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Readymade, Found Object, Photograph

Margaret Iversen

Published online: 03 Apr 2014.

To cite this article:Margaret Iversen (2004) Readymade, Found Object, Photograph, Art Journal, 63:2, 44-57To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00043249.2004.10791125

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GabrielOrozco.WaitingChairs,1998.Cibachrome.16x20in.(40.6x50.8em),Editionof5.CourtesyoftheartistandMarianGoodmanGallery,NewYork.

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The1936SurrealistExhibitionofObjectsbroughttogetherabewilderingrangeofitemsincludingnaturalobjects,interpretednaturalobjects,incorporatednaturalobjects,foundobjects,perturbedobjects,readymadeobjects,Americanobjects,Oceanicobjects,mathematicalobjects,andSurrealistobjects.IOfthenonethno-graphictypeslisted,onlythereadymadeandthefoundobjectstillretainanycurrency,andthereadymadecannolongerbesubsumedundertheSurrealistumbrella.MarcelDuchamp'sreadymadeandAndreBreton'sfoundobjecthavesuchdifferentlegaciesthattheynowarguablyconstituteacategoricaldistinc-tion.Thiswasnotsoclearinthemid-1930SwhenBretoncoulddefineready-madesas"manufacturedobjectsraisedtothedignityofworksofartthroughthechoiceoftheartist."2Yet,evennow,thetermsarestilloftenruntogetherandusedinterchangeably.WhatIwanttodointhispaperistodriveawedgebetweenthem.Wewillfindthattheirdistinctivenesshingesonthekindofsub-jectiverelationeachassumes.Theyturnouttoembodydifferentaspectsofthemostinfluentialaccountofwhatmightbecalledthesubjectivedimensionofourrelationtoart-ImmanuelKant'sconceptionoftheaesthetic.

Bysettingthereadymadeandthefoundobjectinrelationtoaesthetictheory,Iaimtocutacrossthecurrenttendencyonthepartofsomecriticstoinvokeavagueconceptionofthebeautifulinordertocallintoquestionpost-

MargaretIversen

Readymade,FoundObject,Photograph

conceptualorpostmoderntrendsintheartsandcriti-cism.Theaesthetic,Iintendtoshow,isnotexhaustedbytheconceptofbeauty.3Yet,atthesametime,Iwanttoquestionthewisdomofthesecritics'opponentswhoreaffirmtheanti-aestheticanddenigratetheKantiantradition."Whatthestridentdebatespro-andanti-beautyoverlookisthecontinuityofcertainaestheticattitudesandideasthatstretchfromKantthroughthe

IwouldliketothankDawnAdes,DiarmuidCostello,BrionyFer.NeilCox.StephenMelville.andJamesMeyerfortheirthoughtsandencour-agement.

I.Expositionsurreolisted'objets,GalerieRatton,Paris,May,1936.AndreBreton'saccountoftheexhibitionin"CrisisoftheObject"hasaslightlydifferentsetofcategories.AmericanandOceanicobjectsareincludedundertheheadingofPrimi-tiveandhislistincludesmobileobjects.SeeBreton,SurrealismandPainting,trans.S.W.Taylor(London:MacDonald,1972),275-80.

2.AndreBreton,"LighthouseoftheBride"

(1935),inSurrealismandPainting,88.

3,Ifrecentdebateshavecenteredontheconceptofbeauty,duringtheI980sthatotherformofaestheticjudgment,thesublime,wasofteninvoked.Seeparticularly[ean-FrancoisLyotard,ThePost-ModernCondition:AReportonKnowledge(1979;Manchester:ManchesterUniversityPress,

1986)and"TheSublimeandtheAvant-Garde,"Artforum22,no.8(April1984):36-43.

4.SeeAlexAlberro'sarticleinthisissueforafair-lycomprehensivebibliographyofthedebate.

earlyavant-gardesandreemergeincontemporaryartpractices.Drawingoutthiscontinuityisnotdoneinthespiritofanostalgicreturntonotionsofbeauty,butratherasawayofdeepeningourunderstandingofcontemporarypracticeandtheory.OwingtotheworkofinfluentialartistssuchasAndyWarholandEdRuscha,thereadymade'slegacyhasbeenlargelyphotographic.Inthelatterpartofthispaper,Itakeupthelessfamiliarthemeofthefoundobject'sphotographiclegacy,focusingontheworkofMaryKellyandGabrielOrozco.

