Phenomenological Analysis of Space in Site-Specific Installation Works at the 10th Persbook Annual Event (Dastkar), Based on Christian Norberg-Schulz’s Theory

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Assistant professor, Department of Art, Faculty of Engineering, Golestan University, Gorgan, Iran.

2 Associate Professor, Art Research Department, Faculty of Art, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Introduction: The term site-specific art emerged in the late 1960s as a reaction to the growing commercialization of art and the prevailing ideals of autonomy and universality. During the 1970s and 1980s, the creators of this branch of art emphasized the inseparability of the work and its context through its intersection with earth art, process art, performance art, conceptual art, installation art, community-based arts, and public art. However, in recent years, the assumption of the work's irreproducibility and irreplaceability, embodied in Richard Serra's famous saying, To remove the work is to destroy the work, has been challenged by new location-based models and changes in institutional and market forces. These works are generally designed on a large scale, specifically in relation to the intended space. The concept of this type of project is the result of circulation between art and the environment, and in the case of moving from the desired space, may result in losing or changing the concept of work. In fact, the focus of this part of contemporary art is the manner of communication of the work of art with the space containing the work. Site-specific art artists provide an audience-based artistic platform by combining form, sunlight, and the environmental elements surrounding the artwork. Site-specific projects, focusing on how an artwork interacts with the surrounding space and the effects that space has on the viewer's mind, respond to the contemporary human need to connect with the concept of art. The characteristic of spatial dependency, one of the most important features of site-specific projects, is clearly observable in some of the works presented in the 10th Persbook (the Dastkar project). The annual persbook projects in different cities of Iran, focusing on diverse cultural issues by presenting site-specific projects, aim to reduce the distance between the concept of the work, the manner of formation and presentation, and the role of the artist in relation to the geography and cultural background of the place of performance. The works presented in the Dastkar project, installed in the space of one of the masterpieces of traditional architecture of Kashan, create a distinctive setting for interaction and the creation of works in the context of "site-specific art", with a focus on the relationship between artistic concepts, culture, climate, and architectural structure.
Purposes & Questions: This study aims to rethink Iranian artistic traditions, with an emphasis on the identity of traditional architectural structures and the regional climate conditions. In line with the research objective, which focuses on the structure of space/place and the establishment of a relationship between the installed work and the viewer/observer within the 10th Persbook Annual Event, the main research questions are posed as follows: 1. What are the phenomenological characteristics of "site-specific" installations presented in the 10th Persbook? 2. Based on Christian Norberg-Schultz's theory, how does space/place manifest in the site-specific installations presented in the 10th Persbook?
Methods: The present research has been carried out in a qualitative manner using a descriptive-analytical approach, focusing on site-specific installations in the project titled  Dastkar, relying on the theory of Christian Norberg-Schulz. Data were collected through library research, visual materials available on the annual event's website, and interviews conducted in the field with the curator of the 10th Persbook for the Dastkar project, and some artists participating in the project were collected in accordance with the research objectives and questions. The method of analyzing the works presented in this event was conducted qualitatively.
Findings & Results: The research findings indicate that not all the installations in the 10th Persbook embody the characteristics of site-specific projects as defined in contemporary art history. Among the 20 works presented in the Dastkar project, only eight installations, developed  as part of a collaborative process in various spaces of the House of Sahib, as well as the projects Tragedy and My Homeland, Ghamsar installation, encompass all the phenomenological characteristics of a sense of place according to Norberg-Schultz's theory. They include all the elements derived from the sense of place and identity of the site, and the artists successfully establish a comprehensive connection between the sense of space/place where the work is presented, the viewer/observer, and the site-specific works. In addition, the other installed projects lack the characteristics and elements identified in this research.

Keywords

References

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Negareh Journal
Volume 20, Issue 76
January 2026
Pages 21-22

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History

  • Receive Date: 04 May 2025
  • Revise Date: 16 July 2025
  • Accept Date: 01 September 2025

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