JIAYI ZHU
Unit 2 extension
Building on the foundation of Unit 2, where I explored the mother-daughter relationship and the complex emotional bonds within familial structures, I was deeply engaged with the theme of physical touch as a way to explore emotional connections, specifically focusing on the mother-daughter dynamic. My investigation centered on the lack of physical closeness in this relationship, which led me to question the broader implications of touch in building and maintaining emotional intimacy. This inquiry laid the groundwork for a wider exploration of how physical contact, particularly in the form of hugs, functions within human relationships beyond familial ties.
In Unit 3, I expanded my research to explore the universal role of physical touch—specifically, hugging—as a means of establishing emotional connections. The absence of physical affection during my upbringing, particularly the lack of hugs, spurred a deep personal need to understand the psychological and emotional impact of touch. This absence became the catalyst for a broader investigation into how touch functions as a fundamental element in forming and nurturing relationships, both familial and non-familial. Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology asserts that our bodies are not passive entities, but actively shape our experience of the world and our relationships with others. In this sense, physical touch is not merely a sensory interaction, but an essential means through which we establish meaning, connection, and presence. A hug becomes a powerful act—a moment in which the boundaries between individuals dissolve, and a shared emotional space is created. In this context, my work in Unit 3 seeks to uncover how physical gestures like hugging transcend their physicality to become emotional and psychological experiences.
The act of hugging, often seen as simple and commonplace, carries with it deep symbolic meaning. Hugging serves as both an intimate expression of trust and an act of vulnerability, opening a space for emotional exchange that words cannot fully capture. This led me to question: how does physical touch facilitate the formation of trust, empathy, and emotional support in relationships? What unspoken emotions are communicated through the act of touch, and how do these moments shape our understanding of intimacy?
Philosophical Discussion on the Relationship Between
Body and Consciousness
In Unit 3, my practice built upon the conceptual expansion from Unit 2, extending personal memories to a broader, collective sense of experience. By combining theory with practice, I explored the role of the body and touch in emotional relationships, focusing not only on the emotional connections between individuals but also on how touch can evoke psychological and emotional resonance on a wider, communal level.
After determining “touch” as the key theme of my inquiry, I engaged with Touch: The Science of Hand, Heart, and Mind by David J. Linden. In this book, Linden examines whether physical warmth on the skin can influence the perception of interpersonal warmth. The experiment by Williams and Bargh found that people holding a warm cup judged others to be “warmer” (more trustworthy and friendly) compared to those holding a cold cup. This finding raised intriguing questions: does the effect of incidental tactile experiences on our evaluations of strangers only apply to warmth? Or do we have unusually strong positive associations with warmth, which might extend to touch in general? Could other sensory experiences on the skin also subconsciously influence our impressions of unrelated people and situations? After reading this book, I was inspired to pose a few questions of my own: If touch is indeed fundamental to human development, does it play a more crucial role in our emotional and social growth than other senses? Have we overlooked the impact of touch on cognition and emotional formation? Given that physical contact fosters social bonds, do relationships lack depth or trust in the absence of touch? And in societies where cultural norms or technology minimize physical contact, is trust harder to establish?
In exploring these questions, I drew upon Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology, particularly his concept that the “body is the basis of perception,” which provided essential theoretical support for me to reexamine the importance of the body in the perceptual process. Merleau-Ponty argues that the body is not merely a physical entity; it is the core medium of perception, interaction, and relationship-building. In other words, the body is the bridge through which we connect to the external world and is the fundamental tool for perceiving it. The body’s mode of existence is not limited to the physical; it continuously interacts and communicates with the world through the senses. Thus, the body plays an indispensable role in perception, serving as the starting point that underpins our cognition and experiences.
“All consciousness is consciousness of something’; there is nothing new in that. Kant showed, in the Refutation of
Idealism, that inner perception is impossible without outer perception, that the world, as a collection of connected phenomena, is anticipated in the consciousness of my unity, and is the means whereby I come into being as a consciousness. " (p20)
——Phenomenology of Perception by Maurice Merleau Ponty
Through this perspective, I became more aware that bodily perception is not simply a reaction to external stimuli, but a complex interaction process closely related to the environment, others, and social context. As the basis of perception, the body’s relationship with the external world is not one-directional, but dynamic and reciprocal. This construction of relationships not only shapes our experiences but also profoundly influences our behaviors and ways of thinking. Therefore, understanding the importance of the body in the perceptual process not only helps us better comprehend how individuals experience the world, but also provides new perspectives for exploring interpersonal interactions and social relationships. Thus, the significance of touch in building relationships is self-evident.
