Pigulevskiy V., Mirskaya L.
Installation: transformation of signifiers
Introduction of “ready-made” to the art practice becomes a problem of artistic activity and contributes to the formation of the trend of manipulation of “sign-things” in design. In a symbolic cultural space “ready-made” becomes the basis of installation. Changing of the context for a signified thing leads to transformation of signifiers, emergence of connotations and associations. Manipulation with the typical objects of industrial production aims to remove a signifier and create a “blind spot” that would result in the formation of connotations. New meanings lead to a revision of a traditional art model as representation. Unlike art-practice, the signifiers in design are not removed, but they change their functions. Change of the functions is used to create the unusual things. In the post-modern, principle of citation of the past is realized in the way of organization of the commonplace things that forms unusual meaning. In line with high technology and poetic inventions of the exquisite things hand-made design arises. The ingenious design solution by means of “ready-made” manipulations is the essence of hand-made design. Montage of things is an avant-garde construction of a miraculous image and a semantic design in everyday life. Hand-made design products become installations in the context of a symbolic space. In contrast to the art installations that have an aesthetic purpose, the design installations are functional ones. Their purpose is advertising, brand promotion and creation of an attractive ambience. Installations are created in the context of the pop-design, anti-design, deconstruction and post-industrial trends. These are display windows, showrooms, constructions in the interior and exterior urban environment. In park areas and entertainment places a fantasy space that can surprise, entertain and give rest to visitors are created. Especially important role belongs to the “singing” fountains with a laser show. The harmony of music, the dance of jets, and the play of light can cause euphoria in the viewer. Technical ingenuity and intellectual confrontation with the mainstream as a principle of hand-made design and installation view allow design something creative from a commonplace space, to play out “sign-things” in different contexts, to provoke new connotations and associations.
Key words
design, artwork, philosophy of art, installation view, design, ready-made, hand-made design, “singing” fountains, signifier and signified.
For citation
Pigulevskiy V., Mirskaya L. Installation: transformation of signifiers // South-Russian Musical Anthology. 2020. No. 4. Pp. 27–39.