University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses

If only I could remember

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If only I could remember

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Content IF ONLY I COULD REMEMBER
by
Erik Christian Adolph
A Thesis P resented to the
FACULTY OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirem ents for the Degree
MASTER OF FINE ARTS
(Studio Fine Arts)
D ecem ber 1 9 9 4
Copyright 1 9 9 4 Erik C. Adolph
UNIVERSITY O F SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
THE GRADUATE SCHOOL
UNIVERSITY PARK
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 9 0 0 0 7
This thesis, written by
under the direction of h.iS. Thesis Co-mmittee,
and approved by all its members, has been pre
sented to and accepted by the Dean of The
Graduate School, in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the degree of
£ktK QftiSTiAtJ /Idq& H .
Dtaa
D a te .D ecember 5, 1994__
THESIS COMMITTEE
A s h a re d im p u lse a m o n g m a n y y o u n g a rtists to d a y - to reflect th e id e a
of a rt's au to n o m y an d a d d r e s s its c o n n e c tio n to la rg e r so c ia l c o n te x ts - h a s m a d e itself
felt in a h o st of re c e n t exhibitions. R a th e r th a n rea c tin g a g a in s t th e m o v e m e n ts th a t
p r e c e d e d th e m , to d a y 's y o u n g a rtists s e e m to a d o p t th e la n g u a g e s of th e ir artistic
p re c u rs o rs , b u t in fo rm s diluted of rad ic al p o ten tial. T h is d im in ish m e n t of political
a g e n c y , d o e s not point to a willful c o m p la c e n c y o n th e p a rt of th e a rtists; ra th e r it is
sy m p to m atic o f a n a w a re n e s s th a t w e a r e living th ro u g h a tra g ic e r a b u t c a n find no
la n g u a g e a d e q u a te to d efin e it. A rtists to d a y s e e e x p e rie n c e for w h a t it is, its
fra g m e n ta ry a n d alien atin g n a tu re inform s th e ir artistic d isp o sitio n .
T h e m e th o d s a n d p rin cip les of C o n c e p tu a l a rt, a s w ell a s c e rta in art-an a ly tic
p r o c e s s e s of "M odernist" d eriv atio n , a r e in d e e d r e fe re n c e p o in ts fo r m a n y y o u n g e r
artists. T h is rethinking of "H istorical" c o n c e p tu a lism o b v io u sly ta k e s off from th e
in v e stig a tio n s of th e la te e ig h tie s. Its a im s w ould in c lu d e, a n im p la c a b le critiq u e of an y
a n d all c la im s to o b je ctiv e k n o w led g e o r truth, a n a e s th e tic p r e fe re n c e fo r th e "free
p lay of th e signifiers,"i th e p ra c tic e of p a s tic h e , a n d its so cio -p o liticat p re fe re n c e for
th e n e w la n g u a g e of "difference" a n d su b je c t-p o sitio n o v e r o ld e r p e rs p e c tiv e s b a s e d
o n c o n c e p ts of stru ctu ra l o p p o sitio n , c e n te re d s u b je c t a n d a b s o lu te other. O th e r
c la s s ic a l c o n c e p tu a l in te n tio n s w ould h a v e to in c lu d e a n e x p a n s io n of in te re st from
th e te x t to th e c o n te x t of art, from th e c o d e s o f e s th e tic e x p re s s io n to th e s y s te m in
w hich th o s e c o d e s o p e ra te . T h is c o n c e p tu a lism c o n c e r n s itself w ith efforts to
u n d e rs ta n d how th e art s y s te m legitim izes itself, w h a t id e o lo g ie s s u s ta in it a n d
c irc u late a ro u n d it, how it c o n te s ts o th e r m o d e s of co m m u n ic a tio n a n d how it su p p o rts
th e m . T h e s e in ten tio n s all boil dow n to a rt's rela tio n sh ip w ith th e so c ia l. S o in th e s a m e
m o m e n t b o th th e Ih eo retica l, reflexive a s p e c t of c o n c e p tu a l a rt ( m o st o b viously in th e
m o d e of J o s e p h K osuth) a n d its a n a rc h ic , b eh a v io ra l s id e ( in th e w o rk of Vito
A cconci, for ex a m p le ) a s w ell a s th e an aly tic d riv e s of 7 0 's p ain tin g , a r e b ein g
re in te rp re te d . To th e y o u n g artists of today, rad ical la te 6 0 's a n d 7 0 's a rt w a s fatally
ineffective in d isarm in g th e inform ation s y s te m s m a n ip u la tiv e p o w er. T h is w ork also
failed to sa tisfy th e n e e d s of its so ciety .
W h at is n o ta b le for a rtists to d a y is th a t th e p ro je c t of signification, of th e
c o n stru c tio n a n d m a in te n a n c e of s o m e co llectiv e s y s te m of c o n s e n s u a l m e a n in g a n d
m e a n in g p ro d u ctio n , s o m e u n iv e rsa l "politics of re p re s e n ta tio n ," h a s b e e n
a b a n d o n e d ,a n d th e p ro jec t of th at o ld e r p ro je c t's p ro b le m a tiz a tio n h a s b e e n ta k e n up.
Yet, e v e n th o u g h th e old distinction b e tw e e n "high" a n d "low" o r " m a s s " cu ltu re no
