Architecture in the field of art on the example of author’s realizations

2021

1(65)

DOI: 10.37190/arc210110

Agnieszka Kurkowska*

Architecture in the field of art

on the example of author’s realizations

* ORCID: 0000-0002-1380-4628. Faculty of Architecture, Gdańsk

University of Technology, e-mail: agnieszka.kurkowska@pg.edu.pl

Introduction

An architect participates in creation of houses, that is

objects of habitation. By contributing to this inclusive

process, she/he may undertake activities in the scope of

architectural design, as well as artistic initiatives that re-

fer to the eld of art. The issue of habitation and deter-

mining proper facilities for this purpose may provide the

subject for a message addressed to current or prospective

inhabitants in the form of graphics, painting, sculpture,

artistic intentional projects. The concepts contained in

habitation objects result from reections on space and

improvement in its use conditions, as well as the enhance-

ment of aesthetic values, so that buildings can exert an

impact on a sense of good living (understood here as mul-

tidimensional rooting in a specic place and in a widely

understood everyday life space, taking its realization in

a physical and metaphysical context). This form of con-

sideration prompted me to make an attempt at nding the

answer to the question whether it is possible to situate ar-

chitecture in the space of art. Projects implemented while

searching for answers to the above question result from

research and observation, but also mark the creative pro-

cess of expressing certain content through artistic activi-

ties. The research thesis formulated in the present article

is to postulate that architecture, using artistic material as

a means of expression, inuences the process of living

by showing the recipient, i.e., the resident, values that

are important from the point of view of creating a house

to ensure good quality of life, with understanding vari-

ous aspects of living and house structure. In the article,

situations are described in which architecture oers an

element of research activities, not only being the result of

authors’ intentional designs as part of creative processes,

but also resulting from research work. The eects yielded

by such projects (recipient’s interest, presentation com-

prehensibility) are presented in the article to conrm the

above thesis.

Methods and state of research

The elements of the presented intentional projects were

created in 2015–2020 in Gdańsk Pomerania, specically

in Kashubia, and were implemented/made public in Gdańsk.

All of them relate to the issue of habitation, but use vari-

ous means of expression and accompany diverse public

events. They feature a similar artistic form of conveying

the content related to architectural issues. This topic is

presented in the research by Gabriela Świtek [1], [2] as

well as the publication that followed the scientic confer-

ence on a multifaceted discussion concerning the issue of

how the sculpture meets various physical and cognitive

matters and contexts [3]. Many other authors also have

dealt with issues related to the topic. So far, the problem

of communication between the creator and the recipient

has been analyzed by such researchers as Umberto Eco

[4], Martin Heidegger [5], Krzysztof Lenartowicz [6] and

Yi-Fu Tuan [7]. Roman Ingarden [8] and Jeremi Kró-

likowski [9] studied and described specic relations be-

tween art and architecture, as did Gabriela Świtek [10],

while Jolanta Brach-Czaina [11] referred to the ethos of

new art. Juliusz Żórawski [12] and – more recently – Ale-

ksander Asanowicz [13] analyzed the construction of an

architectural form, Augustyn Bańka [14], in turn, studied

the sociological and psychological aspects of creative ac-

tivities within architecture. The latter research shed new

light on my perception of these processes, by revealing an

unobvious impact layer and specifying its scope.

86 Agnieszka Kurkowska

The intentional projects presented here contain original

objects (graphics, paintings, sculptures, spatial installa-

tions and objects transferred directly from the real world),

as such forms are based on experimenting with space, as

well as they accept the challenge of creating a message

within the space of ideas by going beyond physicality dur-

ing the happening. Quoting Brach-Czaina [11, p. 199], it

should be reminded that contemporary art seeks material

in everything that surrounds humans, both surroundings

and all the objects that ll the space provide subject mat-

ter. I would also include ideas in this denition.

In the light of my assumption, an ideological concept,

idea or a specic message can mediate through activities

bordering on architecture and art. A certain arbitrariness

and symbolism refer architecture to the eld of art. Also an

intimate scale of operation, inconsistent with the actual di-

mensions of buildings is related to art. By their nature, ar-

tistic activities are characterized by synthesis, often apply

elusiveness and vagueness. The objects presented below

were constructed in a similar way. It must be remembered

that – as Królikowski rightly noted – […] architecture is

art when it is a work of art, not a product [Author’s own

transl.] [9, p. 79]. Hence, an individual creative element is

vital, as well as the uniqueness that relates to objects on the

border of these two domains, when one advantages from

the other, while both are strengthened by their coexistence.

