Abstract
M.Tech. (Fine Art)
In this study I examine the functions and effects of incorporating fictional worlds and
characters into my art practice, using Walter Battiss’ Fook Island as an exemplar for this
practice. The study is composed so as to blur certain lines between conventions of fictional
and academic writing.
I present a biography of Battiss with a focus on moments in his life where, I argue, the lines
between fantasy and reality become blurred, and show evidence of his childlikeness, which I
term ego fictus. I argue that this approach to his art-making was key to his resistance to and
protests against censorship, and his ability to navigate difficult moments in his life.
I discuss how fiction, narrative and autobiography can be applied to an art practice to make
it more appealing, entertaining and accessible to viewers, and thus increase the reach and
impact of an artist’s work and conceptual messages. I spend much time describing the
practical components of this study, which include two fictional characters that form part of
this study, an exhibition of works titled N.’s Apparatus, and a catalogue of the exhibition.