Three Dead End Adjacent Tunnels, Not Connected

Mediums: iron.
Location: the Tate Modern Museum (the UK).

Nauman began to work with quasi-architectural spaces in the late 1960s. His “corridors” are such spaces that disorient the viewer with the help of mirrors, sounds and video cameras. The idea is to study the behavior of the individual. The artist gradually expanded constructions to show “uncomfortable spaces and forms of even a huge scale”, covering the problem of political and social violence. The artist who studied physics and mathematics at the university retained his enthusiasm, in particular, the relations between squares, circles and triangles. He said, “I find triangles uncomfortable, disorienting views of spaces.” The construction of Nauman requires mental, not physical interaction: tunnels without a beginning or an end give the impression of claustrophobia since there is no comfort either inside or outside them. This is not like a circle or square that shows stability and security.