthetic perspective. The other three viewpoints are informative and perspective widening towards the acquirement of knowledge in the creation and analysis of the digital video.