TheBeautiful

Everyobjectimpliesacertainkindofsubject.Psychoanalysisis,ofcourse,dedi-catedtouncoveringthiskindofrelation.Thefetishobject,forexample,impliesasubjectthatissplitalongthelinesofacknowledgementanddenialofcastra-tion.Theglossyperfectionofobjectsinfashionmagazines,foranotherexample,impliesanarcissisticsubjectwhofearsanddefendsagainsttheravagesofthebodyinpieces.Oragain,theimmaculatenewkitchenasobjectimpliesasubjecttryingtokeepalidonarepresseddesireforgloriousmuck;thekitcheniswhat'scalleda"reactionformation."Youwillnoticethatineachofthesecases,theobjectdoesnot,sotospeak,"match"thesubject;rather,thereisaninvertedrela-tionship,sincetheobjectissupposedtocompensatesomehowforasubjectivesenseofdeficiency.

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5.ImmanuelKant.CritiqueofJudgment,trans.WernerS.Pluhar(Indianapolis:Hackett,1987).

245.Forintroductoryaccountsofthisbook.seeMichaelPodro,"KantandtheAestheticImagina-tion,"inArtandThought.ed.D.ArnoldandM.Iversen(Oxford:Blackwells,2003).51-70.andEvaSchaper."Taste,SublimityandGenius:TheAestheticsofNatureandArt,"inTheCambridgeCompaniontoKant.ed.PaulGuyer(Cambridge:CambridgeUniversityPress,1992).Forgoodfull-lengthstudiesseeHenryE.Allison.Kant'sTheoryofTaste:AReadingoftheCritiqueofAestheticJudgment(Cambridge:CambridgeUniversityPress.200I),andPaulGuyer.KantandtheClaimsofTaste(Cambridge:CambridgeUniversityPress,1979).

6.ArthurDantoiscriticalofKant'suniversalismin"FromAestheticstoArtCriticism,"AftertheEndofArt:ContemporaryArtandthePaleofHistory(Princeton:PrincetonUniversityPress.1997).94.ThierrydeDuve,ontheotherhand.picksouttheclaimtouniversalityasthemostimportantfeatureofthejudgment.Itisforhimasignofhopethatwecanshareourfeelingswithothers.SeeKantafterDuchamp(Cambridge.Mass.:MITPress.1996).

7.ArthurSchopenhauer,TheWorldasWillandRepresentationvol.I,trans.E.F.J.Payne(NewYork:Dover.1969).197.

Andwhataboutthebeautiful?Whatkindofsubjectisimpliedbytheobjectofaestheticjudgment?Oneofthemostimportantdefiningfeaturesofaestheticjudgment,accordingtoKantinTheCritiqueofJudgment,isits"disinterestedness."Therearedifferenttypesofinterest,forexample,ethical,instrumental,andappetitive.Thefirsttwooftheseanswerarationaldemand;thelaststipulatesthatthejudgmentcannotbedeterminedbysomethingthatsatisfiesadesireorlack.Psychoanalyticcategories,then,wouldseemtobeoflittlerelevanceinthiscase.Itseemsasthoughthejudgmentismadebysomepartoftheselfunlikewhatwenormallythinkofassubjectivity.Yet,neithercanthejudgmentbeobjective,inthesenseofrationalorcognitive.Thisisbecausetheobjectofaestheticjudgmentisonethateludesconceptualdefinitionandcognitiveclarity.Itisthefocusofanopaque,ifsuggestive,sensoryexperience.Anditisthisopacitythatstimulatesthefreeplayofimaginationandunderstanding.Inconcert,thesetwofacultiessearchforandfindanalogies,associations,formalrhymesandrhythms.Thisactivityispleasurableinitselfbecauseitsatisfiesthemind'sdemandforcoherence,butwithoutsubsumingthesensuousparticularunderanydefiniteconceptandsobringingtheactivitytoanend.Thisiswhythejudgmentissaidtobereflectiveratherthandeterminate;itrelatestothesensoryandmentalactivityoccasionedbytheobject.Bothourordering,rationalcapacityandourreceptivitytosensuousimpressionsareengaged.Thisactivityhelpsbothtohealthedivisionsbetweenourvariousfacultiesand,briefly,toovercomethemind'sestrangementfromtheworld.'Isthereanythingtobesalvagedfromthisaccountofthebeautiful?OrisithopelesslyconciliatoryandmiredinaparticularWestern,male,bourgeoisindividuality,whosedisin-terestedattitudeisjusttheassumptionofthepositionofthesubjectingeneralentitledtolegislateforall?"TherearetwofeaturesofthisaccountthatIwanttodrawoutandexamineinthelightofcontemporaryartpracticesandcriticaldiscourses.Oneistheissueofdisinterestedness;theotheristheobject'scogni-tiveopacity.

