From research, it is my understanding that an exhibition is a
much more distant, separated and individual display of art. Exhibitions can
present numerous entirely solitary pieces of work at the same time - for
example, a number of different paintings by the same artist. An exhibition can
even display one or more sculptures or installations at once:
"Such expositions may present pictures,
drawings, video, sound, installation, performance, interactive art, new media
art or sculptures by individual artists, groups of artists or collections of a
specific form of art."
An installation, however, seems to be a much
more holistic, unified and interactive experience: it is likely to fill a large
space and it's audience must fully engage with, whether through touch, walking
through it, watching it, etc.:
"Installation artworks often occupy an
entire room or gallery space that the spectator has to walk through in order to
engage fully with the work of art... What makes installation art different from
sculpture or other traditional art forms is that it is a complete unified
experience, rather than a display of separate, individual artworks. The focus
on how the viewer experiences the work and the desire to provide an intense
experience for them is a dominant theme in installation art."
Interestingly, the meaning of an installation appears to have evolved a lot over the past 50 or so years, to the point where almost anything, and thus in fact nothing, can be considered an installation:
"Almost any arrangement of objects in a
given space can now be referred to as installation art, from a conventional
display of paintings to a few well-placed sculptures in a garden. It has become
the catch-all description that draws attention to its staging, and as a result
it’s almost totally meaningless."
"A desire to heighten the
viewer’s awareness of how objects are positioned (installed) in a space, and of
our response to that arrangement... the whole situation in its totality claims
to be the work of art."
"One of the dominant themes of
installation art since it emerged in the 1960s: the desire to provide an
intense experience for the viewer."
Despite the concept of the term 'installation' being largely overused and perhaps now meaningless, it is still a form of art that I would like to create for my project. The themes of emotion, interaction and full engagement are ones that I think would enhance my work and the impact it has on viewers. As opposed to simply viewing framed photographs or watching a film projected on a wall, I want my audience to walk through a room or corridor completely covered and surrounding them in imagery, materials, sound, film, light, shadow, etc. I want them to become fully engrossed and thoughtful of what they are intensely experiencing.
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