lo n g e r h o ld s w a te r (if, in d e e d it e v e r did), w e c a n n o n e th e le s s d is c e rn e v e n w ithin
c o n te m p o ra ry p o stm o d e rn ist cu ltu re so m e th in g like a h ie ra rc h ic ally o rd e re d sp e c tru m
of p ra c tic e s. At th e top, for th o s e with th e cultural a n d literal c a p ita l to ta k e it in, m ostly
a t p riv ate lib e ral-arls sc h o o ls o r in th e p a g e s of O c to b e r m a g a z in e , w e c a n find an d
s itu a te th e p o stm o d e rn ism of p ro b lem atiz atio n 1 h a v e b e e n trying to d e s c rib e . At th e
bottom , or, m o re precisely, for practically e v e ry o n e e ls e in o u r so c iety , th e re is th e
s p e c ta c le of a p p a re n tly e n d le s s , a n d fo re v e r m u ta tin g (a lb e it co m m o d ified ) ch o ic e , in
th e g e n ia l, in c e s s a n t intertextuality a n d fre e p la y of th e h u n d r e d s of m a g a z in e , t V a n d
e v e n c o m p u te r a d v e rtise m e n ts e v e ry o n e of u s is now s u p p o s e d to s e e a n d ta k e in on
s o m e level of c o n s c io u s n e s s e v e ry day.
In h is b o o k “T h e E clip se of R e a so n ," M ax H o rk h e im e r w rite s th a t th e th re a t
p o s e d to civilization by th e m a ssiv e cu ltu re in d u stry c o n s is ts in its a s s a u lt o n th e
c a p a c ity to e n g a g e in critical th o u g h t a s a m ean in g fu l form of s o c ia l d is c o u r s e.2 With
th e e s c a la tio n o f th e m e d ia a s s a u lt, p e o p le of all so c ia l c l a s s e s s e e m le s s a n d le s s
a b le to p e n e tra te b e y o n d th e s u rfa c e s of th in g s to re a c h a s p e c ts th a t m a y not b e
im m ed ia te ly visible. M any p e o p le s e e m in c re asin g ly u n a b le to c o n c e iv e of th e
possibility th a t th e im agination, o r re a s o n , m ight b e e m p lo y e d to yield k n o w led g e .
Is th is c o n c e s s io n a n a c t of a b a n d o n in th e fa c e of a c u ltu re th a t o ffe rs nothing
b u t m y th s a n d m a s k s , in w hich all sig n s of th e individual, th e o riginal, th e tra n s g re s s iv e
s e e m c o d e d a n d irretrievably flac cid ? N eith er a n a u s te r e re fu s a l of th e m a ss-c u ltu ra l
n o r a d ia le c tic a l inv o lv em en t w ith its im a g ery a n d m ateriality is n e c e s s a r ily critical
to d a y .
My w ork ta k e s a s a b a s ic p re m ise a d istru st of not only w h a t w e 'v e b e e n told
a b o u t a rt h isto ry a n d a e s th e tic th e o ry b u t th e v e ry n a tu re of v isu a l p e rc e p tio n a n d th e
c o d e s w h ich e s ta b lish how w e sh o u ld v alu e a w ork of a rt. My c o n c e rn is not w ith th e
trad itio n al o r m o d e rn ist p ro p rie tie s of a rt - w ith refin em en t of sty le o r in n o v atio n of form . I
a m in te re s te d in a situation w h e re th e artist b e c o m e s a m a n ip u la to r of s ig n s ra th e r th a n
a p ro d u c e r o f a rt o b je c ts, a n d th e v iew er a n ac tiv e r e a d e r of m e s s a g e s ra th e r th a n a
p a s s iv e c o n te m p la to r of th e a e s th e tic o r c o n s u m e r of th e sp e c ta c u la r. W e a re d efined
by w h a t w e look a t a n d how w e re sp o n d . Y et to form a n y truly critical p ra c tic e o n e m ust
tran sfo rm ra th e r th a n m erely m an ip u la te signification, re c o n s tru c t ra th e r th a n sim ply
d is p e r s e s tr u c tu re s of subjectivity. T h e ev o c atio n of th e m o st c o n v e n tio n a l m o d e s of
v isu a l r e p re s e n ta tio n is b o th o b v io u s a n d d e lib e ra te : b ro u g h t into th e form al c a g e of
m o d e rn ism , th e s e c o n v e n tio n s ac t a s o n e p o le of a conflict b e tw e e n th e im m ed iately
leg ib le s te re o ty p e a n d th e a risto cratic h erm e tic ism of C o n c e p tu a l a rt's m etalin g u istic
p r o c e s s e s .
O u rs is a cu ltu re of se d u c tio n , of thrill. T o b e s e d u c e d is to b e sim u lta n e o u sly
lu red a n d e x c lu d e d by a fa lse im a g e of p erfectio n . In su c h a w orld of lo s s a n d unreality
w h e r e im a g e s a r e p ro fu se a n d e p h e m e ra l it is a lm o st to b e e x p e c te d th a t n o sta lg ia
w o u ld c o n s u m e u s . O u r inability to im a g e th e "unreal" p re s e n t le a v e s u s in a s ta te of
c u ltu ral sc h iz o p h re n ia w h e re w e coolly d e ta c h o u rs e lv e s in o rd e r to m e m o rialize th e
tra n sito ry activ ities o f a b y g o n e e ra . T h is d isp la c e m e n t e x p o s e s th e rift th a t e x ists
b e tw e e n h o w w e u n d e rs ta n d a n d re la te to o u r ow n id e a s of m e m o ry a n d e x p e rie n c e .
H ow w e re la te to th a t w hich is e x p e rie n c e d first h a n d a n d th a t w h ich is only av ailab le
