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MediatingVisualExperience:ZbigniewLiberasPhotographicWorksandGoogleStreetViewImagery
ukaszzaremba
Thewordviewisusedinavarietyofways:inspecialistjargons,aswellascommonlanguage.Itfunctionsasasynonymforlandscapepaintingorphotography,aswellasforlandscapeperceivedwithoutthemediationofthepicture(lookingthroughawindow,wetakeintheview).Itsagenreandatypeofcomposition,butabovealltoviewconstitutesavisualexperienceandanelementofperception.Onthemostbasiclevelthatofpopulararthistoricallexiconsthetermusuallyoperatesasaneutralexplenans.Thefactthatthegenreoflandscapeisdefinedeitherasavieworarepresentationofaviewcallsourattentiontotheunclearpositioningofthisterm.Isitapartoftheworldasitisseenoraresultofthehumanactofcreation?Theviewiscertainlyconnectedtoimages,representations,andpicturesbutalsotoimagination,appearance,apparition,andlooks.Andwiththelook,itisconnectedtovision,thegaze,eyes,andthenotionofvisibility.Buttheviewisnotfullyidenticalwithanyofthose.Itisrelatedtoaestheticsbutalsototopography,torepresentationandperception.1
Inmyessay,Iwillfocusonthreepoints,eachoneestablishingadifferentsituationoflooking.Theirinterlacinginthistextaimstoshowdifferentaspectsofvisualexperience.ThefirstisZbigniewLiberasphotographicseriesLaVue(20042006).ThesecondisGoogleStreetViewimagery,oneofthetoolsofGoogleEarthandGoogleMaps.ThethirdislatenineteenthandearlytwentiethcenturyFrenchwriterRaymondRousselstechniqueofbuildingdescription.RousselstechniquebecomesanobjectofanalysisbecauseitinspiredLiberastwophotographicprojectsandthuscontextualizestheartistswork.RousselstechniquealsoestablishesadiscursiveanalogonforGoogleMapsimagery.Inallthreeexamples,Iwillinvestigatehoweachconstructsitsownvantagepointsandexaminehowthosevantagepointsinterferewiththepointofviewofanempiricalspectator.Intheend,however,mygoalistoshowthatastabledivisionbetweenanimagesvantagepointandaspectatorsperspectiveisimpossibletomaintain.
FlatPicturesandNonhumanPerception:ZbigniewLiberasLaVue
Whatdoyousee?ThisisthequestionweaskwhenencounterZbigniewLiberas(b.1959)photographicseriesLaVue(20042006;inFrench,theview,comefromthetitleofa1904poembyRaymondRoussel(18771933))[Fig.1,Fig.2].Thesephotographsfailtoshowwhattheypromise:views,orviewsoflandscapes.Thispromiseisnotonlygiveninthetitle,butalsointheimage.Itisexpressedinitsappearanceandactivatedintheworkofrecognitionandidentification.
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Figure1.ZbigniewLibera(b.1959),LaVueseries,20042006,photograph,courtesyofRasterGallery,Warsaw.
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Figure2.ZbigniewLibera(b.1959),LaVueseries,20042006,photograph,courtesyofRasterGallery,Warsaw.
WhatweseeinLaVuearephotographicprints,colorfulandsometimesoutoffocus.Weimmediatelystartsearchingforfamiliarshapesandmotifsandbegintoassociatethecolorswithfamiliarlandscapes.Perhapsitisnoteventhatwesearchforfamiliarity,forwithoutthoughtwearealreadyconvincedofwhatwerelookingat:abeach,thesky,adesert.But,insteadofabeach,askyandadesert,wearereallylookingatcloseupsofprintedmagazines,photographed,ormisphotographed,byusingasmallpicturecamerawithamacrolens.Oneofthepicturesshowsaclearhorizonlinedividinglandfromthesky,bothwreathedintonesofyellowandred.Supposedlyweseeadesert.Thebrightcircleoflightcouldbethesuncaughtinthatmomentwhenstillglaring,butnotquiteenoughtolightthepatchoflandbeneaththatalreadystartsdisappearincrimsonreddarkness.Beneaththehorizonline,thebrightnessisalreadysuccumbingtodarkness.Somefragmentsarestillclearandsharp,makingpartsofthelandlooklikeasanddune.Andonlyafterwards,ifatall,wenoticethestrangelightbluemistatthebottomofthepicture.Andthenwestarttorealizethephotosgrainyqualityandhowtheshadowsadoptoddlyirregularforms.Werealizesomethingiswrong.Weunderstandthatoureyeshavedeceivedus,thatoursenseofvisualconfidencewasanillusion.Wewerefoolednotonlybywhatwesaw,butalsobythetitle,andfinallybythemediumofphotographyitself.Welookedthroughthephotograph,andnotatit.
