動物形象的再現與詮釋：論動物與人類之間的「權力與支配」和「情感與依賴」

Abstract

本論文旨在透過動物形象的象徵、圖像與文本研究，對於「動物與人類」之間的「權力與支配」以及「情感與依賴」的雙重關係進行更進一步的探討，以分析動物形象的意義被不同的文明、時代、宗教、哲學與文化轉譯為多重且多元的詮釋，進而透過當代視野建構藝術家本身與動物之間微妙的互動關係。故，本論文探討的內容與議題涉及：動物形象在人類的日常生活中如何被表現？動物形象在科學研究與自然史的圖像中如何被再現？動物形象如何在文學中被詮釋？動物形象在西方的宗教與神話中象徵的意涵？繪畫中的動物形象扮演的角色是象徵、點景、人類財產；抑或是主體？ 本文主要的研究方法從問題意識的產生，採取視覺文化分析、圖像學、圖像分析、比較文學等研究方法，得以讓動物圖像相關的藝術作品連結到多元與跨領域的文本，同時對於動物形象主題進行探討，重新審視基督教的創世紀（Genesis）、亞里斯多德的創造論（Creationism）以來的人類中心主義價值觀，並理解自18世紀的哲學家邊沁（Jeremy Bentham, 1748-1832）至20世紀的動物權學者彼得．辛格（Peter Singer, 1946-）與湯姆．雷根（Tom Regan, 1938-2017）所推動的動物權與動物解放運動，進而對於繪畫中動物形象與人類文明再現動物形象的表現進行更進一步的分析與省思。 由於動物形象的意義與詮釋反映著藝術家凝視動物的角度或個人情感的投射，因此，本篇論文最後回歸自創作者本身的生命經驗與對非人類物種的反思，對於動物形象進行創作實踐，從擬人化的動物到城市空間中動物與人類互動關係的真實處境等。筆者作為藝術家及實地的田野觀察者，本創作論述將探討當代社會文化中「人性」與「動物性」的互文關係，並視覺再現為個人繪畫創作的語彙。

關鍵字：動物形象、人類中心主義、動物權、動物解放、擬人化、人性、動物性This dissertation aims to discover how animal images were produced to represent the power-domination and affection-dependency relationships between animals and humans. It looks at how animal subjects are visualized and given multiple interpretations by different cultures, eras, religions and philosophies. The dissertation focuses on several key issues. How are animals represented in the daily life of humans? How are animals represented in images of scientific research and natural history? How are animals and their images interpreted in literature? What symbolic roles do animals play in Western religions and mythologies? How do animals in paintings function to represent human characteristics, or to stand for individual human subjects? In order to answer these key questions, this study applies methods of visual cultural analysis, such as iconology and iconography, in conjunction with a study of comparative literature, to discover the connections between the multiple texts and visual art works that portray animals. By analyzing the production of animal images this study allows us to re-consider the value of animal anthropomorphization, a trait which has been profoundly embedded in historical human cultures, as demonstrated for example in the writing of Aristotle, or the Christian narrative of Adam and Eve (Genesis 3.1-6). The thesis also looks at theories of animal rights and animal liberation movements that were advocated by figures such as Jeremy Bentham (English philosopher, 1748-1832), Peter Singer (Australian philosopher, 1946-) and Tom Regan (American philosopher, 1938-2017) which offer further angles for the analysis and re-consideration of visual and textual representations of animal subjects. In addition, as the representations and interpretations of animal subjects profoundly reflect artists’ gazes and personal attitudes towards animals, this paper therefore incorporates a self-reflexive consideration of my individual life experiences – as an artist and a field observer – of critical animal issues. My art works of animal subjects, which range from imagined and humanized images to realistic representations, aim to offer a view of the built-in intertextuality between humanity and animality in modern society.

Key words: animal images, anthropocentrism, animal rights, animal liberation movements, anthropomorphized, humanity, animality