th ro u g h d o c u m e n ta tio n , a n d a t a d is ta n c e of m a n y y e a rs . My w o rk is e n g a g e d in
q u e s tio n s a b o u t th e “politics of identity": how id en tities a r e c o n s titu te d (esp e c ia lly
th ro u g h cu ltu ral im agery) a n d w h o s e in te re sts th e s e fa b ric a tio n s s e rv e .
T h e im a g e of "self," a s d e lin e a te d th ro u g h o u t th e history of p ain tin g a n d
a n th ro p o lo g ic a l th e o ry , p o sitio n s th e e x p re ssio n of em o tio n into a co d ified lexicon that
is a s s u m e d to b e a (re )p re s e n ta tio n of w h at a lre a d y e x ists in th e n a tu ra l w orld. In my
w ork, th is im a g e of self is re-co n te x tu a iiz e d in a w a y w hich c o m m e n ts o n o u r c o n s ta n t
d e s ire to q u an tify to d a y 's sc h iz o p h re n ic identity w ithin a s y s te m w h ic h is co m p letely
arb itrary . A h u m o ro u s am biguity is implicit a s th e "identity" th a t u n fo ld s from w ithin
th e s e d ra w in g s a n d p a in tin g s o s c illa te s so m e w h e re b e tw e e n literal rec o g n itio n a n d
in n o c u o u s a b s tra c tio n . P a rt of th e p ro b lem w ith in terp retatio n m ight b e attrib u te d to th e
p ro je c tio n of m o d e rn c o n c e p ts o f p sy c h o lo g ic al h a p p in e s s o n to a cu ltu re w h o s e ow n
s e n s e of " h a p p in e s s ," o r of "th e p e rso n a l" a re profoundly slip p ery .
"In a so c ie ty w h e re no o n e c a n a n y lo n g e r b e re c o g n iz e d b y o th e rs , ev e ry
individual b e c o m e s u n a b le to re c o g n iz e his o w n reality. Ideology is a t h o m e ;
s e p a ra tio n h a s built its w orld," -G uy D ebord, S o cie ty of th e S p e c ta c le . 3 W e 're all
in d iv id u als all u n iq u e - so g o e s th e s a le s pitch w hich is u n c e a s in g ly b e a te n into o u r
b ra in s . S w itch o n th e TV, o p e n th e p a p e r: o u t p o u r a s tre a m of z o m b ie s - n ew
a p p lia n c e s , tra v e l p a c k a g e s , f a n ta s ie s of e x c e s s iv e luxury - alt of w h ich o u r m e a n t to
3
d o d g e o u r recognition, to a p p e a r new a n d w ondrous, an d y e t b e n e a th w h o se
in n o c e n c e w e c a n still d e te c t tra c e s of flesh a n d blood. From M arx on, chroniclers of
pur shopping-m all afterlife h a v e o b se rv e d that com m odities, although b y p ro d u cts of
our d e s ire to c re a te th in g s for ou rselv es an d e a c h other, e n d up reflecting only their
relation to o th e r com m odities. C le a n se d of their histories, of the e v id e n c e th a t they've
in fact b e e n fabricated, they undergo a seem ingly m agical transform ation, from owing
their a p p e a ra n c e to th e actio n s of o th e rs to becom ing acto rs th e m se lv e s.
It is partly from within this platitude that the "Overlay" s e rie s finds its zenith.
A grouping of eig h t intim ately siz ed w hite c a n v a s e s th a t h an g a t a b o u t ey e-lev el on a
wall to th e left a s o n e e n te rs th e s p a c e a re e a c h affectionately lit with o n e dim spotlight
setting u p their ow n resp e ctiv e s p a c e or "individuality." T h e im a g e s on th e s e
o th erw ise blank c a n v a s e s a re of m en w ho se em to h a v e b e e n s c o o p e d up from a
1970's c a ta lo g u e for po p u lar m e n 's hair styles or from a g u id e to th e q u in te sse n tia l
"A partm ent 3-G" com ic strip stu d .T h e se icons re p re se n t a certain a rc h e ty p e of the
idealized m ale im ag e. W ithin this im age is the construction of an identity. W hat is
know able or ev e n p ercep tib le ab o u t th e personalities of th e individuals d e p ic te d is
certainly m oot, b u t th e reconstruction a s social fact, e n a c ts a kind of p seu d o -so ciety .
T his e n a c tm e n t involves th e u s e an d e x p o su re of p ercep tu al filters, both institutional
a n d form al. B u rd en ed by encoding an d decoding, it is difficult to im ag in e th e s e
portraits surviving in an y s ta te o th er th a n com plete objectification b e y o n d recognition.
Yet, w e sit a s if a ca p tiv e a u d ien c e, envying th e s e vam pires w h o se lives, though
su sta in e d by o u r blood, s e e m m ore w hole an d a d e q u a te th a n o u rs will e v e r b e .
Looking a t this row of portraits, people s e e w h at they w an t to s e e , or m ore
to th e point, w h at they h av e already s e e n . W hat jum ps off th e wall a re im p re ssio n s of
fa c e s m o re o r le ss g o v ern e d by ex p erien ce. T h ere a re th o se you s e e m to rem em b er, or
partly reco g n ize, a n d th o se uncannily like so m e o n e you h a v e know n. O n th e h e e ls of
