The Place of the Viewer
Kerr Houston, professor of art history, theory and criticism, Maryland Institute College of Art

 How does our physical position – the place in which we stand – matter as we look at a work of art? The question may initially sound trivial, but in fact it has long interested both artists and theorists, and close attention to the place of the viewer can illuminate the aims and effects of a range of works. Rooted in a recently published book, and drawing on a wide range of examples (from medieval sculpture to Italian Renaissance painting, and from Minimalist sculpture to contemporary installation art), this lecture will consider some of the many ways in which the place of the viewer has played an active role in the production of artistic meaning.

$15 door fee for guests and subscribers