The Sea Within: Navigating Transcendental Healing and Transgenerational Grief Through Encounters with Humpback Whales

Joseph  Michael; Marcos Mortensen Steagall

doi:10.24135/link2024.v5i1.218

Joseph Michael Auckland University of Technology
Marcos Mortensen Steagall (Translator) Auckland University of Technology

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24135/link2024.v5i1.218

Keywords: Healing, Humpback whales, Multimedia, Transcendental, Transgenerational grief

Abstract

This practice-oriented artistic project, undertaken as part of a Master of Philosophy, aims to explore how transgenerational grief and healing can be conveyed through the profound experience of diving with humpback whales, presented within multimedia installations. The project investigates the potential of these installations to act as a medium for translating the transcendental experience of whale diving, using sensory data to express and possibly heal traumas passed down through ancestral narratives. Transgenerational grief, a concept referring to the transmission of trauma across generations, often appears in families that have faced significant historical upheavals. For me, this journey of exploration and healing began with my grandmother's escape from World War II in Europe, an event that has deeply impacted my family's history and sense of identity. This project is a conscious effort to reconnect with my whakapapa (genealogical lineage), allowing me to rediscover ancestral stories and acknowledge the dislocation and suffering experienced by my forebears. By engaging with these narratives, I aim to honour their resilience and weave their legacy into my contemporary identity. The research follows a practice-led methodology, encompassing stages such as planning, embodiment, immersion, sensory data gathering, and installation prototyping. This methodological approach not only enhances the understanding of how transcendental experiences, such as diving with humpback whales, can be expressed artistically but also explores their potential as a tool for emotional and psychological healing. The project provides a fresh perspective on the intersection of art, healing, and identity integration, offering valuable insights to the broader discourse on the role of art in processing and conveying cultural and familial legacies.

Author Biographies

Joseph Michael, Auckland University of Technology

Joseph is an Artist in residence at Auckland University of Technology AUT and an Edmund Hillary Fellow. Joseph Michael’s artworks embody a magical balance between fine art and forward-thinking technical knowledge. His large-scale projections of icebergs on monumental buildings bring the remoteness of the Antarctic to the core of urban centres, thus challenging a human centred worldview, by collapsing the space and time relationship between humans and the natural world and bringing into stark focus the consequences of our treatment of the planet. He is currently pursuing a Master of Philosophy with a practice-led research thesis at AUT.

Marcos Mortensen Steagall, Auckland University of Technology

Marcos Mortensen Steagall is an Associate Professor in the Communication Design department at the Auckland University of Technology - AUT since 2016. He is the Communication Design Postgraduate Strand Leader and Programme Leader for Communication Design and Interaction Design for Year 3. He holds a Master's (2000) and PhD (2006) in Communication & Semiotics acquired from The Pontifical Catholic University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, and a PhD in Art & Design from Auckland University of Technology in 2019. Research interest focus on Practice-oriented research in Design through a Global South perspective.