In the activities described below (three projects select-

ed as representations of various artistic and design activ-

ities carried out in 2015–2020), I applied a combination

of research and creative methods. My paper borders on

science and art. Creative work was a major contribution

to the article, as art was either a tool in the process of ar-

chitectural design at its initial stage, or constituted a com-

ment or an introduction to particular design stages. The

designs reveal the eect. While creating them, the meth-

ods of analysis and synthesis was applied, as was com-

parative research. The projects made it possible to obtain

unique research material, also in the eld of sociological

research, which was based on documentation of events

and collecting feedback from participants. I am still in the

process of collecting and developing this data, due to the

need to obtain a broader perspective in time. The projects

themselves implement, to a varying degree, several tasks

assigned to them, such as provoking reection (especial-

ly the rst one), strengthening knowledge (especially the

second one), enabling the observation of direct events and

analyzing their wider context (the third one). Art, in space

of which I chose to placed the aforementioned projects

equally strongly related to architecture, provides a tool

in the design process. It is an autonomous stage of this

process. Art provides a story about ideas, relationships,

places and historical events. It shows an alternative point

of view. Here, specically, the point of view is one of an

architect who cares for the quality and values of the sur-

rounding space. Moreover, art oers a tool for evoking

reection and sensations experienced directly during the

events to which the projects were assigned. These experi-

ences were subject to observation, analysis, could provide

an inspiration and a source of motivation to act. This un-

derstanding was at the heart of my assumptions.

The role of architecture within art space

Architecture not only concerns shaping usable spatial

objects to meet various human needs, the most important of

which seems to be the provision of proper shelter. It should

rather be understood as a discipline that deals with educa-

tion in the eld of spatial shaping, including development

of positive attitudes towards cultural spatial activities.

Such education leads to an understanding of complexity

and importance of the process of creating architectural

objects and urban layouts, their personal and social impli-

cations for users. From the point of view of the above-de-

ned thesis, house and its location in the region present

issues of greatest importance to me. It is the task of the

house to not only to provide with basic existential needs,

but also to create the right mood, ensure a sense of be-

longing and identication with the object and its location.

Apart from practicing as a designer, an architect is also

able to actively participate in conveying positive content,

as well as securing the proper course of culture-making

and pro-social processes. It should be emphasized that

properly formed architecture is one

[…] that, through its

elements, develops cognitive processes, moderates emo-

tional processes and triggers behavioral processes charac-

teristic, for example, of the loyalty syndrome: towards one-

self, others and the place of residence, work, rest, study or

prayer (agoral behavior) [Author’s own transl.] [14, p. 48].

Architecture understood in this way contributes to en-

hancing positive processes in the human mind. Therefore,

with their actions, architects can support renewal process-

es with regard to neglected spaces, they can strengthen

motivation towards introducing changes, as well as con-

tribute to a better understanding of both the architectural

structure of specic objects and their historical context.

Consequently, an architect participates in enriching the

knowledge of recipients.

It seems, therefore, that architects should avoid design-

ing buildings only to meet utility requirements that corre-

spond to the established functional program. Nor should

buildings serve only to t into the current aesthetic trends,

as this would obscure the mission of conveying content

in the form of a specic key concept, i.e. delivering the

desired values (more in: [15]).

Co-creation of a sense of freedom and identity oers

an important message for architecture (understood in the

present paper as culturally created physical matter that

participates in the process of living). In co-creating the

structure of the living environment, architecture should

respond to specic assumptions so as to take into account

the needs of prospective residents in the case of important

issues related to the structure and equipment of a house.

Since residents’ involvement is a fairly common practice

nowadays, their great autonomy and resourcefulness in

this matter should be regarded with optimism. Grażyna

Woroniecka stated that: The material and cultural mod-

ules from which we build our living experience are char-

acterized by increasing diversity. The stronger the pres-

sure for behavior uniformity on city dwellers in the public

space, the greater the venting to their individuality in their

own apartments [Author’s own transl.] [16, p. 27].

Architecture in the field of art on the example of author’s realizations 87

Woroniecka noticed another important aspect, i.e., an

objective need to individualize one’s own home, individ-

ualization that determines its distinctiveness, contractual

separateness, or recognition. Hence, the residents can de-

rive a sense of self-determination, which is also based on

separating themselves as an individual from a group con-

nected by the implementation of common goals. Co-cre-

ation of a group leads to a formal unication of the space

inhabited by this group, while maintaining the aforemen-

tioned separateness. The inner need for individualization

applies particularly to living space [17]), because it is at

home where our distinguishability may co-create the feel-

ing of “being at home”.

