Form and content. Iowa Research Online. University of Iowa. Ann A Rahim Khan University of Iowa. Theses and Dissertations

Transcription

1 University of Iowa Iowa Research Online Theses and Dissertations 1979 Form and content Ann A Rahim Khan University of Iowa Posted with permission of the author. This thesis is available at Iowa Research Online: Recommended Citation Khan, Ann A Rahim. "Form and content." MFA (Master of Fine Arts) thesis, University of Iowa, Follow this and additional works at: Part of the Art and Design Commons

2 F o rm and C o nte nt by Ann A. Rahim Khan A th e s is s u b m itte d in p a r t ia l f u l f i l l m e n t o f th e re q u ire m e n ts f o r th e degree o f M aster o f F in e A rts in A r t (S tu d io ) in th e G raduate C o lle g e o f The U n iv e r s ity o f Iowa December, 1979 T h e sis s u p e rv is o r: A s s o c ia te P ro fe s s o r F r a n k lin Moss I I I

3 G raduate C o lle g e The U n iv e r s ity o f Iowa Iowa C ity, Iowa CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL M.F.A. T h e s is T h is i s to c e r t i f y t h a t th e M.F.A. th e s is o f Ann A. Rahim Khan has been approved by th e Exam ining Committee f o r th e th e s is re q u ire m e n t f o r th e M aster o f F in e A rts degree in A r t ( S tu d io ), a t th e December, 1979 g ra d u a tio n. T h e s is com m ittee:

4 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I w ish to th a n k th e members o f my com m ittee, D r. W.J. T om asini, John S ch ulze, Hans B re d e r, and James S n itz e r. I am in d e b te d to Benja m in F r a n k lin Moss I I I. I a ls o w ish to th a n k Howard R ogovin f o r a l l h i6 su p p o rt in th e la s t th re e y e a rs. i i

5 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIS T OF FIGURES iv THESIS STATEMENT NOTES BIBLIO G R APH Y i i i

6 LIS T OF FIGURES Figure Page 1. Untitled Blue print 12" X 1 3 " Untitled Blue print 12" X 1 3 " Untitled Blue print 12" X 1 3 " Untitled Blue print 12" X 1 3 " Untitled Blue print 12" X 1 3 " Untitled Blue print 12" X 1 3 " Untitled Blue print 12" X 1 3 " Untitled Blue print 12" X 1 3 " Thesis Drawing "FAN" 23" X 3 0 " i v

7 1 THESIS STATEMENT T ry in g to sum up fo u r y e a rs o f g ro w th w ith o u t w r it in g a book, and r e s t r ic t in g m y s e lf to two pages o r le s s i s f u t i l e. In t r y in g to d e a l w ith t h is fe e lin g o f f u t i l i t y, I w ent in se a rch o f a m etaphor. As is o fte n th e case w ith s e a rc h in g, soon er o r la t e r an answer comes. My answ er came in th e fo rm o f a s to r y a w is e o ld man t o ld me once. He s a id : "T h e re was once a queer o ld man who liv e d in a cave, where he had s o u g h t re fu g e fro m th e n o is e o f th e v illa g e s. He was re p u te d to be a s o rc e re r, and th e re fo re he had d is c ip le s who hoped to le a rn th e a r t o f s o rc e ry fro m h im. B u t he h im s e lf was n o t th in k in g o f any such th in g. He was o n ly s e e kin g to know w hat i t was th a t he d id n o t know, b u t w h ic h, he f e l t c e r ta in, was a lw ays h a p p e n in g. A te r m e d ita tin g f o r a v e ry lo n g tim e on th a t w h ich i s beyond m e d ita tio n, he saw no o th e r way o f escape fro m h is p re d ica m e n t th a n to ta k e a p ie c e o f re d c h a lk and draw a l l k in d s o f diagram s on th e w a ll o f h is cave, in o rd e r to f in d o u t w hat th a t w h ich he d id n o t know m ig h t lo o k l i k e. A fte r many a tte m p ts he h i t on th e c ir c le. " T h a t's r i g h t, " he f e l t, "and now f o r a q u a d ra n g le in s id e i t! " w h ich made i t b e tte r s t i l l. H is d is c i p le s were c u rio u s ; b u t a l l th e y c o u ld make o u t was th a t th e o ld man was up to som e th in g, and th e y w ould have g iv e n a n y th in g to know what he was d o in g. B u t when th e y asked h im : "W hat a re you d o in g th e re? " he made no r e p ly. Then th e y d is c o v e re d th e diagram s on th e w a ll and s a id : " T h a t s i t! " and th e y a l l im ita te d th e d ia g ra m s. B u t in so d o in g th e y tu rn e d th e w hole p ro ce ss u p s id e down, w ith o u t n o tic in g i t : th e y a n tic ip a te d th e r e s u lt s in th e hopes o f m aking th e p ro ce ss r e p e a t i t s e l f w h ich had le d to t h a t r e s u lt. T h is i s how i t happened th e n and how i t s t i l l happens to d a y."1 "Do you know why I t o ld you t h is s to ry? " asked th e w is e, o ld man,

8 2 "because you have been v e ry much l i k e one o f th e d is c ip le s o f th a t queer, o ld man, w a n tin g to le a rn so much fro m yo u r te a c h e rs, your books, and yo u r h e ro e s. Now I t h in k i t ' s tim e t h a t you found your own way o f m e d ita tin g on t h a t w hich i s beyond m e d ita tio n. Good lu c k, and goodbye!" "B u t w a it! " I t was to o la t e, you see. As I tu rn e d th e page, he was gone.

9 F ig u re 1. U n title d B lu e p r in t 12" x 13" 3

10 F ig u re 2. U n title d B lue p r in t 12" x 13" 4

11 F ig u re 3. Un t i t l e d B lu e p r in t 12" x 13" 5

12 F ig u re 4. U n title d B lu e p r i n t 12" x 13" 6

13 F ig u re 5. U n title d B lu e p r in t 12" x 13" 7

14 F ig u re 6. U n title d B lue p r in t 12" x 13" 8

15 F ig u re 7. U n title d B lu e p r in t 12" x 13" 9

16 F ig u re 8. U n title d B lu e p r in t 12" x 13" 10

17 F ig u re 9. T h e sis Drawing "Fan" 23" x 30" 11

18 12 NOTES 1. C.G. Jung, Four A rchetypes, 1973, B o llin g e n S e rie s, P rin c e to n U n iv e r s ity P ress, p. 63.

19 13 BIBLIOGRAPHY Jung, C.G. F our A rc h e ty p e s. P rin c e to n, New J e rs e y, P rin c e to n U n iv e r s ity P re ss. 1973