The installations are, according to Ecured’s definition (n.d.), those works that use as part of the composition the medium they are in (walls, floor, lights…), as well as different objects and materials. Likewise, the spectator is part of the work and it is not finished until the subject itself moves or interacts with the proposal (Lemarroy, 2004).
However, Abad and Ruiz de Velasco (2014) go further, and show that the installations are a space where an idea or a message is intentionally represented. Furthermore, they believe that not all of them are made in order to be transformed by the spectator, but that they have to allow the spectator to “enter into the game” by interpreting and questioning the work in different ways.
On the other hand, we can say that installations in the educational context enhance the development of creativity in children, their capacity for play, imagination and collaborative work (Lapolla et al., 2017). In addition, they are spaces that arise from the union of an aesthetic proposal and a pedagogical foundation (Abad y Ruiz de Velasco, 2014). The children arrive at the proposals, play, interact with the elements offered in the installation, explore, transform the space and the objects, leaving a new space when they leave (Abad and Ruiz de Velasco, 2014). These proposals have to provoke the children, invite them to interact and offer them the opportunity to experiment, transform, relate, build… while allowing them to move around, play, etc., which makes the installations a great source of learning (Toca, 2019).
Source
Art installations have their origin in contemporary art when certain artists began to problematize the limits of the work of art (Leiva, 2020).
Furthermore, as Abad and Ruiz de Velasco (2020a) state, “they are playful environments that propose to go beyond the purely manipulative, perceptive or sensory to the symbolic, narrative or relational. In these works, art and play come together to promote
culture and relationship, allowing the perception and analysis of reality from different perspectives (Abad y Ruiz de Velasco, 2020a)
Characteristics of the installations
Based on authors such as Lemarroy (2004), some of the main characteristics of the facilities are
The installations are inspired by the ready-made technique, which consists of taking an everyday object out of its usual context and placing it in another context to give it a more aesthetic use and usage.
They are based on free play, since they are developed in an environment where no instructions or rules are given to follow, but the experimentation is what regulates and makes the proposal is developed in relation to the needs, interests and rhythms of students.
They must be exposed for a short period of time. The installations have a determined duration in order to maintain its novel and striking character, then these are dismantled and can only be remembered through documentation, however, the objects or style of the installation can be reused.
The installation allows the children to be the protagonists of their own learning, since they are created to participate and be part of it. For this reason, the installations should not be repeated nor be the same as others, since the subjects are the ones who interpret and complete them depending on what they transmit to them.
The creativity and imagination of the children should be encouraged, so it is essential to offer multipurpose elements, spaces that are ambiguous and surprising, etc. That is to say, that they allow different types of interpretations.
In the art of installation, any medium or everyday object can be used for children, offering diverse possibilities of action in addition to those allowed by
its predetermined use. In addition, these must be sufficient in order to avoid possible conflict situations among children.
Characteristics of the materials
Authors such as Leiva (2020) mention the importance of thinking and reflecting on the types of materials and objects we can offer in an installation:
- Unstructured objects, that is, objects that do not have a single possibility of action, but offer a great variety, such as bottles, cardboard, plastic, paper, etc.
- Objects that children can find in their daily lives, such as glasses, boxes, balls, fabrics, etc.
- Different materials from a natural context, such as leaves, sand, sticks, etc.
On the other hand, Leiva (2020) refers to the fact that the choice and combination of materials is fundamental to give an aesthetic sense to the proposal, so it has to be taken into account:
- The space where we present the installation must be empty of other stimuli that can distract the students from the moment of play, with the aim that they discover, exchange and experience the selected objects.
- We must take care of the natural or artificial lighting and the sound of the environment, since from these we will manage to create an atmosphere that encourages more exploration and curiosity.
- The objects must allow a link between them to complement each other, so that they can be introduced on each other and for their performance, so they must show a diversity in their shape, color, texture, structure, size, etc.
- We must pay attention to the disposition (creating geometric forms, series, etc.) and the location (on the floor, hanging, on the ceiling, etc.) of the objects in the space.
- The amount of materials offered must be in accordance with the number of children who experience the proposal, since there must be enough material for them to manipulate them individually or in groups.
Time or phases of the proposal
The authors Abad and Ruiz de Velasco (2020) mention different pedagogical moments in the development of the facilities:
Design
In this phase the teacher creates, designs and carries out a previous organization of the installation, for which he or she has to analyze the recipients and their context, the theme, the times, spaces and materials to be proposed.
To design an installation, it is necessary to take into account the diverse characteristics and experiences of both students and teachers, since these will influence the development of the installation. On the other hand, the theme on which the proposal is designed is essential, since from this one or other materials that invite experimentation and exploration will be selected.
As for the spaces in the artistic installation, it is fundamental to decide the location of the proposal, since depending on this, movement, individual and group play, duration, etc. will be favored or not. In addition, the space must be delimited, so it is necessary to attend to the organization of the materials. The time of experimentation is another element that influences the different possibilities of play that can be offered, since it is the children who best define the end of their utility. Finally, the materials of the proposal must present different characteristics, such as choosing them depending on the characteristics, offering different possibilities of action, that the quantity is sufficient, the organization of these, etc.
Presentation to the students
Before the start up it is necessary that the teacher presents the students with the artistic installation that is offered to them, leaving them time to observe and analyze it, for
which the teacher can initiate a dialogue from questions in order to generate curiosity in the children. In addition, although the installations are a proposal of free play, they have some basic rules of respect towards the peers during the development of the installations that will have to be exposed to the children.
A time for experimentation
In this phase the children are invited to interact with the materials. At first, the infants make a general observation of all the objects they have and make an approach to them. As time passes, they begin to manipulate, experiment and play with the elements and their peers in space.
During this time, the role of the teacher should be that of an observer, being able to intervene if necessary or if conflicts arise.
Documentation of the proposal
Before concluding the installation, the children are proposed to collect and reorganize the material that has been used, with the help of the teacher, thus promoting their responsibility and autonomy. Finally, the last phase of an artistic proposal is the documentation of it, with the aim of, as Hoyuelos (2007) mentions, leaving an aesthetic record. This can be done graphically, for example with a drawing, or orally, through conservation. This should be done just when it is finished, with the aim of reproducing what they have experienced and felt during their development.
References
Abad, J. y Ruiz de Velasco, A. (2014). La propuesta de las instalaciones. Recuperado de http://www.edu.xunta.es/centros/cfrcoruna/aulavirtual/file.php/249/BLOQ UE_1/LA_P ROPUESTA_DE_LAS_INSTALACIONES_Javier_Abad_2014.pdf
Abad, J. y Ruiz de Velasco, (2020). Las instalaciones de juego: metáforas de la vida de relación. Recuperado de: https://consejoescolar.educacion.navarra.es/web1/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/2319.pdf
Abad, J. y Ruiz de Velasco, (2020). La propuesta de las «instalaciones de juego»: metáforas del encuentro y la vida de relación. Recuperado de: https://arqa.com/actualidad/colaboraciones/la-propuesta-de-las-instalaciones-de-juego-metaforas-del-encuentro-y-la-vida-de-relacion.html
Alsina, Á., & León, N. (2016). Acciones matemáticas de 0 a 3 años a partir de instalaciones artísticas. Educatio Siglo XXI, 34(2 Julio), 33-62. ECURED (s.f.) Instalación artística. Recuperado de http://www.ecured.cu/index.php/Instalaci%C3%B3n_art%C3%ADstica
Hoyuelos, A. (2007) Documentación como narración y argumentación. Aula de Infantil, 39, pp. 5-9.
Lapolla, P., Mucci, M. y Arce M.A. (2017) Experiencias artísticas con instalaciones. Trabajos interdisciplinariosde simbolización y juego en la escuela infantil. Ediciones Novedades Educativas, Buenos Aires.
Lemarroy González, M.S. (2004) Lü: El cuerpo efímero. Tesis de maestría, Universidad de las Américas Puebla,México.
Leiva, C. (2020) Instalaciones de juego, simbolizar a través del arte. Cultura de infancia. https://culturadeinfancia.com/instalaciones/
Toca, S. (2019) Jugar, experimentar y relacionarnos: las instalaciones artísticas en un aula de 4 años (trabajo finde grado). Universidad de Cantabria, España.
Authorship
María Argumosa Roíz y Paola Escolano Cossio, 2020.