Kantofferedveryfewexamplesofthekindofexperiencehewasdescrib-ing,butbothGeorgWilhelmFriedrichHegelandArthurSchopenhauercon-nectedthedisinterestedaestheticattitudewithDutchart.Schopenhauer'sstressonthedominanceofthewillinoureverydaylivesmeantthatheparticularlyadmiredNetherlandishdepictionsoftheeveryday,undistortedbyappetiteordesire.Seventeenth-centuryDutchstill-lifeandgenrepainting,heargued,showanobjective,thatis,disinterested,viewofthemostinsignificantthings."Theaestheticbeholderdoesnotcontemplatethiswithoutemotion,foritgraphicallydescribestohimthecalm,tranquil,will-freeframeofmindwhichwasneces-saryforcontemplatingsuchinsignificantthingssoobjectively,consideringthemsoattentively,andrepeatingthisattentionwithsuchthought."7Whatisbeingdescribedhereisanartpracticethattriestocircumventselfishdesire,power,mastery,possessiveness-thewholecomplexofrelationsthatnormallygovernsourlives.Theaccomplishmentofthisiscalleddisinterestedness.

Alater,Symbolistcriticaldiscoursewouldreinventthisaestheticattitudebycallingforakindofpoetrythatavoidedallpersonalobtrusion.Inthiscase,disinterestednessisinvokedinfavorofanextrapersonalandintrinsicallypoeticdomainoflanguage.StephaneMallarme,forexample,wroteanappreciativeaccountofEdouardManet,praisingthewayhishandbecame"animpersonal

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8.StephansMallarme,"TheImpressionistsandEdouardManet"(1876),reproinPennyFlorence,

Mal/arme,Manet,andRedan:VisualandAuralSignsandtheGenerationofMeaning(Cambridge:CambridgeUniversityPress,1986),12.

9.MichaelFried,"MorrisLouis"(1971),inArtandObjecthood:EssaysandReviews(ChicagoandLondon:ChicagoUniversityPress,1998),/27.

10.RolandBarthes,"TheDeathoftheAuthor,"inImage/MusiclText,trans.StephenHeath(Glasgow:Fontana/Collins,1977).ThearticlewasfirstpublishedinEnglishinAspenMagazineS/6

(1966),n.p.

II.ZeissisthenameofaGermancameraman-ufacturer,famousforthequalityifitslenses.SalvadorDali,"Photography:PureCreationoftheMind,"inSalvadorDali:TheEarlyYears(London:SouthBankCentre,1994),216.

12.Mallarme,17.

13.Dante,AftertheEndofArt,90.

14.ThisisessentiallywhatThierrydeDuvearguesinKantafterDuchamp.Thequestionisnolonger,"Isitbeautiful?"oreven"Isitapainting?"butrather"Isitart?"DeDuvefollowsanumberofAnglo-Americanreflectionsontheaestheticinlightofthereadymade,IncludingthewritingsofGeorgeDickie,ArthurDanto,andRichardWollheim.

15.See"Specificationfor'Readyrnades"inTheEssentialWritingsofMarcelDuchamp,ed.M.SanouilletandElmerPeterson(London:ThamesandHudson,1975),32.

