DURATION: 5 weeks
August 27th–October 1st 2024
SIZE:
8”x10”
ADVISOR:
Rebecca Leffell-Koren
In Situ is a study on systems thinking, told through the lense of the book Unlocking Luhmann: a Keyword Introduction to Systems Theory. Nikias Luhmann was a German philosopher and sociologist who was operating in Germany in the 1950s. The chapters “Systems & Environment,” “Interaction,” and “Art Systems” are paired with the work of French contemporary artist Pierre Huyghe. Huyghe’s work falls into a range of genres, but In Situ looks specifically at pieces in conversation with systems theory. In the selected works, Huyghe attempts to create art that exists independent of the viewer. In Situ analyzes what happens when there is no viewer to observe an artwork—does it still exist? Does its meaning only come from a viewer being present?
The production of the book includes screen printed pink elements, a laser engraved front and back cover, as well as a hand-sewn vinyl dust jacket. In Situ is intended to subtley reflect the aesthetics found in Huyghe’s work.