The Production of Shame and its Impact on the Creative

Thesis Dissertation. 2023

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Selected for publication at the National College of Art and Design Library.

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This dissertation, titled "The Production of Shame and Its Impact on the Creative," explores the multifaceted nature of shame and its profound influence on artistic practice and the creative field. By synthesising psychological research with art history and institutional critique, the study moves beyond common interpretations of shame to investigate its origins, its role in maintaining social hierarchies, and its manifestation in the work of specific artists.

The research is structured into three primary inquiries:

Defining Shame: Drawing on the work of established psychologists like Gershen Kaufman and J.P. Tangney, the thesis examines shame as a self-reflective, evaluative emotion that often leads to "global self-condemnation" and avoidance behaviors. It distinguishes shame from guilt and explores its role as a "paradigm of pain" that disrupts the self.

The Production of Shame: The study investigates how shame is produced within the "aristocratic" and hierarchical structures of the art world. Utilising Andrea Fraser's institutional critiques and Hans Abbing's economic analysis, the research argues that financial hardship, competitive "winner-takes-all" markets, and elite definitions of "real art" impose shame upon artists, often forcing them to choose between authenticity and economic survival.

Impact on Creativity: Through the lens of Olivia Laing’s The Lonely City, the thesis analyses the intersection of shame, loneliness, and stigmatisation in the lives and works of Andy Warhol and David Wojnarowicz. It contrasts Warhol’s use of technology and "sameness" as a shield against the shame of exposure with Wojnarowicz’s defiant, raw honesty in the face of childhood trauma and the AIDS epidemic.

Ultimately, the dissertation concludes that while shame is often viewed as a maladaptive response, it can also serve as a catalyst for profound authenticity when "honoured" rather than hidden. The study suggests that the enduring legacy of artists like Warhol and Wojnarowicz lies in their ability to translate personal and systemic pain into work that resonates with universal human experiences of vulnerability and longing.

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