Semiotics — Gregor Roth

The Semiotic Construct: Signs, Firstness, Secondness, Thirdness
The Phenomenological Construct

Most identify a place by name; the gallery. Since many people are somewhat familiar with the gallery they know it houses art. Some art is understandable, as in nature or scene, and as this kind of art is recognized, it generally elicits responses that are comfortable. That is to say this kind of art does not challenge the viewer. I am making no value statement here, but simply describing a typical view to the gallery and about art that is does not challenge traditional conceptions of art. Perhaps that this art can be further described as painting or photography, two medium that play similar roles. The gallery is also thought to be a place with art not easily understood, that is challenging, and art of this character can off putting. The gallery also attracts people of a particular nature, and these people can be different. So briefly we have described the gallery, it’s contents and patrons. The art situation I am describing may reside in a gallery, and it may not. So location aside I am still referring to art that can be challenging. Abstract by design, and labeled art object these very qualities already present problems, because I have just used terms that are difficult to understand and picture in the mind. When I say picture in the mind, what I mean is a representation of an image, painted, in color, or photographed and framed. We may see the actual image but we certainly can see ‘art’ framed and hung.

Art objects are labeled as they are because, quite simply, we see them in different ways depending on zonal factors. These are outlined in much greater detail later in this chapter. So the label gives flexibility. To give the art object a title is to limit its ability to open itself to the patron. We will change our definition from patron to participant. The art object lives, rather than resides, in the location. I am going to change this name as well, from gallery to site. Site is a physical position in relation to its surroundings. The term also ties to the sciences because it alludes to a place of study, a place having unique artifacts, objects, etc. of significance and importance. The gallery houses significant and important objects as well, so, again, I am not making a value distinction, but simply describing the art situation. The art situation, then, is a non static environment. It necessarily produces action. It is important to understand the art situation in this context because as we discuss semiotics and zonal arrangements we will understand and how they work together and define conditions affecting perception and interpretation.

I have identified particular ways in which we perceive and interpret. These are based on physical locations in and around the site and the art objects. Space and Time are also at work in this condition as well. Most importantly, though, is our self, and I have decided the self into two distinct units. These measure, assess, acquire data – perception, they also interpret that data. Addressing semiotics and zonal arrangements as well as their effects on body and mind is this focus of this chapter. As we move through I will break down and describe semiotics trichotomy in the each of six zones. I will begin with an overview of semiotics trichotomy: Firstness, Secondness, Thirdness and each of their specific terms. Afterward, I will describe where and how these relate within a given zone.

When referring to Firstness I will relate that condition to the self, and refers to Dual Bodily Unit, I and Me; temporal bubble and absorbent membrane, respectively. Under investigation are semiotics Qualisign, Sinsign, Legisign. We will see how the DBU, identify signs, through the I and Me units of the self. This will demonstrate Firstness interprets through these units. (Remember, earlier we studied Dual Bodily Unit, so I will not be describing them again.)

When referring to Secondness I will relate that condition to zonal arrangements as phenomenological schema. In this section will be six graphics that describe the transformation diagrams and how they reference Secondness; Icon, Index, Symbol. (Remember, earlier we studied transformation diagrams, so I will not be describing them again.)

When referring to Thirdness I will relate that condition to Ma. (Remember, earlier we studied Ma, so I will not be describing them again. Semiotics uses Thirdness to explain Rhemes, Dicent Signs, The Argument is a Lawsign. Ma is the environment that influences the way all elements are governed. So semiotics Thirdness states that Rhemes is a predicate, Dicent Sign the premise and Argument the mediator between predicate and premise. Simply this is a symbolic conclusion made of experience. Experience of course in the larger sphere of everyday life, but, importantly the experience gained in the art situation.

An excerpt from my manuscript, “ Connection Points, Bridging the Expanse Between Self and Art Objects in SpaceTime”. (Working title.)