It should be remembered that […] the collective pro-

cess of creating the “I ” identity consists, among other as-

pects, in presenting oneself to others, forcing conformism

and resolving conicts related to the existence of various

perceptions of order in the minds of the family community

members [Author’s own transl.] [18, pp. 47, 48]. If the

issue of identity is understood in this manner, the afore-

mentioned sense of freedom should be seen as benecial

(as it refers to moving within the space of intellectual free-

dom that allows a choice of behavior). The creation of

a space of ideas, as an extra-physical area whose task is to

enable the visualization of one’s own ideas, which in turn

strengthens the feeling of independence, should also be

perceived as conducive to the creation of identity. Howev-

er, the basis of architectural activities should be sought in

understanding the purpose of action and existence, as well

as the logic behind this process which is carried out by

humans in their living space (cf. [14, p. 48]). Such a gen-

esis of actions would foster creativity towards freedom of

actions and thinking

From the point of view of the issue analyzed in the

present paper, the moment when architecture entered gal-

leries and museum spaces in the 1970s is of great impor-

tance. As pointed out by Świtek, it is the ocial entry of

architecture into the world of art previously reserved for

strictly abstract activities that should be considered con-

ducive to expanding its eld of inuence [10, pp. 222,

223]. Thus, architecture changes its dimensions. Attention

is drawn to concepts, content, and the moods created. The

revealed relationships assume a new dimension. Multidi-

mensional reection and various levels of experience are

allowed. Hence, such an approach to architecture oers

a new experience that allows for a deeper understanding,

but also for expressing the essence of the role of architec-

ture. Exhibition spaces, being special places for present-

ing cultural objects, somewhat give credence to architec-

ture as a medium of conveying content, including ideas, as

a subject of inspiration

. Therefore, spatial objects, though

previously regarded as the ones that strictly belong to the

eld of architecture, namely an inextricable conglomerate

of engineering and the architect’s creative element, can

now be considered (according to their metaphysical layer)

Similar observations in the work [19].

The modern, almost unquestionable belief that architecture is art

results from such aspects as the presence of architecture at art exhibi-

tions [17, pp. 222, 223].

as equal to other artistic objects assigned to the area of art,

with common consent for their presentation in exhibition

spaces today

(quoted after: [10, p. 424]).

Ideological architectural sculpture

The work of an architect is located in between func-

tional design and art. Architect’s actions are simultane-

ously distinguished by aspects of both usefulness and ide-

ology. In their actions, architects who strive after creating

architectural objects, introduce changes in space, shape

the landscape or urban layouts. They can support them-

selves not only with a sketch and a picture or text, but also

a special medium – an ideological architectural sculpture.

By this I understand a special type of model, which is both

a sculpture and a model layout that has the appearance of

an architectural object. It is a kind of artistic matter that

allows for the transmission of ideas, moods and non-ver-

bal content that must be supported by a conceptual object.

This particular form of expression can be referred to as

an ideological architectural sculpture. It emerges as a re-

sult of a sculptural creation, but also constitutes an im-

portant element of the architectural design process (more

in: [20]). In order to understand what specic place ar-

chitecture can occupy within the scope of this process, it

would be useful to distinguish the boundaries that sepa-

rate subsequent stages of such a design (cf. [6, p. 65]). The

aforementioned process is commenced at a time of initial

reection, followed by geometrization of the notes (more

in: [21, p. 236]). Another distinction concerns the stage

of linear record and the subsequent spatial formation (al-

though the transition may be smooth). Then, the modeling

activity can be distinguished, which also provides the nal

stage of spatial formation. It is then that an independent

sculptural object can be created (which constitutes an au-

tonomous completion of the work or a starting point for

creating the nal architectural object). Another distinction

marks the stage of transition from the concept phase to the

design of an architectural object. The nal stage compris-

es implementation of the object (cf. [20]).

Thanks to its scale, a model of small cubature that an

ideological architectural sculpture usually consists of may

enable a synthetic perception

of architecture. When re-

ception of a physically implemented architectural object

means covering a certain path, undergoing a specic

route, within a certain time, which aects the dynamics

of architecture perception, in the case of a sculpture, what

occurs is a reduction of this path (thus shortening the per-

ception time). This probably impoverishes the aspect of

a multi-sensational comprehensive reception

. However,

it can be expected that precisely due to the simplication

of the form and the specic condensation of reception

Compare: the international exhibition “Design and Art”, Depart-

ment of Modern Art of the National Museum in Gdańsk (May–August

2015).

In terms of the time spent and the distance traveled, due to the

size of the object and the fact that it is isolated from the context.

A real architectural object speaks with its form, detail, sound,

light, smell and vibration.

88 Agnieszka Kurkowska

Fig. 1. Intentional project entitled “Unrealization”,

Outdoor Festival “Pictures Painted with Fire”,

Gdański Archipelag Kultury

[Gdańsk Archipelago of Culture], Gdańsk-Zaspa, October 2015

(author: A. Kurkowska, photo by A. Kurkowska)

Il. 1. Projekt intencjonalny pt. „Unierzeczywistnienie”,

Festiwal Plenerowy „Obrazy Ogniem Malowane”,

Gdański Archipelag Kultury, Gdańsk-Zaspa, październik 2015

(autor: A. Kurkowska, fot. A. Kurkowska)

process, the recipient’s attention focuses on the essence of

the issue, i.e. on the content of the message.