While reflecting on the relationship between body and consciousness, I also explored philosophical perspectives different from Merleau-Ponty’s, particularly those of Descartes, Herder, and Deleuze.
Descartes’ views are considered a classic starting point in discussions of the body-mind relationship. He proposed the famous “mind-body dualism,” positing that body and mind are two distinct entities: the body as a material, passive existence, and the mind as the source of thought and consciousness. In this view, the body appears to be merely a “container” or “tool” for consciousness, with a clear separation from the inner consciousness of the subject. Although this dualism opened up philosophical inquiries into the relationship between mind and body, it somewhat diminished the body’s active role in perception and relationship-building. However, Descartes’ approach inspired me to question further: if the body is merely a tool of the mind, then what is its role in emotional connection and interpersonal relationships? This doubt led me to resonate more with Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenological perspective, which sees the body as not only a physical presence but as an active medium through which we interact with others and the world.
In contrast, the philosophies of Herder and Deleuze offer a more dynamic and multifaceted view of the relationship between body and world. Herder emphasizes the body as the direct avenue of perception and experience, suggesting that our emotions and understanding gradually emerge from the body’s interaction with the world. The body is not a passive “receiver”; rather, it constantly constructs meaning and experience through its connections with the environment. This perspective led me to reassess the importance of the body in artistic expression, prompting me to give the body more expressiveness in my creations so that it could become a bridge for emotional resonance with the viewer.
Deleuze’s philosophy is even more radical, conceiving the body as a fluid “field of forces” with diverse potentials and capacities for change. Along with Guattari, Deleuze introduced the concept of “becoming,” which breaks down the fixed boundaries between body and mind, suggesting that the individual continuously “becomes” through interactions with others and the environment, thereby reconstructing the self. Deleuze’s ideas encouraged me to think further about relationships: touch is not merely physical contact, but a process in which the individual “becomes” anew in interaction, generating new aspects of the self and experiences. In this sense, gestures like hugging and touching are not just means of emotional expression, but are integral to the dynamic construction of relationships. Each touch generates new relationships and emotional experiences.
In modern theories concerning the relationship between body and mind, the extended mind theory proposed by Andy Clark and David Chalmers argues that the mind is not confined solely to the brain or body, but is extended through interactions with the external world, including tools, other people, and the environment. According to this theory, our cognition and consciousness rely not only on internal processes but also on exchanges with our surroundings, making the body—serving as a medium of interaction with the outside world—an extension of the mind. This perspective redefines the traditional boundary between mind and body, highlighting the indispensable role of the body in cognition, perception, and emotional experience. The body is not merely a tool for perceiving the world; it is also an integral part of the mind's extension. This theory encourages us to reconsider the relationship between the individual and the world, making the body an open, dynamic medium for perception and experience. This concept reveals a close connection between body and mind, showing that perception and action are mutually influential experiences. It also suggests that the body plays a foundational integrative role in our interactions with the environment, others, and the social context.
In my creative work, I integrated these philosophical reflections into practice, attempting to present the multiple possibilities of the body in my pieces. The body becomes not only a vessel for emotions, but also a site for the generation of relationships. I designed interactive art forms that invite the viewer to engage physically, allowing them to experience firsthand how the body constructs emotion and meaning within dynamic relationships. The body is no longer merely an “object on display,” but a medium that generates emotional experiences through touch and movement across time and space. This creative approach not only helps me explore the importance of touch in relationship-building but also seeks to inspire viewers to rethink self, others, and collective relationships.
Recognition and Construction of Human Relationships
After studying the relationship between the body and consciousness and its importance, I expanded my thinking to human relationships. The book *Emotional: The New Thinking About Feelings* delves into how emotions influence human behavior and relationships. It examines emotional intelligence, the impact of feelings on decision-making, and the physiological responses tied to emotions. The book argues for the importance of vulnerability and authentic emotional expression in forming deep connections, emphasizing that understanding both our own emotions and those of others can lead to healthier interactions. So, how are human relationships recognized and constructed? Through the philosophical perspectives of Plato, Martin Buber, and Emmanuel Levinas, we gain deeper insights into the nature of emotional bonds in human relationships and their ethical significance.
Plato’s philosophy, especially in The Republic and The Symposium, advocates for reason and wisdom as the guiding forces in human life, suggesting that relationships between individuals should be arranged through rationality and not driven by emotional or sensory experiences. Plato’s ideal society is one where individuals transcend bodily desires and personal emotions in favor of higher ideals, such as wisdom and the pursuit of "goodness." In *The Symposium*, the sublimation of love is emphasized, suggesting a movement from physical attraction to the pursuit of the soul and intellectual connection, ultimately culminating in a form of love that seeks the ideal of goodness rather than personal gratification.
