THE PRACTICES OF THERAPEUTIC IN INDIAN TRADITION KOLAM ...

THE PRACTICES OF THERAPEUTIC IN INDIAN TRADITION KOLAM THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PRAGMATISM SENSE

IN CONTEMPORARY ARTWORKS

Meshel AlP Josepb

Ijazah Sarjana Muda Sew Gunaan dengan Kepujian (Seni Halus)

2018

PRACTICES Jl IIDlAl TRA1HTlON KOLAM THE OF PRAGVIATISM SE-ISE Jl COlTEVIPORARY ARTWORKS

vlESHEL iVP JOSEPH

The project is submitted in fulfIllment of tbe realJirern~nt tbe degree of Bachdor of Applled Arts with Honours

(Fme Arts)

Faeulty of Applied and Creative Am

CNIVERSITI MALAYSIA SARAIN AK

2018

UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA SARAWAK

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Fif1a l Yea r Proie(t Repn 0 ~a3 e r [=t PhD c==J

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I MESHEL NP JOSEPH (47547) from FACULTYmiddot OF APPLIED AND CREAT IVE ART Shereby declare that the work entItled THE PRACTICES OF THERAPEUTIC IN INDIAN TRADITION KOLAM THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PRAGMATISM SENSE iN CONTEMPORARY ARTWORKS IS my origIna l work I have not copIed from a ny other students work 01 fr om any othe r SOurces excep t where due r eference or acknow ledgement lS

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Date SubmItted MESH] L NP JOS EP H (47547)

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I DR YAKUP BIN MOHD RAFEE hereby certifies that the work ent Itled THE PRACTICES OF THERAPEUTIC IN INDIAN TRADITION KOLAM THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PRAGMATISM SENSE IN CONTEMPORARY ARTWORKS prepared by the above named s tude nt and was submItted to the FACULTY as a partiaVfull fulfillm e nt for the conferme nt of BACHELOR OF APPLIED ARTS WITH HONOURS (FINE ARTS) and the aforementlOIlod work to the best of my knowledge is the said stude nts work

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II

PENGAKUAN

Projek bertajuk T IlE PRACTICES OF THERAPEUTIC IN INDIAN TRADITION

KOLAM THE IMPL EMENTATION OF PRAGMATISM SENSE IN CONTEMPORARY ARTWORKS telah disediakan oleh MESHEL AlP JOSEPH dan telah diserahkan kepada Fakulti

Seni Gunaan dan Kreatif sebagai memenuhi syarat untuk Ijazah SaIjana Muda Seni Gunaan

dengan Kepujian (Seni Hains)

Oiterima untuk diperiksa o leh

UP BIN MOHO RAFEE)

Tarikh

111

PENGESAHAN

Adalah ini diakui bahawa saya MESHEI AlP JOSEPH disertai penulisan yang bertajuk THE PRACTICES OF THERAPEUTIC IN INDIAN TRADITION KOLAM TH E IMPLEMENTATION OF PRAGMATISM SENSE IN CONTEMPORARY ARTWORKS sebagai sebahagian daripada keperluan untuk Ijazah Sarjana Muda Seni Gunaan dan Krcati[

dalam Program Sen Halus diterima

Disahkan oleb

~EE) Penyelia

IV

ACKNOWLEDGEM ENT

I wou ld like to express my special thanks to my supervisor Dr Yakup Bin Mohd Rafee

who had guided me throughout my final year project The leanling outcome was really

extraordinary which able to gain knowledge in a well criticism Special thanks to my parents

who had supported me in financially and encourage me without any disa ppointment by

c rea ting an artwork

v

CONTENT

Abstract

Introduction

Background research

Problem Statement

Sco pe of research

Theoretical Framework

Objectives

Resea rch Questions

Literature Review

Research Methodo logy

Analysis

Data collection and progress

Conc lu sion

Reference

2-3

4-5

5-1 2

12-14

14

15

16

16

17-25

26-33

34-50

51 -65

66-67

68 -70

VI

ABSTRACT

Tujuan penvelidikan adaah lmluk membangunkan lerapelllik doam Trods India

Kalam dan meaksonoko1 pragmalisme di dolam karya seni kantemparari Pernyataan

masalah penyelidikan menuyyukkan nilai pragmolisme melatti lerapeutik fidok berlaku dari

segi kebudayoa1 indiOn Kaam Mealui pe1yeidikon ilu memberikon penerapan pragmotisme

