Nottebaum, Pia (2015) Rematerializing Vision - Contemporary Dis/Embodied Art on the 'War on Terror'. PhD thesis, UNSPECIFIED.
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Abstract
This inquiry into corporeal experiences of the 'war on terror' is pursued through the lens of contemporary art that, it is argued here, can be seen to innovatively trace war through its corporeal effects. In order to investigate the ways in which contemporary artists are commenting on the pivotal place of the body in war, the thesis examines contemporary artists' responses to the 'war on terror' with a view to the ways in which artists endeavour to render the corporeal experiences of the 'war on terror' intelligible and conceivable for audiences untouched by the violence of war. Specifically, the research project explores artistic strategies that have been utilized by artists from around the globe since 9/11 that can be seen to problematize distanced perception of war. The thesis posits that as their commentary is timely, artists can be seen to critically involve themselves in the representation of the 'war on terror' and to participate in the writing of its narrative. It argues that by drawing on diverse media, a range of venues in and through which to present their work, and unique artistic strategies that raise the body to the centre of attention, artists such as those considered in this thesis can be seen to speak to the body in pain in innovative and thought-provoking works that trouble our ways of seeing and rematerialize vision of the 'war on terror'.