abstraction....Theartist'spersonalfeeling,hisparticulartastesare,forthetimebeing,absorbed,ignored."Manetwasdeterminedtopaint"entirelywith-outhimself."Searchingforawaytoaccomplishthisfeat,ManetlookedtotheDutchandFlemishartistsandtoanartistwhohadabsorbedtheirlessons,DiegoVelazquez."Intheearly1970s,MichaelFriedinvokedMallarme'sessaytochar-acterizetheimpersonalworkofMorrisLouisandhisapparent"elocutionarydisappearance."JacksonPollock,ontheotherhand,isseenaslockedinastrug-glebetween"thespecificityofurgentpersonalfeelingandtheimpersonal,andinthatsenseabstract,demandsofpaintingitself."9Mallarrneisalsothekeyfig-ureinRolandBarthes's"TheDeathoftheAuthor"(1968):"InFrance,Mallarmewasdoubtlessthefirsttoseeandtoforeseeinitsfullextentthenecessitytosubstitutelanguageitselfforthepersonwhountilthenhadbeensupposedtobeitsowner.Forhim,forustoo,itislanguagewhichspeaks,nottheauthor."10Photography's"objective"visionoftheworldwasalsocelebratedintheseterms;mechanizationwasunderstoodasawayofcuttingthroughthecarapaceofourhabitual,interest-ladenperceptions.SalvadorDali,forinstance,praised"theanaestheticstareoftheextremelycleareye-thelashlesseyeofZeiss."IIAndifthemechanicallyreproducedimagecanbeunderstoodas"disinterested,"soalsomightthefactory-made,mass-producedobject-providedthatitisdenaturedsoastoneutralizeitsstatusasacommodityintendedtosatisfydesire.Thecele-bratedautonomyoftheworkofart,itturnsout,impliestheobliterationofthepoetorpainterinhisorhermedium.Itisfundamentallyaboutthedisplace-mentofone'sownagencysothatsomethingothercansurface.TheaimistocutthroughstereotypeandsentimentsoastodiscoverwhatMallarrnecalled"astrangenewbeauty."I2

Readymade

Characteristically,Duchamppushedthelogicofdisinterestednesstosuchanextremethatitbitesitsowntail.ArthurDantohasmadethisconnection,notingthat"Duchamp'santi-aestheticcarrieswithitanimplicitanti-subjectivitywhichistobefoundattheveryheartofKantianaesthetics."13Thereadymadecanbeseenasalimitcaseoftheaesthetic-itsnearreductioadabsurdum-whichforcesustoreflectontherelationofarttothecommodity,oftheaesthetictotheappeti-tive.Itseffect,itslegacyforsubsequentartwastoshifttheartistic"discursivefield"awayfromquestionsaboutaestheticexperienceandtowardquestionsofwhatconstitutesaworkofart.14Thereadymadeisalimitcasethatthrowsintosharpreliefourdeeplyembeddedexpectationsofaworkofart.Needitinvolvecraft?Isthesignatureoftheartistorthework'slocationinagallerysufficienttosingleoutanobjectasart?Areaestheticqualitiesnecessary?Doesareplicahavethesamevalueastheoriginalwork?Ordoesthisdistinctioncollapseinthefaceofthereadymade?Thisreductivestrategyputspressureonourexpectationsoftheartist'sactivitybyerasingeverytraceofpersonaltasteorexpressivegesture.Toaccomplishthis,certainprocessesareputintraintodeterminetheformor"choice"oftheobject.Duchamp'srendez-vousisexactlythis-aprearrangedappointment(time,day,place,tobeinscribedontheobjectthatturnsupfortherendezvous).ThisstrategyiscomparedbyDuchamptoa"snapshoteffect."15

AlthoughmuchtheoryandpracticeafterDuchamphasbeenaggressively

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16.Ibid..138.

17.PierreCabanne,DialogueswithMarcelDuchamp.trans.RonPadgett(NewYork:DaCapoPress.1987).3I.

18.DavidjoselitarguesthatDuchampandhisfollowers"foundthemselvesreadymade...caughtinendlesseconomyorreproduction."Iwouldaddthattheyendeavoredtobreakthemold.See[oselit,InfiniteRegress:MarcelDuchamp,1910-1941(Cambridge.Mass.:MITPress.1998).197.

19.See.forinstance.TheDuchampEffect,ed.MarthaBuskirkandMignonNixon(Cambridge.Mass.:MITPress.1996).andThierrydeDuve,

ResonancesduReadymade:Duchampentreavant-gardeettradition(Nlmes:EditionsjacquelineCharnbon,1989).ForanaccountofthevarietyofDuchampeffects.seeDavidHopkins.AfterModernArt,1945-2000(Oxford:Oxford

UniversityPress.2000).

20.MelBochner."SerialArt.System:Solipsism,"ArtsMagazine41.no.8(Summer1967):42.SeealsoRobertMorris."SomeNotesonthePhenomenologyofPainting:TheSearchfortheMotivated"(1970).inContinuousProjectAlteredDaily(Cambridge.Mass.:MITPress.1993).71-94.