yang jeas di daam kebudayaan indian Kaam meolui eSlelika reoli li Dengan menul1jukkan

analisis ke arah pendekolQl1 lerapi jizika di daam kebudayaan India Koam diberikon

peaksanQan sambLingan anlara pragmalisme dan lerapeutik dori segi Kalam Dengon

menganalisa ke ora pendekolan terapi jizika ke daam Kaom beberapa kaedah Iea

digunakan unluk mendopatkon hasi kajion Hosil daripada penyelidikan akan digunakan

sehagai karya seni yang menggunakan objekti( ketiga pellyeidikan hubungon anOra

peng man orlis menjadi amalan terapeutik

Vll

ABSTRACT

The purpose o( the research is 10 develop Ihe praclice of Iherapeutic in indian

Tradition Kolam and implemel1l Ihe sense of pragmalism inlO cOl1lemporary arrworks The

problem Slatement of the research shows tie value o(pragmatism sense Ihrough [herapeulic

doemmiddott apply in term af indian cullure Kolam Fram Ihere Ihe middotesearch gives a clear

applicalion ofpragmalism sense into indian cul[ure Kolam through il is aesthelics of reaIlly

By showing the analysis towards physical way of therapy approaches inlO indian cullure

Koam be given the implemenlallOJ7 of connectivily between pragmatism and therapeutic in

term of Kolam By finding the analysis towards physical way o( therapy approaches into

Kolam grounded method had been applied The outcome (rom the research will be apply as

an artwork which is by using third objectives q( the research the (Ol1l1ectwn betrteen [he

experience o(arlisl into therapeutic practices

Keywords Kolan1 pragmatism sense therapeutic indian culture tradition experience

interaction

Vlll

CHAPTER 1

10 Introduction

Researcher state the problem based on a specialized art th erap y who IS Sav ita 1akhar

Ga ndesh mentioned that pragmatism shows the value o f aesthetics in a culture Go rdonX

(2017) At the sa me time it is doesnt apply the therapeutic energy towards se nse of

pragmatism in term of Kolam The resea rcher decided to app ly her co ncept by using as an

artist experience which is the same concept being used by arti st Sasha Meret who is diagnosed

with Parkinson in 2003 Artist Sasha Meret sta te his way of pragmatism sense is an ex perience

and interaction between artworks and artist That experience and interac tion give the de finiti on

of pragmatism his experience working with the artwork in 111s studio cure his Parkinson that

shows the way of therapeutic

Based on the problem statement researcher will identify the application of pragmatism

sense into an indian culture Kolarn through its aesthetics of reality This objective will clearly

show the used of definition of pragmatism sense in telm of Kolam In which way the KoJarn

shows it s the aesthetics value towards reality in a religion For example people mind set

towa rd s Kolam just as an art floor it is related to the concept of Hinduism and Jl is a way of

blessing SiromoneyG (1978) Researcher wanted to analyse the statement given by Savlta

laidlar Gandesh and artist Sasha Meret in telm of indian culture Kolam The research will be

proved the aesthetics of its reality towards artist experIence in the practices of therapeutic The

second objectives will show the way of therapy works This therapy gives a clear justification

towards experience from artist Sasha Meret The last objec tive will implement the connectivIty

between pragmatism sense and therapy in teml of Indian cult ure Kolam

rhroughout the research qualitative IS one of the major method appy in this research

There is sub deviation of quaiitative one of it is grounded method Researcher used grounded

method to analyse the working of artists towards therapeutic by USing their experiences The

researcher also had used hooks online journal and article to find the latest data collection to

prove the research based on different perspective of the researcher

Background Researeb

Kolam is an indian tradition art wruch was own since 2500 BC till now Based on

kolam history it is also known as middotRangoli as shown in figure t and very COmmon among

Hinduism especiaily nIndia Pakistan Nepal Bengal and V1alaysJa They convey message as

a Hindu which shoving the aesthetics value bf tradition and it is a forn1 of alive in

Indian arts The generation ofkolam are being followed in different state of india since many

decades Kolarn in Tamil adu Munggu in Andra Pradhesh as shown in figure 2 Golam

Koiam in Kerala as shown in figure 3 Mandana in Rajasthaan as shown in figure 4

Chaookpurna in Chlasttigarh Alpana in West Bengal as shown in tlgure 5 ChOWK Pujan in

