Books by Jussi A Saarinen
Routledge, 2020
Why do painters paint? Obviously, there are numerous possible reasons. They paint to create image... more Why do painters paint? Obviously, there are numerous possible reasons. They paint to create images for others' enjoyment, to solve visual problems, to convey ideas, and to contribute to a rich artistic tradition. This book argues that there is yet another, crucially important but often overlooked reason.
Articles in English by Jussi A Saarinen
Forthcoming, 2025
In contemporary philosophy of mind, scaffolding designates the various ways in which our cognitio... more In contemporary philosophy of mind, scaffolding designates the various ways in which our cognitions and affects are enabled, regulated, and modified by environmental factors that range from material artifacts and other people to architectural designs and cultural practices (Clark 2008; Sterelny 2010; Colombetti & Krueger 2015; Coninx & Stephan 2021). In this article, I expand the scope of scaffolding theory by applying it to a previously unexamined type of phenomenon: existential transformations. In short, these are processes where an individual's basic sense of reality undergoes profound and relatively long-lasting alterations. My main claim is that the use of external scaffolding can play a crucial role in such periods of extensive existential change. To unpack this claim, I proceed as follows. First, based on phenomenological theorization on the structure of experience in general (Heidegger 1927; Køster & Fernandez 2023), and then on the experience of grieving in particular (Køster 2022; Ratcliffe 2023; Higgins 2024), I specify what I mean by an existential transformation and the shifts in one's sense of reality that it entails. I then draw on psychoanalytical thinking (Winnicott 1971; Bollas 2018) to introduce the notion of transformative scaffolds, i.e., environmental resources that can in various ways be used to enable, support, and regulate a marked shift from one experiential world into another. To exemplify this kind of scaffolded transformation, I return to the topic of grief and discuss how the practice of painting can beneficially shape post-bereavement mourning. To conclude, I recap my main theses and consider how they might inform future research on the scaffolded mind.
The Phenomenology of Emotion Regulation: Feeling and Agency, 2025
By positing the unconscious as essential to human mentation, we critique prevailing theorization ... more By positing the unconscious as essential to human mentation, we critique prevailing theorization on affective scaffolding, i.e., on how our feelings are supported, regulated, and shaped by the environments where they occur. We question the implicit assumptions (1) that scaffolding acts are explainable by a single, overriding affective aim, (2) that this aim is easily discernible/accessible, (3) that the purpose of scaffolding is to elicit rather than inhibit feeling, and (4) that scaffolding either works or it doesn't, and the emergence of unintended feelings is irrelevant. Respectively, we argue that scaffolding (1*) can have multiple affective aims and functions, some of which (2*) are not necessarily known or fully knowable, and that scaffolding acts can (3*) simultaneously serve both inhibitive and evocative purposes and (4*) produce both intended and unintended effects standing in complex mutual relations-which also complicates the question of their success.
Topoi, 2024
For countless citizens in the United States, guns are objects of personal attachment that provide... more For countless citizens in the United States, guns are objects of personal attachment that provide strong feelings of power and security. I argue that a key reason for such tight affective bonds is that, under certain conditions, guns become integrated into their owners' embodied experience. To flesh out this view, I explain (a) how firearms, as material artifacts, can become a part of the feeling body and (b) how this integration impacts one's experience of self, others, and the world. I first apply the distinction between body-incorporation and body-extension by De Preester and Tsakiris (Phenomenol Cogn Sci 8:307-319, 2009) to delineate how guns can (and cannot) be integrated into lived bodies. I then introduce Ihde's (Technology and the life world: from garden to earth, Indiana University Press, Bloomington, 1990) notion of embodiment relations to elaborate on the key experiential features of technologically extended bodies and complement the previous, sensorimotor-centric accounts of bodily extension with Colombetti's (Phenomenology for the twenty-first century, Palgrave Macmillan, London, 2016) concept of affective incorporation. With this theoretical framework in place, I proceed to examine the motives and affective dynamics involved in the incorporation of guns, the practices by which this incorporation is constituted, and its impact on gun carriers' habitual comportment. In doing so, I identify two notable contradictions: first, between a desire for the power afforded by firearms and the lack in oneself that this power implies, and second, between one's seemingly beneficial feelings of confidence/safety and potentially harmful transformations in one's perceptions of threat. To conclude, I discuss how my analysis challenges current theorization on technologically extended bodies and consider its relevance for ongoing debates over gun policy.
