예술소통의 사회적 의미와 작품에서의 형식: 웁쓰양의 《멍때리기 대회》 사례연구

Abstract

Space-Out Competition is a well known art work by Woopsyang (1976- ); over 600,000 pages were retrieved from Google; both Korean and foreign major media covered. However, there are not many people who recognize the work as fine art. There are even people who copy her work so that the artist brought the matter into court. This thesis takes Space-Out Competition as case study in order to see social requirements to be recognized as an artwork using social systems theory as criteria for which it takes communications as its starting point. Social systems theory pays attention to how communication operates rather than concept of communication. This results in its position not to differentiate the subject(creator) or the objects(art work or observer) but to designate their acts of perception and cognition as ‘observations.’ In so doing, it allows us to see communication through art including not only art theorists but also general public as well as legal system in this case. According to Social Systems theory, it takes coupling between medium and forms in order for an art work can suggest any ‘difference.’ This means, ‘raison d’estat’ of an art work, such as Space-Out Competition’s is to draw a distinction to create an observable ‘difference’ to be recognized as fine art. However, the medium here, includes art works that are previously used during communication events. Thus, an artists must refer not only his/her own artwork and art history recursively (self-reflexivity) when an artist formulates a form to create a difference. After observing Space-Out Competition; its coupling of media and form, it is concluded that only first event of Space-Out Competition successfully drew distinction. Also. it can be concluded that the criteria of social success of an art work lie in whether an art work successfully articulates its distinction through coupling of medium and form regardless it is viewed by art theorists or general public including law.