21.RolandBarthes,"ThatOldThingArt...,'.inTheResponsibilityofForms:CriticalEssaysonMusic,Art,andRepresentation(NewYork:HillandWang.1985).200.Barthes'sinsistenceontheasymmetryoftherelationbetweentheartist/authorandtherebornviewer/readerisnotsharedbyallcommentatorswhoseetheartist'sreticencemirroredinanequallydesubjectivizedresponsetothework.

anti-aesthetic,thereisplentyofevidencetosuggestthatDuchampunderstoodhisownworkwithinthetraditionofdisinterestedart.Itiswellknownthathedistancedhimselffromtheanti-artanticsofDadaandTristanTzara,takingupanaloofpositionoutsidetheart/anti-artdebate.In"TheCreativeAct,"DuchampapprovinglycitedT.S.Eliot:"Themoreperfecttheartistthemorecompletelyseparateinhimwillbethemanwhosuffersandthemanwhocreates."16Whendiscussinghisearlyinterestinmechanicaldrawing,heremarked,"Itwasasortofloophole.Youknow,I'vealwaysfelttheneedtoescapemyself."17Thevisualindifferenceofmechanicaldrawingandthereadymadewas,forhim,awayofescapingtheweightoftaste,definedas"arepetitionofsomethingalreadyaccepted."Thehabitual,thetasteful,theacceptedwerethedeadlyreadymadesthatgovernedmostart;Duchamp'sreadymadesweregovernedbythezerodegreeofaestheticsandaimedatastrangenewbeauty.18

ThelegacyoftheDuchampian"disinterested"attitudecanbeseeninMinimalist,Pop,andConceptualart.Theso-calledDuchampeffectontheartofthelater1960sand1970Sisnowclear.19Theelocutionarydisappearanceoftheartistiswitnessed,forexample,inMelBochner'sdescriptionofthewayalogicalsystem"excludesindividualpersonalityasmuchaspossible,"orinRobertMorris'spracticeoflettingthematerialsdetermineform.??InanarticleaboutPopcalled"ThatOldThingArt...,"Barthesreprisedtheargumentof"TheDeathoftheAuthor,"notingthat"thePopartistdoesn'tstandbehindthework,andhehimselfhasnodepth."Herightlyconcludesthatwhatispresentedis"anotherconceptionofthehumansubject."21WhilenodirectlinecanbedrawnbetweenKant'sdisinterestednessandDuchamp'saestheticofindifference,myargumentnonethelessindicatesthattheso-calledanti-aesthetictraditionintwentieth-centuryartis,infact,adevelopmentofoneofthedefiningfeaturesoftheaestheticitself,onethatbecameastrategyforshort-circuitingtheimposi-tionofsubjectivity.

FoundObject

OnecaneasilyseehowKant'scharacterizationofaestheticjudgmentasdisinter-estedcouldleadtothevariousdesubjectivizingartisticpracticesI'vementioned.ButifonestressesanotheraspectofKant'saesthetic,theinitialperplexityandprelogicalplayinrelationtotheobjectthateludesourfullunderstanding,onecanalsoreadilyseehowtheaesthetic,modifiedthroughFreud,mightsurviveinsomeforminSurrealistartandwriting.IwanttodrawoutthiscontinuityinrelationtoBreton'sconceptionofthefoundobject.Thefoundobjectshareswiththereadymadealackofobviousaestheticqualityandlittleinterventiononthepartoftheartistbeyondputtingtheobjectincirculation,butinalmosteveryotherrespectitisdissimilar.ThedifferenceisattributabletoBreton'sposi-tioningthefoundobjectinadifferentspace-thespaceoftheunconscious.In"SurrealistSituationoftheObject"(1935),Bretoncalledonbothpoetsandpainterstoincorporateintheirworkthe"precisionofsensibleforms."Hedescribedasituationinwhichphotographyhadtakenoverthemimeticfunctionofrepresentation,sothatSurrealistpaintingwasforcedtoretreattothedomainofinnerperception.Thiswouldnotmean,however,thatpaintingwoulddetachitselffromexternalreality.AsBretonsaid,thereisnosuchthingas"spontaneous

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22.AndreBreton,"SurrealistSituationoftheObject"(1935),inManifestoesofSurrealism,trans.R.SeaverandH.R.Lane(AnnArbor:UniversityofMichiganPress,1972),272.

