The Thinking Hand: Reading Reflection

 

I really enjoyed reading the introduction to ‘The Thinking Hand’ by Juhani Pallasmaa. It sparked a lot of ideas and lead my thoughts down a very explorative and exploitative path.

Embodied existence as a concept is such a deep and meaningful idea and when I first approached this reading I was worried that I wouldn’t quite I=understand the concepts and ideas suggested but I was pleasantly surprised with the way Pallasmaa approaches such academic and almost existential ideas. I first linked the idea of body/mind connection with my own experience of being an athlete. As a horse rider it is important to connect body and mind to ensure flow and awareness when taking part in a dangerous collaborative sport.

“Beauty is not a detached aesthetic quality” is a particularly poignant quote which I think is very relevant to today’s society which tends to focus on looks and exterior qualities to define the concept of beauty.

Your body does not define you, you are more than just your physical presence.

“ I am my world” I love this, my body, my mind, it is all a part of my human experience, I cannot change it, I will never not be me. We are connected to the world through our senses. I also like  ideas sparked by the quote “living a human life is a philosophical endeavor”. 

This extract overall I found was very moving and allowed me to expand my thinking and reflect on art and it process as well as my own connection to art, my body, and the way the all ultimately align. All art forms are modes of thinking and represent ways of sensory and embodied thought which an artist translates through artistic techniques. Art is a way of coping with and interpreting the human experience and a person’s own personal journey and perspective.