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Analysis of the Semantic Levels of Assemblage Art in Relation to Dual Communication Models and Signification Systems (Case Study: Works of Isidro Ferrer Assemblage) | ||
| مبانی نظری هنرهای تجسمی | ||
| Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 28 December 2024 | ||
| Document Type: Original/Research/Regular Article | ||
| DOI: 10.22051/jtpva.2024.48276.1614 | ||
| Authors | ||
| Setareh Ahsant* 1; Sahar Jafari2; Amir Reza Estakhrian Haghighi3 | ||
| 1Assistant Professor, Department of Visual Communication, Apadana Institute of Higher Education, Shiraz, Iran. | ||
| 2Master of Science, Department of Visual Communication, Apadana Institute of Higher Education, Shiraz, Iran. | ||
| 3Assistant Professor at Department of Information Technology and Computer Engineering, Shiraz Branch ،Islamic Azad University ، Shiraz ،Iran | ||
| Abstract | ||
| Since the early 1960s, artists have increasingly utilized objects in their artistic creations. This transition in materials aligns with evolving perspectives and responses to a consumer-driven society along with an emotional reaction to changes within the human ecosystem. In today’s world, objects are no longer simply seen as tools for satisfying material needs but they acquire significant semantic depth within the realm of art through the addition of associated meanings. Among various artistic methods, Assemblage (or juncture work) is a technique where everyday objects are assembled into three-dimensional visual structures, resulting in a visual sign. When exploring signs and artwork nature, artists use visual media to convey meaning, utilizing both visual signs and text to realize their concepts in the external world. To send their messages, artists utilize a wide range of linguistic signs, thus conveying different semantic levels and degrees of signification. Isidro Ferrer, a contemporary Spanish graphic designer, takes advantage of this unique approach in his Assemblage works. His assemblages harmonize objects that not only maintain their resemblance to their original forms but also provide the artist with the freedom to use a wide array of everyday materials and techniques. In crafting Assemblage works, Ferrer does not aim to create entirely new entities but seeks to produce an artistic creation where parts and elements come together to form a cohesive piece through both physical and mental connections. Assemblage art can be considered as an artistic text with multiple semantic levels, engaging continuously with various communication models and signification systems. These semantic levels represent the diverse meanings that can be derived from the functional signs of Assemblage. Functional signs, such as images, have descriptive qualities and are primarily practical objects that, through societal attribution of meanings, acquire new paths and identities. For instance, food and clothing, which initially serve to meet human needs, can symbolize more than their basic functions. The distinctive feature of Ferrer’s works lies in their deliberate structural and semantic differences from other works, as their meaning is not definitive but rather depends on the audience's interpretation. According to him, achieving creative brilliance needs only a basic understanding, and the most effective way to communicate events and messages is through an internal analysis of these events. Nevertheless, as Ferrer’s Assemblage works have predominantly been interpreted literally, this study indicates that focusing solely on the image as a fixed meaning is inadequate for understanding the conceptual dimensions of these works. This refers to the importance of a comprehensive examination of the works. Therefore, understanding different semantic levels of the signification systems provides questions about the way one sign denotes another and explores the dependencies among different communication models. To this end, this study aims to identify interpretive strategies for the various explicit and implicit meanings, in addition to referential and conceptual senses. Additionally, it explores the duality in communication models, including langue and parole, signifier and signified, syntagmatic and paradigmatic, and synchrony and diachrony. The research uses a descriptive-analytical method, utilizing desk studies and visual documents, and employs a qualitative method for explaining the concepts. This study has a developmental nature and uses available theories to analyze Assemblage art with a focus on different communication models and signification systems. It first examines the semantic levels of signs in Ferrer’s Assemblage works in relation to various types of signification and then elucidates the concrete dual communication models within his works. The statistical sample focuses on Assemblage art, selecting ten case studies from Ferrer’s works to show the breadth of findings within a certain purposive context. Ferrer used Assemblage as an artistic framework for conveying messages in specific genres of graphic design, such as posters, offering substantial potential for analyzing visual signs. For the more effective presentation of findings, the analysis is also provided in charts and tables. Despite this research, there are few studies on the roots of Assemblage within art from a semantic perspective. In an article titled "Illustration: My Name Is Isidro Ferrer", Morteza Zahedi (2011) discusses Ferrer's distinctive outlook and notes that the principles in his creations are entirely his own. According to Zahedi, in Ferrer’s creative process, any rule can be changed into a flexible formula and is adaptable to varying interpretations during the design process. Furthermore, in an article titled "Introducing an Artist: Isidro Ferrer", Mohammad Taghi Tabatabai (2008) focuses on how Ferrer’s artistic approach is deeply rooted in literature and how the visuals take shape in his mind through introspection before realizing as a finished work. Sahar Jafari, Setareh Ahsant, and Majid Eslami (2021), in their thesis titled "Semiotic Analysis of Assemblage Art in Isidro Ferrer’s Poster Designs", explain that the meaning of an assemblage artwork comes from the implicit meanings within each part. In this regard, every element or piece in the assemblage has both explicit and implicit meanings. The implicit meanings of these textual layers are limited in connection with each other, and their results lead the audience's reading of the work to a wide range of meanings. In light of the above interpretation and a summary of what has been discussed, it can be stated that a sign is an element that conveys meaning by referring to something else, facilitating communication. The artistic text serves as a platform that reveals the semantic levels and signification systems of these signs. It appears that the interaction between dual communication models and signification systems is evident in these works. The results demonstrate that one of the key factors enabling the semantic analysis of an artistic expression like assemblage is the relationship between the work and dual communication models and signification systems in visual language. The results show that one of the key factors in enabling a semantic analysis of artistic expressions like assemblage is the relationship between the work and dual communication models and semiotic systems in the visual language. During the analysis of Ferrer’s assemblage posters, two approaches emerged: one encompasses various signification systems, such as explicit and implicit meanings, both extralinguistic and intra-linguistic, and denotative and connotative references. The other reveals meaning through dual communication models, including langue and parole, signifier and signified, syntagmatic and paradigmatic relations, and synchrony and diachrony. In this context, in response to the first research question regarding the role of signification systems in the meaning-making of Isidro Ferrer’s assemblage works and objects, it became clear that meaning is partly based on explicit signification, which shape the initial perception of individuals when encountering the work. However, the images in his works do not always refer to any external reality through extralinguistic references, while others are used solely to denote an external reference. Therefore, Isidro Ferrer’s assemblages are prime examples of imaginative or abstract references, which vary depending on whether the signs are referential or non-referential, and even based on the type of reference, whether fixed or variable, thus offering a referential approach. On the other hand, meaning, based on intra-linguistic references, points to concepts within the visual language of the works. In this case, the understanding of meaning is shaped by concepts that are mental and interpreted through a representational approach. In response to the second research question, the components of the communication models in Ferrer’s works are based on the dualities of langue and parole, signifier and signified, syntagmatic and paradigmatic relations, as well as synchrony and diachrony. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| Sign; Sense; Communication Model; Assemblage Art. Isidro Ferrer | ||
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