23.StevenHarris,"TheChainofGlass:RethinkingBreton'sConceptofObjectiveChance,"Collopse4(May1999):60.

24.AndreBreton,MadLove,trans.MaryAnnCaws(Lincoln:UniversityofNebraskaPress,/987),25.

25.JacquesLacan,TheFourFundamentalConceptsofPsycho-Analysis,ed.Jacques-AlainMiller,trans.AlanSheridan(London:PenguinBooks,1977).TranslationofLesquatreconceptsfondamentauxdelapsychanalyse,livreXI(Editionsduseuil,1973).ThisisthepublishedversionofLacan'sSeminarXI,deliveredin1964.SigmundFreud,BeyondthePleasurePrinciple(1920),StandardEditionoftheCompleteWorksofSigmundFreud,vol.18,3-66.

26.Breton,MadLove,13.

27.HalFoster,CompulsiveBeauty(Cambridge,Mass.:MITPress,1993).

28.Breton,MadLove,33.

generation"inmentalreality.Rather,Surrealistimagesandobjectsarelikethe"visualresidues"frompastexperiencethatturnupindreams."FreudiantheoryenabledBretontoovercomethegapbetweeninternalandexternaldomains,because,asStevenHarrisnicelyputsit,it"mediatedrelationsbetweenexternalnature,perceptionandtheunconscious.T"

LikeKant,Bretonsawartasameansofovercomingthebreachbetweenmindandworld.ForKant,itwasthebeautifulobject'sformalpurposivenessthatgesturedtowardtheideaofa"prearranged"harmoniousrelationofmindtoitsobjects.ForthemodernmaterialistBreton,however,therelationisestablishedbyexternalreality'seffectsonthepsyche:"Chancewouldbetheformtakenbyexternalrealityasittracesapath(sefraieunchemin)inthehumanunconscious.T'"Theobjectfoundasifbychanceissituatedatthepointofconnectionbetweenexternalnature,perception,andtheunconscious,andthushasapeculiar,elusiverelationtovision.Thespaceoccupiedbythefoundobjectiscarvedoutbytrau-maticexperience,definedpreciselyasanexperiencethathasfailedtoachievearepresentation,butonwhich,nonetheless,one'swholeexistencedepends.Iwillarguethatthisobjectcallsattentiontoitselfbycreatingaholeinthefabricofnormalperception.ThismaysoundasthoughI'mcontrastingthefoundobjectwiththereadymadeintermsofasubjectivity/antisubjectivitypolarity,butthematterisnotsosimple.Thetraumaticsubjectisnotthepersonalselfthatwassostrenuouslyavoidedinthetraditionofdisinterestedart.BoththattraditionandSurrealismwereinterestedinthedisplacementoftheartist'sagency.

Whatkindofsubjectisimpliedbythefoundobject?IwouldsuggestaLacanianone.ReadingBreton'sMadLove(1937)andJacquesLacan's1964seminar,TheFourFundamentalConceptsofPsycho-Analysis,intandemonecanseehowtheybothcirclearoundFreud'sBeyondthePleasurePrincipleand,also,howdeeplyinfluencedLacanwasbyBreton'snotionoftheobjettrouveortrouvaille(foundobject)."Bretondescribedthetrouvailleasasolutionfoundnotbylogicalmeans,andonethatdifferscompletelyfromwhatisanticipated."Inanycase,whatisdelightfulhereisthedissimilarityitselfwhichexistsbetweentheobjectwishedforandtheobjectfound."26InhisbookCompulsiveBeauty,HalFosterhasanalyzedinsomedetailthepassagesinMadLoveaboutthetwokeytrouvailles-awoodenspoonandametalmask;hedemonstratesclearlythattheydonotrepresentsimplewishfulfillments,butarelacedwithdesireanddeath.HesuggeststhatBreton'scon-ceptionofthefoundobjectanticipatesLacan'sobjetpetita-thelostobjectwhichsetsdesireinmotionandwhich,paradoxically,representsbothaholeintheintegrityofourworldandthethingthatcomestohidethehole.27

