DOCSLIB.ORG

Intimate Distances: Mediating Mutuality, Contestation And

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Intimate Distances: Mediating Mutuality, Contestation And Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/leon.2009.42.1.28 by guest on 02 October 2021 ARTIST’S ARTICLE Intimate Distances: Mediating Mutuality, Contestation and A BSTR A CT This article details artist Phillip Warnell’s use of the body as Exchange between Bodies an elusive object of research, considering a range of artworks realized within an exploratory framework. It examines how, through an interrogative Phillip Warnell consideration of the body as both place and subject, hidden biological, chemical and psy- chological transformations are revealed. The artist uses various Intimate Distances of depth and its self-evident connota- strategies of mediation to inform This text discusses a range of visual performance works, in- tions. The development of such a this process, including live, stallations, objects and strategies that I have employed in the performance requires an element recorded and research-driven of counterintuitive thinking, the iso- forms of performance, and the development of an extensive body of ongoing research, works exploration of mutuality, contes- and associated presentations. Highlighting a number of spe- lation of the head from the rest of tation and exchange between cific artworks positioned between performance, the visual and the body opposing the whole logic the singular and social body, the sonic, I detail how they have been conceived, developed of diving. Here, there is as much a culminating in the exposure of intimate distances. Through met- and resolved. Throughout I particularly emphasize the discus- bathing, insulating process—encap- sulating, surrounding and circulat- onym and material, the viewer’s sion of distinguishing characteristics such as the use of the attention is directed towards body, especially its interior landscape, as an interrogative site ing material around the head—as conceptual, visual and histori- of exploration, revealing hidden chemical, biological or psy- there is a bodily movement directed cal links between the celestial, chological transformations, and the accompanying range of towards the deep. In a spherical, organic and cellular corpus. materials and tools employed for purposes of scrutiny and hermetically sealed bubble, the ex- mediation. I refer to several texts that have informed and de- perience commences only from the tailed my interests and methods. neck upward. In these performance works, dialogues develop between live bodies and their mediated, recorded presence through attend- The Mediated Body ing to immediate environments and apparatuses that reveal My work presents a series of performative propositions on and channel them. Spaces are emergent, located in vessels the mediated body, formulating ideas on reception, transmis- such as masks and containers where the physical, spectral and sion and the channeling of various elements between, in and paraphysical can interchange and flow. In these circumstances, around the spaces that define the integrity and proximity of chimerical transfiguration takes place, bridging spatio-tempo- bodies. Consideration is given to immediate and intimate dis- ral gaps, causing the merger of otherwise seemingly distinct tances [1] or liminal environments such as breathing space, bodily forms. The subject is thus transformed through various materialized through inserted dimensions providing visibility. catalytic devices, in augmented, masked and prosthetic forms. I aim to activate a live rather than a performed image (e.g. Deeper, deeper & deeper [1995], Article Frontispiece; Streaming [2000], Fig. 1). Using slow liquids, elastic materials and hold- Fig. 1. Streaming, 5 min, 2000. (© Phillip Warnell) A continual, hori- ing structures, an unstable correspondence is formed between zontal flow of viscous solution across the face of the artist. psychological states, historical reference points and everyday activities. Sartre describes resistance to the fixity of material form in the evocative phrase “Slime is the agony of water.” Here, flows and fluidity perform a process of becoming [2]. In Deeper, deeper & deeper, the continual cycle of (underwater) breathing is rendered or staged as a visible form: my head encased within a transparent sphere, becoming a magnified, living specimen reminiscent of