Concept
“Who is the real me?” is one of the most persistent questions in human history. The current technical and political situation adds gravity to the question in novel ways. (e.g as exemplified by the German Korean philosopher Byang Chul Han) It is a question that obviously has no simple answer. Still, we know that from the day we are born that we are influenced by the outside world. We are shaped by our experiences of the natural and technological environment. But maybe more importantly, we are influenced by parents, teachers, siblings, friends, colleagues, the media, social media, politics, economic reality and artistic influences.
As our society gradually becomes more complex, the external pressure on each individual becomes stronger, it therefore becomes increasingly important to know who we are. At the same time it is not simple for each individual to formulate his/her life goals without influence of the above named external forces. It is harder than ever to distinguish our own wishes from those that are imposed on us by social and commercial interests.
Each individual human being struggles on his/her journey through life to make the most of the potential that he/she has. Not knowing who we are and where we belong can stop us from contributing to our loved ones’ lives and to society in general. In order to make this search easier, humanity has developed innumerable techniques to navigate through our inner lives: religious beliefs, psychoanalysis and self-help
Art is one of the oldest and most versatile tools for inner navigation and hypnotherapy is one of the most recent ones to be developed. In this project, artists, curators and hypnotherapists from Sweden and Egypt join forces to investigate what can be learned from bringing hypnotherapy and art together. The project asks:
- Can art and hypnotherapy together help us to be stronger in the formulation of our own identity today?
Method
A group of artists in will work hypnotherapy over a period of time. This will happen during workshops in various European locations. It allows each artist for serious and deep introspection to investigate his/her true wishes, desires aspirations. The artists’ experiences will then be used to create new individual (or collective) artworks. Each artist is free to find his/her own expression, which can include drawing, painting, photography, video or even performance.
Artistic Outcomes
The project will lead to creation of new artwork that documents the process and experiences of the project. These will also be shown in exhibitions and performances in various European venues. The public presentations can include documentation of the working process and artworks that have been created by the participating artists that reflect on their experiences with hypnotherapy and how it has affected their outlook on their lives and art. The process will also lead to a deeper understanding about how art is understood and produced in different cultures.
Scientific Outcomes
The project will create a better understanding about how art can influence hypnotherapy as well as how hypnotherapy can influence art. It develops a deeper understanding how social forces influences the art making process and how artists can gain a better understanding of their own inner desires, both private and professional. The process will also lead to a deeper understanding of different European cultures as well as how they interact.