“The Story is Told as a History of the Body”:

Strategies of Mimesis in the Work of Iragaray and

Bausch

Article by Susan KozelPresentation by Mina Ford

Timeline for PresentationMimesis- 5 minutesBackground on Iragaray and Bausch- 5 MinutesDistortion- 1 minuteDuality v. Indifference- 5 minutesOccupying the feminine v. challenging the patriarchy- 5 minutesTime, Space, Fluidity and Desire- 5 minutesConclusion- 1 minute

MimesisMimesis is the Greek word for “artistic representation”(101)Traditionally, it has been understood as a rather direct imitation of life.

Mimesis in Iragaray and Bausch

The mimesis found in their work is “based on a principle of repetition or analogy which is not one of identical reproduction or simple limitation(101)”.

Kozel’s Take on MimesisKozel believes there is “always a moment of excess or a remainder in the mimetic process(101)”.Because of this, the mimicry is always completely different from that which inspires it.

Before we get ahead of ourselves, lets talk a little

about…

Luce Iragaray…Born in Belgium in the 1930’sMoved to France in the 60’sFeminist theorist and philosopherVery interested in language and in Jacques Lacan.

…and Pina BauschBorn in 1940 in GermanyCame to America to attend JulliardReturned to Germany in 1960Founded dance company Tanztheater Wuppertal

Kozel’s DistortionThe difference between the real and the representation of the real is what Kozel refers to as distortion.Mimesis in Iragaray’s and Bausch’s work is more in line with Kozel’s ideas than those of the ancient Greeks.

Duality: differences v. indifference

Male/female, mind/body, same/other all seem like confrontations of different elements.Iragaray surmises that they are not that, but merely a guise of indifference that ignores or excludes one element while glorifying the other element.

QuestionIragaray believes that trying to directly challenge the patriarchal structure is an inappropriate response to the subordination of the female role. Why, according to Iragaray, is this so?

Occupying “The Feminine”“To play with mimesis is thus, for a woman, to try to recover the place of her exploitation by discourse, without allowing herself to be simply reduced to it(102).”

Points of ExitRosi Braidotti asserts that the aim of mimetic repetition is to repossess meanings and representations, then to find “points of exit” from them.This process allows new meanings to emerge and in Iragaray and Bausch it allows for a reexamination of political, emotional, sexual and physical dualities.

Time,Space, and Fluidity(oh my!)

Iragaray: speaks of “fluid density which overturns habitual space-time and yet always already takes place in it(103)”Bausch: Uses filmic devices to transform theatrical space. Challenges duality of private/public space. Breaks the fourth wall often to remind the audience what they are seeing is not “real”.

QuestionWhy is desire and important element in mimesis, especially to Iragaray?

Answer…?Kozel says that

“desire spans the interval between people, and this interval has its own space and fluidity(106).

Since Iragaray’s work comes from the perspective of the neglected sexual “other”, the presence of desire is natural.

Kozel’s Conclusion…Is that Iragaray’s and Bausch’s projects compliment one another and add to an even larger discourse of power, of artistic expression, and of departure from the reliance on strict dualities to explain our lives.