an escapologist’s venture. The performance is augmented by an acousmatic, hypnothera- peutic soundtrack, in contrast to the visible, spatial elements. Tension is generated between the calming voice (encouraging an increasingly deeper submerged journey) and the volatile uncertainty of the respiration, the psychological implications Phillip Warnell (artist), 145 Goldsmiths Row, London E2 8QR, U.K. E-mail: <info@phillip- warnell.com>. Web site: <www.phillipwarnell.com>. Article Frontispiece. Deeper, deeper & deeper, performance with per- sonalized hypnotherapy tape, 25 min, performed 1994–1999. (© Phillip Warnell. Photo: Gary Winters.) ©2009 ISAST LEONARDO, Vol. 42, No. 1, pp. 28–35, 2009 29 Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/leon.2009.42.1.28 by guest on 02 October 2021 Fig. 2. Soul Mining, leather, rivets, uranium doped glass service, 2008. (© Phillip Warnell. Photo: Aurélie Pétrel.) Edition of three masks, developed with the assistance of Musée Hôtel Dieu, Lyon. This interchange between personas and explicit material presence. The Crow of light effects, glows and energy bursts, roles is typified in my performance work Doctor’s mutant form is multiply remi- and penetrative capabilities of invisible Soul Mining (2008) (Fig. 2), in which niscent, conjuring ideas of protection rays. Having traveled unimaginable dis- roles and identity shift between the doc- versus penetration, interspecies forms tances, these phenomena link the vast tor and the crow, the symbolic and the of transformation or even the spiritual celestial sphere of dark matter with its real. Informed by elusive phenomena world of the gods at work. earthbound cousin: the organic, animal and outmoded historical terms such as My research into these kinds of con- and cellular corpus [3]. spirit, charisma, soul and animal mag- tributing factors aims to combine forces, In addition to placing my own body netism—those of inner searches—the demonstrating in various ways the actual centrally in component-based projects, I piece investigates the ritual and medical and metaphorical passage of materials produce participatory works with a range amalgamation of bodies and their shift- through and around the boundaries, of emphases and points of focus, a so- ing states of corporeality. This focus is borders and integrity of bodies. The cial portrait of an amalgamated body in combined with thoughts of viral diffusion perpetual flow of exteriority through representation. The use of group portrai- and invisible rays, waves and (almost) and around the internal realm is per- ture establishes the body as a place and immaterial particles, the movement of haps best considered in reference to the research object or context rather than which is characterized by the lack of an otherworldly: the startling appearance as a fixed subject position. Shock (2003) 30 Warnell, Intimate Distances Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/leon.2009.42.1.28 by guest on 02 October 2021 iris acting as an adjustable aperture. Sens- ing the amount of moonlight each night, its built-in beam is used to match lunar intensity, producing a bioluminescent equivalence via ingested bacteria. The single-cell marine dinoflagellates I used in Living Room were cultured in a temporary laboratory situation [7] using a controlled light-exposure system as an artificial sun. The result is an amazing bio-light show. The “day” and “night” of the cells (they emit light only during their night) can thus be controlled to coincide with a performative demonstra- tion. Housed in round-bottomed glass flasks, these glowing microenvironments are evocative of Molotov cocktails, light bulbs and, indeed, living spaces. The min- Fig. 3. Shock, high-speed video work and artist’s publication, video duration 90 sec, 2003. (© iature lightshow these organisms provide Phillip Warnell) Commissioned by Future Physical and East England Arts. Flipbooks commis- when the flasks are agitated is startling sioned by Firstsite, Colchester, U.K. Anyone working in some capacity for the commissioning and strangely moving. Reminiscent of agency was invited to be recorded as part of this work. Pictured: Mark and Linda (lighting synapses and energy flows, they release technician at an arts center and head of personnel for Arts Council East). sparks of miraculously stored light. My use of transmissions and record- ings from ingestible micro-cameras is in involved the recording of individual