The Art Gallery as a Sacred Space

Authors:

Pages: 177-182
DOI: https://doi.org/10.54664/RVTI5195

Abstract:

The concept of space, possessing specific characteristics, which distinguish it as sacred, and in the same time differentiate it from the profane one, has fascinated people ever since prehistoric times. This creates different kind of tangible and intangible boundaries to (re)create this idea. Where is the boundary of the sacred space today? Does it encompass religious buildings only, or could this term also refer to secular spaces? This article proposes one of the possible directions for consideration, posing the question whether communication with art could be perceived as a sacred experience? Two art gallery spaces devoted to water are in the focus of this study. Their specific design, along with the numerous associations they evoke, predispose visitors to a sacred experience. These spaces are the halls with The Water Lilies by Claude Monet at Musee de l‘Orangerie, Paris, and The Swimming Pool by Henri Matisse at MoMA, New York. This theme could easily refer also to the Rothko Chapel or the underground Art Gallery at the Glass House by Philip Johnson.

Keywords:

concept of space, sacred, profane, the sacred space, design

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