听·见·韵 Hearing Rhythm, Seeing Rhythm: How can traditional ‘rules of rhythm’ in Chinese aesthetics be applied across contemporary creative practices in acoustic-visual space.
Liu, Ling
Liu, Ling
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Identifiers
https://hdl.handle.net/10379/18661
https://doi.org/10.13025/29455
https://doi.org/10.13025/29455
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Publication Date
2025-03-06
Type
doctoral thesis
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Abstract
Throughout the history of China, from the early dynasties to contemporary times, in the traditional Chinese aesthetic system, aspects of the integration of poetry, painting and calligraphy have been grounded in varied but deeply connected ‘rules of rhythm’. These ‘rules of rhythm’ permeate in diverse yet identifiable and recognisable forms. The research in this project aims to both adopt and adapt these rhythmic rules or sonic patterns from traditional poetry and lyrics in an experimental form that reimagines a tradition of ‘lyric aesthetics’ in the context of the contemporary interplay between sound and imagery. In this sense, this investigation is at once one of ‘reclamation’ and extension. The fundamental ‘question’ of these experiments is whether it is possible to represent the sonic patterns themselves, that is, to present the rhythmic cadence of sound by visualising and ‘multisensoryising’ sound structures. The focus of the thesis is on the historical establishment of the methodological approach, which is then transformed/translated into possible combinations through the integration of sound and imagery. As a particular attribute of Chinese expression and a specific part of the fundamental structures of the ancient language that is still in use today, these ‘rules’ or forms are cultural traits that have endured through many centuries and challenges, and more importantly in this case, can be (re)iterated in dynamic, fluid, and revitalised contemporary artistic configurations that aim at seeing sound, writing sound, performing rhythm. At the same time, it explores the possibility of reclaiming pre-modern history and traditional culture through the contemporary expression of rhythmic rules, as well as the feasibility of using contemporary integrated sonic-visual or multimedia artistic expression as a ‘medium’ to reimagine contemporary Chinese artistic expression from a Chinese perspective.
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Publisher
University of Galway
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Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International