In contrast to Plato’s view, Martin Buber’s philosophy in I and Thou challenges the reduction of relationships to mere rational or abstract structures. Buber introduces the idea of the "I-Thou" relationship, where individuals encounter each other as whole beings, not as objects to be analyzed or manipulated. In an "I-Thou" relationship, people engage in direct, reciprocal exchanges that honor each person’s uniqueness and vulnerability. This idea resonates with the sensory and emotional focus of my artistic practice, particularly the act of hugging, which emphasizes direct, physical interaction and emotional connection. Through the act of a hug, two people establish a genuine, non-rational connection that transcends intellectual analysis, creating an immediate and profound relationship. Buber’s concept of "I-Thou" suggests that true human connection arises not from reason alone but from an authentic engagement with one another's emotions and presence.
Similarly, Emmanuel Levinas, in Totality and Infinity : An essay on exteriority, expands on Buber’s ideas and takes them into an ethical dimension. Levinas argues that the face-to-face encounter with another person is where ethics begins. For Levinas, the "Other" is never reducible to a mere object or concept but is an infinite presence that calls us to responsibility. The face-to-face relationship demands that we respond to the needs and vulnerability of the other person, creating an ethical relationship that transcends self-interest and rational calculation. Levinas’s emphasis on the infinite responsibility we have toward others mirrors the emotional depth found in Buber’s *I-Thou* relationship, where the encounter with the other is not a matter of analyzing or controlling emotions but of embracing the vulnerability and the emotional complexity that comes with human connection.
Both Buber and Levinas highlight the importance of direct, authentic encounters with others, where emotions are not just understood intellectually but are experienced as integral to the ethical and existential nature of human relationships. While Plato’s view emphasizes the subjugation of emotions to reason, Buber and Levinas affirm that the most profound human connections occur when we engage with others emotionally, recognizing their full humanity. This understanding of human relationships challenges the traditional view of emotional expression as secondary to rational thought and underscores the importance of vulnerability, empathy, and emotional authenticity in forming meaningful connections. Through the frameworks provided by Buber and Levinas, we see that emotions, rather than being obstacles to rational understanding, can be the very foundation of ethical, authentic human interaction.
Reflections on the Transmission of Meaning through Performance
Tino Sehgal’s work has had a profound impact on my creative approach, particularly in terms of live interaction and audience participation. His concept of “constructed situations,” where meaning emerges from the immediate, dynamic interaction between participants and the audience, is something I am eager to explore. It has made me think about how to invite strangers to engage in a more active and natural way, rather than simply being passive participants. This could be especially relevant in my exploration of intimate relationships, where those invited may contribute to shaping the emotional depth of the experience. Therefore, in my hugging experiment, I didn’t impose any specific scenario or behavior, allowing everything to unfold naturally and spontaneously.
What resonates most with me is Sehgal’s focus on the ephemerality of art. His works evolve in the present moment, reminding me of how fleeting and fragile connections can be. This aligns with my intention to capture intimate moments, like a hug or emotional exchange, that are transient. Rather than creating something fixed, I want my work to reflect those impermanent experiences that are deeply felt in the moment. In the process of documenting my embraces, unexpected events, like a sudden shower, might occur, leaving traces on my cyanotype fabric, which is an unanticipated artistic effect.
Clare Blundell Jones's work Kiss has provided significant inspiration as I reflect on the places of hugging. Her piece exposes the intimate, private act of kissing in a public context, exploring the boundaries between public and private spaces and the social aspects of emotional expression. In her work, kissing, typically a private act, is placed in an unconventional setting, turning this intimate behavior into a public art event. This has led me to deeply consider how a similarly intimate act like hugging would be perceived and interpreted if moved to a public space.
Blundell Jones's work made me realize that the presentation of a private act in a public space is not just a formal shift but also profoundly impacts the meaning of the act itself. In her piece, the act of kissing is placed in an environment with a high degree of publicity, and the interaction between participants is infused with a sense of alienation and distance due to the presence of the public. For me, this transition from the private to the public realm means that hugging, as a form of emotional expression, would take on entirely different layers and dimensions in different settings.
However, hugging differs from kissing in important ways. While kissing is often a highly intimate act, usually taking place in a private space and often seen as a public display of affection, hugging occupies a unique position between privacy and publicness. Unlike kissing, which is direct and emotionally charged, hugging is often gentle, inclusive, and has certain social and cultural functions. A hug can be intimate, but it can also be a gesture of courtesy; it is not limited to romantic partners or family members but can take place between friends, colleagues, or even strangers, carrying a broader range of social and emotional expressions. In public spaces, hugging tends to carry more social significance. It is neither fully private nor as attention-grabbing as kissing, which can provoke stronger reactions. This makes hugging a behavior that straddles the line between private and public realms, with its expression and meaning often shaped by the cultural and social context of the environment. Due to this unique intermediary nature, hugging becomes a more flexible and inclusive act, adapting to different situations. Therefore, discussing hugging in various contexts is meaningful because the significance and emotional expression of hugging change depending on the setting, which is what makes it so distinct as an artistic act that lies between privacy and publicness.
