In Search of Another Eye: Mimesis, Chinese Aesthetics, Post-modern Theatre Won Jung Sohn Thesis submitted for the examination for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, University of London DEPARTMENT OF DRAMA AND THEATRE Royal Holloway, University of London 2011 1 Declaration of Authorship I, Won Jung Sohn, hereby declare that this thesis and the work presented in it is entirely my own. Where I have consulted the work of others, this is always clearly stated. 2 Abstract Although a new tradition of non-mimetic theatre has secured a place in Western theatre history, I find that existing critical vocabularies fail to embrace various theatrical forms of today. Alternative frames of discussion are sought after, and I propose that a culturally distinct one will open up possibilities of perceiving contemporary performances in different ways. In this thesis I turn to the aesthetics of Chinese painting. The Western concept of mimesis in theatre is seen as being strictly related to the verbal aspects of the drama rather than the performed spectacle. Turning to paintings as a lens through which to look at theatre enables one to focus on the extra-textual aspects of performance. At the same time, looking at painting directs one to the issue of ways of seeing, which is fundamental to theatre. Looking at Chinese paintings will disclose the unique Chinese ways of seeing that affected their artistic creation and reception, as well as what different concepts of representation prevailed. In this thesis I trace the mimetic foundations of Western theatre by investigating the writings of Plato and Aristotle as well as looking at Classical Greek painting, its modern reflections and counteractions. I then propose the aesthetics of Chinese painting as an alternative lens through which to look at contemporary non-mimetic theatre. Focusing on landscape and literati paintings of the Sung era I examine how adopting this lens initiates a mode of perception that differs significantly from the Western. Finally, I explore the validity of Chinese aesthetics as a critical device with which to look at contemporary non-mimetic theatre, case-studying selected theatre performances of Tadeusz Kantor and Forced Entertainment. 3 Table of Contents Acknowledgements 6 List of Figures 8 Preface 11 1. Introduction 12 1-1. Current Frames of Discussion 13 1-2. Looking for an Alternative Frame: Chinese Aesthetics 19 1-3. Structure of the Thesis 21 2. Plato’s Concept of Mimesis: Greek Paintings and Visual Perception 26 2-1. Introduction 26 2-2. Paintings and the Classical Greek Perception of the World 30 2-2-1. Volume 36 2-2-2. Focus on “Man” 45 2-2-3. Narrative 51 2-3. Conclusion 58 3. Chinese Paintings: An Alternative Concept of Representation 60 3-1. Introduction 60 3-2. The Concept of Representation in Chinese Landscape Paintings 63 3-3. Painting and Subjectivity 76 3-4. Painting as a Temporal Art Form 88 3-5. Conclusion 99 4. Poetics and the Foundation of Mimetic Traditions in Western Theatre 102 4-1. Introduction 102 4-2. From Visual to Verbal, Idea to Reason 103 4-3. “Tragedy is a Mimesis of Action”: Selectivity in Aristotle‟s Concept of Mimesis 118 4-3-1. Polarization in the Classical Greek Mind 119 4 4-3-2. Form Matters: Polarization in Aristotle‟s Theory of Tragic Mimesis 130 4-3-3. Universals versus Truth 135 4-4. Conclusion 146 5. In Search of Alternative Frames: Bergson and Matisse 147 5-1. Introduction 147 5-2. Mimesis and the Condition of Modernity 148 5-3. Henri Bergson and the Concept of Duration 158 5-4. Challenge against Perspective: Henri Matisse 167 5-5. Conclusion 183 6. Tadeusz Kantor: Representation, Re-presentation and the Search for “Now” in Contemporary Theatre 185 6-1. Introduction: Splitting Perspective 185 6-2. Between Illusion and the Real: Conflict or Reconciliation 192 6-2-1. Limits of Dichotomy 206 6-2-2. Beyond Conflict: Wielopole, Wielopole 212 6-3. Conclusion: Invitation to a Dialogue 230 7. Looking at “Post-modern” Theatre through an Eastern Lens 232 7-1. Introduction: Against Representation or Another Representation 232 7-2. “Post”- Theatres: Simon McBurney and Robert Lepage 243 7-3. Looking at Theatre through an Eastern Lens: Forced Entertainment 257 7-3-1. Fiction or Real? Or Fiction and Real? 258 7-3-2. Word, Image, and the Aesthetics of Erasure: The World in Pictures 264 7-4. Conclusion: Shaping the Void 275 8. Conclusion: Touching the Invisible 278 Theatre as a Site of Shū-tōng (疏通) 280 Bibliography 285 Figures 306 5 Acknowledgements Working with words for me is always a painful and despairing process. Having completed the final