Ithink,however,thatLacan'selusiveobjectisactuallymodeledonBreton'sfoundobject.Theexampleofthemarvelousslipper-spoonismosttelling.BretonwantedAlbertoGiacomettitomakehimaliteral,materialinstantiationoftheperplexingphraseCinderella-ashtray(Cendrillon-cendrier),butitwasnotforthcoming.OnavisittoaParisfleamarketwiththesculptor,Bretonlitonacuriouswoodenspoonwithalittlebootcarvedunderitshandleandcarrieditoff.Onlywhenhegottheobjecthomedidittransformitselfintotheobjectofhisdesire:"Itwasclearlychangingrightundermyeyes.Fromtheside,atacertainheight,thelittlewoodspooncomingoutofitshandle,tookon,withthehelpofthecurvatureofthehandle,theaspectofaheelandthewholeobjectpresentedthesilhouetteofaslipperontiptoelikethoseofdancers.T"

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ManRay."Fromalittleshoethatwaspartofit...;'1934.Black-and-whitephotographpublishedinAndreBreton,MadLove.©2004ManRayTrustlADAGP,Paris,andDACS,London.

29.Ibid.,36.

30.Lacan,TheFourFundamentalConcepts,184.

31.JacquesLacan,ThePsychoses,SeminarBookIII,1955-56,ed.Jacques-AlainMiller(NewYorkandLondon:Routledge,1993),179.

32.MalcolmBowie,Lacon(London:Fontana,1991),168.

33.RolandBarthes,ComeraLucida:ReffectionsonPhotography(1980),trans.RichardHoward(NewYork:HillandWang,1981),87.Seemy"WhatIsaPhotograph?"inArtHistory17.no.3(Septem-ber1994):450--63.

LiketheanamorphicskullinHansHolbein'spaintingTheAmbassadors,whichresolvesintoaskull"fromtheside,atacertainheight,"theopaque,incomprehen-siblespoonissuddenlytransformedintothelustrouslostobjectparexcellence,Cinderella'sglassslipper."Itisjustwhat,inourfolklore,takesonthemeaningof

thelostobject."29Ifthereflectioninthemirroristheprototypeofallimagesoftheego,thenthiscontradictory,ungras-pable,fleetingobjectistheprototypeforimagesofthecastrated,barred,split,inshort,anamorphicsubject.Thissubject,calledpunninglybyLacanlesujettroue(thesubjectfullofholes),usesanobjettrouve(afoundobject)tofigureboththeholeandthebitthat'smissing.3°Theslipperyspoonoflovehasitscounterpart,themaskofdeath,foundbyGiacomettionthesameoccasionandwhich,accordingtoBreton,enabledhimtofinishhissculptureL'Objetinvisible.

If,asIargue,LacanformulatedhisideaoftheobjectofdesirewithBreton'strouvailleinmind,thenhemustalsohaveborrowedtheSurrealistnotionoftheencounterforhisconceptionofJarencontremonquee(missedorfailedencounter).Ineffect,LacanrecastFreud'sconceptionoftraumaintermsoftheSurrealistencounter.Thefoundobjectisencounteredandtheeffectistraumatic.ThecontrastbetweentheDuchampianrendezvousandtheBretonianencountershouldnowbeclear.Whilethereadymadeisessentiallyindifferent,multiple,andmass-produced,thefoundobjectisessentiallySingularorirreplaceable,andbothlostandfound.

Throughouthiscareer,Lacaninsistedthattherewassomethingaboutthesubjectnotcapturedinthearticulationsoflanguageorinaseriesofimaginarycaptivations.Theallusionsinhisearlywritingstopersonalityandtothestyleofthesubjectattesttothis,asdoesthefollowingremarkfromSeminarIII,ThePsychoses:"Thereis,ineffect,somethingradicallyunassimilabletothesignifier.It'squiteSimplythesubject'ssingularexistence."31Themarkofthesubject'ssin-gularityisobjetpetita.Yet,sinceobjetpetitacannotbecomeanobjectofconscious-nessandisunspecularizable,itisnotsusceptibletothecriticismthatitrevivesanostalgiaforlostimmediacyorpresence.Treadingcarefully,MalcolmBowieremarksthat,withtheintroductionofobjetpetita,Lacanallowed"theghostofreferentialitytoregainadmissiontohisscheme."32

