MOVING BODY

Thinking of the Body as both Rootedness and Breakhrough

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'The general aim of the project is to significantly contribute to the development of a more unitary view of the human body that can shed light on both its rootedness in the world and its capacities to transcend itself, such that it establishes, on the level of a higher subjective life, a specifically human cultural world of works and creations in which different cultures can recognize each other and dynamically interact within the same history. The research therefore addresses the issue of corporality, but it is mainly aimed at the following question: how do we define the various modalities by which bodily selfhood comes about and gives rise to creativity in a continuous intertwining with the world, that constantly nurtures its formative activity? To answer this I will set up a dialogue between Jan Patočka and Maurice Merleau-Ponty. By so doing I intend to show that the interlacing between these two European thinkers leads us towards a more integrated view of the living body, which would better recognize the value of our full engagement in the body and its movement in all the activities that determine our inner formation and also participate in the creation of a community of exchanges and culture, that accommodates and lets co-exist different cultures and ways of being (life-worlds).This view of the body can be relevant not only to embrace a living idea of culture as “milieu of recognition”, but also to conceptualize the becoming cultural horizon against which the process of European unification can progress. As such, the project could create a new research dynamics within the ERA in the field of studies dedicated to European integration strategies.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

EU-funded research has developed a better understanding of how an expressive body shapes reflective consciousness and imagination to influence society and culture.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

Under the aegis of the 'Thinking of the body as both rootedness and breakthrough' (MOVING BODY) project, the researcher Lucia Angelino took inspiration from eminent phenomenological philosophers such as Maurice Merleau-Ponty and Jan Patocka. She aimed to improve our understanding of self and how symbolic acts improve our bonding within a community.

The researcher phenomenologically analysed paradigmatic case studies for being-in-motion in areas such as painting, musical improvisation, literature and visual arts. Analysis revealed that an individual's communication with society through symbolic acts fulfils our need for bodily contact and intimacy. Such mental contact through collective symbolic acts like art-language could unite people with different perceptions and diverse cultures.

Bodily acts such as art work affect the spectator's perception. This is an example of movement experience with a unique but powerful emotional influence that transcends barriers to communication. The researcher successfully demonstrated that bodily acts affect our consciousness, social and cultural empathy, and creativity. For instance, the formation of verbal communication was described as a means for individuals to interact dynamically within and beyond their communities.

Project findings could find applications in maximising emotional impact in public spaces such as museums and art galleries, as well as designing aesthetically pleasing homes and workplaces.