2.    Art and context

 Word and image are both “signifier” in that sign system. The meanings of them are “signified”. But as I described already, one signifier does not always relate to one specific signified. It is not fixed, it is flexible. It can change by time, space and all kind of social fragments. We call these contexts. Context was thought as an environmental “fact” and, it specifies the meaning of art work, they thought.

 However there are some problems of this notion that Norman Bryson has pointed out. I would like to quote here the summary by Masayuki Tanaka in his essay, “The sign called painting – Norman Bryson”……….3.

 “1. Context is not an existing fact, it is presented by an interpreter.

   2.    Context itself is one text. It is as complex as art work, include ambiguous element. It should be interpreted and it is impossible to separate context and text completely.

   3.    We can point out contexts without limit. We cannot stop it. But work seems to have its end. For that we misunderstand that the context is regulated by the work and we delete the context that seems to have no connection to the work from the first.

   4.    Thus in fact, the work takes context. Work makes its context, but in the art history, they say that as if context makes work. And even though we chose the context, they think the chosen context is absolutely certain thing by using the work as its estimate.

   5.    Sign is repeatable. At the moment when the work has finished by the artist, it leaves from artist and context (environment at the time when it was made). After all it appears in any time and any space. The work cannot avoid its context at time when it is seen by viewers or interpreter. It cannot exist out of its context at the moment.”₈

In the next chapter I try to analyse the work of Jenny Holzer by standing the notion of Norman Bryson in two points.

1.    To read the meaning of her sign from both discursive side and figural side, being careful about the advantage of them in both word and image.

2.  To clarify the context of her work at two times and by two positions. Two times are; 1.when she made it and 2. when we see it. The second context must be thought in each time when presented. Two positions are; 1. where she put her work in and 2. where we perceive it. And it also includes; 1. what she put into her work and, 2. what the viewer chose from around her work.

Notes