Framing? One exercise in comparative semiotics and a few (open) conclusions

In the wake of the horizontal interest in framing that emerged in different disciplines, I question whether a common definition of what framing devices are from a morphological perspective is possible, and whether they perform a shared function within cultures and societies. I structure my talk in two parts. First, I comparatively discuss the morphological evolution of two of the most blatant framing devices employed in Western cultures to encode reality: frames of paintings – extensively investigated by art semiotics – and narrative frames in novellas/short story collections. I show how these devices exhibit a plastic morphology, but they can also be shown to perform a steady meta-representative function. I discuss them as the materialisation of the rules of production and reception of meanings according to cultural artifacts become ‘legible spaces’ (de Certeau) in a given semiosphere. I will broaden my perspective by taking advantage of the interdisciplinary composition of the panel itself: I draw some wider theoretical conclusions on framing devices’ function(s) within societies and cultures. In tune with the dialogical spirit of the panel, I imagine this second part of my talk as an “under construction” space to reflect upon a topic that, variously analysed in different disciplines, seems to revolve around the same question: how do we build reality?