re- ing beams, codes and specially evolved direct contrast to Living Room. The ap- flex responses (on high-speed video) to light organs. These chemically driven propriation of medical technology and off-screen, edited-out acoustic stimuli. interspecies and symbiotic capabilities diagnostic forms of instrumentation is Joined or coupled in post-production, produce effects of bodily transparency characteristic of my work and integral to these digital assemblies occupy a seem- and inner projection. Perhaps the most several pieces. The pill camera, or cap- ingly integrated, shared space. Offering a extraordinary and advanced of these is sule endoscope, is striking (aside from portrait of the moment when involuntary the Hawaiian bobtail squid (included in its medical usage) for its evocative cor- impulses supersede
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Mesmer and His Legacy: Literature, Culture, and Science
    Kent Academic Repository Full text document (pdf) Citation for published version Gray, Lesley Frances (2018) Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Mesmer and His Legacy: Literature, Culture, and Science. Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) thesis, University of Kent,. DOI Link to record in KAR https://kar.kent.ac.uk/73400/ Document Version UNSPECIFIED Copyright & reuse Content in the Kent Academic Repository is made available for research purposes. Unless otherwise stated all content is protected by copyright and in the absence of an open licence (eg Creative Commons), permissions for further reuse of content should be sought from the publisher, author or other copyright holder. Versions of research The version in the Kent Academic Repository may differ from the final published version. Users are advised to check http://kar.kent.ac.uk for the status of the paper. Users should always cite the published version of record. Enquiries For any further enquiries regarding the licence status of this document, please contact: [email protected] If you believe this document infringes copyright then please contact the KAR admin team with the take-down information provided at http://kar.kent.ac.uk/contact.html Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Mesmer and His Legacy: Literature, Culture, and Science Lesley Frances Gray Thesis prepared for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy University of Kent 2018 Acknowledgements My PhD studies were generously supported by the Susan Cohen Doctoral Scholarship and I would like to extend my gratitude to the Cohen family. My sincere thanks go to my supervisors Dr Patricia Novillo-Corvalán and Dr Paul March-Russell for all their advice, guidance, and support during my studies.
    [Show full text]
  • Fragile Spectres: How Women of Victorian Britain Used the Occult
    FRAGILE SPECTRES: HOW WOMEN OF VICTORIAN BRITAIN USED THE OCCULT AND SPIRITUALIST MOVEMENT TO CREATE AUTONOMY A Thesis Presented to The Faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences Florida Gulf Coast University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of Master of Arts By Danielle Jean Drew 2017 APPROVAL SHEET This thesis is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Danielle Jean Drew Approved: April 19, 2017 Committee Chair / Advisor Committee Member 1 Committee Member 2 Committee Member 3 The final copy of this thesis has been examined by the signatories, and we find that both the content and the form meet acceptable presentation standards of scholarly work in the above mentioned discipline. 1 Table of Contents Acknowledgements 3 Introduction 4 Chapter 1 11 The Spiritualist Movement in London Chapter 2 24 The Lady and the Medium: Spiritualism and Women in the Nineteenth Century Chapter 3 37 Middle Class Mediums: A New Vocation for Victorian Women Chapter 4 50 Finding New Life in Art: Medium and Artist Georgiana Houghton Chapter 5 66 Medium, Editor, and Inspiration: Emma Hardinge Britten and the Spiritualist Movement Chapter 6 83 Rosa Campbell Praed: Theosophy, Feminism, Authorship, and Autonomy at the Turn of the Century Conclusion 98 Bibliography 102 2 Acknowledgements There are many people that I am grateful to and would like to acknowledge in the completion of this Master’s thesis. The first thank you belongs to my mother, who has supported me emotionally and mentally through these past two years, providing me with words of wisdom and encouragement when I wanted to give up.
