Publication Date

Spring 2016

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Fine Arts

Department

Independent Film and Digital Imaging

First Advisor

Beth Parin, M.F.A.

Second Advisor

Rebecca Malley

Third Advisor

Jerry Slowik, M.F.A.

Abstract

If you could be anything what would you be? The Fantasy Self is a visual and psychological examination of fantasy personas, analyzed using the vehicles of photography and Jungian psychology. The subjects are photographed as their fantasy self and then psychoanalyzed with the intention of making the connections between the subconscious mind and the conscious mind. The Collective Unconscious is comprised of twelve major archetypes, each with their own set of distinct characteristics. The Innocent, The Orphan, The Warrior, The Caregiver,The Seeker, The Destroyer, The Lover, The Creator, The Ruler, The Sage, The Magician, and The Fool. Every human being has components of all twelve in their psyche. At each stage in life, the hierarchy of the active archetypes will change. The intention of the thesis is to make connections between the subjects’ active archetypes and their fantasy personas. Understanding that fantasy does not live in the ether, but lives in our subconscious mind, helps one develop a relationship to one’s fantasy as a tool for therapy and a path to self awareness.

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