iconoclasm & iconoclash readings: mitchell “offending images” and latour “iconoclash”
TRANSCRIPT
Iconoclasm & Iconoclasm & IconoclashIconoclash
Readings: Mitchell Readings: Mitchell “Offending Images” and “Offending Images” and Latour “Iconoclash”Latour “Iconoclash”
Vandalism & IconoclasmVandalism & Iconoclasm Vandals as ignorant, silly, Vandals as ignorant, silly,
senseless, stupidsenseless, stupid
Goya No sabe lo que hace
Iconoclasm vs. Vandalism?Iconoclasm vs. Vandalism?
•deliberate destruction of images rooted in religious, political, deliberate destruction of images rooted in religious, political, cultural beliefs or groups etc. vs. Ignorant behaviour. Which is cultural beliefs or groups etc. vs. Ignorant behaviour. Which is it?it?
Example: Example: Destruction of 3rd c. A.D. Buddhas by Taleban in Afghanistan completed March 12, 2002--completed March 12, 2002--
Iconoclasm? Iconoclasm? Destruction of images Destruction of images
linked to “rational” acts, linked to “rational” acts, meaning or connections meaning or connections of images to of images to something-- but how?something-- but how?
Ofili Virgin Mary
Why are some images kept & Why are some images kept & others destroyed? others destroyed?
Personal Personal (family) Networks & Values(family) Networks & Values CommunityCommunity-based criteria-based criteria Other factors Other factors (sometimes concurrent)(sometimes concurrent)
– Scholarly Scholarly – PoliticalPolitical– EconomicEconomic– Moral & ethicalMoral & ethical– Class-based (elite, popular) agendas etc….Class-based (elite, popular) agendas etc….
Variations in meaning over timeVariations in meaning over time
Inclusion --Exclusion & the Inclusion --Exclusion & the democratization of image censorshipdemocratization of image censorship
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhGx4Rh0Qo8
“Headbangers”--Heavy metal fans Mid-Summer Night Swing Dancing at the Lincoln Center, NYC
Identity issues & the meaning Identity issues & the meaning of imagesof images
Inclusion/cohesionInclusion/cohesion– Visual images as expression Visual images as expression
of identity, difference of identity, difference (distinction)(distinction)
ExclusionExclusion– Discriminatory Dimensions Discriminatory Dimensions – Censorship and/or Censorship and/or
DemocratizationDemocratization
Mitchell--Why do some images Mitchell--Why do some images offend?offend?
False False Assumptions: Assumptions: – Images Images
transparently linked transparently linked to what it to what it represents (doing represents (doing something to something to image, does image, does something to what something to what it represents)it represents)
– Images “feels” Images “feels” what is done to itwhat is done to it
OffiliOffili
Outrage overOutrage over Virgin Virgin Mary?Mary?
Outrage about Outrage about symbolic desecrationsymbolic desecration
Latour: Why do images inspire Latour: Why do images inspire hatred? hatred?
ways of understanding iconoclastsways of understanding iconoclasts– Inner goalsInner goals– Roles ascribed to imagesRoles ascribed to images– Effects of destruction on othersEffects of destruction on others– How reactions of those assocciated with images How reactions of those assocciated with images
are interpreted by iconoclastsare interpreted by iconoclasts– Effects on the destroyer’s own feelingsEffects on the destroyer’s own feelings
Fuseli: Fuseli: Artist weepingArtist weeping
in despair in despair …. …. diverse diverse meanings of the meanings of the disappearance & disappearance & rejection of rejection of artworksartworks Vandalism vs. Vandalism vs. IconoclasmIconoclasm
•VandalistVandalists: s: ignorant, ignorant, senselesssenseless•IconoclastIconoclasts: s: deliberate deliberate opposition, opposition, “rationale” “rationale” grounded in grounded in system of system of valuesvalues
Censorship as an outcome of Censorship as an outcome of democratizationdemocratization
artists’ & minority publics’ rights toartists’ & minority publics’ rights to– ““self-expression” or self-expression” or – freedom of speech (1st Amendment in US)freedom of speech (1st Amendment in US)– But systematic suppressionBut systematic suppression
VS. public’s rights & government’s duties to VS. public’s rights & government’s duties to enforce standardsenforce standards
issues-- what standards, whose standards?issues-- what standards, whose standards?
Typology of IconoclastsTypology of Iconoclasts
A-- against imagesA-- against images B-against “freeze-frame”B-against “freeze-frame” C-against opponents’ imagesC-against opponents’ images D-Unwitting destroyersD-Unwitting destroyers E-Ironic destroyersE-Ironic destroyers
Message? Interrupte vs. cascading imagesMessage? Interrupte vs. cascading images