Perhaps the simplication related to the aforemen-

tioned ideological architectural sculpture may contribute

to the enhancement of its legibility. The experience is not

accompanied by distraction, which seems inevitable in the

situation of large objects’ reception (much longer in time).

Additionally, the latter case, due to its conditions, cannot

be experienced in isolated situations. Aleksander Asa-

nowicz noticed that […] during a single act of perception,

a person perceives very little. Space is perceived most

intensively when its elements are only “sketched” and

not fully completed [Author’s own transl.] [13, p. 16]. An

ideological architectural sculpture is exactly such a phys-

icalized sketch, a realized concept. As such, it has a struc-

ture, shape, it is traced, refers to patterns, relations and

symbols. It coexists with its cultural context. While ana-

lyzing the aspect of the psychophysiology of sight, Iwona

Mikołajczyk noted that […] the viewer rarely perceives

the entire perceptual eld due to the fact that the most in-

tense stimuli, corresponding to needs and emotional states

(aordance) are the rst to reach the observer. Often its

reception is directed by habits, which introduce mechani-

cal reactions into the perception process, resulting in xa-

tions or hypercoding [Author’s own transl.] [22, pp. 9, 10].

A small-scale model could therefore lead to sensations

and experiences in a manner comparable to those obtained

for a full-sized object. This results from the inclusion of

the recipient’s experiences in the perception process. The

perception is still dierent, no departure occurs, no ac-

companying elements, experienced relationships are inad-

equate to the real ones

However, in the process of perception, the human mind

overcomes these inconveniences and enables the recipient

to correctly read the content.

I use ideological architectural sculptures in the three

intentional projects described below. The common feature

of the projects lies also in the transfer of architectural con-

cepts in the space of art. Namely, by using artistic objects

and taking advantage of public exhibition events. In all

projects, art provides a form of communication in general

architectural education, which leads to the enrichment of

experiences and broadening knowledge, as well as sensi-

tization to the topics discussed.

The author’s own intentional projects

“Unierzeczywistnienie” Spatial structure

An ideological idea, concept, and a specic message can

mediate through actions that border on architecture and art.

Certain conventionality and symbolism refer concepts to

architecture and art alike, as does scale of action, incon-

sistent with the actual dimensions of the buildings. Art is

Contrary to appearances, a three-dimensional model is not a bet-

ter way of recreating reality than a drawing in order to obtain perceptual

impressions as close as possible to those perceived in real space. This

is because we usually deal with models on a reduced scale, which are

viewed from a tainted perspective [Author’s own transl.] [18, p. 77].

a synthesis that often applies elusiveness and vagueness.

Motivated by a specic intention to act, an architect enters

this space with the intention to convey a message appeal-

ing to the senses, to enrich experiences and knowledge.

The spatial structure entitled “Unierzeczywistnienie”

[Unrealization] (Fig. 1) may be seen as an example of an

intentional action. The structure actually emerged as part

of the open-air art festival “Obrazy Ogniem Malowane”

[Pictures Painted with Fire] organized by Gdański Archi-

pelag Kultury “Plama” [Gdańsk Archipelago of Culture

“Plama”] in October of 2015. The subject of the project

are ideological architectural sculptures placed in the pub-

lic space of a housing estate of multi-family buildings, lo-

cated in the Gdańsk district of Zaspa; colloquially known

as blokowisko [block of ats estate], which presents the

connotations caused by living in this space. Prefabric ated,

ten-storey, objects with multiple staircases, built in the

1970s, constitute the formal context of the event. Mainly

local residents are the recipients of the project.

The architectural spatial structure is based on the uni -

queness of a spatial situation. The attitude of intentional-

ity adopted by me to accompany the participants of the

event, assumed the activity of the recipient’s mind in re-

Architecture in the field of art on the example of author’s realizations 89

It was based on the concept to create a meeting space

and, indirectly, non-literally, a living space. This space

was created by evoking memories and imagination of

its former appearance and by the temporary residence of

“visiting strangers” in this space. As understood by Marc

Augé, “non-places” may mean [23, p. 54], transit spaces

or places intended for temporary stay, which is often iden-

tical. According to the understanding of the authors of this

installation, “non-places” exist with no superior goals,

they are dened by indeterminacy. This, paradoxically,

provides a guarantee of freedom to their users. Therefore,

no specic rules or guidelines prevail. Elusive ties and

bonds that are hard to dene are formed with the environ-

ment. By design, non-places avoid unambiguity, tend to

be seemingly unattractive, as they resemble phenomena

apparently similar in any urban space. Hence, by analogy,

the authors’ concept of “non-room”.

