This thesis aims to understand the underlying motivations and contexts of artists who question the disconnection between urban life and nature especially with respect to aspects of time.
The methodology used is largely about the analysis of artwork. The strategies adopted by the artists discussed here vary from critiquing the ambitions of city builders in their pursuit of controlling time to shunning urban time altogether and reaching for the rhythms of nature. In order to ground this understanding of artwork in the contemporary context the thesis explores how contemporary urban life changes our experience of time and how this separates us from the natural world. Theories regarding the relationship of the human, the natural world and the passage of time are covered in order to contextualize this analysis. These include the study of entropy by Robert Smithson, Martin Heidegger’s theory of the “earth and the world” and Georges Bataille’s ideas about the human impulse to annul the passage of time. The eastern philosophy of Zen and the aesthetics of Wabi Sabi that in many ways corroborate the ideas proposed by western thinkers have also been considered.
It was concluded that the connection with the natural world is governed by the experience of time and its relationship to the human ego. The time of the cities is so controlled by the demands of the human ego that it is increasingly difficult for urban dwellers to connect with the time of nature that is beyond our control. It is only by immersing ourselves in the time of nature that we can distance ourselves from aspects of our ego (like desires, concerns, ambitions) and return to a state of connection.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
The Human Ego and the Separation from Nature
Introduction
Literature Review
Methodology
Limitations
Chapter 2
Cities that Deny the Passage of Time
Materials, Forms and the Perception of Time
The Need to Annul the Passage of Time
Chapter 3
Cities that Mold the Experience of Time
Chapter 4
Art that Reconnects with the Rhythms of Nature
Chapter 5
Conclusion
Objectives and Core Themes
This thesis examines the underlying motivations of artists who explore the growing disconnection between urban life and the natural world, specifically focusing on the divergent perceptions of time. The research investigates how urban structures and technology isolate individuals from natural temporal rhythms, proposing that immersive engagement with nature can counteract this ego-driven separation.
- The divergence between urban time and the temporal patterns of nature.
- The psychological role of the human ego in fostering separation from the natural world.
- The impact of contemporary architecture and digital simulation on our experience of time.
- The use of artistic strategies to critique urban structures and regain a sense of connection with natural processes.
Excerpt from the Book
The Need to Annul the Passage of Time
Georges Bataille pointed out that the human project or the human ideal is to make “all that is possible” eternal. Architecture is the ideal example of this human project as it guarantees the “duration of motifs” and thereby annuls the passage of time. Highly developed structures like architecture symbolize the human dream of escaping the entropic earth and creating for eternity (Bois and Krauss 1997, 186-187)3. Artists around the world and down the ages have loved to demonstrate the futility of this dream.
Gordon Matta-Clark who was influenced by Smithson’s ideas on entropy, worked with buildings, cutting into them to create visually stunning sculpture (Bois and Krauss, 188). But his intentions went beyond creating a space that is beautiful to look at. His work critiques the pretentious aspirations of architecture (191). By accepting ephemerality and highlighting the ultimate destiny of architecture (in his own words-“sooner or later, to go down the chute, because it is waste”) he challenges the ambition of architects who see themselves as building for eternity (191).
Summary of Chapters
Chapter 1: The Human Ego and the Separation from Nature: This chapter introduces the disconnection between modern urban dwellers and nature, using theories of the ego and entropy to establish the research context.
Chapter 2: Cities that Deny the Passage of Time: This chapter analyzes how modern architecture and urban materials are designed to suppress signs of decay, thereby mirroring the human desire to escape mortality.
Chapter 3: Cities that Mold the Experience of Time: This chapter explores how digital technology and virtual media further accelerate the control over time, creating a capsule of existence that is entirely removed from natural rhythms.
Chapter 4: Art that Reconnects with the Rhythms of Nature: This chapter examines artworks that move away from urban simulation, seeking instead to immerse the viewer in the inevitable, entropic, and cyclical time of the natural world.
Chapter 5: Conclusion: This chapter summarizes the findings, reiterating that reconnecting with nature requires a surrender of the ego and an abandonment of the desire to control time.
Keywords
Entropy, Urban Life, Human Ego, Natural World, Passage of Time, Temporalities, Modern Architecture, Wabi Sabi, Digital Simulation, Nature, Transience, Art Analysis, Mortality, Disconnection, Connection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this thesis?
The work explores the disconnection between contemporary urban life and nature, specifically analyzing how the perception of time contributes to this alienation.
What central themes are addressed?
Key themes include the human ego, the concept of entropy, the history of urban development, the philosophical differences between urban and natural time, and the role of art in bridging this gap.
What is the primary objective of the study?
The thesis aims to show that urban life is designed to control time and feed the human ego, and that art serves as a tool to reveal our alienation from the natural world and suggest ways to regain connection.
Which scientific or theoretical methods are employed?
The methodology consists of analyzing contemporary artwork, integrating observations about urban lifestyle, and applying literary and philosophical frameworks—such as those by Robert Smithson, Martin Heidegger, and Georges Bataille—to contextualize the artists' motivations.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The body chapters progress from theoretical foundations of the ego and the critique of architecture, to the impact of digital media, and finally to artistic practices that embrace natural transience and entropy.
Which keywords define this work?
Important keywords include entropy, human ego, temporality, urban life, Wabi Sabi, simulation, and natural rhythms.
How does the work explain the "architecture of entropy"?
The author uses Robert Smithson’s concept to describe modern box-like architecture that lacks signs of decay or growth, representing a time that has ceased its forward progression toward natural dissolution.
What is the significance of the "Universe of Water Particles" by teamLab?
It is used as a case study to demonstrate how modern digital technology attempts to simulate natural waterfalls to regain a lost sense of oneness with nature, while simultaneously revealing our continued inability to truly bridge the gap.
Why does the author discuss the Japanese aesthetic of Wabi Sabi?
It is used as a counterpoint to modern urban design, as Wabi Sabi embraces transience, decay, and natural wear and tear, thereby reflecting the reality of natural time and human mortality.
- Citation du texte
- Nandita Mukand (Auteur), 2014, The time of cities and the time of nature. Regarding art dealing with the disconnection between urban life and the natural world, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/298566
