Ms Máire Grieves

Research project: SEEKING PRESENCE, COMPASSION AND THE SUBLIME: Through personal practice of archival, and curatorial practice of sacred rituals.

Abstract

ABSTRACT

In the realm of textile and community interactions, this doctoral research embarks on a profound exploration, seeking the essence of presence, compassion, and the sublime through the prism of archival practice of Nepalese history, legend, and textiles. 

The Nepalese concept of linking myth and fact is the fundamental difference between the West and East – the Occident exercise a factual consciousness way of thinking in contrast with the imaginative consciousness of the Orient (Dunsmore, S. 1993). 

By employing autoethnography as the guiding methodology, the research aims to delve into a more intuitive understanding and effectively document the experiential journey within the field work. The narrative of this transformative quest is revealed through a series of self-propelled working installations and ritual observational experiences, engaging with the intertwined concept of compassion, the sublime within these spacio-temporal realm.

Grounded in the practices of the Nepalese textile communities, a culture rich with narratives of compassion and the sublime, the research sets out to ascertain the true essence of compassion by weaving together the intricacies of botanical dyeing, the observation of sacred rituals, and the profound impact these experiences have on the mindful space.

The overarching objectives of this research are threefold:

1. To explore the motivational urge and the situational contexts that evoke feelings of compassion bridging the gap between objective and subjective stances in contemporary discourse and practise

2. To rekindle an emphasis on the discourse of why and how humanity experiences compassion thus fostering a renewed understanding of this powerful emotion.

3.  To delve into compassionate and sublime encounter as a ‘secular sacred', seeking to comprehend its significance within the framework of ritual space.

A phenomenological framework will underpin in this research, drawing from archival research and the researcher's own emotional memories and experiences of compassion and the sublime. These memories will serve as a guiding light illuminating the path through the intricate working installations and shedding light on the profound connections between textile practice ritual and the realms of presence compassion and the sublime.

By exploring the spacio-temporal conditions that nurture compassion and evoke the sublime. This research contributes to a deeper comprehension of the intertwined human experiences that transcend the boundaries of time culture and belief systems. In pursuit of presence, compassion and the sublime, this doctoral journey unravels the threads that unite humanity in its shared quest for meaning and connectedness, weaving together the personal, the sacred, and the profound.