The authors’ intention was to invite recipients to a unique

journey in time and space. “Not-room” and yet a room;

addi

tional, temporary, but extremely personal. Existing

alongside someone else’s identity: identiable, and yet not

identical. Ideally, the concept is based on the transposition

of an unreal vision into the real world; a vision is enriched

with realities of the past of smuggling in this place: smug-

gling words, values. Asking questions about the mean-

ing of non-physical interpersonal relationships and the

awareness of other people’s existence motivate us, oer

us support, hope, and ll us with the fear of ignorance,

which when overcome, usually results in a wealth of new

experiences. Exposing the recipient to painterly-sketched

references to reality and thoughts, experiences and guess-

es, fears and longings puts him/her in a situation of a need

for a new experience, the necessity of an act of additional

reection (cf. [19]).

For the duration of the “Narratives” festival, in an “out-

house” facility (currently a drying room) in an existing

“non-place”, according to the author’s concept, a space

for temporary residence was to be created: “non-room for

visiting strangers” (Fig. 3). Everyday fabrics would be re-

placed by banners with images of “strangers”. According

to Kazimierz Jałowczyk, the author of the images, the

nature of these visualizations would be strictly uninten-

tional, objective – open, which means allowing various

interpretations, thus placing their meaning in the category

of an open problem.

trict of Nowy Port, under the name “Smugglers”. Co-author: dr inż. arch.

Małgorzata Kaus, author of images and ideas of “strangers” called up for

temporary residence: dr hab. Kazimierz Jałowczyk.

lation to the subject, in accordance with its understanding

in line with the trend of phenomenological philosophy. In

principle, intentionality was to precede and at the same

time dominate the implemented form, both in relation to

individual objects and the overall space layout. The initial

concept was to “ask” questions, and then “listen” to the an-

swers, revealed through the attitude of the recipients who

deliberately or accidentally participated in this situation.

While the gesture of creation realizes the content (Fig. 1),

externalizes it within the model, and then in the archi-

tectural object, the gesture of destruction, here: burning,

takes the form of a realized concept, dematerializing it

and releasing the concept (Fig. 2).

The unrealization of an object refers to its physical

form. One of the educational aspects of the described sit-

uation lies in the disclosure of architecture in its non-ob-

vious version of the “ideological architectural sculpture”.

It appears, as mentioned before, on the border between

the space of art and architecture, as well as the activities

dedicated to and accompanying the two disciplines. In ad-

dition, the planned destruction should result in the aware-

ness of the diculty to implement all ideas in mind in the

material of the architectural objects being created.

Many fragments of the content of the author’s message

remain trapped in “shelved” concepts, where they tend to

remain forever. It is advisable to release these thoughts and

let them return to the non-material space of ideas, from

where they may try to attach to realistic objects again.

According to the project assumptions, the educational

aspect was to be completed through reections, experi-

ences, experiences and the possibility of participation.

Experiences were to be shared in this particular context of

the undervalued space of a block of ats estate. Therefore,

the intention was also to reveal my personal reection on

the subject of experiencing identication with a particular

place of residence, namely a housing estate in the Gdańsk

district of Zaspa. Additionally, in the described situation,

the educational space overlapped the meeting space, thus

becoming a “reception situation” for both parties involved

in the experience (cf. [19]).

“Nie-pokój wizytujących nieznajomych”

The second project I will present here is an intentional

project of my co-authorship entitled “Nie-pokój wizytują-

cych nieznajomych” [Non-room for visiting strangers]

The project was submitted to the competition accompanying the

sixth edition of the International Festival “Narratives” in the Gdańsk dis-

intention / point geometrization spatialization model formation destruction / idea

Fig. 2. Ideogram of a disturbed design process in connection with the implementation of the installation “Unrealization” (elaborated by A. Kurkowska)

Il. 2. Ideogram zaburzonego procesu projektowania w związku z realizacją instalacji „Unierzeczywistnienie” (oprac. A. Kurkowska)

90 Agnieszka Kurkowska

rability and continuity of past events (perhaps too easily

consigned to oblivion).

Józef Przybylski, an opposition activist, writer, and

a resident who inhabited a nearby tenement house in his

childhood and adolescence, would be ideologically in-

vited to this space. Formerly, an everyday visitor to this

yard, an opposition smuggler under the communist regime.

Now, for the participants of this spatial situation, he would

be packing in cans (like he did years ago with “subversive”

publications in the factory, abroad) copies of imaginary

vi siting smugglers, smuggled strangers, created with the

use of the artist-painter’s (Kazimierz Jałowczyk’s) talent

and imagination. Przybylski’s sister returned to the area af-

ter many years in order to pass on her feelings and experi-

ences to her grandchildren at her childhood playground.

She currently lives in a tenement house adjacent to the

laundry room chosen for the presentation. The washed

clothes that she is hanging, which sometimes mean and

resemble something, at the same time not meaning or re-

calling anything important, would be temporarily replaced

by symbolic gures. Imaginary, expressively drawn para-

human creations force the recipient to confrontation. In

this way, a transgressive exposure of images of strangers

emerges.

