Vision
Research
Vision & Aims
Vision & Aims
This project responds to the criticism of modernist Anthropocentrism, and to the critique of western-centric post-humanism that tends to homogenise differences among various species and entities.
It aligns itself with wisdoms in many ancient non-western relational worldviews that long predate post-humanism. Such perspectives are rare in film studies, where most of our formal understanding of cinema and key debates are drawn from western philosophical, artistic and cultural traditions. The project thus offers a corrective by arguing for the conceptual power of non-western philosophies for an understanding of cinema.
Daoism’s cosmological, ecological, ethical, and aesthetic perspectives counterbalance modernist anthropocentrism and complements Western-centric posthumanism. An essential part of traditional Chinese thought, Daoism, with its correlative, meontological and transformative cosmology and emphasis on “nature/cosmos-human oneness” (tianrenheyi), has a long-lasting impact on Chinese cosmology, ecological sensitivity, wellbeing and traditional art. It has also influenced aesthetic formations globally in a transcultural context.
This Project
develops Daoist theoretical frameworks to explore cinema, and excavates a hidden trajectory of cinema through the lineage of East Asian art history, putting cinema in the wider context of transcultural and transhistorical influences.
proposes a new model to engage with cinema, through qi (breath, vital energy), challenging Euro-American film theorisations that follow ‘the model of the eye’, ‘the model of the brain’ or ‘the model of the body’.
proposes ‘meditative cinema’ as a new category, and examines how these films evoke a somaticexperience of breathing, how their aesthetic features induce meditation, and how they resonate with traditional East Asian art forms.
fosters greater integration between Philosophy and Film Studies and enriches both. It enhances Film Studies by introducing traditional Chinese thought as conceptual frameworks, and expands Philosophy by positioning Daoism as a living philosophy with analytical capacity and relevance to contemporary art and media.
establishes a Research Hub for Cinema, Asian Philosophies and Visual Ecologies to facilitate cross-disciplinary dialogues and discussions.
enhances the connection between theory and practice through practice-based research in filmmaking and curation, engaging broader audiences, the art world, and the exhibition industry.
generates impact by building links with the wellbeing industry.
Activities & Events
Research Hub
CAVe: Cinema, Asian Philosophies and Visual Ecologies
Workshops, seminars, conference