Synthese, 2023
In current philosophy of mind, there is lively debate over whether emotions, moods, and other aff... more In current philosophy of mind, there is lively debate over whether emotions, moods, and other affects can extend to comprise elements beyond one's organismic boundaries. At the same time, there has been growing interest in the nature and significance of so-called existential feelings, which, as the term suggests, are feelings of one's overall being in the world. In this article, I bring these two strands of investigation together to ask: Can the material underpinnings of existential feelings extend beyond one's skull and skin? To begin, I introduce and adopt a componential-systemic view of extended affectivity. In doing so, I specify the vehicle externalist criteria for extension employed in my analysis. I then define what existential feelings are and pinpoint several key issues in their potential extension. More specifically, I identify sensorimotor 'know-how' as a possibly extending component of existential feeling and posit it as the fulcrum of my argument. Finally, I move on to consider the extension of existential feeling via sensory substitution, especially through so-called Tactile Visual Sensory Substitution (TVSS) devices. Informed by both philosophical and empirical studies, I argue that, under certain conditions, (a) the agent's implicit sensorimotor processing and a TVSS device can become coupled into a new systemic whole, which in turn (b) reconfigures the material underpinnings of the agent's pre-intentional world-experience. This, I conclude, counts as a cogent case for extended existential feeling.
Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism, 2022
In the common imagination, the studio is a special place where artists toil in seclusion to work ... more In the common imagination, the studio is a special place where artists toil in seclusion to work their magic. This notion is often reinforced by artists themselves. Michael Craig-Martin, for instance, is straightforward about the importance of his studio: "Everything is planned here, everything is worked out here. It's kind of the centre of my thinking. I come here every morning and stay into the evening." (Christie's, 2015.) While such brief disclosures confirm the general importance of studios for artists, they also leave us wondering about the more specific ways in which workspaces are customized to support their occupants' creative pursuits. This curiosity is not limited to laypersons only, as artists too are interested in the where-and-how of their colleagues' craft. Tellingly, Jenny Saville recalls falling in love with the studios of Giacometti and Bacon before fully appreciating any of their paintings. She also claims-with a hint of irony, perhaps-that seeing De Kooning's brushes and mixing bowls in their original surroundings taught her more about painting than art school ever had. (Luke & Saville, 2020.)
The British Journal of Aesthetics, 2021
In this article, I argue that niche construction theory can illuminate the ways in which art muse... more In this article, I argue that niche construction theory can illuminate the ways in which art museums make us feel. To begin, I introduce the basics of the theory and specify the sense in which I apply it to museums and aesthetic affective experiencing. I then provide a case study of the Museum of Non-Objective Painting (1939-1952) to demonstrate the theory's applicability in a museum setting and to highlight the general variation between museums as affective niches. To conclude, I extend beyond the given case to assess the implications of the theory for a broader understanding of the ways in which art museums are engineered to influence our feelings. Overall, the article elucidates the functioning of art museums as affective niches and furthers the conceptual development of niche construction theory in aesthetics.
Philosophical Psychology, 2020
The concept of affective scaffolding designates the various ways in which we manipulate the envir... more The concept of affective scaffolding designates the various ways in which we manipulate the environment to influence our affective lives. In this article, I present a constructive critique of recent discussion on affective scaffolding. In Part 1, I summarize how the theories of situated mind and niche construction contribute to a multidimensional notion of scaffolding. In Part 2, I focus specifically on affective scaffolding and argue that current ambiguity over its distinctive criteria causes uncertainty as to how the concept can and should be used. In Part 3, I identify and examine two possible responses to the suggested state of conceptual ambiguity. The first, restrictive option is to keep pushing for more definite criteria. The second, permissive option is to embrace and work with a broad understanding of affective scaffolding. I argue that the latter choice is more pragmatic and productive. To conclude, I summarize where my examination leaves us in regard to ongoing theoretical work on affective scaffolding.
Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism, 2019
We humans continuously reshape the environment to alter, enhance, and sustain our affective lives... more We humans continuously reshape the environment to alter, enhance, and sustain our affective lives. This two-way modification has been discussed in recent philosophy of mind as affective scaffolding, wherein scaffolding quite literally means that our affective states are enabled and supported by environmental resources such as material objects, other people, and physical spaces. In this article, I will argue that under certain conditions paintings function as noteworthy affective scaffolds to their creators. To expound this idea, I will begin with a theoretical overview of affective niche construction and affective scaffolding. Then, based on the criteria of robustness, concreteness, and dependability, I will specify a solid type of affective scaffolding and propound paintings as a cogent case of such. In support of my argument, I will highlight two feelings typical to painterly creativity: the feeling of aesthetic resonance and the feeling of fusion. To conclude, I will discuss the overall contributions and limitations of my account.
Phenomenology and the Cognitive Sciences, May 2018
Matthew Ratcliffe (2008, 2015) has argued that existential feelings form a
distinct class of bod... more Matthew Ratcliffe (2008, 2015) has argued that existential feelings form a
distinct class of bodily and non-conceptual feelings that pre-intentionally structure our intentional experience of others, the world, and ourselves. In this article, I will identify and discuss three interrelated areas of concern for Ratcliffe’s theory of existential feelings. First, the distinct senses in which existential feelings are felt as background bodily feelings and as spaces of possibility calls for further clarification. Second, the nature of the suggested bi-directional relationship between existential feelings and intentional experience remains ambiguous. Third, viewed in light of existential guilt, the categorically non-conceptual nature of existential feelings may not be as definite as presumed. The aim of the article is to draw critical attention to aspects of the theory that would benefit from further development, and therefore, to advance the ongoing discussion about existential feelings.
Journal of Consciousness Studies, Jun 2014
In this paper I draw on contemporary philosophy of emotion to illuminate the phenomenological str... more In this paper I draw on contemporary philosophy of emotion to illuminate the phenomenological structure of so-called oceanic feelings. I suggest that oceanic feelings come in two distinct forms: (1) as transient episodes that consist in a feeling of dissolution of the psychological and sensory boundaries of the self, and (2) as a relatively permanent feeling of unity, embracement, immanence and openness that does not involve occurrent experiences of boundary dissolution. I argue that both forms of feeling are existential feelings, i.e. pre-intentional bodily feelings that structure overall self-world experience. I re-conceptualize episodic oceanic feelings as shifts in existential feeling, and permanent oceanic feelings as stable existential orientations. On the whole, my analysis elucidates a class of feeling that is allegedly quite common, yet frequently misunderstood. It will also serve to enrich our understanding of the general phenomenological structure of our affective lives.
Contemporary Aesthetics, vol. 12, Jun 2014
The oceanic feeling has been a relatively persistent topic of discussion in both creativity resea... more The oceanic feeling has been a relatively persistent topic of discussion in both creativity research and aesthetics. Characterized by a sensation of self-boundary dissolution, the feeling has often been reported to involve experiences of fusion with various objects, including works of art. In this article, I will discuss the oceanic feeling in the specific context of painterly creativity. I will begin by arguing that the oceanic feeling cannot be classified as an emotion, mood, or bodily feeling in the established senses of these terms. I will then introduce philosopher Matthew Ratcliffe’s theory of existential feelings to help formulate a more accurate view of the oceanic feeling. More specifically, I will suggest that oceanic feelings should be classified as shifts in existential feeling. To conclude, I will briefly discuss the implications of my account of the oceanic feeling for the more general pursuits of painterly creativity and artistic self-transformation.
The International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 93 (4), 939-961., Aug 2012
Despite its lengthy history in psychoanalysis, the psychological origins, essential features and ... more Despite its lengthy history in psychoanalysis, the psychological origins, essential features and value of the oceanic state remain open to dispute. This ambiguity has come at a cost to the clarity of theoretical discussions on the topic. In working towards a conceptual elucidation, the author maintains that there are three primary accounts of the oceanic state: the metaphysical one of Romain Rolland, the developmental one of Sigmund Freud, and the cognitive-perceptual one of Anton Ehrenzweig. Based on the notion of modal contact, he argues that the accounts share a general theoretical structure that establishes as the necessary criterion for all oceanic states the loosening of ego boundaries and sufficient contact between differentiated and undifferentiated modalities of the mind. However, within this common structure, the accounts employ dissimilar metapsychologies to promulgate oceanic states of appreciably distinct kinds. To support this view, the author carries out a comparative examination of the modal contacts involved in the primary accounts’ oceanic states. To conclude, he reviews the main implications of the notion of modal contact vis-à-vis recent discussion on oceanic phenomena, and puts forward for consideration a pluralist account of the mind that can accommodate the existence of several kinds of oceanic states.
