REIMAGINING SYMBOLIC REPRESENTATION OF CONTEMPORARY ART
DANIELLE GOULÉ / DANIELA JAUREGUI SERVIN / ANNA TÜDŐS
Project summary :
We are creating a new symbolic system for contemporary art venues in Budapest , to allow visitors to be able to locate and identify these venues based on their characteristics . We found the existing system outdated and confusing , so with our version we focus on simple design and universal understandability . We ’ d like to make foreigners and inhabitants of Budapest be more aware of the many contemporary art spaces that the city has to offer . ( Categories include public / non-commercial , for profit / nonprofit , and also we divide spaces into art genres , such as photography , sculpture , film , performance art , etc .) We started our project by thinking about terms , which are connected to the artistic / curatorial practices of each group member , such as :
HISTORY — SHIFT — CULTURE — ILLUSION — SYMBOLS 17
We posed the question ‘ how can something be understandable for everyone , no matter what kind of cultural background they come from ?’ We discussed phenomena such as common signs , gestures , codes , and also woodcarving , graffiti , monumental art , which is there to represent a meaning for everyone , forever .
After much discussion we came arrived at symbols of art and their specialty .
When we look at the visual representation of art , we see a very old-fashioned concept , often using symbols that include canvas-shapes , paintbrushes and palettes , which refer to painting , even though contemporary art isn ’ t necessarily revolving around that genre anymore . Artistic and cultural establishments are usually marked with a museum symbol that suggests the classical ‘ museum as church ’ type ideology , with establishments having little autonomy . If we want contemporary art to be more accepted socially , we have to think about it ’ s visual appearance and the capability of signs to involve the public coming from outside of a closed scene .
There are several case studies , which we will use as reference , such as our local experiences ( from Hungary , the UK and Mexico ). These examples can show ways of alternative thinking , but in the end there ’ s a lack of obvious symbolic for spaces of art in our cities . Foreigners and even the general public often find it hard to locate and differentiate the many museums , galleries , and underground cultural venues .