Time Code in Modern Art: Discourse Analysis of Temporal Art-Projects

Abstract

The article explores the influence of the concept of time on modern art practices, as well as the impact of digital media on the ability of art to anticipate the future. The methodology of discourse analysis is used as a tool to reveal temporal characteristics and the communicative potential of relevant art projects. The digital age creates a simultaneous world in which one can perceive the future by being deeply involved in the present moment. Contemporary artists have the ability to grasp changes hidden from the majority, and to formalize them in works of art. The simultaneous perception of time becomes the clue to the development of this ability, while the concept of time becomes the clue to understanding the message contained in the work of art. As a result, the task of the researcher is to discover the temporal dimensions of the relevant art projects and to examine the nature of interaction between the viewer and the work of art. Taking this into consideration, special attention should be given to the method of involving the viewer in the semantic space of the artwork. The subject of analysis is the communicative model of the artwork, which is presented as a flexible, mobile semantic structure that activates the viewer’s imagination and his ability to improvise. The methodological framework for understanding the communicative model was the neo‐pragmatism theory of social action and practice-oriented social semiotics. The interpretation of the work of art as a communicative event actualizes the discourse analysis that allows us to perceive the artwork in its dynamics and to explore its’ temporal dimensions. At the same time, the discourse analysis is represented not only as an effective research tool, but also as a resource that helps the artist, the researcher and the viewer to develop a flexible and conceptual mindset.