Liberaphotographspaintedsurfacestocreateviewsthatdonotexistoutsideofhispictures,butappearreal.TheartistsgesturemaybeunderstoodinaBaudrillardianmode:anillustrationordiagnosisoftheinfamousdesertoftherealitself.2InBaudrillardsapocalypticandiconoclasticvision,signsarethesourceofothersignsandinaPlatonicprecession,theydriveusawayfromreality.Realitydoesnotexist
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anymore,signsfunctioningasitsonlysubstitute.InthisperspectivewecouldreadLaVueasthedismissalofanyconnectionsimageshavewithreality,asthedeathofrealityinthefaceofimagesthatproduceotherimages.
TheartistgivesanotherhintabouttheseriesinhisenigmaticandadmirationalstatementsaboutRaymondRousselsabsolutelyartificialwritingmethod.Rousselslifeandworkinspiredmanyartisticandliterarygroups,including:surrealists,dadaists,OuLiPo,nouveauroman,AmericanpoetssuchasJohnAshbery,aswellastheoristsincludingMichelFoucault.Rousseldescribedhistextualprocedureinhisposthumouslyissuedtext,HowIWroteCertainofMyBooks.3Theaimofhismethod,basedontheambiguityandsimilarityofwords,wastocreateliteraturethathasnothingtodowithreality.4Thebookexemplifieshisprocedurewithatextthatbeginsandendswiththesamesentence.Becauseonlyoneletterisdifferentineither,wederiveanentirelydifferentmeaningfromtheirrespectiveplaceinthetext.5Themostbasicruleoftheprocedurewastodetermineentirelyarbitrarycorrespondencesbyfollowing,forexample,thecompositionofFrenchheroicmeter,findingwordsthatsoundedsimilar,orusinghomonymy.Theprocedurewouldrequiretheauthortoendlesslycomplicatehistaskbyintroducingendlessparenthesesintothetext.Rousselalsostartedandendedhistextswiththesamesentence,whichhadadifferentmeaningineachusage.Theprocedureconstantlytestedtheauthorsabilitytomaneuverbetweenthearbitraryrulesandhistalenttocreateliteraryimages.
FoucaultwrotethatRoussel,theauthorofLocusSolus,doesntwanttoduplicatetherealityofanotherworld,but,inthespontaneousdualityoflanguage,hewantstodiscoveranunexpectedspace,andtocoveritwiththingsneversaidbefore.6AsAllainRobbeGrilletsaid,RaymondRousseldescribes,andthereisnothingbeyondthatdescription;nothingthatwecouldtraditionallycallthemessageRousselseemstohavenothingtosay.7Subordinatedtotextualadventuresandarbitraryrulesofcreation,literatureisflat.Readerswillnotfindpsychologicaldepth,movement,temporalduration,action,orgeometricaldepth.Thereisnoillusionofvolume,noristhereanykindofrealityeffect.
Inhiswritingprocedure,Rousselthusstrovetocreateanautonomousworld,aswellasanautonomousmodeofperception.Inthestaticviewswithinhistexts,nonhumanvision,atermusedbyPierreJanet,afamouspsychiatristandRousselspersonaldoctor,doesntsimulaterealperception,orevenanykindofvisualrepresentation.8InRousselsliteraturethereisnoperspectivalmodelandnomovementoftheeyesonthehorizontalaxis.Viewschangelikemoviestillswithoutfluency;objectscastnoshadowandtheeyeimpliedinRousselsliteratureiscapableofseeingaminiaturepictureofasizeoffewmillimetersrenderingabeachcontoursandlandscapesareabsolutelyclear.Ontheothersideofabaythereisacarriding,thereisamaninthiscar,thismanhasgotacane,andonthehandguardofthiscanethereisasmallpicture,renderingandsoon.9
Still,hisliteratureisnotmeaningless.Neitherisitautomatic,nordeprivedofsense.Itsautomaticityandextremeboredomresultfromademandingformalprocedure.Therefore,IarguethatAndreBrtonmissedthepointwhendescribingRousselstechnique:Whenextremearbitrarinesswasimposedonaliterarysubject,theaimwastohideit,todisperseitinnumerousfragments.10Rousseldidnthideanything;everythinginhisworkwasflatandonthesurface.Theworld,thestory,thediegesisofhisautonomousliteraturecannotbedismissedasunimportantbecausetogethertheyformanintegralpartandaresultofhistextualprocedures.