pages of this thesis, I am faced with yet another phase of great frustration, for I cannot find the words which will properly express my gratitude towards my supervisor, Professor David Wiles. This work would never have been conceived had I not met him, and if it were not for his guidance it would have been left incomplete. His patience and trust in his overly unconfident, self-censoring student, and his kind encouragement during frequent periods of intellectual depression, finally led me to believe that my work may actually be of any value. Thank you. I would also like to thank Professor David Bradby, who supervised me briefly during the earlier stages of my research. He tried to teach m e that judging my work was not my job; I regret having taken so long to accept his advice, for it is now too late to show him this work. I am grateful to my advisors Dr. Matthew Cohen and Dr. Enzo Cozzi, whose insightful comments and suggestions made this thesis a much richer work. I am enormously indebted to Professor Patrice Pavis, who made it possible for me to study at Royal Holloway. I am in awe of his passion for theatre and endless search for new ways to talk about the art, which continue to be my major source of academic inspiration. But I am grateful, most of all, to be his friend. This research was funded by the British Chevening Scholarships. The Centre for Performance Research gave me bibliographical support on Tadeusz Kantor, and the Cricoteka Archives provided me with digital reproductions of his works. The SOAS library opened my eyes to the world of Chinese art. I am grateful to Cho O- Hyun, Senior Buddhist Priest of Baekdamsa, and Lee Sang-Guk of Manhae Maeul for 6 providing me with a space of quietude when I needed it most. A big thank you to the “bosalnim”s for feeding me. Your food did me better than the mountains of Sorak. My correspondences with Dong I-Hyang and Han Hyunju nurtured the sensitive side of me as a theatre scholar, and I look forward to very long evenings of ardent debates with them on theatre and all that. Thanks also to David Maddison for polishing my English and lending me his wife when I was in desperate need of a friend, and Seung Yeojin for never saying no to a pint. Sohn Hak-Kyu, my father, led me into the field of academia. His life is proof that scholarship is meaningful only when put into practice. My mother, Yi Yoon- Young, is nothing less than a blessing. I will never learn the source of my parents‟ almost religious faith in their daughter, but I know that without it I would never have arrived at this stage. Wonpyung, my little sister, deserves a heartfelt word of thanks for the birthday presents and, most of all, for being there. I am deeply grateful to my mother-in-law. Thank you for everything you went through. I know that few mothers- in-law would have endured what you had to endure. This thesis is dedicated to Kim Donghyun, my husband and “yeonwoo”. It was he who first showed me the beauty of theatre. One day he told me that in ten years time I‟d be shining. Ten years have passed since; it is now perhaps my turn to prove that he was right. 7 List of Figures 1. “The Rape of Persephone” 350-325 B.C. Wall painting. 3.5 x 1.01 m. Vergina, Greece. Photographic reproduction found in Osborne, Robin. Archaic and Classical Greek Art. Oxford: Oxford University Press,1998. Fig. 122. 2. “The Hunting Scene.” 4th century B.C. Reconstructed wall painting from Vergina, Greece. Reproduction in Papazois, Triandafyllos. “The Royal Tomb II at Vergina Reveals Alexander the Great.” www.tpapazois.gr (26.09.2010) 3. “Achilles at Skyros.” Fresco in the House of the Dioscuri, Pompeii, 1st century A.D. Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Naples. 4. François Vase, mid 6th century B.C. Museo Archeologico, Florence. 5. Krater depicting Hephaistos returning to Olympos, c. 550-540 B.C. Metropolitan Museum, New York. 6. “The Destruction of Troy.” Red-figure hydria, ca. 480 B.C.Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Naples. 7. “Perseus with the head of Medusa.” Terra-cotta metope from the temple at Thermos. Late 7th century B.C. National Museum, Athens. 8. Liang K‟ai. The Poet Li Po. Early 13th century. Ink on paper. 81.1 x 30.5 cm. Tokyo National Museum. 9. Anonymous, attributed to Li Ch‟eng. Tall Pines in a Level View. 11th century. Hanging scroll; ink on silk. 205 x 126.1 cm. Chōkaidō Bunko, Yokkaichi, Japan. 10. Probably Li T‟ang. A Myriad Trees on Strange Peaks. Early 12th century. Album leaf; ink and light colours on silk. 9.75 x 10.25 cm. National Palace 8 Museum, Taipei. 11. Kuo Hsi. Early Spring.