this recognition is th e a c t of projection, filling in g a p s an d opentning new files into
w hich o n e d e p o s its w h at they will. T his p iece could b e sa id to function like a la n g u ag e ,
b u t this la n g u a g e is not outside social perception; it is a p art with it, e n c o m p a ssin g th e
v iew er. R eactio n s to th e w ork b e a r this out. Idle speculation a n d o v erdeterm ination a re
obvious options in this realm but th e projection m echanism ca rrie s a b u rd en of
c o n s c ie n c e : ro o ted in social know ledge an d th e u n co n scio u s, it is in se p a ra b le from
4
h ow w e e x p e rie n c e "reality." M onitoring th e role of this p ro jectio n is o n e of th e ce n tral
s u b te x ts of th is w ork.
S o c ie ty d o e s n 't fu n ctio n m erely a s a n o b je c t in o n e ’s g a z e - u n le s s y o u 're a
R o m an tic - a n d th e s a m e p re c e p t a p p lie s h e re . O n e s ta n d s a s a n o b je c t in th e g a z e of
o th e rs , in th is w ork, n o t literally g a z e d a t, b u t w ithin a s p a c e c o n d itio n e d by th e m an d
including u s . O n e is c o n s c io u s of ste p p in g into th a t s p a c e , a n d se lf-c o n s c io u s
th e re afte r, a s if o n e 's se lf-p re se n ta tio n w e re a su b je c t a lo n g s id e th a t of th o s e d e p ic te d
o n th e w all. W hile p o rtrait sitting e n fo rc e s a n alm o st an im al o b e d ie n c e , it a lso invites a
public p re s e n ta tio n of self, a c e re m o n y of self im a g e c re a tio n . B e tw e e n th e s e so c ial
a n d form a! p r e s s u r e s m e d iatio n o c c u rs a n d is re c o rd e d . T h e p o s e is a n d m u st b e a
d isto rtio n , b u t it re fle c ts p erso n ality , p e rh a p s e v e n m o re s o th a n o n e 's im a g e in a
mirror, b e c a u s e it re fle c ts o n e 's p e rso n a lity socially.
S in c e o u r ability to p ro d u c e a s e n s e of o u rs e lv e s is a m o n g th e p o w e rs w e sell
a w a y in o rd e r to g e t by, it, to o , is so m e th in g w e re c o v e r only by b uying it b a c k . W e
look to th e m a rk e tp la c e , its w a lk in g -d e a d s te re o ty p e s a n d fa sh io n p la te s , for s a le s tip s
o n h o w to fit in, o n w hich id e n titie s, o p in io n s, a c q u a in ta n c e s , h a b its, e tc . will o p e n
d o o rs for u s, m a k e u s popular, k e e p u s em p lo y ed . H ere a n o p e n m ind p ro v e s e a s y
p re y for o u r c u ltu re 's e n d le s s m ark etin g stra te g ie s. T o th e c re d u lo u s y o u th looking for
s o m e o rie n ta tio n in a so c ie ty w ithout any, cu ltu re c o m e s a c r o s s a s in s e p a ra b le from
e d u c a tio n , a n d e d u c a tio n in s e p a ra b le from ideological rec ru itm en t.
A s a child of th e s e v e n tie s a n d c h a rte r m e m b e r of "G e n e ra tio n X" th e im a g e s in
"O verlay" c a n b e s e e n a s th o s e re m e m b e re d from ch ild h o o d - o r m o re p re c ise ly , from
a d o le s c e n c e - filtered b a c k th ro u g h tim e. As w e trav el th ro u g h th is labyrinth of
m e m o rie s d is p o s s e s s io n a n d a lien a tio n a re p ictu red in te rm s of a d y sfu n ctio n al
rela tio n sh ip w ith th e a d u lt w orld of responsibility, rules, s e rio u s n e s s , c o m m itm en t, etc.
T h e im a g e e s ta b lis h e s th e s ite of a rela tio n sh ip w ith a so c ially c o n s tru c te d figure th a t
is b e y o n d th e rea lm of c o m p re h e n s io n for th e a d o le s c e n t. A lternately, h o w e v e r, th e re is
w id e s p re a d a g r e e m e n t th a t th e sm iling fa c e s a re indicative o f a n a iv e o p tim ism th a t is
s u p p o s e d ly p r e s e n t in th e fe rv e n t m o m e n ts ju st b efo re th e birth of rationality a n d m o ral
e th ic s - sig n s of a n e w a n im a te e x iste n c e , th e b u rg e o n in g life of individualism . T h e
o p e ra tiv e a n a lo g y is, of c o u rs e , th e c a re fre e a n d h a p p y ch ild h o o d th a t p r e c e d e s th e
c o n s c io u s in tro sp e c tio n a n d g ra v ita s of m aturity. A d o le s c e n ts really h a v e n o p la c e in
so c ie ty - hav in g o u tg ro w n th e h ea v e n ly g r a c e a n d in n o c e n c e of c h ild h o o d , th e y
lo u n g e in a p u rg ato ria l s ta te , a n g le d to w ard but not y et d eliv e re d into a d u lt life. T h ey
h a v e y et to c h o o s e th e ro le s, s ta n c e s a n d p ro fe ssio n s th a t m u st b e a d o p te d in o rd e r to
b e c o m e a c c e p te d a n d fit in. O n th e o u tsid e looking in, a d o le s c e n ts a re fo rc e d to w eig h
c o n s u m e r so c ie ty ’s F a u s tia n b a rg a in , w h e re b y in d e p e n d e n c e is w o n th ro u g h
