The Failure of Empathy and the Power of Art: An Ethical Relationship with the Impossible Other : Take Kimsooja's “A Needle Woman” as an example

共情的失败与艺术的力量：与抵达不可能他者的伦理关系——以Kimsooja《A Needle Woman》为例

[Background]Empathy, as an interdisciplinary concept of multidimensional discussion, is both a key psychological phenomenon and the ultimate realization of ethical pursuit. The dilemma of empathy in real situations provides the point of departure for artistic expression, for art does not evade the distance between self and other in the failure of empathy, but rather transforms this distance into the starting point of aesthetic experience. [Objective] This study situates the “impossible possibility” of forgiveness and empathy within the essence of ethical relations, exploring the possibility of empathy in ethical contexts. Through the sensuous experience of art, it demonstrates how artistic works can transcend the barriers of incommunicability, establish connections with the Other, and ultimately realize the ethical power of empathy in aesthetic experience. [Method]This study employed the case study method,using Kimsooja's “A Needle Woman” as the case study,to explore the unempathetic empathy that is evoked by artistic works. [Results]Empathy is not a homogeneous projection of the experiences of others,but rather,within the aesthetic realm of art,through the acceptance and reflection of what cannot be empathized with,it awakens the subject's awareness of the limitations of their self-perception. [Conclusion]The value of empathy lies not in eliminating the ethical dilemmas of the unreachable others.Through the active recognition of the incommensurable in artistic works,the subject transcends the limitations of self-awareness and ultimately constructs a more ethically significant empathic relationship with others.

【背景】共情作为一个多维度讨论的跨学科概念，是关键的心理学现象，也是伦理追求的最终实现。在现实情境中的共情困境提供了艺术表达的起始，因为艺术不回避在共情失败中自我与他者存在的距离，反而将这种距离转化为审美体验的起点。 【目的】将宽恕的不可能之可能与共情置于伦理关系的本质中，讨论在伦理情境中共情的可能。以艺术作品的官体体验为媒介，展示在看似不可能共情的情况下，艺术作品如何打破无法共情的障碍，建立起与他人的联系，最终在艺术体验中实现共情的伦理力量。 【方法】本研究采用案例研究法，以Kimsooja 的行为艺术作品《A Needle Woman》为案例，探讨艺术作品所引发的不可共情的共情。 【结果】共情并非对他者经验的同质化投射，而是在艺术的审美场域中，通过对不可共情的接纳与反思，唤醒主体对自我认知局限的觉察。 【结论】共情的价值不在于消解不可抵达的他者的伦理困境，通过艺术作品中对共情困境的主动体认，主体超越自我认知的有限性，最终构建起与他者之间更具伦理意义的共情关系。