Journal of Aesthetic Education, 2015, 49 (3), 15-31., Aug 2015
In this article, I will examine the most influential account of the oceanic feeling in aesthetics... more In this article, I will examine the most influential account of the oceanic feeling in aesthetics, developed by the art pedagogue and critic Anton Ehrenzweig (1908–1966). Following his emphases, I will focus on the structural, perceptual and affective aspects of oceanic states of mind. In order to further illuminate some of the central premises and problems of Ehrenzweig’s account, I will assess two separate analyses of visual artworks that have incorporated his ideas. To conclude, I will present my own view of the oceanic feeling in artistic creativity, in the analysis of visual artworks, and in aesthetic encounters.
Edited Books by Jussi A Saarinen
Kun jalkapallon MM-kisat käynnistyvät Brasiliassa, moni lajiin vihkiytymätön taas kummastelee, mi... more Kun jalkapallon MM-kisat käynnistyvät Brasiliassa, moni lajiin vihkiytymätön taas kummastelee, mihin jalkapallon viehätys oikein perustuu. Nyt probleemiin tarttuvat nuoren polven filosofit, jotka ovat myös vannoutuneita futisfaneja.
Tämän kirjan sivuilla nousevat esiin suurten tunteiden lisäksi kysymykset pelin olemuksesta, pelaamisesta ja seuraamisesta. Missä mielessä joukkue on enemmän kuin yksilöidensä summa? Miten ammattipelaaja hahmottaa pelitilan? Miksi ylipäätään tunnemme niin suurta vetoa lajia kohtaan? Mitä tekemistä jalkapallolla on leikin, runouden, taiteen ja uskonnon kanssa? Entä millaisten moraalisten ongelmien kanssa futiksen ystävä joutuu painimaan? Onko kannattamisessa oikeastaan mitään järkeä?
Sokrateen syöksypusku tarjoaa tarkkaan punnittuja vastauksia näihin kiperiin futiskysymyksiin. Se avaa tuoreita näkökulmia kuningaspeliin riippumatta siitä, pitääkö Sokratesta ensisijaisesti boheemina brassipelaajana vai klassisena kreikkalaisena keskustelijana.
SISÄLLYSLUETTELO
Johdanto
Mikael Melan ja Jussi Antti Saarinen
I Jalkapallon pelaamisesta
1. Jussi Antti Saarinen: Leikin merkitys jalkapallossa
2. Heikki Haara: Jalkapallo ja tila
3. Jani Hakkarainen: Voittiko Messi vai voittiko Barcelona? Jalkapallojoukkueiden olemisen tavasta
II Jalkapallon erityisyydestä, pyhyydestä ja kauneudesta
4. Pessi Lyyra: Mikä tekee jalkapallosta erityistä?
5. Teemu Taira: Jumalan käsi: Miksi uskonnosta puhutaan ja vaietaan jalkapallon yhteydessä?
6. Miira Tuominen: Pelin runoudesta: Eeppis-herooinen maalikamppailu ja lyyrinen yhteistoiminta
7. Max Ryynänen: Taidejalkapallo
III Jalkapallon seuraamisesta
8. Mikael Melan: Ihmiset jotka rakastavat jalkapalloseuroja – kirjoitelma kannattamisesta
9. Markku Oksanen: Kaksi moraalista kipupistettä jalkapallossa
Thesis Chapters by Jussi A Saarinen
This is the Introduction to my PhD thesis.
Articles in Finnish by Jussi A Saarinen
Niin & näin, 2021
Mitä taide tekee meille? Taiteen synnyttämät kokemukset ovat filosofisen ja psykologisen estetiik... more Mitä taide tekee meille? Taiteen synnyttämät kokemukset ovat filosofisen ja psykologisen estetiikan ytimessä, mutta niiden arvo on myös kyseenalaistettu. Mitä sanottavaa nykytutkimuksella on taidekokemusten luonteesta ja merkityksestä? Mikä vetää taiteilijoita luovaan työhön? Entä mitä tapahtuu, kun vastaanottaja uppoutuu teokseen? Keskustelumuotoisessa tekstissämme lähestymme näitä kysymyksiä fenomenologian ja psykologian näkökulmista.
