MA Thesis in Art Education
Materiality, Transience, and Feminist Aesthetics: An Examination of Materials as Metaphors for Corporeality and Sites of Mediation

Focus and Research Questions
This thesis explores ephemeral materials—substances that undergo dynamic changes—as symbols of transience, particularly reflecting the human body and its fertility. These materials' mutability enables both artistic research and sensory engagement, allowing audiences to interact with them on an immediate, visceral level. The research addresses two primary focuses: artistic analysis and theoretical exploration. In the artistic realm, it examines how aesthetics in feminist art can challenge traditional norms and create new forms of bodily awareness, drawing from Donna Haraway’s "situated knowledge." The goal is to understand how personal experiences of the body shape our perception of objects and their interaction with us. On a theoretical level, the thesis investigates feminist discourses on objects, questioning whether objects can possess agency and how human experience influences the value and meaning attributed to them. Perspectives from scholars like Jane Bennett, Sara Ahmed, and Jacques Rancière provide a framework for examining these ideas, integrating aesthetic education and mediation practices.

Goals, Methodology, and Perspectives
The thesis combines artistic practice, theoretical reflection, and participatory mediation to explore themes of impermanence and corporeality. Ephemeral materials, such as those that burst, melt, or decay, will be central to the artistic practice, representing aging, adaptability, and mortality. Theoretical insights from feminist philosophy and aesthetic theory will inform the reflection, while participatory workshops and performative installations will actively engage audiences in experiencing and interpreting materials. Inspiration is drawn from artists like Ana Mendieta, Senga Nengudi, and Agnes Questionmark, who explore themes of materiality, identity, and transformation. By integrating these perspectives, the project seeks to challenge societal norms and foster alternative understandings of the body, objects, and their interrelations, ultimately contributing to new forms of mediation and dialogue in art and education.