su b m issio n to th e m a rk e t, visibility g a in e d b y reco g n izin g o n e 's se lf a s ju st a n o th e r
com m odity.
T h e q u e s tio n n o w b e c o m e s how to re p re s e n t a so c ie ty th a t h a s a lre a d y
fla tte n e d into a re p re s e n ta tio n , how to p o rtray a w ay of life th a t, in ex istin g fo re m o st a s
a n im a g e , h a s a lre a d y h a d all its life s q u e e z e d o u t of it. In s o m e s tr a n g e co m b in atio n of
P o p a rt's titillating im a g e s w ith M inim alism 's rep etitio n a n d inert th e atric ality "O verlay"
s e e m s to point to th e " a u to n o m o u s m o v e m e n t of th e n o n - living" w h ich M ichael F ried
s o ap tly d e s c rib e d in h is la n d m a rk e s s a y o n "Art a n d O bjecthood."4 R a th e r th a n a n
h o n e s t a c c o u n t, w h a t F rie d s a id a rtists like Tony S m ith a n d R o b ert M orris p r e s e n t to
v ie w e rs is a s e c r e t; th e very function of m inim alist b o x e s is to ra is e th e q u e s tio n of th e ir
h id d e n in sid e s, a n d th e p e r s is te n c e of th is q u e stio n , - th e fact th a t a n a n s w e r n e v e r
follow s, th e m o m e n t of tru th n e v e r a rriv e s - is how th e s e w o rk s s u s ta in th e ir b e h o ld e rs
in te re st. T h e c a n v a s e s like th e b o x e s in th e ea rlier m inim alist w o rk s c a p tiv a te a n
a u d ie n c e (a p h r a s e th a t a p p ro p ria te ly s u g g e s ts a cu n n in g trick, en tailin g b o th
c h a ris m a a n d control) in a sim ilar m an n er. S ta n d in g b efo re th e e m p ty b o x /c a n v a s , o n e
e n c o u n te rs le s s th e th in g itself th a n a prem onition of so m e th in g m o re, so m e th in g h e ld in
view b u t o u t of re a c h ; o n e e x p e rie n c e s a s e n s e of anticipation a n d of h y p e , t h e b la n k
c a n v a s h u n g o n th e w all, w ith all of its u n sp o k e n authority, d e m a n d s th a t th e b e h o ld e r
ta k e it into a c c o u n t, th a t h e ta k e it se rio u sly . But o n c e th e fulfillment of th a t d e m a n d is
re a lize d it is Ih e d en ial ra th e r th a n th e affirm ation of a rt’s e s s e n c e th a t is e x p o s e d .
R e p la c in g a rt's histo rical in te re s t in visibility w ith a n ew in te re st in invisibility, th e em p ty
box re -ro u te s a e s th e tic s a w a y from fra n k n e s s a n d c o h e r e n c e to w a rd s an ticip atio n a n d
e m p tin e s s . B oth P o p art a n d M inim alism m a k e solicitation th e ir to p priority; tu rn in g th eir
in te re st o u t to w a rd s th e a u d ie n c e , th e s e w orks literally p rey o n th e ir v ie w e rs. A nd s o it
is on th is s ta g e th a t th e P op-like im a g e s in "O verlay'' m ingle s p e c ta c le w ith m o n o to n y .
Y et th is ap p ro x im atio n of c o n s u m e rism , ju st like th e c o n s u m e rist ap p ro x im atio n o f life,
d o e s n 't co m p le te ly c o n c e a l th e d e a d ly b an ality , th a t u n d e rg ird s its o th e rw ise fiery
f a c a d e . S o m e w h e re u n d e r n e a th th is ice-co ld v e n e e r th e b u ried c o r p s e still
h e m o rrh a g in g a s k s 1o b e b ro u g h t b a c k to life th ro u g h o u r very s w e a t a n d m isery. W e
a r e still th e s p e c ta c le 's c a p tiv e a u d ie n c e , but th e re 's now so m e th in g ra n c id in th e
b lo o d it s u c k s from u s ; now o u r v ery r e s e n tm e n t a n d p an ic at w atc h in g so c ial life
in v a d e d a n d co lo n ize d , n o t to m en tio n h av in g its vitality so ld b a c k to u s , is sh o w in g up
in th e co m m o d ities th e m s e lv e s .
S o w e s e e in th e n ex t g ro u p of d ra w in g s th e s a m e e v isc e ra te d b o d y b ein g
d ra g g e d o u t of th e c lo se t for th e a u d ie n c e to identify. T h e s e d ra w in g s ta k e a s th e ir
p ro jec t a n im p la c a b le in v e stig a tio n into th e v e ry n a tu re of know ing. A nd th e re is no
b e tte r o b je c t for th is in v estig atio n th a n th e h u m a n su b je c t. Im a g e s from C h a rle s
L eB ru n 's sy ste m a tiz a tio n of facial e x p re s s io n s h a v e b e e n s e le c te d to ra is e a
fu n d a m e n ta l p h e n o m e n o lo g ic a l p ro b le m reg a rd in g th e identity of th in g s in th e w orld
a n d th e c a p a c ity for th e h u m a n m ind to c o m p re h e n d th em . T h e q u e s tio n th e v iew er is
co n fro n te d w ith is not so m u c h w h a t e x p re s s io n th e re n d e re d fa c e is p rojecting.
In ste a d th e s e p ie c e s a s s e s s th e p a r a m e te r s th a t g o v e rn a n d limit o u r ability to
d istin g u ish o b je c ts a n d e v e n ts a s th e y e x ist "in th e m s e lv e s ," from th e in d e p e n d e n t