Utlar Pradhesh and elc ChadhaP (2015) The main purpose decorating kolam is to bnng good

luck believed towards kolam a favour of request to the people who create them and those

110 walk over it- Traditionally kolam done by indian women It is a beauty towards an indjan

women wake up early in the moming to decorate their homc with kolarns This beauty teaches

them sillce ancient Baret (2016)

2

Figure 1 Rangoli Kolam ~n lJ2

Webpage

Figure 2 Munggu K l lam 2004 1ebpage Rangoll-or -mun ggu-or-kolalll-D iWill i-floral -pa ttell1 s-Slock -P hoI oJ pg

3

hgure 3 Golam K(1am 2002 Webpage www rangolikolamcom

Figure 4 Mandltl nltl Ko lam Webpage httpsllipmimgcomonginals

4

I igure 5 Chaookpurnam Ko lam

Webpage http 4 bl blogspoLcom

I igurc 6 Chok Pujan Kolam Webpage httrs i mages-nassl-tmages-amazon cont Images

5

Based Oll cOU1ectivity between kolam and pragmatism in Indian culture as we see

kolam are environmental art and strong interaction of the audience Rabbamia (20 15)

Pragmati st has a high metaphysical sense and it is being part of the reality Pihlstrom (2002)

When see the oulline of pragmatist is both ontological epistemologica l and semantic

influence a t it is own philosophy this type of reality commonly remains lrea t to pragmatism

Phil strom S (2000) Based on Joseph Margolis S the ideas as a great example a kind of

pragmatist It is clearl y defined that ontology of art in a pragmatist theo retical framework

regard ing towa rds visualizing w hile abandoning all fom1s of metaphys ical realism that take

artworks to exists in themselves or as such How does the cOIUlectivity go through between

a kolam and pragmati sm It is proven by the researcher Karl Popper s the key idea here is

works of an art as cultural enti ties simplified to menlBl states or to physical objects and events

but in spite of that embodied in physical nature and requiring human mental aClion in order

to ex ist ought to be regarded as Worlds entities roughly in the sense in which scientific

th eo ry natural numbers or societies and intuitions are taken to exist in World 3 Danto

(1981) Other than that through explanation Arthur and Danto regarding interpretation as a

cri teria of the existence and identity of a work in arts Danto Ch 6 198 1 Arto Haapala e h5

(1989) From here the viewpo int it is easily ca n be accepted towards pragmatism and

Popperian World 3 ontology without an artwork a soc ial institution or practice w ithin which

works are created received o rall y and evaluate as works of art there will no artworks without

the cOU1ection of visuahz ing

6

Based on research kolam are a symbol of auspiciousness Hinduism having a belie f

Ihal the geometrical patt ern s and designs applied with rice flo ur at the entrance to a home

in vites Goddess Laksmi into the household and dri ves away the evil spirits Throu gh

o bservation towards Bangalo rea ns from North India they enj oy the good energy tha t they

spent with rangoli powder which brought to entire life It is pro ven to be daily art therapy ea rl y

in the morning says that creativity uplifts the prana whi ch mean s to life force SharmaA

(20 16)

12 Problem Statement

Based o n researcher Robinson kolam have several s tyles and are identifi ed with

different names such as Rango li Mandana Munggu and e tc BarrettS (2016) Kolam applied

in pragmatist sense to show the reality of culture to peo ple out there PragmatIsm shows the

va lue of aesthetics in a culture GordonK (2017) At the same time doesnt apply th e

therapeutic energy toward s the sense o f pragmatism in term of kola m this statement mentIOn

by Savita Jakhar The rea lity of kolam has been us ing in many as pects but doesn t shows the

sense of pragmatism Based on the author Moon intends to explain the concept o f m etaphor

and its relation through kolam Nagarajan VR ( l 998) This practice commonly [ollowed by

women can be us ed to mark space and time Based o n Nadarajan ve can relate ko lam witb

ritual ali and ecology The principal of pragmatism to und ers tand the religious and history life

o f itselfbut many people see it Ko lam subjec t matter just as a fl oor art and doesn t rece ive it is

pos iti v ity energy Mookerj ee ( J 998) In pragmatist way mural a rt is no t practiced that much

by A frican Women but they still employ traditio nal va lu es symbols and geometric

combinations Asante Opoku Asane (2011)

