2015 » Chile » Section of Countries and Regions

Curator:	María Teresa Lobos Rubilar
Designer / Architect of exhibition:	María Teresa Lobos Rubilar
Institution:	DIRAC, MINREL of Government of Chile, University of Chile

The Paradox of the Spectator. Climate / Atmosphere and Stage Design

In Chilean theatre, atmosphere is a concept that we have received from the tradition of stage design and that, to some extent, remains in use today. It is an ambiguous term that has a variety of resonances in stage design: it is linked to the realist concept of theatrical lighting (conveyed to us through the MacCandless method of lighting) and moreover, allows us to enter a critical reflection on the place of the viewer. This is the problem synthesized by Jacques Rancière from the theatres of Brecht and Artaud in The Emancipated Spectator (2010).

The paradox that the contemporary scene poses to the viewer is to force them to define how it should relate to the scene: they can witness the stage from a distance, as a viewer looking at the representation or performance, or be involved with it, immersed in the event itself, and thus participate in the atmosphere. The first of these is located in the critical perspective while the second seeks immersion in the work.

Atmosphere and immersion are concepts that are very close to the realist paradigm and therefore related to the emotional impact on the viewer. They operate here in favor of the reflection of the viewer, who has to decide how they relate to the work that is before their eyes: through immersion or through observation. They are forced to constantly shift their perspective through a space path. The concept of immersion is, then, the specific way in which the viewer participates in the atmosphere, namely, the atmosphere / climate is not observed from afar, rather it is explored and crossed. The proposal of the spatial device is to address the concept of climate as an immersive (critical) experience under atmospheres of different temperatures, qualities of light / color and dramatic environments from a variety of artistic performances in Chile. The space communicates various scenic / geographical temperatures, that one perceives when viewing the room.