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영어

Spatial Composition and Audience Experience of the Site-specific Performance Rora Paek (Soongsil University) This research has two-fold aims: to investigate critical discourses in site-specific arts and to analyze the production and reception aspects of contemporary site-specific performances. These aims are motivated by the problematic issues brought up by the nature of site-specific performance in the areas of performance studies and staging. One reason is that more and more diverse styles of site-specific performances have recently been emerging in Korea. Another reason is that, even though scholars have given site-specific performance a lot of attention over the years, its conceptual definition still remains unclear. To clarify the concept of site-specific performance, this research undertakes the following three tasks. First, it examines the established critical theories of site-specific arts that have been proposed so far both in Korea and abroad. Second, it identifies tendencies that distinguish the site-specific performances of the 21st century. Third, for specific investigation, it analyzes the directing methods that organize the "found site" and audiences’ reception and experiences of specific sites through analyzing two site-specific performances—Heterotopia (2010) and en route (2012)—which have been highly acclaimed for their experimental and aesthetic qualities. This research will hopefully encourage a more comprehensive critical discourse on site-specific performance of our century -- a discourse which will also show how the directors who experiment with site-specific performances provide access to the sites, compose the site-specific performance space, and guide the audiences who not only watch but also participate in the performance.