The Denotation and Connotation of Materials and Objects in Art

Abstract

            “Glass” is a term used both materialistically and to describe superimposed objects in which the definition shifts according to the context. The properties of glass have two implications. Glass may refer to a transparent and opaque material or an object made of glass, such as glass panels and water containers. The distinctive features of glass are prominent when produced as items; therefore, the use of glass in art keeps both connotations and is reactivated as an art object. This study examines the analogy between the materiality of glass and glass as an object, conducted through a series of experiments and various conditions, including the spatial and environmental context that affects vision. The results of the experiment were cross-examined to philosophical concepts, art theory and artist’s case studies as a guide to constructing the artwork. The project uses the properties of glass to change the physical appearance and form, seamlessly merging glass with the environment and considering the visual aspects as a reference to examine the inversion state of glass and the possibility of creation. This research also examines the potential of using representational images, symbolism and other materials in combination with glass to create art.