Wild Man as an Androgynous and Psychedelic Image in Contemporary Performative Art
Murat Ateşli, Burcu Nur Cengiz
Sanat Tarihi Dergisi August 1, 2024 DOI: 10.29135/std.1403766 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Shamanism |
| Keywords | Performative utterance Archetype Naturalism Aesthetics Psychic Identity music Expression computer science The symbolic Contemporary art Art history Literature Visual arts Performance art Psychoanalysis Epistemology |
| Key points | Argues that the Wild Man archetype, with its psychedelic and androgynous qualities expressed through organic costumes, continues to inspire contemporary artists and revitalize cultural and artistic ties. |
Abstract
Wild Man is a kind of archetype and a wild symbolic figure arising from the unbreakable bond of art with society and belief systems, and continues to appear both in cultural festivals and in the field of art with changing images and costumes in various societies and different cultures from past to present. Assuming the role of shaman or pagan, Wild Man’s costumes and symbolic language are shaped by the natural structure of organic materials, expressing the figure’s transitive relationship with nature and the supernatural. This expression is reflected in Wild Man’s image and performative identity, giving it a psychedelic, androgynous characteristic. The present research examines the costume and performance works of avant-garde and contemporary artists such as Joseph Beuys, Fern Shaffer, Ana Mendieta, Cassils, Asher Woodworth, Nick Cave, Saya Woolfalk, and various artist collectives, which take on the image of Wild Man or evoke it, within the scope of their psychedelic qualities that become ambiguous, androgynous and provide transitions between the senses. Revitalizing cultural and artistic ties, Wild Man with its contradictory and psychic aspect, continues to inspire contemporary artists.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on shamanism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ayahuasca Shamanism in the Amazon and Beyond | 2014 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Shamanism as the Original Neurotheology | 2004 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Cognitive Neuroscience, Shamanism and the Rock Art of Native California | 1998 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| From Culture to Experience: Shamanism in the Pages of the Soviet Anti-Religious Press | 2020 | Historical analysis | |
| Anthropology, Shamanism, and Alternate Ways of Knowing–Being in the World: One Anthropologist's Journey of Discovery and Transformation | 2010 | Reflective essay or personal narrative |