Investigations of body and space relations in the context of performance

The relation between how body and space rest upon time has been a rich area of research for many architects and theorists. As body and space are considered separately, they can both be realized as whole and consistent constituents. However, considering these two coming together as one complete approach would reveal that their possibilities could only exist with each other. The relation between time and space has become a fundamental topic in the late architectural arguments. How body affects space, and how space affects body, hence what this interaction brings into architectural production has been a general design question for many designers. This research springs up from the point of view that body and space cannot be considered separately, and tries to explain the relations in-between, affiliated to the time through performance (art production based on performance and performative architecture). Body and space relations were analyzed using an approach through "performance" in this research. The reason of this is how both constituents were debated in the context. Not only performance is a recent interdisciplinary thinking and research method, but also corresponds to the tangible pieces of art and architecture disciplines, in which body and space are met as subjects, are the reasons that this title was chosen. Main structure of this research is to study the aforementioned subjects (body and space), reveal their relation methods, and examine the tension in-between correlated to performance. In this research, space is considered as a structure in relation with body. Space can only complete itself with the body. It is built through experience and performatives. Body is acknowledged as a concept - from a perspective of physical and intellectual integrity - which sustains its contextual relation to the space it exists. Body is not a living organism, which can be debated independent from time and space. This research explicates an analogy of artistic and architectural examples, which approach "performance" using body (contemporary art) and space (architecture). Body tends to disturb the order of the space, which it has been imposed, and space tends to mobilize the body and conduct its perception in a suitable way to itself. Both constituents are apt to violate and ruin the expected behavior of the other one. Space tends to manipulate the body using its spatial compulsivity and intangible aura. Body also has the same tendency on space. This relation between these constituents is called "manipulation tension" in this research. It is considered that the body extends into the space, and the space extends into the body. When body and space position themselves according to each other, they use their genuine resources as "manipulation methods". These methods are introduced as perception-sensation, movement-kinesis, event-program; hence it is believed that body and space use these methods as their resources allow them as possible. Body tries to manipulate the space as perceiving, moving, and making events, where space tries to manipulate body tending to perception, moving and making an organization using its program. This tension between body and space comes into a balance using these in questioned "manipulation methods". This balance occurs from the tension between body and space, and has an active dynamism in-between. In this research this balance between body and space, which is based on their tendencies, is called "tension". This balance is not a mutual reset to the neutral state. It is an equilibrium based on stress, which comes from their natural tendencies. This tension is the ground for all interactions between body, imagery, and environment. Any physical or spatial performance occurs as a result of use of this tension. The performing bodies and spaces are used as areas, where the body and space relations can be examined. Investigating performance pieces which focus on body, and spatial designs which focus on experience builds a distinctive database for qualifications for the aforementioned "manipulation methods", variety of the "tensions" they built, and revealing their resources. Body and space produce body and space performances expanding their manipulation methods within their interactions. Performances serve glimpses from the tension between body and space. In other words, after body and space position themselves relative to each other, the balance in the "moment" would extend and a conducting type organization performance occurs. Trying to understand the pattern between body and space brought contemporary art and architecture closer and allowed the evaluation of different conceptual perspectives of the two fields. Analysis of contemporary art and architecture pieces, which interpret the manipulation methods with their own forms, consist of the strong relation between body and space, whilst interpreting "performance" that is the current way of thinking for the both disciplines. To analyse contemporary art and architectural pieces were chosen, which use the same manipulation methods with their own interpretations. For the perception-sensation method "The Matter of Time" (2005) sculpture of Richard Serra and "Chur, Shelters for Roman Archaeological Site" (1986) building of Peter Zumthor; for the movement-kinesis method "Hylozoic Ground" (2010) installation of Philip Beesley and "London Eye" (1999) tower of David Marks and Julia Barfield; for the event-program method "Rotary Notary and His Hot Plate (Delay in Glass)" stage design of Diller Scofidio and Renfro and "Kanazawa Art Museum" (2004) building of SANAA were examined. The pieces examined under contemporary art were chosen from a variety of areas such as sculpture, installation, and theatre, hence, these pieces were chosen from the ones that were based on the body and space relation and also grown ideas about the subject. These pieces that has been feeding from the perception of the body (Matter of Time), movement of the body (Hylozoic Ground), and its potential of creating events (Rotary Notary and His Hot Plate), formed the space with the performing body. The buildings examined as architectural samples were more than common architectural approaches, which care the experience of the body and take this matter as a design criterion. The buildings utilize from the potential of organisation of sensation by space (Chur, Shelters for Roman Archaeological Site), its power of kinesis (London Eye), and program resources (Kanazawa Art Museum), use the space as a performing subject. The intention of the analogic examination is to show that both disciplines spring up from the tensioned area between body and space, hence, their exhibition of methodical variety. Another goal of the examination is to reveal effect of the performance approach on recent architectural productions. Main ground of the chosen pieces is that they feed from the strong connection between body and space, focusing on this connection, and revealing the connection using different methods. The point they dissociate is that they put forward different resources in the tension between body and space, thereafter reproduce particular balances among them. The main point is to reveal this methodical variety. Contemporary art creations focusing on body, and architectural creations focusing on space, are designed independent from each other and feeding from the tension between two subjects. Body and space constantly produce the tendency in their relation in this aforementioned equilibrium using their own manipulation methods. The transitive, equivocal, and suspenseful area between body and space has been steering in the lately architectural approaches.