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RousselsprocedureinspiredLiberanotonlyinLaVue,butalsoaseriesoftemplephotographsfromthesameperiod[Fig.3,Fig.4].11Liberasphotographscapturefamoustemples,amongthemforexampleSantaMariadelFiorewithBrunelleschisiconicdome.Insteadofphotographingthebuildingsthemselves,hetookpicturesoftheirrenderingsfromaphotographicalbum.ThisprocedurebringstomindWalterBenjaminscanonicalessayTheWorkofArtintheAgeofItsTechnologicalReproducibility,atextpublishedayearbeforeRousselssuicide,notonlybecauseLiberaconductsquintessentiallymodernexperimentswithphotography,butalsobecauseofhischoiceofphotographedsubject.12Infact,itisatemple,whichBenjaminpointstoasthetypicalexampleofaworkofart,whoseconditionischangedbytheuseofphotography.AccordingtoBenjaminsvision,theworkofart(acathedral)cannowbeseeninawayinaccessibletothehumaneye,duetothedifferentpointsofviewandcloseupsenabledbyphotography.Benjaminwrites:Thecathedralleavesitssitetobereceivedinthestudioofanartlover.13Itcanalsoappearinsituationsthetempleitselfcannotaccess.
Figure3.ZbigniewLibera(b.1959),Untitled,2006,photograph,courtesyofRasterGallery,Warsaw.
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Figure4.ZbigniewLibera(b.1959),Untitled,2006,photograph,courtesyofRasterGallery,Warsaw.
Liberasworkexploresthelimitsofmechanicalreproduction,swappingthephotographforthecathedralastheprimarypointofreference.Liberatakeshisphotographsfromastrange,unconventionalangleinordertoexposetheflatnessofthefirst,originalphotographicwork.Inthiscontext,hisworkscanbeunderstoodascommentariesonphotographyitself.InthespiritofRousselsprocedure,heexplorestherealmofrepresentation,therelationbetweenrepresentationsandtheirrepresentations(andnotbetweentheworldanditsrepresentation),seekingtodisplayandmakeuseoftheinternalrelationsofthisworld.JustlikeinRousselspoems,Liberacreatesamechanicalperception.Byshiftingthepointofviewofthecamera,hecreatesatechnicalgaze,visibleinandasthisshift.Whatthisphotorepresentsisnotthetemple,butagazegeneratedbetweenthefirstandthesecondphoto.
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MechanicalProcedureandItsRelationtoReality:GoogleMaps
Sofar,mycommentsonRousselsliteraryprojectandLiberasphotographicrealizationsconfirmaninterpretationabouttheworksasdisconnectedfromreality,affirmingformality,mechanicality,andunreality,aninterpretationthatfitsintoBaudrillardsmodel.Baudrillardmournsthedeathoftherealcausedbytheabundanceofrepresentations.RousselandmaybeLiberaaswell,seemtoaffirmthisattitude.14
Googlesenterprisefitswellintothenarrativeschemeofrepresentationunderstoodasreduplication,misrepresentation,andasrepresentationthatbreaksoffitsconnectionwithreality.ThetotalityofGooglesenterpriseevenseemstoembodytheopeningimageformBaudrillardsessayThePrecessionofSimulacra,whichborrowsanimagefromthewritingsofBorges.There,thecartographersmadprojectisamapthatcoverstheentireterritoryoftheEmpire.15Initsmissionstatement,Googleenterprisestressesthecompanysambitiontoorganizeinformation,bothintextbasedprojects(forexampleGooglesmainbrowser,orGoogleBooks)asinvisualrepresentationsoftheworld(GoogleImages,orGoogleArtProject).GoogleaccomplishesbeforeoureyescertaingreatfantasiesofWesternculture.Itisagiantarchive,expandinginproportiontothecollateralexpansionofdata.16Itisanenormouslibraryaccumulatingasizableamountofthepastandalmostthewholeofthepresent(thoughitstillhassomeproblemswiththefuture).ThankstothecombinedtoolsofGoogleEarth,GoogleMapsandGoogleStreetView,Googleisbothagiantmapandpanoramaatonce.Itnotonlymakesdifferentpointsofviewsaccessibletoasingleviewer,butalsocreatesnewrenderingsoftraditionalgenresandwaysofrepresentingspace.MadeapparentinBorgesmadproject,oneoftheambitionsofWesternculture,tograspanimageoftheworldthatwouldbeatoncecompleteandrealistic(thankstophotographysrealityeffect),canfinallybeperformedbyGoogleapplications.17Andeventhoughthesetoolsarepoliticalandimperialintheirgesturesandstrategiesofrepresenting,theycanalsobeusedtacticallyandreadsubversively.18
ThevisualanddigitalrepresentationsofGooglemapping,especiallyitsStreetView,generatespecificwaysofshowingspecificpointsofview.TheworldofGoogleapplicationsisgeneratedbyaprocedure,anautomaticandalgorithmicrenderingprocess.GoogleStreetViewcars,roamingcitystreets,takephotoseverytentotwentymeters.Theseimagesarethendigitallysuturedtogetherandrenderedascontinuous.ButasinthecaseofRousselspoems,anautomaticandmechanicalproceduredoesntruleoutthecreationofacomplexinternalworldwithpeculiarrelationsandcontent.Flatdoesntmeanempty.
BeforecommentingontheprocessoflookinginscribedinGoogleStreetView,towhichIwillreturninmoredepthlater,IshouldemphasizethatinterpretingGoogleMapsasacurtainthatwecouldmistakeforreality,seemsnotonlyiconoclastic,butwouldalsoinscribeourpresentwithinateleologicalmodelwherewearegraduallydisconnectedfromreality.Accordingtothismodel,everynewvisualtechniqueortoolseemstoworknotasadifferentkindofmediation,butasastronger,higherandlargerwallalienatingusfromanutopian,pureexperienceandclearperception.Thisprocessofalienationissupposedtobeincreasinglydeceptive,asitneedstoconvinceusofitsrealness.Undoubtedlyourwaysofseeingarechanging,butcanwereallyobserveaprocessoflosingcontactwithreality?Anddothosechangesreallymarkadeparturefromreality?Suchastancewouldrequirethinkingaboutvisionassomethingnatural,immediateanddirect.Baudrillardsunderstandingofrepresentationsilentlyimpliesthesamenostalgiaforanunmediatedexperience.
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Ifweleavebehindthismodelthatconceivesrepresentationasarelationbetweenimage(sign)andtheworld,wecanrethinkthecategoryoftheviewandtherelationbetweenrepresentationandexperience.Myaimhereisnottosuggestanoppositionalmodel,inwhichrepresentationisunderstoodasasimplerelationbetweentheimageandtheobserver,whogainstotalagencyandinterpretativepower.Instead,turningtowardtheprocessoflookinghelpsmoveourinterpretationfromelucidatinganimageasrealityssupplementtoconsideringitanimportantelementintheprocessesoflooking.Inthisinterpretation,animagewouldbepresentinourlook,activelyformingitevenwhenoureyesarenotlookingatapicture.Itcouldalsonotbemaintainedwithinaclosedframe,butwouldactivelypermeateintoourlook(forexampleasanafterimage).Suchexpansionalsohelpstoavoidartificiallyjuxtaposingthesupposedlyclear,transparentandpassiveeyewiththeclosed,framedobjectpicture.Instead,itshouldemphasizetheirmutualcodependence.
