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Stuart Hall's work on the construction of meaning through representation can be related to Henri Lefebvre's concept of "perceived space" in several intriguing ways.
Hall argues that meaning is socially constructed through representational systems like language (Hall, 1997). Lefebvre's idea of "perceived space" speaks to the everyday experiences and social practices that give shape to our understanding of physical space (Lefebvre, 1974). In both cases, what is perceived—whether it's meaning or space—is mediated through social and cultural frameworks.
Hall's focus on how meaning is produced and circulated through language and other forms of representation (Hall, 1997, p. 16-18) resonates with Lefebvre's notion that perceived spaces are not just physical entities but are also shaped by social representations and interactions (Lefebvre, 1974).
Lefebvre's concept of "perceived space" refers to the everyday spatial practices and routines that individuals engage in (Lefebvre, 1974). Similarly, Hall refers to "signifying practices," or the ways in which people use language and symbols in daily life to make sense of the world around them (Hall, 1997, p. 5).
Both scholars attend to the role of the subject in the production of either meaning or space. For Lefebvre, individuals perceive space through their daily practices and activities (Lefebvre, 1974). Hall, on the other hand, discusses how subjects are not just passive consumers but also producers of meaning (Hall, 1997, p. 55-56).
The figure is dressed in a Scottish kilt complete with sporran and tartan, his pose and expression theatrical, highlighting the unique elements of Scottish Highland dress.
The figure is captured in traditional Spanish attire, featuring a bolero jacket and ornamental embroidery, his posture relaxed yet playful, with a hint of a dance-like stance.
The figure stands profiled in a Tyrolean costume, characterised by a decorated jacket and knee-length breeches, complete with a feathered hat, showcasing a blend of cultural attire with poised elegance.
Hall explores the way power dynamics influence representational systems, thereby affecting how meaning is constructed (Hall, 1997, p. 26-27). In a parallel manner, Lefebvre's notion of "perceived space" is also subject to social and power dynamics that determine how space is used, who has access to it, and how it is understood (Lefebvre, 1974).
A boy on a stool wearing a jersey that's too big or appears to have no arms, while his classmates work in the background.
Children at school, working at desks stacked on top of each other.
Children work at school, with a desk tilted at an angle and a boy on the desk, creating an ominous atmosphere.
Children continue working, with a mountain made of wrinkled paper from which a child's head emerges.
A girl works on her schoolwork with her desk dramatically tilted, supported by tins of paint.
Children working at school, with a desk and a child behind it, staring ahead.
Children continue their work, with a boy in white mesh standing in front of them.
Two children stand in front of their classmates in mesh while their classmates work.
Two boys share a long, sock-like hat, sitting beside each other.
Two boys share a long, sock-like hat, with one sitting in front of the other.
A child is taped to a chair, while classmates continue their work.
A boy stands on a stool in front of his classmates, wearing a paper-mache structure resembling a big hood.
A boy stands in front of his working classmates, holding a piece of cardboard with cup-like structures taped to it.
A boy is encased in white cardboard, poking his head out and staring blankly ahead.
A boy sits on a stool encased in white fabric and plastic, with someone behind him holding a white fabric square, ready to drape it over the boy.
A boy sits on a stool with his head covered by black fabric, resembling a sack, while classmates continue their work.
Children doing schoolwork, with vertical lines resembling prison bars created by string hanging from a ceiling beam.
Students continue their work, with ribbon taped to a beam on the ceiling resembling bars.
A boy sits on a desk with his leg consumed by black fabric, classmates continue their work.
A child lies across a desk in the foreground, classmates continue their studies in the background.
Three students hide behind their own pieces of white paper.
No students, only a hanging ceiling light and a large piece of folded rectangular cardboard.
A child seated on a chair beneath a hanging ceiling light, with ropes attached to both the light and the child, making them appear as a puppet.
Sheets of paper taped to the wall resemble banners, trailing onto the floor, with students continuing their work.
Cables attached to the wall, with a child in the foreground seemingly pulling them towards the camera.
A boy stands on a chair in the background, with two big framed blank white papers held up on either side of him.
Children doing schoolwork in the background, while a boy in the foreground holds cardboard resembling jail cell bars.
A young girl wearing a hijab sits on a stool in the background, while her classmates whisper to each other, with someone in the foreground holding a circular frame.
Limp legs suspended ominously, with a girl in the foreground staring vacuously ahead.
Limp legs are suspended above a stool, creating a dismal and eerie atmosphere, with metal cylinders nearby.
A boy in the center of the frame has his shoes off, his legs covered in cardboard, and a long cardboard arm.
A boy stands on the left, tied to a white piece of cardboard, while his classmates continue with their studies.
One boy holds a frame that perfectly frames a boy in the background.
A figure sits on a stool beneath a hanging ceiling light, with white rope/string creating a web-like effect around the figure.
Two long white papers are secured to the wall and the floor, with a boy standing between them, and classmates in the background.
Both Hall and Lefebvre emphasize the relational aspect of either meaning or space. Hall notes that meaning is not carried in the words themselves, but in the differences between them (Hall, 1997, p. 26-27). Likewise, Lefebvre suggests that space gains meaning in relation to how it is used and perceived in the context of other spaces (Lefebvre, 1974).
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