| Title |
Reproduction and Distortion of Reality: A Study on Jacques Lacan's Symbolic Order, Edward Hopper's Solitude, and Jan Staller's Surrealist Architecture |
| DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5659/JAIK.2026.42.9.227 |
| Keywords |
Simulacrum; Jean Baudrillard; Jacques Lacan; Symbolic Order; Edward Hopper; Jan Staller; Surrealist Architecture |
| Abstract |
This study examines how contemporary architecture reproduces and reshapes reality through its function as a simulacrum, a representational
system that no longer reflects an original reality but instead creates a convincing reality-effect. Drawing on Jean Baudrillard’s concept of
simulacra, the study develops a comparative analytical framework through three interconnected perspectives. The first is Jacques Lacan’s
Symbolic Order, which views architecture as the material expression of language, social norms, and institutional structures. The second is
Edward Hopper’s depiction of urban solitude, which highlights the hyperreal and intensified emotional qualities of everyday architectural
settings. The third is Jan Staller’s surrealist reframing of infrastructural spaces, which reveals how reality can be altered through selection,
omission, and objectification. The research combines a literature review with comparative analysis to explore how symbolic systems, emotional
atmospheres, and unconscious influences shape architectural experience. The findings propose a three-layer model consisting of symbolic order,
affective scene, and unconscious distortion. Through these layers, architectural space not only represents reality but also reorganizes it by
shaping perception, defining subject positions, and intensifying psychological experiences. The study suggests that this model is particularly
relevant to contemporary image-driven architecture and emerging digital and virtual environments, where spatial value increasingly depends on
visibility, framing, and mediated experience. |