    [Show full text]
  • Detective and Mystery Fiction in the Age of Photography
    City University of New York (CUNY) CUNY Academic Works All Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects 2-2016 Transparent Interiors: Detective and Mystery Fiction in the Age of Photography Melissa D. Dunn Graduate Center, City University of New York How does access to this work benefit ou?y Let us know! More information about this work at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/712 Discover additional works at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu This work is made publicly available by the City University of New York (CUNY). Contact: [email protected] Transparent Interiors: Detective and Mystery Fiction in the Age of Photography by MELISSA D. DUNN A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty in English in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy; The Graduate Center, The City University of New York 2016 © 2016 MELISSA D. DUNN All Rights Reserved ii Transparent Interiors: Detective and Mystery Fiction in the Age of Photography by Melissa D. Dunn This manuscript has been read and accepted for the Graduate Faculty in English to satisfy the dissertation requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Wayne Koestenbaum _______________________________________________ _______________________ _______________________________________________ Date Chair of Examining Committee Mario DiGangi _______________________________________________ _______________________ _______________________________________________ Date Executive Officer Wayne Koestenbaum Nancy K. Miller Anne Humphreys Supervisory Committee THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK iii Abstract TRANSPARENT INTERIORS: DETECTIVE AND MYSTERY FICTION IN THE AGE OF PHOTOGRAPHY By Melissa D. Dunn Adviser: Wayne Koestenbaum This dissertation is a meditation on the mutable boundaries that define interior life in the age of photography. I probe these boundaries through selected readings in two literary genres that share conceptual links with photography—detective fiction and mystery fiction.
    [Show full text]
  • New Age Tower of Babel Copyright 2008 by David W
    The New Age Tower of Babel Copyright 2008 by David W. Cloud ISBN 978-1-58318-111-9 Published by Way of Life Literature P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061 866-295-4143 (toll free) • [email protected] (e-mail) http://www.wayoflife.org (web site) Canada: Bethel Baptist Church, 4212 Campbell St. N., London, Ont. N6P 1A6 • 519-652-2619 (voice) • 519-652-0056 (fax) • [email protected] (e-mail) Printed in Canada by Bethel Baptist Print Ministry 2 CONTENTS I. The New Age’s Vain Dream ....................................................5 II. Oprah Winfrey: The New Age High Priestess ......................10 III. My Experience in the New Age ..........................................27 IV. The New Age and the Mystery of Iniquity ..........................32 V. What Is the New Age? ..........................................................36 VI. The Origin of the New Age .................................................47 VII. How the New Age Evolved over the Past 100 Years .........61 The Stage Was Set at the Turn of the 20th Century The Mind Science Cults ................................................62 Christian Science ...........................................................64 Unity School of Christianity .........................................69 Helena Blavatsky and Theosophy .................................72 Alice Bailey ...................................................................80 The New Thought Positive-Confession Movement ......85 Aldous Huxley ..............................................................91 Alan
    [Show full text]
  • Mesmerism, Hypnosis and Jewish Mystics in Vienna in the Early Twentieth Century
    Working Paper 139/2015 Mesmerism, Hypnosis and Jewish Mystics in Vienna in the Early Twentieth Century Daniel Reiser Published by the European Forum at the Hebrew University Jerusalem 91905, Israel Tel: (972 2) 588-3286 Fax: (972 2) 588-1535 E-mail: [email protected] www.ef.huji.ac.il Working Paper 139/2015 Mesmerism, Hypnosis and Jewish Mystics in Vienna in the Early Twentieth Century Daniel Reiser © European Forum at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the European Forum at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the author of this paper. European Forum at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem 9190501, Israel | http://www.ef.huji.ac.il Tel: (972 2)588-3286 | Fax: (972 2)588-1535 | [email protected] How wild, anarchic and unreal were those years, years in which, with the dwindling value of money all other values in Austria and Germany began to slip! […] Every extravagant idea that was not subject to regulation reaped a golden harvest: theosophy, occultism, spiritualism, somnambulism, anthroposophy, palm-reading, graphology, yoga and Paracelsism. (Stefan Zweig)1 1 See below, n. 66. This article was written with the support of the Center for Austrian Studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and of the City of Vienna, for which I would like to express my sincere and deepest gratitude. I would like to thank Prof.
