The ever-changing and evolving nature of art has brought about ongoing challenges in interpretation. The early twentieth century marked a foundational period during which the transformations that continue to shape contemporary art were initiated. Avant-garde movements emerging in this era played a decisive role in shaping the trajectory of artistic practices in subsequent decades. By the mid-twentieth century, a diverse range of artistic movements had begun to emerge in the West, emphasizing that art should be understood not only in terms of form but also through the meanings it conveys. This shift highlighted the limitations of existing methods of art criticism and underscored the need for alternative interpretative approaches. Following the 1960s, semiotic studies increasingly focused on processes of meaning-making in relation to works of art. The analysis of contemporary art forms, structured by socio-cultural components, has required interpretative frameworks that extend beyond conventional approaches. In this context, semiotic methods have proven to be particularly effective. Installation art, characterized by the integration of diverse components, enables dynamic interactions between space, object, and viewer. Shaped by cultural formations, such works demand domain-specific knowledge for the interpretation of their embedded meanings and are inherently conceptual in nature. The conceptual structures embedded in installation artworks can be effectively interpreted through semiotic approaches that analyze signs from multiple perspectives. Contemporary art practices are produced within the cultural codes of their time, and these codes inherently carry abstract meanings. This study examines the semiotic method developed by Algirdas Julien Greimas and explores its applicability to installation art. This method also focuses on approach strategies for installation art. These approaches are examined through Guillaume Bijl’s installation work entitled Neuer Supermarkt (Your Supermarket) (2002). In light of the findings, the effectiveness of the method in the analysis of installation art is discussed in the “Evaluation and Conclusion” section.
Keywords: Art, Installation, Algirdas Julien Greimas, Semiotic Method