The Poetics of Paratext: Interpretations of Félix González-Torres’s Mounds
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33732/ASRI.6887Keywords:
Paratext, mound, contemporary art, Félix González-Torres, minimalismAbstract
This article aims to analyze the mound-shaped works of artist Félix González-Torres based on the notion of paratext developed by Gérard Genette. Paratexts are considered to be external elements that, although not part of the work, operate as thresholds that extend meaning beyond their own materiality. Meaning does not arise solely from the visible form, but from the symbolic framework that surrounds it, where language, biography, and viewer participation reconfigure the political, emotional, and ethical interpretation of the installations. The mound is a recurring motif in contemporary art and coincides with some of González-Torres's works, allowing this form to be inscribed in a network of formal and conceptual resonances. To explore this idea further, we turn to Julia Kristeva's concept of intertextuality, which she defines as the relationship that a text establishes with previous texts, forming a “mosaic of quotations” in constant dialogue with different traditions and artistic productions.Downloads
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