Niin & näin, 2019
Psykoanalyytikko Donald Winnicott ajattelee luovuutta koko elämää läpäisevänä olemisen tapana. La... more Psykoanalyytikko Donald Winnicott ajattelee luovuutta koko elämää läpäisevänä olemisen tapana. Lastenlääkärinäkin työskennelleen Winnicottin mukaan luovuuden perusta on vauvan kyvyssä luoda oma maailmansa. Aikuisen ihmisen luovuus on tämän kyvyn säilyttämistä, kehittämistä ja kultivoimista läpi elämän.
A. Waenerberg & S. Kähkönen (toim.), Taidetta tutkimaan – menetelmiä ja näkökulmia , 259 – 279. , 2012
Psykoanalyyttinen taiteentulkintaperinne syntyi 1900-luvun alkupuolella Sigmund Freudin (1856–193... more Psykoanalyyttinen taiteentulkintaperinne syntyi 1900-luvun alkupuolella Sigmund Freudin (1856–1939) kirjoitusten pohjalta. Nykyisin psykoanalyyttinen taiteentutkimus kattaa toisistaan laajastikin poikkeavia suuntauksia omine teorioineen, kiinnostuksen kohteineen ja tulkintamenetelmineen. Usein psykoanalyyttinen lähestymistapa risteää muiden, esimerkiksi taidehistoriallisten, feminististen tai semioottisten lähestymistapojen kanssa.
Artikkelini tarkoituksena ei ole luoda kattavaa esitystä psykoanalyyttisen taiteentutkimuksen eri suuntauksista, vaan pohtia sitä, mikä niistä tekee juuri psykoanalyyttisia. Vastauksena esitän, että psykoanalyyttinen taiteentutkimus liikkuu tiedostamattoman jäljillä. Vaikka tiedostamatonta hahmotetaankin eri suuntauksissa eri tavoin, kaikki psykoanalyyttiset tutkijat olettavat sen vaikuttavan taiteelliseen luovuuteen, taideteoksiin ja esteettisiin kokemuksiin. Lisäksi yleinen kanta on, ettei taide koskaan ilmaise tiedostamatonta sellaisena kuin se itsessään on. Juuri symbolisen maailman kerrostuneisuus ja monimerkityksisyys antavat psykoanalyysille motiivin tulkita sitä, miten tiedostamaton on läsnä taiteessa. Artikkelini tavoitteena onkin antaa käsitys siitä, miten tiedostamaton on kytketty taideilmiöihin aina Freudista Lacaniin asti. Lopuksi tarjoan esimerkin siitä, miten taiteilija kuvaa tiedostamattoman merkitystä omassa taiteellisessa työskentelyssään.
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Books by Jussi A Saarinen
Articles in English by Jussi A Saarinen
distinct class of bodily and non-conceptual feelings that pre-intentionally structure our intentional experience of others, the world, and ourselves. In this article, I will identify and discuss three interrelated areas of concern for Ratcliffe’s theory of existential feelings. First, the distinct senses in which existential feelings are felt as background bodily feelings and as spaces of possibility calls for further clarification. Second, the nature of the suggested bi-directional relationship between existential feelings and intentional experience remains ambiguous. Third, viewed in light of existential guilt, the categorically non-conceptual nature of existential feelings may not be as definite as presumed. The aim of the article is to draw critical attention to aspects of the theory that would benefit from further development, and therefore, to advance the ongoing discussion about existential feelings.
Edited Books by Jussi A Saarinen
Tämän kirjan sivuilla nousevat esiin suurten tunteiden lisäksi kysymykset pelin olemuksesta, pelaamisesta ja seuraamisesta. Missä mielessä joukkue on enemmän kuin yksilöidensä summa? Miten ammattipelaaja hahmottaa pelitilan? Miksi ylipäätään tunnemme niin suurta vetoa lajia kohtaan? Mitä tekemistä jalkapallolla on leikin, runouden, taiteen ja uskonnon kanssa? Entä millaisten moraalisten ongelmien kanssa futiksen ystävä joutuu painimaan? Onko kannattamisessa oikeastaan mitään järkeä?