function of co g n itio n th a t im p o s e s its o w n te m p la te u p o n th e ex tern al w orld of o b je c ts
a n d e x p e rie n c e s . H e n c e th e o b je c t of s tu d y {the im a g e of self) is c o lla p s e d w ithin a
s y s te m of logic (repetitive o rd er) a s a w a y to co n fro n t th e very m e c h a n is m 's th a t
g o v e rn em p irical k n o w led g e .
In th e s e c o n d half of th e s e v e n te e n th cen tu ry , C h a rle s L eB run co d ified th e
e m o tio n s into a s c h e m a tic lexicon in te n d e d to -aid in th e legibility of p a in tin g s. A lthough
it is difficult to think of L eB ru n 's a c a d e m ic p a in tin g s in te rm s of a d e n ia l of rhetoric, his
p ro jec t of allegorizing facial e x p re s s io n w a s p re m ise d in th e C a rte s ia n notion th a t th e
" p a ssio n s " a re m e re ly o th e r n a m e s for a c tio n s in th e n atu ra l w orld, a n o tio n w hich
d iffers only in refin em en t from c u rre n t p sy c h o biological th eo ry . P sy c h o lo g ists, p sy c h o
bio lo g ists, a n d b e h a v io rists w h o stu d y e x p re s s io n a s s u m e th a t so m e th in g a s
"universal" a s th e sm ile r e p r e s e n ts a re a c tiv e em o tio n a l sta te : a n o u tsid e stim u lu s
a ffe c ts o n e a n d m a k e s o n e happy, th e re b y g e n e ra tin g a s p o n ta n e o u s fac ial
e x p re ssio n . T h is a s su m p tio n a ls o u n d e rlie s th e e x p e rim e n ts ta k e n to verify th e
D arw inian p ro p o sitio n th a t h u m a n facial e x p re s s io n s h a v e u n iv e rsa l efficacy. In th e s e
stu d ie s, th e typical m e th o d of in v estig atio n is to p r e s e n t p h o to g ra p h s of f a c e s e a c h
e x p re s s in g a d istin ct em o tio n . H a p p in e s s , s a d n e s s , fear, su rp rise , a n d a n g e r a re th e
m o st co m m o n ly te s te d , a n d s u b je c ts m u st a tta c h th e p ro p e r em otion to th e p ro p e r
im a g e . Unlike to d a y 's sc ie n tists, h o w ev e r, L eB run d e v o te d eq u a l atte n tio n to e m o tio n s
like ad m iratio n a n d v e n e ra tio n , a n d e v e n m o re to th e co m p le x itie s of n e g a tiv e s ta te s of
m ind su c h a s fright, s a d n e s s , a n d bodily p a in w hich m o re rea d ily s e rv e th e g ra v ita s of
Ih e history of p ain tin g . H e did, h o w e v e r a ls o m a k e m otivational d istin ctio n s a m o n g th e
th r e e p a s s io n s re la te d to th e beatific e x p re s s io n : e c s ta s y , c a u s e d by a n o b je ct "a b o v e
th e k n o w led g e o f th e soul"; love, a n e x p re s s io n th a t re s u lts only w h e n th is p a s s io n is
"pure"; a n d joy, c a u s e d w h e n "love in sp ire s th e so u l." F o r la u g h te r, a n a n im a te d grin
th a t c lo sely r e s e m b le s o u r g o o d s c ie n tis ts tru e sm ile, ( th a t is o n e involving th e
o rb icu laris oculi m u s c le s fo u n d a ro u n d th e e y e s ). L eB run o ffe re d n o e x p la n a tio n , n o r
a n y c o n c e r n s a b o u t veracity. F o r L eB run, th e n , th e b eatific sm ile w a s th e tru e sm ile,
a n d la u g h te r is in ex p licab le • in c o n tra s t to tw en tieth c e n tu ry s c ie n tis ts for w h o m th e
a n im a te d grin is th e only tru e e x p re s s io n a n d th e b eatific sm jje is a lie. S in c e this
in v e rsio n in th e h ie ra rc h ie s of sm iling c a n n o t b e a c c o u n te d for by in refin e m e n ts of th e
s o -c a lle d s c ie n c e of e x p re s s io n . It m u st d eriv e from th e c o n te m p o ra ry re c o n stru ctio n
of h a p p in e s s .
T h e a s s u m p tio n th a t u n iv e rsa l s p o n ta n e o u s re a c tio n s c o n s titu te th e tru e
e x p re ssio n , w ith its corollary th a t o th e r k in d s of e x p re s s io n sim ply lie, a s s ig n s virtue
only to a n o rg a n ic m o d e l for n o n -v erb al c o m m u n ic atio n . It ig n o re s th e so c ial history of
m a n n e rs a n d th e se m io tics of im a g e s, a n d in g e n e ra l, p u ts a n e g a tiv e sp in o n an y
s y s te m a tic in v e stig a tio n of th e rh eto ric of e x p re s s io n . S o w e find o u rs e lv e s no c lo s e r to
o u r o b je c t of stu d y th a n w h e n w e s ta rte d . T o th e contrary, in s te a d of c re a tin g a g re a te r
w h o le th a t a p p r o a c h e s a tru e r s y n th e s is of im a g e a n d e x p e rie n c e w h a t b e c o m e s
e v id e n t is th a t th is very sy ste m a tiz a tio n le a d s u s to u tte r c h a o s a n d irrationality. A gain
th e h e m o rrh a g in g c o rp s e is c o v e re d u p , o b jectified b e y o n d rec o g n itio n .
T h e s u c c e s s o r failure of th is w ork lay o n c e a g a in in th e v ie w e r's ow n p e rso n a l