    [Show full text]
  • Theatre of Science FORUM RICHARD WISEMAN Debating Creationists CHARLES L
    SI M-J 07 Cover V1 3/28/07 9:05 AM Page 1 PSYCHIC RESEARCH LAB CLOSES • DA VINCI’S REAL CODES • SYLVIA BROWNE’S BLUNDERS THE MAGAZINE FOR SCIENCE AND REASON Volume 31, No. 3 • May/June 2007 • INTRODUCTORY PRICE U.S. $4.95 • Canada $5.95 Einstein and the Myth of SCIENTIFIC Consistent INQUIRY Skepticism HAZARD Debunking Theatre The Secret of Science 05> Published by the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry 0556698 80575 SI M-J 2007 pgs 3/28/07 10:15 AM Page 2 THE COMMITTEE FOR SKEPTICAL INQUIRY FORMERLY THE COMMITTEE FOR THE SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION OF CLAIMS OF THE PARANORMAL (CSICOP) AT THE CENTER FOR INQUIRY/TRANSNATIONAL (ADJACENT TO THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BUFFALO) AN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION Paul Kurtz, Chairman; professor emeritus of philosophy, University at Buffalo Barry Karr, Executive Director Joe Nickell, Senior Research Fellow Massimo Polidoro, Research Fellow Richard Wiseman, Research Fellow Lee Nisbet, Special Projects Director FELLOWS James E. Alcock,* psychologist, York Univ., Toronto and Sciences, Professor of Philosophy and Robert L. Park, professor of physics, Univ. of Maryland Jerry Andrus, magician and inventor, Albany, Oregon Professor of Law, University of Miami John Paulos, mathematician, Temple Univ. Marcia Angell, M.D., former editor-in-chief, New C. E. M. Hansel, psychologist, Univ. of Wales Steven Pinker, cognitive scientist, Harvard England Journal of Medicine David J. Helfand, professor of astronomy, Massimo Polidoro, science writer, author, Stephen Barrett, M.D., psychiatrist, author, Columbia Univ. executive director CICAP, Italy consumer advocate, Allentown, Pa. Douglas R. Hofstadter, professor of human under- Milton Rosenberg, psychologist, Univ.
    [Show full text]
  • En El Camino De La Psicología Aplicada (Primera Parte): Mesmerismo Y Fisiognomía
    36 En el camino de la psicología aplicada (Primera parte): Mesmerismo y fisiognomía En el camino de la psicología aplicada (Primera parte): Mesmerismo y fisiognomía Angapykuaa rape rehe (Vore peteĩha): Mesmerismo ha fisiognomía On the Way to Applied Psychology (Part I): Mesmerism and Physiognomy José E. García Universidad Católica “Nuestra Señora de la Asunción” Nota del autor Facultad de Filosofía y Ciencias Humanas, Departamento de Psicología [email protected], Casilla de Correo 1839, Asunción, Paraguay Resumen Entre la segunda mitad del siglo XVIII y la primera del siglo XIX se difundieron en algunas naciones europeas, principalmente en Alemania, Austria y Francia, tres orientaciones psicológicas que albergaron la pretensión de impulsar acercamientos innovadores al estudio y tratamiento de una importante gama de problemas del comportamiento y la personalidad humana: el mesmerismo, la fisiognomía y la craneometria o frenología. Sus principales referentes históricos, Franz Anton Mesmer, Johann Caspar Lavater y Franz Joseph Gall, disfrutaron de la popularidad y el éxito, pero al mismo tiempo arrastraron fuertes críticas y cosecharon inflamados detractores. Algunas de estas prácticas, como la frenología, subsistieron hasta bien entrado el siglo XX, para luego decaer en su atractivoe influencia social. Sin embargo, la evolución propia de cada una condujo al desarrollo de nuevos campos de investigación. En la primera parte de este artículo se estudia ados de estos ARANDU-UTIC – Revista Científica Internacional - Vol. III, Número 1, 2016 - ISSN 2311-75-59 En el camino de la psicología aplicada (Primera parte): Mesmerismo y fisiognomía 37 tres movimientos, el mesmerismo y la fisiognomía, desde una perspectiva fundamentada en la historia, analizando la relevancia que les correspondió como antecedentes para el surgimiento de la psicología aplicada a finales del siglo XIX.