Sokrateen syöksypusku tarjoaa tarkkaan punnittuja vastauksia näihin kiperiin futiskysymyksiin. Se avaa tuoreita näkökulmia kuningaspeliin riippumatta siitä, pitääkö Sokratesta ensisijaisesti boheemina brassipelaajana vai klassisena kreikkalaisena keskustelijana.
SISÄLLYSLUETTELO
Johdanto
Mikael Melan ja Jussi Antti Saarinen
I Jalkapallon pelaamisesta
1. Jussi Antti Saarinen: Leikin merkitys jalkapallossa
2. Heikki Haara: Jalkapallo ja tila
3. Jani Hakkarainen: Voittiko Messi vai voittiko Barcelona? Jalkapallojoukkueiden olemisen tavasta
II Jalkapallon erityisyydestä, pyhyydestä ja kauneudesta
4. Pessi Lyyra: Mikä tekee jalkapallosta erityistä?
5. Teemu Taira: Jumalan käsi: Miksi uskonnosta puhutaan ja vaietaan jalkapallon yhteydessä?
6. Miira Tuominen: Pelin runoudesta: Eeppis-herooinen maalikamppailu ja lyyrinen yhteistoiminta
7. Max Ryynänen: Taidejalkapallo
III Jalkapallon seuraamisesta
8. Mikael Melan: Ihmiset jotka rakastavat jalkapalloseuroja – kirjoitelma kannattamisesta
9. Markku Oksanen: Kaksi moraalista kipupistettä jalkapallossa
Thesis Chapters by Jussi A Saarinen
Articles in Finnish by Jussi A Saarinen
Artikkelini tarkoituksena ei ole luoda kattavaa esitystä psykoanalyyttisen taiteentutkimuksen eri suuntauksista, vaan pohtia sitä, mikä niistä tekee juuri psykoanalyyttisia. Vastauksena esitän, että psykoanalyyttinen taiteentutkimus liikkuu tiedostamattoman jäljillä. Vaikka tiedostamatonta hahmotetaankin eri suuntauksissa eri tavoin, kaikki psykoanalyyttiset tutkijat olettavat sen vaikuttavan taiteelliseen luovuuteen, taideteoksiin ja esteettisiin kokemuksiin. Lisäksi yleinen kanta on, ettei taide koskaan ilmaise tiedostamatonta sellaisena kuin se itsessään on. Juuri symbolisen maailman kerrostuneisuus ja monimerkityksisyys antavat psykoanalyysille motiivin tulkita sitä, miten tiedostamaton on läsnä taiteessa. Artikkelini tavoitteena onkin antaa käsitys siitä, miten tiedostamaton on kytketty taideilmiöihin aina Freudista Lacaniin asti. Lopuksi tarjoan esimerkin siitä, miten taiteilija kuvaa tiedostamattoman merkitystä omassa taiteellisessa työskentelyssään.
distinct class of bodily and non-conceptual feelings that pre-intentionally structure our intentional experience of others, the world, and ourselves. In this article, I will identify and discuss three interrelated areas of concern for Ratcliffe’s theory of existential feelings. First, the distinct senses in which existential feelings are felt as background bodily feelings and as spaces of possibility calls for further clarification. Second, the nature of the suggested bi-directional relationship between existential feelings and intentional experience remains ambiguous. Third, viewed in light of existential guilt, the categorically non-conceptual nature of existential feelings may not be as definite as presumed. The aim of the article is to draw critical attention to aspects of the theory that would benefit from further development, and therefore, to advance the ongoing discussion about existential feelings.
Tämän kirjan sivuilla nousevat esiin suurten tunteiden lisäksi kysymykset pelin olemuksesta, pelaamisesta ja seuraamisesta. Missä mielessä joukkue on enemmän kuin yksilöidensä summa? Miten ammattipelaaja hahmottaa pelitilan? Miksi ylipäätään tunnemme niin suurta vetoa lajia kohtaan? Mitä tekemistä jalkapallolla on leikin, runouden, taiteen ja uskonnon kanssa? Entä millaisten moraalisten ongelmien kanssa futiksen ystävä joutuu painimaan? Onko kannattamisessa oikeastaan mitään järkeä?