ConfrontingYourOwnGaze:BacktoZbigniewLibera
Ithinkthatitistherightmomenttofinally,inthecontextofreceptionorperception,maybealittleagainstLiberasintentions,todumptheanalogybetweenpictorialandtextualimages.Letsdaretoreconsiderthelongdisputeovertherelationbetweenpoetryandpainting.Iassumethatspatialityisntalientoliterature,butisactuallyinevitableandunavoidable;itisalsoconstitutiveforthepracticeandexperienceofreading,fortheexistenceofliterature,itisnotmeremetaphor.19WhatLiberasphotographsshow,andwhattheyplaywith,isthenonmetaphoricalaspectofvisioninapicture,onethatwouldbeimpossibletocreateinatext.20
LetsaskabouttherelationbetweenLiberaspicturesandthevisionofaspectator.IvestatedthatinthetempleseriesLiberacreatesamechanicalgazebetweentwophotographs:thephotographedphotographandhisownartworkphotograph.Thisdoesntmeanthatheenforcesthispointofviewonthespectatorofhiswork.Rather,whenthespectatorstrugglestoreconcilehervisionwithnonhumanvision,shehastoacknowledgetheexistenceofanother,incompatiblewayofseeingbesidesherownvision.Theseries,drawingonthetacticsofanamorphosis,destabilizesthepositionoftheviewerinamannerthatgeneratesuncertaintyandfluctuation.21
IwouldliketorecallanearlierphotoseriesbyLibera,thisonenotinspiredbyRoussel.Positives(20022003)exploresnotonlythemediumofphotography,butalsothemediaofmemoryandvision.InPositives,Liberarecreatesandenlargesscenesfromphotographsofdramatichistoricalevents,picturesthatoccupythememoryofhisgeneration.Accordingtothetitleoftheseries,Liberainvertsthemoodandsenseofthesephotos,byshowingscenesofhappinessandcooperation.ForexampleLiberasphotographResidentsrecallsa1945photograph[Fig.5].WhiletheoriginalphotographdocumentsemaciatedAuschwitzprisonersonthedayofliberation,Liberashowsagroupofpeoplesmilingserenelyforthephotograph.Theirposes,clothesandfiguresarealmostidenticaltothoseofcampprisonersfromthewellknownoriginal.Thefirstthingthatappearsbeforeoureyesisthisoriginalphotograph,whichfunctionslikeavisualclich.Afteramomentoflooking,thespectatorgraspsthedifference.
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Figure5.ZbigniewLibera(b.1959),Residents(fromthePositivesseries),2003,photograph,courtesyofRasterGallery,Warsaw.
Positivesexploitsthequalitiesofviewing[Fig.6].Liberamightenlargephotographs(theyaremuchbiggerthantheoriginalpictures),butthisdoesnthelpustoseethemanybetter.Rather,Positivescritiquesrepresentationbyflatteningthephenomenatheyoughttorepresent;itcritiquesthepublicspassiveacclimationtocertainimages,forgettingwhattheyshowandwhattheyrefer;theycritiquepassivityanddistancegeneratedbycertainusesofphotography;itcritiquesourwaysoflooking.Buttoachievethesecriticalgoals,Positivesneedstouseandrevealitsspectatorsvision.Whatisrepresentedhereand,inotherwaysalsoinLaVueandthetempleseries,isvisionitself.Thespectatorseyeisessentialforthispiecetostartworking.Inawaythesepicturesareemptyuntiltheyaregazedupon,becausevisionistheirmatterandcontent.WhatLiberasviewsshowisthatitisnotpossibletoseparatevisionfromrepresentationortherepresentationalaspectsofthevisionfromthepictureorworldbeinglookedat.Moreover,theyshowthatitsonlytheoreticallypossibletodifferentiatetheviewimpliedinthepictureandtheviewoftheempiricalspectator.AlthoughLiberausesrepresentations,inLaVue,representationsofrepresentations,hisworksexposetheprocessoflookingasalwaysopaque,distortedandunclear.
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Figure6.ZbigniewLibera(b.1959),Nepal(fromthePositivesseries),2003,photograph,courtesyofRasterGallery,Warsaw.
Liberaspicturesservehereasmetapictures,picturesaboutpictures,astheyexposewhatisessentialtoeveryvisualexperience.Theyshowvisionasrecreatingandrecreated,visionnegotiatingwithpointsofview,andwaysofviewingpreparedforit.Theviewbecomestheresultofthesenegotiations.
TheSelectiveEye:GoogleStreetView
Iwouldliketocomparetwopictures.Thefirstisaclassicalpostcardlandscape[Fig.7];thesecondisaresultofthemechanicalprocedureofphotographingbyGoogleStreetView[Fig.8].Thefirstoneiscarefullycomposed,andinawayitresemblesaviewfromaboveitisexternal,closed,framedwhilethesecondonefromStreetViewmightseemlikethepostcard,butonlyatfirstsight.
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Figure7.PhotobyClarissaPeterson,CCBYNCSA2.0(source:flickr).
Figure8.GoogleStreetViewscreencapture.TakenApril16,2013.