co n fro n tatio n w ith th e d raw in g s. H e re , th e v ie w e r su p p lie s th e c o n te x t to th e
a b s tra c te d lexicon. T h e f a c e s float b e fo re th e v ie w e r a n d r e s o n a te o n ly th ro u g h th e
a m b ig u o u s im plications th a t o n e b rin g s to th e m . By su p p ly in g th e m e a n in g , th e v iew er
w rites his o r h e r o w n portrait. T h e o b je c tiv e im a g e su p p lie s th e c a ta ly s t for th e
c o n stru c tio n of th e v ie w e rs su b je c tiv e identity.
Yet a n o th e r s e rie s follow s a sim ilar form ula. D raw ings from "if O nly I C ould
R e m e m b e r" c o n s tru c t a kind of m ythic b io g ra p h y u sin g p r e - p ro c e s s e d im a g e s from
fo u n d fam ily s n a p s h o ts . In se le c tin g e v e n ts (ra th e r th a n o b je cts) a s th e s o u rc e
m ateria l, a c h o ic e is m a d e to m em o rialize th e e p h e m e ra l a n d tra n sito ry activities of a
sp e c ific m o m e n t in th e c o n stru c tio n of th e su b je c t. T h e s n a p s h o ts a r e s e le c te d from a n
a rc h iv al co llectio n of v in ta g e p h o to ’s from th e 1 9 5 0 's a n d 6 0 's b a s e d o n th e ir
r e le v a n c e in sufficiently re p re s e n tin g w h a t c a n o n ly b e d e s c r ib e d a s th e "k o d ak
m o m e n t." T h e s n a p s h o ts a r e a r c h e ty p e s of a ty p ical p h o to o n e m ight find in a n y
co llectio n of fam ily p h o to g ra p h s ; th e b a b y ’s first s te p s , blow ing o u t th e c a n d le s o n th e
b irth d a y c a k e , a ride o n th e b a c k y a rd sw in g , o r a p ic tu re of little J o h n n y holding up
th a t s e a b a s s h e c a u g h t b a c k in '6 8 . O ften th e only a c c e s s to th e e v e n t itself is th rough
th e d o c u m e n ta ry p h o to g ra p h itself. In all in s ta n c e s , I h a v e not b e e n a b le to w itn e ss
th e s e e v e n ts directly s in c e th e y o c c u rre d e ith e r b e fo re m y birth, o r d u rin g m y infancy
s o a c tu a l e x p e rie n c e is re p la c e d by a n a b s tra c t re p re s e n ta tio n . F o r e a c h p h o to th e re
a r e th r e e d raw in g s. T h e d ra w in g s th e m s e lv e s typically p r e s e n t th e silh o u e tte of th e
m ain fig u re from th e p h o to g ra p h laid flat a g a in s t a n e u tra l b a c k g ro u n d , a s if p in n e d to
th e c e n te r of th e pictorial field like a lab s p e c im e n . E a c h d raw in g is p ro g re ssiv e ly
d is s e c te d from o n e to th e n ex t until ultim ately th e m ain v isu al a n c h o r o r p oint of
r e f e r e n c e s in e a c h i.e. a n o u ts tre tc h e d h a n d , th e b irth d a y c a k e , o r th e sw in g holding
u p th e fig u re itself h a v e d is a p p e a re d from th e s c e n e . T h e ro o ts from w hich th e s e
m u te d g e s tu r e s o n c e s te m m e d h a v e b e e n e ra s e d . All th a t re m a in s is a n a b stra c tio n
th a t h a s b e e n re d u c e d to its original, a m b ig u o u s s o u rc e . O n e h a s th e s e n s e th ro u g h
th is p r o c e s s of red u ctio n a n d re fin em en t of th a t of u n d re s s in g a n o b ject. T h e re is a lso a
v a g u e s e n s e of violation a n d v o y eu rism th a t is s tra n g e g iv e n th e b an a lity th a t is
a p p a re n t in th e ste n c ile d b lu ep rin t quality of th e d ra w in g s. T h e d ra w in g s a r e inherently
a n a c h ro n istic a s th e c o n c e rn lies w ithin th e d is p la c e m e n t th a t o c c u rs b e tw e e n th e real
a n d th e im a g in e d . T h e co o l d e ta c h m e n t th a t p e r v a d e s th is w ork is th e b y -p ro d u ct of
how w e 'v e ta u g h t to re g a rd re p re s e n ta tio n .
T h e solitary fig u re s an d a g e le s s , v a c a n t te rra in s in th e s e d ra w in g s all s h a re a
lo catio n o u ts id e of tim e a n d p la c e . D isp lay ed in clinical isolation, th e s e fig u re s s e e m to
b e in a s o rt of c o m a , a s if th e life th e y o n c e p o s s e s s e d is a b o u t to b e relin q u ish ed
fo rev er. B lunt a n d illustrational, th e d ra w in g s b e g to b e identified a t a g la n c e - y et w hat
is b e in g d e p ic te d re m a in s m o stly h id d e n from view - literally b e y o n d re p re se n ta tio n .
H e re re p re s e n ta tio n is a s s ig n e d ta s k s it's e ith e r u n d e r - o r o v erq u a lified lo c a rry out.
E n te rin g th e p ic tu re is like b o a rd in g a lo st train of th o u g h t, w a n d e rin g c le a r of spotlit
la n d m a rk s, into a twilight z o n e w h e re th in g s s o o rd in ary th e y p a s s w ith o u t c o m m e n t
r e n d e z v o u s w ith th e u n s p e a k a b le . A nd a t th e e n d of th e line, th e re h a n g s a s e n s e ot
