Dal reticolo prospettico a una griglia ermeneutica. Un’ipotesi di approccio alla rappresentazione scenografica contemporanea

1_ Brief description of the subject of study In the field of scenic design, the word “representation” extends the meaning of design foundation (the graphic “representation”) to that of realization effect (the theatrical “representation”). The purpose of the paper is to identify a possible critical grid, which allows to pinpoint this second meaning of the term, parameterizing some of the modes of scenic representation. 2_ State of art and main references From the analysis of several case studies emerges that two stages of a codification process correspond to the double meaning of the word: one (of the many possible) exploratory two-dimensional interpretation and one (of the many possible) interpretative, evocative and cognitive process. The copious references on the subject (which can be roughly divided into stagecraft manuals, design monographs, historical and critical essays) has rarely tried to systematize this interpretative mass, rather focusing more frequently on single designers’ poetics, attempting to find recurring formal characteristics or highlighting the gestural/stylistic component. 3_ Definition of the methods adopted in the research Scenic representation presents itself as a link between cognitive image, which is rooted in the real world, and the image acted in a projected space (whose definition is quite heteroclite). At this second stage, that is the “rendering” moment, the contribution of strongly emerging disciplines, such as semiotics, is fundamental in order to formulate some meaning hypotheses. In the paper, some parameters of semiotics analysis are used (diachronic – synchronic; syntactic - paratactic), verifying their applicability to the field of scenic representation. 4_Pursued and reached goals The field of the discipline, which is broadened by its applicability both to the repertoire and to ex novo design, stands out for its experimental character and for the newnesses it brings, that are well placed in the contemporary scenario, in which setting up-related topics are very relevant. The aim of the paper is to contribute to the scientific definition, which interior architecture and industrial design have so far competed for, widening its field to representation sciences.