Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Photographs
VilCm Flusser
Abstract-Photos, as they are now-namely sheets of paper or a similar material carrying information on
their surfaces-are objects of post-industrialculture, one in which work is done by automatic apparatus. In
the not far distant future, photos will become images appearing on electromagnetic screens; thus they will
illustrate a future cultureof pure, immaterial information, one in which society will be busy elaboratingwhat
is now called 'software'. The difference between the two cultures is that objects will no longer occupy the
center of attention in the future one. This will involve not only a transvaluationof all values but a mutation in
human existence.
I. OBJECTS tries to change those shapes so that they into a machine (a practical application of
The Latin term 'ob-iectum' and its Greek become as they ought to be by 'informing' a theoretical understanding of the gesture
equivalent 'pro-blema' mean 'thrown the data. To do this, the subject must have of working). It is there impressed by a
against', which implies that there is them stand still (understand them) and machine tool (a practical application of a
something against which the object is must grasp them (conceive them). Under- theoretical understanding of shaping).
thrown: a 'sub-ject'. As subjects, we face a standing has to do with the eyes; the Out comes a new type of cultural object,
universe of objects, of problems, which Greeks called this gaze which makes the the industrial object. This has had pro-
are somehow hurled against us. This data stand still 'theoria'. Conception has found consequences: artisans and artists
opposition is dynamic. The objects to do with hands and fingers; the Greeks became marginalized, and society became
approach the subject, they come from the called this kind of gesture 'praxis'. They divided into owners of machines and
future into the subject's presence. And felt a contradiction between theoretical machine tools, makers of machines and
the subjects project themselves into the understanding and practical action. (Kant machine tools and servants of machines
future, into the universe of objects. The formalized this contradiction between and machine tools.
shock between subject and object occurs theoretical and practical 'reason' by Industrial objects differ from pre-
over the abyss of alienation which separates distinguishing between the categories of industrial ones in two aspects. First, they
the two. The present tendency is to pure reason and the 'categorical imper- are more numerous-machines, being
relegate this shock from human subjects ative'.) One seems to lead toward wisdom, more rapid than humans, produce more
t o automatic apparatus. Automatic 'Sophia'; the other toward mere opinion, objects than humans do; the result was
cameras may serve as an example. 'doxa'. Thus, in Occidental tradition, object inflation, a devaluation of cultural
Objects are shocking because they philosophy (love of wisdom) came to objects. Second, they are stereotypical-
stand in our way. They are where they despise action. the same tool impresses the same shape
ought not to be. The shock between As a result, the cultural objects (data on a series of objects; the result was that
subject and object is one between 'to be' changed into facta) were little illuminated cultural objects became equivalent to
and 'ought to be', between reality and by theoretical understanding. Work was, each other. This progressive devaluation
value. The subject tries to inject value into to a large extent, an empirical gesture. of and indifference toward cultural objects
the object through 'work'. Objects changed The cultural objects were, to a large is called 'mass culture'.
by work are cultural objects. The present extent, products of hands and fingers,
tendency is to relegate work from human works made by artisans and artists.
subjects to automatic apparatus. The IV. POST-INDUSTRIAL OBJECTS
shocking objects are somehow given, they As cultural objects became increasingly
111. INDUSTRIAL OBJECTS cheaper, and machines and tools in-
are 'data'. Cultural objects are made, they
are 'facta'. To work is to process data and The fifteenth century established a creasingly more expensive, one tended to
change them into facta. Automatic dialectic between theory and praxis. One believe that those who owned the machines
apparatus are capable of this data pro- began to look in order to grasp better, and the tools held the power of decision.
cessing. We are witnessing a cultural and to grasp in order to see better. Theory This belief is one of the roots of Marxism.
revolution. became hypothetical: praxis could dis- But as it became evident that 'shape' and
prove it. And praxis became experimental: 'value' are synonymous, that it is the
it appliedtheoreticalunderstanding. Modem toolmakers who shape the future of
11. CULTURAL OBJECTS
science was born. society, this belief shifted. It is now the
Data present themselves to the subject The eighteenth century used modern toolmakers ('information programmers')
in various shapes, 'Gestalten'. The subject science to analyse work into two elements: who are believed to hold the power of
one concerned the shape to be imposed decision.
Viltm Flusser (educator), Rue de la Caoune, Le on data, the other the gesture of that
Vieux Village, F-84440 Robion, France. Information production (the elabo-
imposition. This resulted in machines and ration of information to be imposed on
Manuscript solicited by Jan Zach machine tools: the industrial revolution. data) thus became neatly distinguished
Received 17 September 1985.
A given object, a datum, is introduced from work (the imposition of information
The editors of Leonardo invite artists and others to submit articles connected to the theme
Art and the Cosmos for publication consideration.
Artists whose work deals with ideas, landscapes, technology or opportunities provided
or inspired by contemporary astronomy and space exploration are urged to submit
articles under 2500 words on their work. Astronautical engineers and researchers in
astronomy, archaeo-astronomy, history and other disciplines are also invited to submit
articles on aspects of their work that may be of interest to artists.
Editorial guidelines may be found on the outside back cover of the journal. Additional
information may be obtained from the main editorial office: Leonardo, 2020 Milvia Street,
Berkeley, CA 94704, U.S.A.
Articles that have appreared in Leonardo in this theme area include the following:
- Ezra Orion, "Sculpture in the Solar System: Front Geologically Based
Earthworks to Astro-Sculpture", 18, 157 (1985).
- Todd Siler, "Neurocosmology: Ideas and Images Toward an Art-Science-
Technology Syntheis", 18, 1 (1985).
- Michael W. Carroll, "Space Art: The Impact of Space-Age Technology on
Representational Art", 15, 210 (1982).
- D. Hardy, "Painting: The Impact of Astronautics and Science Fiction on My
Work", 9, 95 (1976).
- A. Notarbolo, "Some Proposals for Art Objects in Extraterrestrial Space", 13,
239 (1975).
- Ralph Turner, "Extraterrestrial Landscapes through the Eyes of a Sculptor", 5,
11 (1973).
- Leonid Resek, "An Artist in Modern Times: On Extraterrestrial Landscapes", 5,
297 (1973).
- Frank J. Malina, "On the Visual Arts in the Space Age", 3, 323 (1971).