The interrelation of art and space: An investigation of late nineteenth and early twentieth century European painting and interior space

Devin Marie Fitzpatrick

Today, art related spaces that uphold the modern ideal of neutrality between art and space are being rethought. Interior spaces that adhere to the neutral characteristics of the unobstructed, unadorned, and universal are now criticized as being ‘sterile’ or ‘dead,’ while on the other hand; spaces that move away from this neutral relationship are often criticized as being too ‘overpowering’ for art. The ideal of the neutralized relationship between art and space, as manifested in the standardized ‘white box,’ is finding itself prone to contemporary rethinking; as a result, the nature of the appropriate relationship between art and space remains vague. This study suggests that art and space have a vital connection, an interrelationship, and that modernism has influentially defined this interrelationship through the theoretical and aesthetic ideology of neutrality. In consequence, this study challenges the idea of neutrality as an appropriate solution for the interrelationship of art and interior space and asks: if neutrality is not the solution, what should then characterize the interrelationship of art and space? To answer this question, this study takes an unusual approach as it draws from late nineteenth and early twentieth century artistic and creative thought, specifically within the medium of European painting, as its framework of research and argument. Through the method of a theoretical investigation, a historical review of artistic statements concerning painting and space provides a foundation for the notion of the interrelation of art and space and reveals alternative approaches to this relationship, thereby challenging the supremacy of neutrality. A discussion follows and suggests solutions that have been interpreted from examples within the theoretical investigation. This study argues that a greater emphasis on the domain of interior space along with the elements of specificity, atmosphere, and integration provide effective solutions that encourage the interrelationship of art and interior space and challenge the prevailing ideology of neutrality. The study concludes by arguing for the assertive participation of interior designers within this complex dialogue and also recommends how further study can be directed in order to expand this topic.

The interrelation of art and space: An investigation of late nineteenth and early twentieth century European painting and interior space

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