7

Conclusion of problem statement pragmatIsm shows practical needs of humans to

bel iefs and practice in a trad ition culture to show the va lue o f aesthetics in it Pragmatism

shows the va lue o f experi ence in a re li gious but the sharing of it is energy doesn t spread

much The cOfUlectivi ty between the sense of pragmatism and therapy are not combining

nowadays The formation of the design and pattern ofkolam have capability in the area of

therapeutic Gandash J S (2016)

13 Scope of Research

The scope of research the case srud y on Kolam by using the practices of therapeutic to

appl y in the experience of artist whi ch is knows as pragmati sm sense The pragmatism sense

shows the work of aJ1i st with artwork and the interactions itse lf By using the prob lem

sta tement stated by Savita Jakhar Gandesh will be appl y in an insta llation kolam The space

will be fully utilized to bring the experience of the artists to th e audience

8

14 T heofetical ramewofk

By showing Ihe theoretical framework resea rch through thi s diagram will explain from

the problem statemenl di vided into 3 deviations which is objectives By using 3 objectives will

show the final oulcome case stud y lowards Kolam

141 Framewofk

Problem Objectives OutcomesStatement

AplIYlng ~esthetics Idenl lfy the (pra~~a~ ~~~~1se)sen se of pragmatism

Th~ valM~ cH~hdIC 3AIIJ h~t thl p bys lla 1 rqJ~nh ~ t 11) l1 r

Th~ $1J111nLBl ~i tn ( 1 lht7ilp~ lfT~5- 01 tli Elt 1~llll

b Sull1 JG i ( t(tw)Jtb ~II~ )le1 Ii1 11

~plh mm il rt ~l -pCf ICIK~middot

o~ prJt)~ln111l JmpltIJ~1 the v vrl 1)[ Jntsl Ihl

cormclI VI) [Jrm l~l ___ J1nrLKc~ til LhCIiIIP) n p H-middotU(lt lIill

11J1l11 Ihll1lplu[ j c

9

15 Object ives

The objectives of the resea rch will sbow the flow of the overall resea rch

l ldentify ing the applica tion of pragmatism sense into indian culture Kolam through It is

aesthetics of rea lity

2 To a nalyse on physica l way of therap y approaches into indian culture Kolam

3 To implement the cOlUJecti vit y between pragmatism and therapeuti c in term of indian

culture Kolam

16 Research Questions

Based on th e resea rch ques tiO ns kolam Indian tradition art is one of the case study in th is

resea rch T hrough this ques ti on will be proven ho the workjng process goes through it is

case study

I How to identify the way of aesthetics through pragmatism theolY in Indian culture

Kolam

2 How therapy works in indian culture Kolam

3 Why does the cormectivlty between pragmatism sense and therapy ca n be apply in an

Indian culture Ko lam

10

CHAPTER 2

20 Literature Review

21 Introduction

As overall btief all of the literature review to idenhfied the defimhon of th e keywords in the

research Researcher had selected some artist to anal yse the way therapy works tn pragmati sm

sense which based on artist expen ence There some fact which had a rgue by some researcher

the used o f pragmahsm sense into an artwork Other than that it is also shows the

argumentative towards the sense of pragmatism in the reality of culture and religion used

21 1 Identifying the of Definition in Pragmatism towards Indian Culture Kola m

Pragmatism defines as strong metaphysical sense a theory shows towards the reality of

religious and it is understanding relating to spiritual and to prevent in the realism issue it self

through a problem requiring a so lution our human ways of representing and to be aware in the

real world Putnam (1978) It is existing to show the function of conceptualized in tetIDS of it

is effectiveness towards audi ence and it is also shows the purpose of an aI1work to share

experiences Pihlstrom ( 996) The facts regarding pragmati sm sense IS a strong metaphysical

sense Which is mean by impor1ance of aes thetics ex perience as consti tuti ve o f ar1 as IS

customary to pragmatist aes thetics (cf eg Shustennan 1992) By thi s fact had been

developed m the pragmatist tra dition from James and Dewey to Shustennan and other

contemporary pragmatists by not overlooking the fact that ar1istic and o ther humanl y shows

the sign of experiences are not culturally loaded but parts of human nature as welJ

II

According to pragmatism art is an essential part of life and society and should be analysed in

the context of social and cultural practices and institution Pihl stromS (2000)

The definition of therapeutic relation to a healing treatment It IS also sa id as personal

ex periences ma y ha ve an important impact on the process and outcomes of an therapy

