현대미술에 있어서 빛·물 상징과 그 치유작용

In searching for artistic healing through symbolic representation such as water and light

A purpose of this thesis lies in searching for artistic healing through symbolic representation such as water and light. Their symbolic meanings are the truth, resurrection, revival, creativity, healing, purification, the spiritual, goddess, and so o. These two symbols have not only a symbolic meaning but also a important significance in religion and healing. Especially, These have a reality in that they are really presented during the highest level of spiritual and religious experience such as Zen meditation. According to C.G. Jung, the analytic psychologist, the symbolic representation has a function of unifying and getting rid of a unbalance and split of the spirit, especially, visual symbol in the picture can reveal the inner world which could not be realized by means of the language articulated by word. A human being become have an experience that something takes place through symbolic expression while practicing the works. This 'something take place' is closely connected with the creativity. while the plastic art as a kind of symbol-making act has a function of healing, these two old symbol work as doubling a characteristic of healing in the plastic art. In addition to that, these two symbol and their power affecting on the spirit have become a factor for the artists which struggle for getting over their trauma symbolically or really. For exemplifying this, I introduce four contemporary artist, Ando Dadao who is the architect that opens up the meditative space of Being by using water and light as essential element in his architecture, Bill Viola who considers water as symbol spiritual healing and revival, Chang-Yul Kim who use the repetitive figures of water drops as a symbol that represents self-obliterlation and returning to the universal self, Mark Rothko, who is the painter trying to transcend the tragedy of humanistic dualism