d e liv e ra n c e a n d tranquility a t o n c e fe a re d a n d d e s ire d . B ut m o stly th e s e lo st b o d ie s
e v o k e p rim al fo rm s of e s c a p e a n d finality: th e y p ro m ise r e a s s u r a n c e a s w ell a s
h e lp le s s n e s s , a b a n d o n m e n t, a n d lo ss.
Exile isn 't w h at it u s e d to b e . It no lo n g e r s e e m s s o e p ic , a d ra m a tic ch o ic e o r
c ru e l p u n ish m e n t; it's b e c o m e in s te a d a n o rd in ary fa c t o f life. B ut th e air-co n d itio n ed ,
u n a ffe c tin g iso latio n w e find o u rs e lv e s c o n fin e d to to d a y b e a r s o n ly a faint
r e s e m b la n c e to th e n o b le lo n e lin e ss in g rain ed in th e m y th s o f o u r p io n e e r ro o ts, o r th e
p ro fo u n d so litu d e fa b le d in s u c h b o o k s a s T h o re a u 's "W ald en " o r J o s e p h C o n ra d 's
"H e a rt of D a rk n e ss." In th e s e a c c o u n ts , th e a c t of se v e rin g o n e 's tie s to th e so c ia l
a p p a r a tu s c a rrie s a su b lim e c o n s e q u e n c e - floating o u t b e y o n d h u m a n c o n ta c t,
o u ts id e history, o n e is b ro u g h t fa c e to fa c e w ith th e e te rn a l a n d th e u n iv e rsa l, th e resu lt
of w h ich is to h a v e o n e 's u ltim ate b eliefs e ith e r affirm ed o r o b lite ra te d forever. W e,
h o w e v e r, d o n 't e x p e rie n c e th e ex h ilaratio n o r h o rro r of in d e p e n d e n c e , th e divine Light
o r u n fa th o m a b le D a rk n e ss ; w h at w e fee! is alien atio n , not from losing to u c h w ith
so c ie ty b u t from joining in with it, from th e v ery m o d e b y w h ich w e e x c h a n g e th in g s
w ith o n e a n o th e r.T o d a y , w e typically fee! lo st e v e n w h e n s ta n d in g in a crow d.
W h a t w e o c c a sio n a lly p e rc e iv e o n th e m a rg in s o f th e d r e a m is so m e th in g lost;
w e intuit th e liv es w e 'v e s u rre n d e re d , fee l th e d is ta n c e b e tw e e n th e m a n d w h a t w e now
s e ttle for. In sh o rt, w e b e c o m e c o n s c io u s of o u r b lin d n e ss. A nd th is rea liza tio n w e ig h s
o n th e sh in y im a g e s , it stra in s a t th e d re a m 's n ew b o rn f a c a d e . S o th a t in th o s e o d d
m o m e n ts w h e n th e s p e c ta c le h e s ita te s b e tw e e n d istra c tio n s, a n d w e find w h a t a p p e a r s
a s a c ra c k in th e d re a m , w h a t c o m e s p o uring th ro u g h a t u s is n o t s o m e sh in in g light
p o in tin g to w a rd s e s c a p e , b u t m o re likely a n u n b e lie v a b le p a n ic , in c re d ib le
r e s e n tm e n t, a s e n s e of p ro fo u n d d is p o s s e s s io n . T h e d a rk e m p tin e s s of th e d re a m
b e c o m e s a p p a re n t, it fills w ith horror, a n d w e find o u r s e lv e s all a to n e , c u t off, in th e
m id st of a rag in g n ig h tm are.
NOTES
1 Barthes, Roland, Mythologies Annette Lavers, ed. (New York: Noonday
P ress, 1972) 158.
2 Horkheimer, Max, The Eclipse of.Reason
John Cumming, ed. (New York, N.Y.: Continuum, 1972) 68.
3 Debord, Guy, Society of the Spectacle
(Detroit: Black and Red, 1983) 35.
4 Fried, Michael, "Art and Objecthood" Minimal Art
Gregory Battcock, ed. (New York: E.P. Dutton,1968) 38-45.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1) Barthes, Roland. Mythologies. Annette Lavers, ed.
New York: Noonday Press, 1972.
2) Debord, Guy. Society of the Spectacle
Detroit: Black and Red, 1983.
3) Fried, Michael. "Art and Objecthood" Minimal Art.
Gregory Battcock, ed.New York:E.P. Dutton,1968.
4) Horkheimer, Max. The Eclipse of Reason
John Cumming, ed. New York, N.Y.: Continuum, 1972.
5) Innis Robert E., ed. Semiotics An Introductory Anthology
Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1985.
6) Sloterdijk, Peter Critique of Cvnical Reason Trans.
Michael Eldred, Minneapolis: University of Minnesota
1987.
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Asset Metadata

Creator Adolph, Erik Christian (author)

Core Title If only I could remember

School Graduate School

Degree Master of Fine Arts

Degree Program Studio Fine Arts

Degree Conferral Date 1994-12

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag fine arts,OAI-PMH Harvest

Language English

Contributor Digitized by ProQuest (provenance)

Advisor Bunn, David (committee chair), [Aldworth] (committee member), [illegible] (committee member)

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c18-568

Unique identifier UC11357715

Identifier 1376441.pdf (filename),usctheses-c18-568 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier 1376441-0.pdf

Dmrecord 568

Document Type Thesis

Rights Adolph, Erik Christian

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the au...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA