Facing the photo, an archaeologist: phenomenon images, fototículas and other disciplinary subversions of the archaeology of the graphic image

In this theoretical article, I share the process of imagining and proposing a methodology for the analysis of historical photographs of Antarctica. Engaging archaeology as an observation device in refraction to Karen Barad's agential realism and Vilem Flusser's philosophy of photography, a...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Antunes Stollmeier, Luara
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:Portuguese
Published: UFMG 2024
Subjects:
Online Access:https://periodicos.ufmg.br/index.php/vestigios/article/view/52700
https://doi.org/10.31239/vtg.v18i2.52700
Description
Summary:In this theoretical article, I share the process of imagining and proposing a methodology for the analysis of historical photographs of Antarctica. Engaging archaeology as an observation device in refraction to Karen Barad's agential realism and Vilem Flusser's philosophy of photography, archaeological interest radiates from the state of matter (“the photograph”) to the configuration of observation (“the making of the image”), so emerging a new object of analysis, the image-phenomenon. Each image-phenomenon can be observed and described on its surface and excavated in two directions: in depth (fotoquadrículas) and in extension (fototículas). The programmatic layers are revealed, which include the technical program of the apparatus, the institutional program of the expedition, editorial programs, etc. The overlap between surface and programs makes up a final layer: the system in which these images circulate and live. In this sense, as well as showing the history of our intra-actions with the continent, these images act and are acted upon, with their instrumentalization and circulation. En este artículo teórico, comparto el proceso de imaginar y proponer una metodología para analizar fotografías históricas de la Antártida. Involucrando la arqueología como dispositivo de observación en refracción al realismo agencial de Karen Barad y a la filosofía de la fotografía de Vilem Flusser, el interés arqueológico irradia desde el estado de la materia (“la fotografía”) hasta la configuración de la observación (“la realización de la imagen”), emergiendo un nuevo objeto de análisis, la imagen-fenómeno. Cada imagen-fenómeno puede observarse y describirse en su superficie y excavarse en dos direcciones: en profundidad (fotocuadrículas) y en extensión (fototículas). Se revelan las capas programáticas, que incluyen el programa técnico del aparato, el programa institucional de la expedición, los programas editoriales, etc. La superposición entre superficie y programas conforma una última capa: el sistema en el que circulan y ...