Bothpicturesarentinterestedinpeople(considerGooglesstrategyofdefacingpeopleappearingontheirphotographs).Whereasthepostcardistheresultofchoosingarepresentativeview,theStreetViewphotographhasnoambitionofbecomingtherightandproperpicture.Neitheriscomposedclearlyenough.GoogleStreetViewisnotfocusedonthequalityofthepictures,butratherontheexperienceofvision,ofviewingspace.Andthisexperienceisunderstoodanddisplayedasactive,continuous,fluid.Orratheritappearsso.AsGooglestillcannotfulfillitsfantasyofshowingeverythinginrealtimelikeagreatlivesurveillancevideosystem,itusesmontagetoconstructanillusionofmovement.The
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incorporealeyeofGoogleStreetViewcanembracealargeangleofvision(360horizontallyand270vertically).Itscrucialfeatureistheabilitytomovebetweenthesinglesuturedpictures,aswellasblowupchosenelementsofthephotographs.Thesystem,however,haslimits.Afteracoupleofclicks,weencountertheborderofvisibilityandarethrownback.Thiscontrastswiththeunlimitedmovementforward.Onscreenthismoveisnotshownasswitchingfromonepicturetoanother.Thereisnotblackedoutscreenandnovisualizationofuploadingthenextphoto.Thephotosaresewntogether,andtheseamsarepreciselytheplaceswherenonhumanvisionisvisible.ToillustratethewayGoogleStreetViewfunctions,IturntoapassagebyLevManovichfromhiswritingonnewmediaaesthetics:
The1990scompositingsupportedadifferentaestheticscharacterizedbysmoothnessandcontinuity.Theelementswerenowblendedtogether,andtheboundarieswereerased,ratherthanemphasized.Thisaestheticsofcontinuitycanbebestobservedintelevisionspotsandspecialeffectssequencesoffeaturefilmswhichactuallyputtogetherthroughdigitalcompositing(i.e.,compositinginthenarrow,technicalsense).
Wecouldalsowonder,whatarethesourcesofthiskindofvisionofvision.22
TheaestheticsofcontinuityiswhatbestcharacterizestherelationbetweensuccessivephotographsinGoogleStreetView.Introducingmovementtotheview,theyconstituteacontinuum.23
TheRenaissanceoftheExhausted,ImperialLandscape
PhotographicprojectsbyartistslikeMichaelWolforJohnRaffman,whichcutoutsinglepicturesfromtheoverwhelmingpanoramicimageofGoogleStreetView,demonstratehowoureyesperceiveandrecognizeviews,formsofpresentationandgenres,whicharealreadyknown.Raffmanchoosesphotographsthatshowhowthemethodofphotographing,artlessandindifferent,doesnotremoveourtendencytoseeintentionandpurposeinimages[http://9eyes.com/].24Viewersidentifythestyles,situations,stories,andmotifsinGoogleStreetView,treatingthemasintentionallycreated.
ButperhapsthemostfruitfulandmostobviousanalogyherewouldbetheonecomparingGoogleStreetViewimagestoclassicallandscapepainting.Themythabouttheoriginsoflandscapepaintingisastoryofemancipationfromothergenres.25Inthismyththeestablishmentoflandscapepaintingasanindependentgenre(itsemancipationfromfunctioningonlyasthebackgroundforasceneorportrait)isaresultofmanyfactorsandprocesses.Oneofthemisthedevelopmentofanewunderstandingofnature.Theotheristhedisengagementofthespectatorfromtheworld,aswellassuchpracticalissuesastheusefulnessofthisgenreintheevolutionoftechnicalartisticskills.26
Butthereisalsoanotherstoryabouttheoriginsoflandscapepainting,astoryofexclusion.FromtheexampleofGiorgionesTheTempest,wecanseehowagenrecanalsobedefinednegatively,throughthatwhichcannotbesaidaboutit.Giorgionespaintingdidnotalloweasyiconographicalinterpretation,andsoitwaspronouncedthefirstlandscapepaintingoftheItalianrenaissance.27Thegenreisonedisconnectedfromastory,certainevents,orpeople.Thegenreestablishesanideologicallyconstructedview,grantingthevieweraspecificposition.
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LetmequoteafewoftheeightThesesonLandscapefromW.J.T.MitchellsessayImperialLandscape:
1.Landscapeisnotagenreofartbutamedium.
2.Landscapeisamediumofexchangebetweenselfandtheother.