Through her work, Blundell Jones illustrates the complexity of emotional expression in public spaces by externalizing private behavior, prompting me to consider how to address this tension in my own work: the intimacy of private acts and the sociality of public spaces. Through this experimental exploration, I hope to experience the unique emotional responses that arise in different environments.Thus, location becomes a crucial factor in my practice, as it allows me to account for the unique influence each environment has on the experience. By consciously varying settings, I aim to reduce the influence of random factors and avoid biases tied to any one particular place, creating a more balanced exploration of how different degrees of public exposure impact the feeling and meaning of each embrace.Due to the unique exposure requirements of cyanotype, I must perform the hugging in spaces with sufficient ultraviolet light. I have chosen locations with varying degrees of privacy: from bustling city streets, busy corridors, and lively playgrounds to quiet forests, secluded gardens, and isolated corners.By using varying levels of public exposure as a variable, I seek to capture a range of distinct emotional responses.
In the crit discussion after the Summershow, the question of the distance in hugs sparked further reflection for me. This issue is not only about the physical proximity between individuals but also about the boundaries between intimacy and personal space. Marina Abramović and Ulay's piece Imponderabilia provided significant inspiration for my work, particularly in exploring the intersection of bodily boundaries, intimate relationships, and the interplay between public and private spaces.
In Imponderabilia, Abramović and Ulay stood naked face-to-face at the entrance of a museum in Italy, forcing each viewer to pass through a narrow passage between them, obliging them to choose one of the two performers to face and pass closely by. This setup redefined the boundaries of the viewer's body, allowing them to experience physical interaction and contact unconsciously. The redefinition of bodily boundaries in public spaces inspired me to think about how intimate behaviors expressed in public and private spaces can influence the definition of personal boundaries and emotional expression.
This interaction also transformed the audience from passive observers into active participants, even becoming part of the artwork itself. Through this participation, the viewers were invited not only to observe but to reflect on their choices and reactions within the action. When I watched Abramović's exhibition at RAA, I had the opportunity to experience the performance of Imponderabilia live and became one of the viewers passing through the doorway. As I approached the doorway where the two performers stood, my emotions were complex: nervousness, curiosity, and even a slight unease. Facing the two naked performers in a narrow passage, I was forced to make a choice, deciding which one to face as I passed through. What would normally be a simple action turned into a profound experience here. In that moment, I became acutely aware of my own body. This intimate space and contact made me reconsider my own boundaries, and I began to pay attention to every movement and posture I made. This interaction was not like the usual gentle hug or a ceremonial handshake; it was an experience that forced me to confront both the other and myself. In that moment, I wasn’t just physically connected to the performers, but also emotionally dissected. Although it was brief, the proximity of our bodies and the inner guard I felt made me shift between the boundaries of public and private space. More importantly, this experience made me realize that I wasn’t just passing through a narrow passage between two people, but also experiencing the blurring of boundaries between myself and the other. I started reflecting on how much our definitions of intimate relationships are restricted by external environments and societal rules. And in that moment, I also experienced the core of Abramović’s work—the tension brought by this extreme "vulnerability" and "trust." By exposing themselves in a public space, the performers showed immense trust, and this trust required the audience to pass through the "door" with respect and responsibility.
During my hugging experiment, I realized that the distance in a hug is influenced not only by gender but also by cultural background. Especially when hugging Asian boys and girls with a similar cultural background, there is often a larger physical distance between us. These hugs are not firm or forceful; they are more like a loose circle around each other. In East Asian cultures, physical contact, especially hugging, is still seen as a relatively intimate act. We are more accustomed to expressing greetings through handshakes, so when engaging in face-to-face contact, we naturally maintain a certain physical distance to avoid excessive emotional exposure.
Additionally, this piece also conveys a sense of vulnerability and trust. Abramović and Ulay stand before the audience, exposed and defenseless, which carries an extreme vulnerability. They trust the audience to pass through safely and respectfully, and this sense of trust becomes part of the audience's experience. This made me think about how hugging, as a form of physical contact, can also be used to explore the building of trust, particularly in the case of a hug between strangers. How can this contact be used to test or create a fragile but genuine emotional bond?
Bibliography
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Keating, K. and Noland, M. (1991) The little book of hugs. London: Fontana.
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