Mirror mazes and habitable kaleidoscopes: catoptric parallelisms between temporary architecture and installation art

Abstract

Since the XIX century, temporary architecture and installations have transited ways that sometimes match in the use of certain elements, such as, mirrors. This text, centered in the study of two cases of spaces made with mirrors, has as objective to identify the links between some of the works created from both artistic practices. To do so, this paper is divided into two parts, the first one is devoted to mirror mazes, and the second one to habitable kaleidoscopes. Each section proposes first, a historic route trough some of the most relevant works from both artistic practices, and later, a comparative study in which the works’ similarities and differences in shape and objectives are pointed. This will allow us to glimpse the parallelism that exists, specially between specific works of Gustav Castan and Olafur Eliasson, who from different scopes and times have developed works in which, among other traits, the use of mirrors stands out.

Keywords

• arquitectura temporal
• instalaciones
• espejos
• laberinto
• caleidoscopio