Sokrateen syöksypusku tarjoaa tarkkaan punnittuja vastauksia näihin kiperiin futiskysymyksiin. Se avaa tuoreita näkökulmia kuningaspeliin riippumatta siitä, pitääkö Sokratesta ensisijaisesti boheemina brassipelaajana vai klassisena kreikkalaisena keskustelijana.
SISÄLLYSLUETTELO
Johdanto
Mikael Melan ja Jussi Antti Saarinen
I Jalkapallon pelaamisesta
1. Jussi Antti Saarinen: Leikin merkitys jalkapallossa
2. Heikki Haara: Jalkapallo ja tila
3. Jani Hakkarainen: Voittiko Messi vai voittiko Barcelona? Jalkapallojoukkueiden olemisen tavasta
II Jalkapallon erityisyydestä, pyhyydestä ja kauneudesta
4. Pessi Lyyra: Mikä tekee jalkapallosta erityistä?
5. Teemu Taira: Jumalan käsi: Miksi uskonnosta puhutaan ja vaietaan jalkapallon yhteydessä?
6. Miira Tuominen: Pelin runoudesta: Eeppis-herooinen maalikamppailu ja lyyrinen yhteistoiminta
7. Max Ryynänen: Taidejalkapallo
III Jalkapallon seuraamisesta
8. Mikael Melan: Ihmiset jotka rakastavat jalkapalloseuroja – kirjoitelma kannattamisesta
9. Markku Oksanen: Kaksi moraalista kipupistettä jalkapallossa
Artikkelini tarkoituksena ei ole luoda kattavaa esitystä psykoanalyyttisen taiteentutkimuksen eri suuntauksista, vaan pohtia sitä, mikä niistä tekee juuri psykoanalyyttisia. Vastauksena esitän, että psykoanalyyttinen taiteentutkimus liikkuu tiedostamattoman jäljillä. Vaikka tiedostamatonta hahmotetaankin eri suuntauksissa eri tavoin, kaikki psykoanalyyttiset tutkijat olettavat sen vaikuttavan taiteelliseen luovuuteen, taideteoksiin ja esteettisiin kokemuksiin. Lisäksi yleinen kanta on, ettei taide koskaan ilmaise tiedostamatonta sellaisena kuin se itsessään on. Juuri symbolisen maailman kerrostuneisuus ja monimerkityksisyys antavat psykoanalyysille motiivin tulkita sitä, miten tiedostamaton on läsnä taiteessa. Artikkelini tavoitteena onkin antaa käsitys siitä, miten tiedostamaton on kytketty taideilmiöihin aina Freudista Lacaniin asti. Lopuksi tarjoan esimerkin siitä, miten taiteilija kuvaa tiedostamattoman merkitystä omassa taiteellisessa työskentelyssään.
Jotta ymmärtäisimme mistä tiedostamattoman rakastamisessa on kyse, avaan hieman tarkemmin Ehrenzweigin lausahduksen teoreettisia perustoja. Tarkastelen erityisesti hänen käsityksiään havaitsemista ja luovuudesta. Lisäksi suhteutan hänen näkemyksiään kuvataiteilijoiden kuvauksiin omista työskentelyprosesseistaan. Tavoitteenani on osoittaa, että tiedostamattoman rakastaminen merkitsi Ehrenzweigille avointa ja joustavaa vuorovaikutussuhdetta egon syvyystason kanssa, ja että tällainen luonnehdinta tavoittaa jotain merkittävää taiteellisesta luovuudesta. Käsittelen lopuksi joitakin Ehrenzweigin teoretisoinnin ongelmakohtia ja esitän lyhyesti näkemykseni sen käyttökelpoisuudesta.
Like the excavators in her paintings, Anna-Leena Vilhunen digs deep into her memories and perceptions to create her art. Her expressive and vibrant works combine themes of parenthood, play and danger with various machines – such as asphalt milling machines, snow ploughs, lorries and baby prams – in a highly enigmatic way. By painting the unearthed material, Vilhunen not only modifies her surroundings but also surrenders to an unpredictable interaction with her audience. Layer by layer, she seeks to make room for the less obvious and, in doing so, to reach deeper into “an incandescent reality”.