로버트 어윈 예술의 건축적 체험 특성에 관한 연구

Abstract

With the advent of minimalism in the 1960s, sculpture started to engage in space and became architectural. Robert Irwin, one of the pioneers of minimalism on the west coast of the United States of America, has worked at the border of sculpture and architecture and has created works that emphasize the spatial experience of spectators. In this regard, this study aims to analyze the architectural experience characteristics of Irwin’s art. Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology provides useful theological ground for examining Irwin’s art, which focuses on spectators’ perception of the phenomenon. Merleau-Ponty examined the spatial concepts- ‘top and bottom’, ‘depth’, ‘time’ and ‘movement’ in terms of the interrelation of the subject’s body and the world. To apply Merleau-Ponty’s spatial concepts to this study, three architectural experience elements- ‘perception of space by movement’, ‘reciprocal influence of light and matter’ and ‘space generated from placeness’ were deducted as the framework of analysis. For Irwin, the perception of pure existence is the primary purpose of art. To achieve this goal he creates a space that encourages the movement of spectators. Also, in his works, the interplay of light and matter creates an illusion as if material is dematerialized and becomes a pure phenomenon. Lastly, as he defined his art as site conditioned/ determined art, his works respond to the site’s placeness. Spectators are invited to experience his art using their bodies. Examination of Irwin’s works through the framework of the analysis confirms that his art shows architectural experience characteristics in various forms.