    [Show full text]
  • Apparitional Economies: Spectral Imagery in the Antebellum Imaginaton
    University of Kentucky UKnowledge Theses and Dissertations--English English 2014 Apparitional Economies: Spectral Imagery in the Antebellum Imaginaton Holly F. Osborn University of Kentucky, [email protected] Right click to open a feedback form in a new tab to let us know how this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Osborn, Holly F., "Apparitional Economies: Spectral Imagery in the Antebellum Imaginaton" (2014). Theses and Dissertations--English. 12. https://uknowledge.uky.edu/english_etds/12 This Doctoral Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the English at UKnowledge. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations--English by an authorized administrator of UKnowledge. For more information, please contact [email protected]. STUDENT AGREEMENT: I represent that my thesis or dissertation and abstract are my original work. Proper attribution has been given to all outside sources. I understand that I am solely responsible for obtaining any needed copyright permissions. I have obtained needed written permission statement(s) from the owner(s) of each third-party copyrighted matter to be included in my work, allowing electronic distribution (if such use is not permitted by the fair use doctrine) which will be submitted to UKnowledge as Additional File. I hereby grant to The University of Kentucky and its agents the irrevocable, non-exclusive, and royalty-free license to archive and make accessible my work in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I agree that the document mentioned above may be made available immediately for worldwide access unless an embargo applies. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of my work.
    [Show full text]
  • SPIRITISM in SECULAR TURKEY, 1936-1969: the RUHSELMAN CIRCLE BETWEEN RELIGION and MODERN SCIENCE a Master's Thesis by HATİC
    HATİCE SENA ARICIOĞLU SENA HATİCE SPIRITISM IN SECULAR TURKEY, 1936-1969: THE RUHSELMAN CIRCLE BETWEEN RELIGION AND MODERN SCIENCE A Master’s Thesis SPIRITISM IN SECULAR TURKEY TURKEY IN SECULAR SPIRITISM by HATİCE SENA ARICIOĞLU Department of Political Science and Public Administration İhsan Doğramacı Bilkent University Bilkent Bilkent Ankara December 2019 University 2019 To Sane SPIRITISM IN SECULAR TURKEY, 1936-1969: THE RUHSELMAN CIRCLE BETWEEN RELIGION AND MODERN SCIENCE The Graduate School of Economics and Social Sciences of İhsan Doğramacı Bilkent University by HATİCE SENA ARICIOĞLU In Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF ARTS IN POLITICAL SCIENCE THE DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION İHSAN DOĞRAMACI BİLKENT UNIVERSITY ANKARA December 2019 ABSTRACT SPIRITISM IN SECULAR TURKEY, 1936-1969: THE RUHSELMAN CIRCLE BETWEEN RELIGION AND MODERN SCIENCE Arıcıoğlu, Hatice Sena M.A., Department of Political Science and Public Administration Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. İlker Aytürk December 2019 Spiritism, established by Allan Kardec claims to study an immaterial world through scientific methods, proposes a doctrine of reincarnation and derives knowledge from communication with spirits. In contrast to its depiction in popular culture invoking scary and ominous imagery, communication with spirits was a serious venture for spiritists. This thesis examines Turkish spiritism, spearheaded by Bedri Ruhselman, between 1936 and 1969 in an effort to reveal why a group of intellectuals were interested in a supernatural and transcendental practice such as spiritism. To answer this question, the study examines the history of spiritism in Turkey and provides an in- depth analysis of its spiritist, scientific and moral teachings.
