Istruzioni per vedere: The Conditions of Seeing in Contemporary Art
The article 'Istruzioni per vedere' (Instructions for Seeing) from Segnonline explores the philosophical and theoretical conditions under which seeing occurs in contemporary art. It argues that vision is never neutral but is shaped by historical, discursive, and institutional configurations. The text references Michel Foucault's concept of the episteme, Jonathan Crary's analysis of modern vision, and Georges Didi-Huberman's idea that images exceed interpretative frameworks. It discusses how curatorial texts, captions, critical apparatuses, and digital mediation tools construct the perceptual space of artworks, often predetermining the viewer's experience. The article highlights artistic practices by Bruce Nauman and Dan Graham that make the act of viewing itself visible, turning vision into a critical, reflexive experience. It warns that contemporary saturation of images and pre-emptive categorization risks eliminating the 'perceptual interval' necessary for genuine experience. The piece concludes that authentic artworks open a distance between the visible and the already-seen, allowing the gaze to recommence.
Key facts
- The article is published on Segnonline, an Italian online platform.
- It discusses the philosophical conditions of seeing in contemporary art.
- It references Michel Foucault's concept of the episteme.
- It references Jonathan Crary's work on modern vision.
- It references Georges Didi-Huberman's ideas on images.
- It mentions Bruce Nauman's installations that make viewing reflexive.
- It mentions Dan Graham's glass and mirror pavilions.
- It argues that contemporary image saturation risks eliminating the perceptual interval.
Entities
Artists
- Bruce Nauman
- Dan Graham
Institutions
- Segnonline