mediating visual experience

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.

Figure1.ZbigniewLibera(b.1959),LaVueseries,20042006,photograph,courtesyofRasterGallery,Warsaw.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

29. TheauthoristhebeneficiaryofaStartGrantfromtheFoundationforPolishScience.