8.LandscapeasaparticularhistoricalformationassociatedwithEuropeanimperialismisanexhaustedmedium,nolongerviableasamodeofartisticexpression.Likelife,landscapeisboring;wemustnotsayso.28
Althoughtherelationbetweentheviewandthelandscapeisuncertain(stemmingfromthesamefamilyofconcepts,theyarenotidentical,interchangeableorsymmetrical),manyofMitchellsthesescanbeappliedtothecategoryoftheview.Iwouldespeciallyliketoconcentrateonthemediatorystatusoftheview.Suchanunderstandingoftheviewallowsustoreflectuponitsposition,place,andlocationinaprocessoflooking.AsIhavetriedtoshowinmyanalysisofLiberaswork,theviewislocatedinvisionitself,inpracticesoflooking.Themediatingpositionofaviewwouldmeanthattheviewfunctionsasanextensionofoureyes,andatthesametimeasthatwhichisinbetweentheretinaofaneyeandthesurfaceofwhatisseen.
ByconceivingGoogleStreetViewasanenormouslandscape,Idonotaimtoplacethisformofimaginginahistoricalcontext.Mygoalisnottocomparetheexperienceoftheviewerconstructedbythesoftwareandbytraditionallandscapepainting.WhatIwanttostress,however,istheideological,imperial,andlessvisiblestrategiesofGoogleStreetView.ThesearevisibleinGooglesslogan,toorganizetheworldsinformationandmakeituniversallyaccessible,whichassumesnotonlyasimpleappropriationoftheworld,apictorialcolonization,butalsoitsstandardizationandsubordinationto(postEnlightenment)systemsofvalue.Theseprocessesare,moreover,achievedthroughvisualmeasures.
Mitchellmightberight,then,whenhewritesthatlandscapeisanexhaustedmediuminWesternart.Althoughofcoursetheendoflandscapeismythical.IntoolssuchasGoogleStreetView,however,landscapereinventsitselfasacommonandpopulartool,extremelypowerfulinitsubiquity.Itseemsmuchmorepowerfulthananolder,modernformoflandscape:postcards.AsoureyesandourfingersgetaccustomedtoformsofGoogleStreetView,andthroughitsformstospecificviewsoftheworld,thereembodimentofthelandscapenaturalizesitselfinourcontemporarymediascape.
Mitchellconcludeshistheseswithakeysentence:Likelife,landscapeisboring;wemustnotsayso.IfImnotmistaken,heispointingtoJohnBerrymanspoemDreamSong14,asongofboredom,perfectlyrenderingtheexhaustionofWesternsociety.
IconcludenowIhaveno
innerresources,becauseIamheavybored.
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Peoplesboreme,
literatureboresme,especially
greatliterature,
Henryboresme,withhisplights&gripes
asbadasAchilles,
wholovespeopleandvaliantart,whichboresme.
Hisisalsoasongaboutlandscape:
Life,friends,isboring.Wemustnotsayso.
Afterall,theskyflashes,thegreatseayearns,weourselvesflashandyearn.
Whatisleftforusiseitherthepositionexemplifiedbythesubjectsoptimistic,naivemother(Evertoconfessyourebored/meansyouhaveno/InnerResources.)orthepassiveandhelplesssubject(andsomehowadog/hastakenitself&itstailconsiderablyaway/intothemountainsorseaorsky,leaving/behind:me,wag.).Arethereanyotherpositionsavailableinfrontofanexhaustedmedium?29
1.
SeeamongsomanyotherW.J.T.Mitchell,ed.,LandscapeandPower(Chicago:UniversityofChicagoPress,2002,secondedition)andDenisE.Cosgrove,SocialFormationandSymbolicLandscape(Madison:UniversityofWisconsinPress,1998).Althoughbothauthorsfavorthecategoryoflandscape,theyshowitsclosedependenceonaviewaswellasthepracticeoflooking,andsituateboththeseconceptswithinabroadertopographicalrelationwithplaceandspace.
2.
JeanBaudrillard,SimulacraandSimulation,trans.SheilaFairaGlaser(Michigan:UniversityofMichiganPress,1994),2.
3.
RaymondRoussel,HowIWroteCertainofMyBooks,trans.TrevorWinkfield(NewYork:SUN,1977).
4.
CitedinBohdanBanasiak,RaymondRoussel,Soceekstazyinocmelancholii(Lodz:Thesaurus2007).MuchofmyknowledgeaboutRaymondRousselsliterarypracticeisdrawnfromBodganBanasiaksexcellentbookonRoussel.
5.
Withinhisdaytodaylife,Rousseldidntwanttointerferewithrealityinanyway.Forexample,heorderedaspecialmodelofatruckcamperintheRollsRoycefactoryarouletteautomobile,thatallowedhimtotravelwithoutmovingfromhishome.
