A STUDY ON THE PROBLEM OF MEANING IN THE ART OF SCULPTURE

Year 2023, , 147 - 158, 31.12.2023

Ömer Emre Yavuz

https://doi.org/10.57165/artgrid.1293752

Abstract

This study explores the complex relationship between the meaning of sculpture and its making process in the context of the philosophy of language. Sculpture is a unique art form that involves the creation of three-dimensional objects that occupy physical space. However, the meaning of a sculpture is not limited to its spatial characteristics alone. This study identifies two distinct levels of meaning in sculpture: its relation to space and its making process. While the former has received considerable attention in the literature, the latter has been largely overlooked. Therefore, this study focuses on the semantic relationship between Richard Serra's sculptures and his sculpture-making processes, particularly in his early works.

Richard Serra is widely regarded as one of the most important artists of the Process Art movement, which emerged in the 1960s and emphasizes the importance of the making process in art. The study questions the reduction of the meaning of sculpture to a mere action and seeks to establish a deeper relationship between the philosophy of language and the process of sculpture. To achieve this, the study draws on the works of Ludwig Wittgenstein, J. L. Austin, and John R. Searle, who are some of the most important philosophers of language of the 20th century.

Wittgenstein's concept of language games and his emphasis on the social context of language use is particularly relevant to this study. The study explores how Serra's sculpture-making processes can be seen as a form of language game, with its own rules and conventions. Similarly, Austin's concept of performative language provides a framework for understanding how the making process of a sculpture can be seen as a form of performative action. The study also draws on Searle's theory of speech acts, which suggests that language use is not just a matter of describing the world, but also of performing actions and creating new realities.

Overall, this study represents an important contribution to the field of art and philosophy. By exploring the relationship between the meaning of sculpture and its making process, the study challenges traditional notions of art and raises important questions about the nature of meaning and representation in art. The study also demonstrates the relevance of the philosophy of language to the study of art and provides a framework for future research in this area.

Keywords

Sculpture, Meaning, Language, Speech-acts, Process Art

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