Partitivism and Its Role in Contemporary Sculptural Work

Abstract

Summary:
Plastic arts, including sculpture, have undergone numerous formal transformations through which forms were modified and placed within new systems. The fragmentation and distortion of form played a role in reproducing contemporary sculptural forms to generate meanings. Partiality, which some artists adopted as a mechanism, introduced semantic concepts within symbolic contexts and minimalist spaces. This approach endowed sculptural works with aesthetic values and shifts characterized by this minimal and incomplete form, sparking wonder and inquiry in deconstructing forms and their interpretive openness. This raised aesthetic questions that shaped the current research problem, which was studied across four chapters as follows:

The first chapter contained the general framework of the research, including the research problem identified through the question: How has the contemporary sculptor presented their sculptural work according to partial formulations? The research’s importance emphasized shedding light on the experiences of contemporary sculptors in revealing the role of partiality and its mechanisms in generating meanings within their sculptural works. The need for this research lies in its potential benefit for researchers in the arts field to clarify this new concept and highlight the uniqueness and significance of partiality as a phenomenon in sculpture, reflecting aesthetic manifestations resulting from transformations recognizable by undergraduate and postgraduate students. The research aimed to uncover partiality and its impact on contemporary sculpture.

The research boundaries included the subjective boundaries focused on partiality and its meanings within contemporary sculptural achievements, the temporal boundaries spanning from 2010 to 2017, and the spatial boundaries covering Europe and America. Additionally, some terms mentioned in the research title were discussed.

The second chapter addressed the theoretical framework and previous studies, divided into two sections: the first section focused on Partiality as a Cognitive Concept, while the second covered Art between Symbolism, Psychoanalysis, and Interpretation. The chapter concluded with indicators derived from the theoretical framework.

The third chapter detailed the research procedures, starting with the research community and sample, which consisted of four sculptural models within the research boundaries.

The fourth chapter presented the researcher's findings, conclusions, recommendations, and suggestions, followed by the research references and sources list.