Bruce Nauman's Corridor Installations are significant works in the realm of contemporary art, blending architecture, sculpture, and media to challenge and engage the viewer in unique ways. His work in this area began in the late 1960s and has since been a vital part of his exploration of space, the human body, and interpersonal dynamics.
One of the notable pieces in this series is the "Live-Taped Video Corridor" (1970), where Nauman employed video technology to create a feedback loop between the viewer and the artwork. This installation involves a corridor with a video camera at one end and a monitor at the other, confronting the viewer with a delayed image of themselves as they move through the space. This setup plays with the concept of surveillance, self-awareness, and the passage of time, implicating the viewer directly into the artwork.
Another significant piece is "Changing Light Corridor with Rooms" (1971), which exemplifies Nauman's use of controlled lighting conditions to affect the viewer's experience of space. This installation consists of a long corridor with rooms branching off, where the lighting conditions alter the perceptual experience of the space. The corridor's architecture itself becomes a medium through which Nauman examines themes of movement, confinement, and human behavior within constructed environments.
Nauman's corridors often evoke a sense of disorientation and challenge traditional notions of space and viewer interaction. As noted, his approach to these installations can be likened to that of a laboratory experiment, with the artist setting conditions and observing the "volunteer" participants' reactions within these spaces. This comparison underlines Nauman's interest in the psychological and physical experiences of space and movement, treating the gallery or museum space as an environment for experimentation and discovery.
The installations retain a certain "Kafkaesque" quality, utilizing the simplicity of architectural elements to profound effect. This quality speaks to Nauman's skill and originality in transforming ordinary spaces into complex experiential artworks that provoke thought and engage viewers on multiple levels.
In creating these works, Nauman has been a pivotal figure in expanding the boundaries of art to include architectural and interactive elements, inviting viewers to become part of the artworks themselves. His corridor installations, with their emphasis on viewer participation, spatial perception, and the use of technology, remain influential in the fields of contemporary art and installation art. (The Guggenheim Museums and Foundation) (Phaidon).
