What is narrative: Discursive aspects of exhibition storytelling
DOI: 10.23951/2312-7899-2025-3-121-153
There are numerous interpretations concerning the definition of narrative in modern Russian literary discussions about art exhibitions. Following the proposed methodology, an exhibition can be considered as a product of human activity (realized by curators, art managers, etc.). At the same time, any text about an art exhibition can be presented as a product of human cognitive process. The semiotic approach allows us to consider the exposition as a kind of a communicative sign system, potentially capable of conveying a certain message. Nowadays, polysemantic interpretations of narrative become extremely complex due to the numerous verbal-spatial components prevalent in contemporary expositions. The article offers a sample of 134 Russian texts describing exhibition projects using narrative terminology. Discursive elements, originally presented in the format of objective knowledge, are isolated and classified using the de-objectification method. Different types of cognitive attitudes (contextual, methodological, psychophysiological, philosophical, social, cultural, mythological, religious and natural science) are distinguished, some of them are presented explicitly, sometimes they remain hidden. The systematization of various combinations with the word "narrative" allows us to more clearly indicate the complex position of authors regarding the understanding of narrative. The frequency of mentioning and situational variability of using the concept of "exhibition narrative" are clarified. The article proposes an ontological scheme of the concept of exhibition narrative, including the initial pattern of connections between the created texts and the specificity of the process of cognition of the abstract term. The results obtained can be used by researchers as a tool for comparison between texts based on different understandings of the same term. Further research on exhibition narrative can be conducted using formal and logical organization of existing knowledge.
Keywords: exhibition narrative, de-objectification, exhibition, art, narrative, text, narratology
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Issue: 3, 2025
Series of issue: Issue 3
Rubric: ARTICLES
Pages: 121 — 153
Downloads: 243