The Monthly Scientific Journal of Bagh-e Nazar

The Concept of Space: Physics, Philosophy, and Art in Contemporary Sculpture Education from a Connectivism Perspective

https://doi.org/10.22034/bagh.2026.553483.5921
Volume 23, Issue 154
April 2026
Pages 47-58
The Monthly Scientific Journal of Bagh-e Nazar

Document Type : Original Research Article

Authors

Narges Haririan 1
Sayyed Saeid Sayyed Ahmadi Zavieh 2
Samaneh (Samin) Rostambeigy 2

1 Department of Painting and Sculpture , Faculty of Visual Arts, College of Fine Arts, University of Tehran, Iran

2 Department of Art Research, Faculty of Theoretical Science and Higher Art Studies, Iran University of Art, Tehran, Iran

Abstract
Problem statement: The concept of space in sculpture is a multilayered and interdisciplinary phenomenon formed through its relationship with perception, the body, materiality, and meaning. The historical development of this concept shows that space has shifted in physics from an absolute structure to a relative framework; in philosophy, from an a priori category to a phenomenological experience; and in sculpture, from a static background to a dynamic element in the production of meaning. These transformations underscore the complexity of space and reveal the need for a network-oriented approach to its teaching in contemporary sculpture, one that can meaningfully connect theoretical knowledge with students’ practical capabilities. Drawing on the theory of connectivism learning, this study asks how an integrated synthesis of physical, philosophical, and artistic perspectives can contribute to the development of a novel and effective model for teaching the concept of space in contemporary sculpture education.
Research objective: The aim of this study is to propose a network-based model for teaching space in sculpture education, in which philosophical, physical, and aesthetic knowledge are organized as interconnected nodes within a conceptual network, thereby enabling the enhancement of students’ abilities to analyze and create space.
Research method: This study adopts a qualitative approach and employs a descriptive–analytical method with an applied–developmental orientation. Data were collected through two main pathways: a library-based study of the concept of space in physics, philosophy, and art, and a field study involving the analysis of selected works by contemporary sculptors as well as final projects by sculpture students at the University of Tehran. Data analysis was conducted based on the network logic of connectivism theory, in order to elucidate the relationships among different layers of space in the educational process and to justify the rationale for the selected methodological approach.
Conclusion: The findings indicate that concurrent attention to the physical and philosophical layers of space elevates students’ understanding from the level of sensory experience to a more analytical and creative level. Accordingly, it is recommended that the concept of space in sculpture be reconfigured through a connectivism approach so that its instruction is not confined to the recognition of form, but rather the relations among form, space, and meaning are apprehended as a networked, multidimensional phenomenon.

Keywords

Sculpture education
Concept of space
Interdisciplinary approach
Physics
philosophy
Connectivism learning.
Subjects
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