Master Thesis Sofi Häkkinen Anaesthesia of the Heart and Other Funny Things in Art

72 Pages·2017·2.66 MB·English

Master Thesis
Sofi Häkkinen
Anaesthesia of the Heart and Other Funny Things in Art
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Master Thesis
© Sofi Häkkinen
Aalto University
School of Arts, Design and Architecture
Master Program of Visual Culture
and Contemporary Art
2018
Set in Bembo
Printed in Netherlands by Pumbo
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SOFI HÄKKINEN
Master Thesis
Anaesthesia
of the Heart
and Other
Funny Things
in Art
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For Emily,
where ever I may find her
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Thank you
Beiby
Pia Lindman, Lari Mörö, Ropsi, Leevi, Tuomo-serkku,
Hundulaatti, isä
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Content
Abstract ................................................................13
Tiivistelmä ................................................................19
1 What is Humour .......................................................23
1.1 The Relief Theory ...........................................25
1.2 The Incongruity Theory ...................................26
1.3 The Superiority Theory ....................................28
1.4 Shift in Perspective ...........................................29
1.5 The Three Theories of Humour
as Theories of Art .............................................31
2 I Don’t Get it ...........................................................35
2.1 Sidenote: Danto’s Testadura ..............................38
2.2 Intelligently Funny and Awkwardly Enthusiastic ...39
2.3 Aenesthesia of the Heart and Camp ......................41
2.4 The Gallery or the Street?
The Curious Case of the Hamburger Sculpture ......44
3 Cracks in Reality ......................................................49
3.1 Neutralizing Negative Emotion ...........................51
3.2 Darker Side of Fun ..........................................52
4 Humour in Material and Form ....................................57
4.1 Kasitonni’s Vampire .........................................58
4.2 Sidenote: Ite-taide / Outsider Art .......................62
4.3 Work Example: Käänteismylly
(The Inverse Mill) ...........................................62
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5 Conclusion ...............................................................66
Bibliography .............................................................68
Images ...............................................................69
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