6.
MichelFoucault,DeathandtheLabyrinth:TheWorldofRaymondRoussel,trans.CharlesRaus(London:Continuu,,1986),18.
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7.
AlainRobbeGrillet,ZagadkiiprzezroczustouRaymondaRoussela,trans.(Polish)EwaWieleyska,Literaturanawiecie910(2007).
8.
SeeJ.Garrab,Martial,ouPierreJanetetRaymondRoussel,AnnalesMedicoPsychologiques,166(2008).
9.
Here,IgiveashortsummaryofRousselsliteraturebyBogdonBanasiak,Soceekstazy.10.
AndreBreton,RaymondRoussel(18771933),trans.(Polish)EwaWieleyska,Literatura
nawiecie910(2007).11.
TheserieswasshowednexttoLaVueinasmallexhibitioninParistitlesNouvellesImpressions
dAfrique(NewImpressionsofAfrica),atitledonceagainderivedfromRousselsliterature.NouvellesImpressionsdAfrique,GallerieAnnedeVillepoix,Paris,November2006.
12.
WalterBenjamin,TheWorkofArtintheAgeofItsTechnicalReproducibility,inTheWorkofArtintheAgeofItsTechnicalReproducibilityandOtherWritingsonMedia,ed.MichaelW.Jenning,BrigidDoherty,ThomasY.Levin(Cambridge,MA:BelknapPressofHarvardUniversityPress,2008).
13. Benjamin,TheWorkofArt,22.14.
UnlesswereadRousselinthespiritofPauldeMan,whoemphasizestheradical
incommensurabilityofliteratureandreality,butdoesntassumetheannihilatingpowerofrepresentations.
15.
JeanBaudrillard,ProcessionofSimulacras,SimulacraandSimulation,3.16.
AGooglesearchdoesnotsearchtheinternet,ofcourse,butinsteaditsearchesitsowncatalog
oftheinternet.17.
W.J.T.Mitchellnotesthatanothergreathistoricalfantasyisnolongeramerefantasy,but
alreadyareality,namelythecloneunderstoodasalivingpicture.SeeCloningTerror:TheWarofImages,9/11tothePresent(Chicago:UniversityofChicagoPress,2011).
18.
ThequestionsofpoliticalandideologicalimplicationsofGoogleareextremelyimportantanddiscussedinabundance.SeeStevenLevy,InthePlex:HowGoogleThinks,Works,andShapesOurLives(NewYork:Simon&Schuster,2011).
19.
W.J.T.Mitchell,SpatialForminLiterature:TowardaGeneralTheory,CriticalInquiry6,no.3(1980),541.
20.
Ofcourseitisimpossible,unlessoneforexampleusescoloredfonts,asRousselwanted.21.
Anamorphosisforcestheviewertochangehis/herpointofviewtoseeproperlyandtosee
everything.Butchangingthepointofviewmeansloosingpartofthepicturefromonessight.Thefigureofanamorphosismarkstheimpossibilityofthestabilizationofvisionandcompletenessoftheseenobject,andthatisoneofthereasonswhyitbecamepopularinthedomainofpsychoanalysis,startingwithJacquesLacansanalysisofTheAmbassadorsbyHansHolbein.SeeJacquesLacan,TheFourFundamentalConceptsofPsychoanalysis,ed.JacquesAlainMiller,trans.AlanSheridan(NewYork:W.W.Norton&Co.,1998).
22.
LevManovich,LanguageofNewMedia(Cambridge,MA:MITPress,2002),142.23.
Itisworthmentioningthatthereisnothingtechnologicallynecessaryinthiswayofshowinga
shiftfromonepicturetoanother.GoogleStreetViewanditsconstructionoftheviewisafantasyaboutseeing,afantasyasfantasticassciencefiction,whichmaybeoneofthesourcesofthiskindofvision.
24.
JohnRafman,9EyeofGoogleStreetView,www.9eyes.com,accessedSeptember30,2012.25.
CharlesHarrison,TheEffectsofLandscape,LandscapeandPower,213214.26.
SeeMartinWarnke,PoliticalLandscape(Cambridge,MA:HarvardUniversityPress,1994).27.
SeeDanLattieri,LandscapeandLyricisminGiorgionesTemptesta,ArtibusetHistoriae30
(1994).28. Mitchell,LandscapeandPower,5.
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29.
TheauthoristhebeneficiaryofaStartGrantfromtheFoundationforPolishScience.