A work of art’s subject and its content are different and yet closely connected concepts, as well as its essential components. According to Fichner-Rathus (2016), “the subject is the what of a work of art—people, places, things, themes, processes, events” (p. 4). This statement means that there are discernible visual elements that are accessible to nearly all human beings and can be perceived as something representing or resembling reality. In turn, “content refers to a work’s array of intangible aspects: the emotional, intellectual, psychological, symbolic elements” (Fichner-Rathus, 2016, p. 5). Hence, the content involves the particular thought behind the piece of art, which can be understood through the subject. Thus, the content differs from the subject in its abstract nature, referring to ideas rather than the material world.
The contrast and interdependence of the subject and content of art could be seen in the sculpture Tourists by Duane Hanson made in 1970. The apparent subject of this work is a couple of people, a male and a female, both old-aged. They are dressed in bright colors, and their clothes resemble stereotypical American attire for vacations: the man wears a t-shirt with palm trees and has a camera, and the woman—sunglasses, bold pants for weekends, and a spacious patterned bag. Both persons are in the position of waiting or observing something.
Yet, the content of this work is more complicated than it seems. These people were probably average consumers of the time 60s when the author worked on the sculpture. They are perhaps from the middle class and devote their free time to vacation trips in the decade when there is no economic crisis that would disturb them so that they are participating in the careless and meaningless process of spending their money. Hence, Hanson conveys the meaning of troubles and yet eager to new experience existence through the details, such as the clothes, the equipment of the couples, and the postures. Therefore, the subject of the sculpture, namely tourists, is complemented by the idea of ironizing about the lack of worries among ordinary people with economically stable status.