“Kaszubskie zamieszkiwanie. Studium”

In the project entitled “Kaszubskie zamieszkiwanie.

Studium” [Kashubian inhabitation. A Study] art oers

a me dium for testing architectural concepts. It allows to

verify the relationship, potential and feelings related to

the topic: living in Kashubia. Kashubia is a northern re-

gion of Poland (from the coast to the southern borders

of the Kashubian Lake District), marked with special

natural and cultural values (cf. [24, pp. 60, 62]). Such

values cannot be ignored in the process of architectural

design in this location. Studies on regional building de-

velopment and the accompanying geographic and botani-

cal context have evolved into a cyclical activity in artistic

subject matter. Such thoughts have been expressed in the

form of graphics, painting and photographic representa-

tions of the living space through painting and sculpture.

These representations externalize the search for new

means of expression with which to display personal re-

ections on the home and its environmental relations.

Thus, they complement research and design work, as they

consists of a collection of many artifacts created in the

years 2016–2020.

The “Kaszubskie zamieszkiwanie. Studium” series re-

sult from a scholarship project implemented in 2020

. The

collection of graphics, paintings, sculptures and photo-

graphs was presented in November of 2020 in the form of

an exhibition at the headquarters of Gdański Archipelag

Kultury

Scholarship of the Marshal of the Pomeranian Voivodeship for

creators of culture for 2020.

The exhibition entitled “Kashubian inhabitation. A study”, cura-

tor: Dr. Paulina Kminikowska, PLAMA Gdański Archipelag Kultury,

Gdańsk-Zaspa.

Fig. 3. The existing drying room in Nowy Port

and the concept of an intentional spatial structure project

entitled “Niepokój wizytujących nieznajomych”,

Gdańsk-Nowy Port 2015

(design: A. Kurkowska, M. Kaus, photo and visualization by M. Kaus)

Il. 3. Istniejąca suszarnia w Nowym Porcie

i koncepcja projektu intencjonalnej struktury przestrzennej

pt. „Nie-pokój wizytujących nieznajomych”, Gdańsk-Nowy Port 2015

(autor: A. Kurkowska, M. Kaus, fot. i wizualizacja: M. Kaus)

The slogan “smugglers” can provide a useful semantic

clue here. Smugglers may be seen as not only risk-takers

who deal with contraband. In oppressive times, smug-

gling was also marked with a noble and creative character.

Smugglers who engaged themselves in illegal acquisition

of forbidden literature, cultural goods, and technical means

could be found. It was a job that required exceptional

courage. This fact is worth remembering when lacking

courage to ght for the expression of one’s own identity,

to make the place of living more accessible and tailored to

individual needs and expectations, so that it can become

a real Home, rather than just a place for human existence

devoid of a feeling of rootedness and identication that

should strengthen such a place.

The project is aimed to recall memories, mark history,

meet people who are temporarily absent, and visualize du-

Architecture in the field of art on the example of author’s realizations 91

The study reveals thoughts, observations and images

of a house embedded in the region – growing out of local

conditions (Fig. 4, 5).

The architectural object keeps growing. It consists of

successive stages of natural development of the living

process in terms of design and implementation, and then

the use of an architectural object. The ideological archi-

tectural sculptures implemented in accordance with their

ideological concept and the graphics preceding the mod-

els, reveal several aspects of the issue.

The pictures point to the basic need and necessity for

all living organisms, especially humans, to provide a safe

hiding place. Metaphorical imagery of the archetypal

form of refuge shows its adaptability to various condi-

tions (Fig. 4). The context poses a problem task, the an-

swer to which lies in a specic form of shelter, adjusted to

its surroundings and corresponding to the existing spatial

situation.

The most obvious archetypes concerning the formation

of living space that function in culture relate to the refuge.

Fig. 4. Selected paintings

and sculptures,

exhibition “Kaszubskie

zamieszkiwanie. Studium”,

PLAMA Gdański Archipelag

Kultury, Gdańsk-Zaspa

(author: A. Kurkowska,

photo by A. Kurkowska)

Il. 4. Wybrane obrazy i rzeźby

na wystawie pt. “Kaszubskie

zamieszkiwanie. Studium”,

PLAMA Gdański Archipelag

Kultury, Gdańsk-Zaspa

(autor: A. Kurkowska,

fot. A. Kurkowska)

Fig. 5. Selected sketches and photos from the placement of sculptures in the Kashubian natural realities,

exhibition entitled “Kaszubskie zamieszkiwanie. Studium” Gdański Archipelag Kultury PLAMA, Gdańsk-Zaspa

(author: A. Kurkowska, photo by A. Kurkowska)

Il. 5. Wybrane szkice i fotografie z lokowania rzeźb w kaszubskich realiach przyrodniczych, wystawa pt. „Kaszubskie zamieszkiwanie. Studium”,

PLAMA Gdański Archipelag Kultury, Gdańsk-Zaspa (autor: A. Kurkowska, fot. A. Kurkowska)

92 Agnieszka Kurkowska

Its form, originally determined by its function, ensured

safety and symbolically informed the inhabitants about

it. By visually blending in man-made objects with their

natural surroundings, a sign of residence is created, which

illustrates the place of belonging and allows to store im-

portant traces and signs in memory as an imaginary rep-

resentation of the place of origin and existence (Fig. 5).