Na hum NE (2008) Other than that based on anist Hiromi Tango an magic known as

therapy It gives audience a new expression towards an art She created her installation to

escape from a di sease From here can be conclude tha t therapy not just hea ling and it can be

involved with expressions

212 Argumentative Towards the Sense of Pragmatism in the Reality of Culture aDd

Religious

Pragmatism express a strong feeling Itking for something in tenn of practical Pragma tism was

origmally the thesis that the meaning of an idea can be found by attention to its practical

consequences P Raymond (2016) The theo) shows seeking the attention of audience As

mention by David Boersema the he approaches his Imowledge based on hi s th eo) was

break ing with much of the philosophical tradition and maintaining in some believes are true It

is proven that pragmatism shows the philosophical tradition in a research whereby can be uscd

in Indian tradition an The second way of pragmatist is William James having a principle to

und erstand the religious life In the scope of pragmatism tradition it is proven the va lue o f

aes thetics through religious life Shustennan (2000) Based on Dr Markus Lamrnenranta

defended the viewpoint towards ability by referring to an extra-anistic reality He mentioned

that kno wledge is more imponant than aesthetic experience artworks should mainly be

12

evaluated on the basis of their process of mind reading Putnam (1978) Tills experience can be

applied into an arti st itself there fore the value of aesthetics shows in an artwork

Through viewpo int of Shustelman art as an ac tion which becoming more int ense of

narural human experiences ca n through entirely narural human life be rumed into culturally

high traditions Phil slrom S (2000) Based on researcher kolam is a product of our hum an

culture go beyond all individual members of that culture Kolam to be known as aesthetics

value in a religious culture at the same time the al1 used to experiment into different

perspectives which pragmati sm performances therapy and brains ta nning Through this

argumentati ve of researcher the action of pragmatism shows towa rds the reality of culture

Other than that interaction takes place in an 311work to seek audi ence attention Danto (1 98 1)

213 The Connectivity between Pragmatism and Therapeutic in Indian Tradition Kolam

Kolam is a case study which use to connect between pragmatism and therapy towards

audience The theo retica ll y proven that the capabilit y of hea ling through al1 gets phys ica lly

we ll-being explore in art therapy Alexander C ( 1996) Savita l akhar Gandash is a person who

knows more about many facts in an art therap y She ex plains therapy through ko lam There

were va rious names of art willeh kolam also been included in thi s art form and it 1S also havi ng

so me similar practices She justified that therapy gets a person to conununicate in a different

way Kolam is a case study which may shows audience feedback either inner energy tes ted or

they just looking it as a product of aesthetics

Human visual memory have opportunity In their subconscious and thoughts By thi s

we ca n be seemg toward s pragmatism sense The sense of humor needed to be strong towa rds

13

the creation o f arl Rahbar Nia Zamp Kheiry M (2013) It gives the interaction between the

arlwo rks and people It shows a strong value to a culture throu gh the art itself

214 Analyzing Artwork towards Pragmatist Sense in Contemporary

Based on arlist Sasha Meret shows the value of pragmatism sense towards healing therapy

Pos iti ve Pragm ati sm describe one man s prescription for living well w ith Parkinson s He

was diagn osed with Parkinsons in 2003 at the age of 47 Sasha spending alm os t 16 hours in

studio to create his arlwork While he spending time in studio he started to use ordinary

Objects and making them aesthetically beautiful and surprisingly his Parkinsons can be cure

interviewed by Meghan Sweemey Pragmatism are proven enhancing experience and thought

Sasha Meret is an arlist who going his Parkinsons experience in creating al1work the healing

process th erapy was applied at the same time The energy of It now everyday by curing hi s

sickness Thi s statement same as given by Savita 1akhar which kolam is a way of a11 therapy

The therapy goes by applying everyday morning and they get energy of positive vibrant itself

Based on the statement pragmatism sense shows the meaning of enhancing

experi ence thought and able to conununicate which stated by Putnam (197 8) it is been

appli ed by an arlist which is from Australia and his name is Andrew Paranavitana He works

often takes two avenues of theme a darker sometimes scary world of un seen ni ghtmares and

a nostal gic playground of warm memories much safer and happier than the forme r His uses

his every experience by using the method of tradisional photography to manipulate the

pic tures he took into a piece which can make viewer 10 cormecl with on multiple levels Based

on the s tatement gi ven by Putnam (I 978) and artwork by arlis t Andrew Paranavilana gi ves a

14