Installation art involves placing ordinary or created objects in a specific location to create a work of art. This location can range from a single room and a single wall to an entire building or a park. Installation art, like much art, is open to interpretation and is frequently reliant on its context for meaning. Its purpose is to elicit emotions and reactions from the audience. Such installations are their very nature temporary, and they are frequently dismantled once the exhibition is over.
Installation art is defined some galleries, such as London’s Serpentine Gallery in 2005, as any collection of art or sculpture. For many artists, installation art is the staging of ordinary objects to create a work of art rather than the staging of art itself. This is a significant distinction between art gallery collections and installations, in which a single work of art is adapted to its surroundings.
The concept of treating any collection as an installation dates back to the 1960s. An ‘installation shot’ was a photograph taken to record and display a collection of art during this decade. The minimalist movement, which emphasized the space around the art, spawned the concept of installation art. Ilya Kabakov bridged the gap between installation shots and installation art displaying his paintings within an installation art piece: a fictitious Soviet museum.
Installation art is frequently displayed in galleries. They are usually displayed in a specific room or area of the gallery. Many galleries, such as the Tate Modern, have rooms dedicated to this type of art on a permanent basis. The installation room or the temporary exhibition room are not the only places where such artwork can be displayed. For random exhibitions or planned pieces of event or public art, installations can also be installed in parks, courtyards, and tents.
The types of materials that can be used are almost limitless. Ann Hamilton used a variety of materials in her work, including dead birds, soot, and cut flowers. Tracy Ermin turned her cluttered bedroom into an installation piece of art. Martin Creed, on the other hand, created The Lights Go On and Off in 2000 without using any materials. This piece consisted of an empty room with lights that turned on and off.
Installation art is, definition, ephemeral. Only a small percentage of installations become part of a collection’s permanent collection. This is true at New York galleries like the Tate Modern, Tate Britain, and the Guggenheim. Festival installations, stunts, and public installations are even less durable and long-lasting.