Considering what a house is or should be like leads not

only to engineering issues, but, above all, to philosophical

reections or sociological analyses. By inhabiting a space,

a human being secures the essential need for shelter and

realizes various accompanying needs, such as the needs

that point architectural activities towards extra-physical

spaces. Such issues, in turn, tend to border on art rather

than technology. And so again, architecture nds freedom

of expression in the space of art, in line with my convic-

tion that the path I have chosen is the right one.

Conclusions

As noted by Gabriela Świtek, by reaching for models and

mock-ups, artists use them as records of a specic concept

of space, while architects use this form of representation

as a record of philosophical considerations, both on the

sources and functions of architecture. A model or spatial

structure treated in this way may prove an intuitive re-

cord of an idea, a formally distant prototype of the target

form. The next stages of implementation only force us to

confront the technological and design possibilities of the

target building material (as cited in: [10, p. 426]).

The projects presented above support the phenomenon

of “necessary rooting” named so by Ewa Rewers (with

regard to embedding actions in contexts of meaning) [25,

p. 9]. Without such rooting, possible semantic interpre-

tation of reality becomes marginalized, superseded by

new, both colloquial and research strategies, and thus it

becomes a common element of the contemporary life in-

frastructure. Rooting allows for a broad understanding of

cultural space, extends its meaning to the entire city, but

also points to elements important to culture. It reveals au-

thentic actions and objects, at the same time co-creating

the space of culture in terms of meaning: [rooting] con-

cerns elements which can be/are used, with greater and

greater success, as elements of cultural identities. This

approach assumes a way of thinking in which culture is

recognized not as a closed area, and therefore does not

yield ready-made answers and solutions [Author’s own

transl.] [25, p. 9].

In the light of the above considerations, do the above

examples help to situate architecture in the space of art?

Do they communicate not through words, but through,

as Ewa Borowiecka states, “richly endowed things” [26,

p. 86], which is a specic sign of art? Does intention-

ality, which lies at the basis of these three presented

activities and other ones implemented by me, and not

mentioned in the text

, entitle these objects to be in-

Another example is the object called “House as a sign of identi-

ty”, A. Kurkowska [in the framework of:] The International Design and

scribed in the area of art space? “Art (which places itself)

[in:] space?”

It seems that intentions and implementations simul-

taneously belong to art and architecture, on which they

border. Due to the authorship by an architect who works

on such projects with all the baggage of professional ex-

perience, their architectural aliation seems obvious.

However, once released from the rigors of utility form

and the necessity to meet functional and technological

requirements, architecture is allowed to present the ide-

ological sphere, as legible as in the case of related means

of expression, i.e., purely artistic intentions. The content

is realized in the form of an intentional concept, specied

within an object free from the utility function of an archi-

tectural object, i.e., in an ideological architectural sculp-

ture. Owing to the above, the key concept becomes more

readable, and its message stronger. This is where a special

mission of architecture lies, namely architecture created

in the space of art.

Due to the created projects and the actual implementa-

tion of two of them, I was able to realize the postulates of

my earlier research work on living space (see [19]). The

application nature of the work made it possible to veri-

fy the potential of the tools applied and to obtain partial

feedback on the scope of their readability. An attempt was

made to achieve the goals formulated in the cited work as

conclusions from research analyses. In addition, the third

project itself may be seen as an element of more exten-

sive research into space and architectural forms that t

with it.

The projects presented in the article were accompanied

by questionnaires, but the conducted research did not pro-

vide fully satisfactory results, perhaps due to the outdoor

nature of the event (the rst project) and the dicult pan-

demic situation (the third project). The second project,

being a study project, could not be covered by the survey.

Dierently prepared questionnaires seem to provide use-

ful research material for the future, provided that greater

numbers of recipients of the projects ll them in. I intend

to continue projects of a similar nature and present them

in public spaces, while examining their legibility.

To sum up, one may be tempted to conclude that it is

worth remembering the fact that architecture, while it uses

an artistic object as a means of expression, may aect the

process of living by directing the recipient-resident to im-

portant values from the point of view of creating a home

that ensures a good life quality and by strengthening their

understanding of both, the living aspects and the structure

of the house. Art, within which architecture is located in

the above-mentioned projects, provides here (in various

forms and to a dierent degree) a tool for communica-

tion, self-reection, research method, a means of artis-

tic expression. The author’s original proposals provide

Art Exhibition. National Museum in Gdańsk, Department of Modern

Art, 2015 and [as part of:] the International Exhibition “Mosty Sztuki

– Art Bridges”, Kalisz 2015 University Art Gallery, Faculty of Pedagogy

and Arts of the University of Adam Mickiewicz in Kalisz.