    [Show full text]
  • Ghostlore and the Creation of Virginia History Alena R
    University of South Florida Scholar Commons Graduate Theses and Dissertations Graduate School July 2017 The ommonC Uncanny: Ghostlore and the Creation of Virginia History Alena R. Pirok University of South Florida, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd Part of the United States History Commons Scholar Commons Citation Pirok, Alena R., "The ommonC Uncanny: Ghostlore and the Creation of Virginia History" (2017). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/6929 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Common Uncanny: Ghostlore and the Creation of Virginia History By Alena R. Pirok A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in History Department of History College of Arts and Sciences University of South Florida Major Professor: Philip Levy, Ph.D. K. Stephen Prince, Ph.D. S. Elizabeth Bird, Ph.D. Julia King, Ph.D. Date of Approval: May 25, 2017 Key words: Public History, Thanatourism, Dark Tourism, The Old Dominion, Hauntings Copyright ©2017, Alena R. Pirok DEDICATION To the hosts, tour guides, storytellers, curators, volunteers, and fans who knew Virginia’s spectral history all along. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS There are many people who contributed to this dissertation in comments, support, direction and encouragement. I would like to name them all, but for lack of room I will name a few.
    [Show full text]
  • Mesmer on Animal Magnetism
    History of Psychology: Mesmer on Animal Magnetism http://web.archive.org/web/20040710162753/http://www.unbf.ca/psycho... Propositions Concerning Animal Magnetism, by Anton Mesmer, 1779 [ 1] [Sir Thomas Browne complained in the middle of the 17th century that "Quacksalvers and charlatans deceive the people." [ 2] Quacks are still among us, but sometime in the 18th century they changed their sales pitch. Anton Mesmer was among the most famous to offer a cure that sounded like new physical science but which leading scientists investigated and rejected. When Mesmer finally closed his elegant clinic in Paris, he was able to afford a small but comfortable estate in the country, to which he quietly retired. Potential buyers, and sellers, too, of any sort of new therapy might wish to know how he recruited so many paying clients. - dgl ] 1. A responsive influence exists between the heavenly bodies, the earth, and animated bodies. 2. A fluid universally diffused, so continuous as not to admit of a vacuum, incomparably subtle, and naturally susceptible of receiving, propagating, and communicating all motor disturbances, is the means of this influence. 3. This reciprocal action is subject to mechanical laws, with which we are not as yet acquainted. 4. Alternative effects result from this action, which may be considered to be a flux and reflux. 5. This reflux is more or less general, more or less special, more or less compound, according to the nature of the causes which determine it. 6. It is by this action, the most universal which occurs in nature, that the exercise of active relations takes place between the heavenly bodies, the earth, and its constituent parts.
    [Show full text]
  • 'Rapport and Subversion: Mesmer's Treatment of Paradis and Its Influence
    Jane Madell 'Rapport and Subversion: Mesmer's Treatment of Paradis and Its Influence On the Fiction of E.T.A. Hoffmann' and The Cost of Light (a novel) PhD in Creative and Critical Writing School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing University of East Anglia October 2015 "This copy of the thesis has been supplied on condition that anyone who consults it is understood to recognise that its copyright rests with the author and that use of any information derived therefrom must be in accordance with current UK Copyright Law. In addition, any quotation or extract must include full attribution." 1 Abstract This is a thesis in two parts, a novel and a critical project. Both are about Maria- Theresa von Paradis, a blind and possibly 'hysterical' pianist and composer, and Doctor Franz Anton Mesmer, the founder of Mesmerism, who temporarily managed to cure her with this controversial treatment. In the novel, The Cost of Light, Paradis's confessions to Mesmer allow me to show that her possible hysterical blindness arises from a complex cluster of motives, for example, a refusal to see, and too great a desire to witness, forbidden sights. In this way, the novel demonstrates the malleable nature of eighteenth-century hysteria, which, for Paradis, transforms itself constantly in relation to her psychosocial conditions and familial constraints. Her sudden blindness, her miraculous recovery of sight at Doctor Mesmer's hands and then its subsequent loss could therefore all be considered hysterical symptoms. The related critical project, 'Rapport and Subversion: Mesmer's Treatment of Paradis and Its Influence on the Fiction of E.T.A.
    [Show full text]