In the essays ‘the Yale Lecture’ and ‘The flatbed Picture Plane’ both Serra and Steinberg discuss the environment in which art is presented but from two different point of views. Serra argues that the ‘site’ a piece of work is presented in had a direct ‘relation’ to the piece of work itself. This relationship therefore creates its own dialogue or language, it’s own language and the language of its surroundings. Because of this it is ‘impossible’ to construct a work in a studio space and then take it out into a different environment and expect it to work, like artists have done for centuries.

On the other hand Steinberg instead of a specific site discusses the ‘The Picture Plane’. Since the ‘Old Masters’ and onwards to movements such as Cubism and Abstract Expressionism work has been vertical, an upright surface. However Steinberg noticed a ‘radically new orientation’ with artists such as ‘Rauschenberg’ and ‘Duchamp’. They shifted this plane from ‘vertical to horizontal’ arguably completely changing the meaning of art from natural to cultural.

The main difference between these two essays is that Serra is more literal in his description of environment. From his use of language and description you can see the physical space that a piece of work is created and subsequently presented. But with Rauschenberg his ideas are more conceptual, with a shift in perspective rather than space.

Bibliography-

Harrison, C. and Wood, P., 2003. Art in theory, 1900-1990. Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub., p.948.

Harrison, C. and Wood, P., 2003. Art in theory, 1900-1990. Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub., p.1124.