Transposition of the title of the international conference orga-

nized as part of the DOFA, Wrocław 2016.

Architecture in the field of art on the example of author’s realizations 93

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Abstract

Architecture in the field of art on the example of author’s realizations

The aim of the article was to show the place of architecture in the space of art on the example of original projects. In the author’s opinion, archi-

tecture, using an artistic object as a means of expression, inuences the process of living by showing the recipient, who is an inhabitant, important

values from the point of view of creating a house that ensures a good quality of life and strengthening the understanding of both various aspects of

living and elements of the house structure. The text presents original intentional projects, being the results of research work, and presents the manner

and scope of their impact on the living process.

The subject of the three described projects were spatial installations using, in two cases, ideological architectural sculptures as an artistic medium.

All the projects had home and habitation as their leading themes. Their task was to recall memories, strengthen the sense of identication, or recall

the values supporting the said dwelling.

unique statements that oer insight into the subjective,

hermetic world of the creator, but also open horizons to

the established, multi-layered process in which each of us

participates. It is true that these activities are similar in the

concept of site-specic art, but they could also be treated

as ones that belong to social art, due to their focus on the

social context, namely the addressees, present and pro-

spective inhabitants of the places mentioned (cf. [27]).

This is exactly the way in which architecture creates not

only material, but also cultural modules from which expe-

rience is built in the complex process of living. The need

to mark one’s own outlook and to provoke its emergence

in recipients becomes a response to the strong pressure to

standardize the behavior of city dwellers in public space.

Hopefully, this need for individualization translates into

the need to shape individual houses, even if these are ats

within multi-family housing estates, seemingly doomed to

failure in relation to the possibility of experiencing identi-

cation in living (cf. [19, p. 27]).

Translated by

Emilia Mełgieś

94 Agnieszka Kurkowska

During the research, ideological architectural sculptures were placed in the natural landscape of Kashubia and in a block of ats. Appropriate pho-

tographic and descriptive documentation was made, constituting the basis for work according to the analytical and comparative method. An attempt

was also made to conduct a survey of project participants and recipients.

The article not only presents original attempts, the considerations contained in it may also inspire non-obvious activities, combining science and

art, indicating the applicative nature of the former and the essence of the latter.

Key words: ideological architectural sculpture, art, architecture, inhabitation

Streszczenie

Architektura w przestrzeni sztuki na przykładzie realizacji autorskich

Celem artykułu było ukazanie miejsca architektury w przestrzeni sztuki na przykładzie projektów autorskich. W opinii autorki architektura,

wspierając się obiektem artystycznym jako środkiem wyrazu, wpływa na proces zamieszkiwania poprzez wskazanie odbiorcy, będącemu mieszkań-

cem, istotnych wartości ważnych z punktu widzenia stworzenia domu zapewniającego dobrą jakość życia oraz wzmocnienie rozumienia zarówno

różnorodnych aspektów zamieszkiwania, jak i elementów struktury domu. W tekście zaprezentowano autorskie projekty intencjonalne stanowiące

poniekąd efekty pracy badawczej oraz zreferowano sposób i zakres ich wpływu na proces zamieszkiwania.

Przedmiotem trzech opisanych projektów były instalacje przestrzenne posiłkujące się w dwóch wypadkach ideowymi rzeźbami architektoniczny-

mi jako medium artystycznym. Wszystkie projekty odnosiły się do domu i zamieszkiwania jako tematów przewodnich. Ich zadaniem było przywo-

łanie wspomnień, wzmocnienie poczucia utożsamienia czy przywołanie wartości wspierających wspomniane zamieszkiwanie.

Podczas badań lokowano ideowe rzeźby architektoniczne in situ. Wykonano stosowną dokumentację fotograczną i opisową stanowiącą podsta-

wę do pracy według metody analitycznej i porównawczej. Podjęto też próbę przeprowadzenia ankiety wśród uczestników i odbiorców projektów.

W artykule nie tylko zaprezentowano autorskie próby i przedstawiono rolę sztuki w procesie powszechnej edukacji architektonicznej, zawarte

w nim rozważania mogą bowiem stanowić też inspirację do podejmowania działań nieoczywistych, łączących naukę i sztukę, wskazując aplikacyjny

charakter pierwszej i istotę drugiej.

Słowa kluczowe: ideowa rzeźba architektoniczna, sztuka, architektura, zamieszkiwanie

Architecture in the field of art on the example of author’s realizations

Agnieszka Kurkowska

doi:10.37190/arc210110

Abstract