AghostofreferentialiyisexactlywhatBarthesinvokedinhisCameraLucida,wherehestressedthegreaterimportanceforphotographyofchemistryratherthanthecameraobscura:itislight-sensitivepaperthatgivesthephotographitsessentialnatureasa"that-has-been."Barthesemphasizedthephotograph'sinti-mateconnectionwiththeobject,attestingtotherealityofthething-butarealityinapaststate,anectoplasm,arealityonecannolongertouch.AsIhavearguedelsewhere,Barthesformulatedhisideaofthesubject'srelationtophotog-raphywithonehandinthepagesofLacan'sFourFundamentalConcepts.vHeargued,forinstance,thatthedefiningcharacteristicofphotographyisitsattachmentto

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MaryKelly.Post-PortumDocument,Introduction,1973.Detail.Perspexunits,whitecard,woolvests,pen-cil,andink.Fourunits,ea.8xlOin.(20x25.5em).CollectionofEileenandPeterNorton.Courtesyoftheartist.

34.lbid.,4.

35.Ibid.,75.

36.MaryKelly,"ExcavatingPost-PartumDocument,"interviewwithJuliCarson,inMaryKelly:RereadingPost-PartumDocument(Vienna:GeneraliFoundation,1998),186.

37.Minotaure3/4(December1933):68

38.Seemy"VisualizingtheUnconscious:MaryKelly'sInstallations,"inMaryKelly(London:Phaidon,1997),32--85.

"theabsoluteParticular,thesovereignContingency,matteandsomehowstupid,theThis...inshort,whatLacancallsruche,theOccasion,theEncounter,theReal,initsindefatigableexpression.">rucheisexperiencedbythesubjectasapainfulintrusion,asatrauma-anencounterwitharealbeyondthepleasure

principle.InthefirstpartofCameraLucida,therealislocatedinadetail,apunctum,alsocalledbyhim"petitetache"(littlemarkorstain)-areferencetoLacan'sblindspotintheorthodoxperceptualfieldalsocalledthestainanddefinedas"thatwhichalwaysescapesfromthegraspofthatformofvisionthatissatisfiedwithitselfinimagin-ingitselfasconsciousness.l'YForBarthes,photog-raphy,likethefoundobject,hasaprivilegedrela-tiontothisblindspot,thishole,thistraumaticreal.Ifthisisso,thenphotographyisafascinatinglyambivalentmedium:notonlyreadymade/simu-lacral,butalsotraumaticlreal.

MaryKelly

Inowwanttofocusmydiscussionsofthefoundobject,photography,andaestheticsbeyondthepleasureprincipleontheworkoftwocontempo-raryartists.OneartistwhoseworkhasalwaysbeenatouchstoneformythinkingisMaryKelly.Inarecentinterview,KellyspokeabouthowsheregardedherinstallationPost-PartumDocumentaspolemicallyrelatedtotheworkofBritishConceptualartists,whoseinterrogationoftheobjectwasnotfollowedupbyaninterrogationofthesubject.36TheIntroduc-tiontoDocument,1973,takestheformoftinybabyvestscrossed,indeed,crossedout,bythelinesofLacan'sdiagramofintersubjectivity.Althoughthevestsarereadymadeandarrangedserially,their

psychicvalueandrelationtolossisobvious,makingthemmoreakintofoundobjects.ThepanelsofCorpus,PartIofInterim,havethesamesignificance.InInterim,middleageisconceivedasamomentoflossinrelationtoone'ssenseofidentityasawoman.TheposedarticlesofclothingrefertotheneuropathologistJeanMartinCharcot'sfamousphotographsofhysterics,ofgreatimportanceinSurrealistcircles,butformallytheyresemblethephotographinBreton'sNadjaofabronzepaperweightintheformofawoman'sglove.ThisisolatedarticleofclothingservedasamodeloftheimagepanelsforCorpus.However,theSurrealistimagesthatrelateformallymostcloselytotheCorpuspanelsareBrassai'sstrangeclose-upphotographsofSculpturesinvolontaires.37Theseinvoluntarysculptureswerephotographedonglassandsubjectedtoarakinglightsothattheyseemtohoverjustabovetheground,castingashadow.KellyproducedasimilareffectbyusingsemitransparentlaminatedphotopositivesappliedtoPerspexpanelssoastoemphasizetheseobjects'peculiarrelationtovisibility-"

KellygivesusaclueaboutwhatshefoundvaluableintheseSurrealist

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Brassa"i.Sculptureinvolontoire,billetd'outobusrou/e,1932.Black-and-whitephotograph.©EstateBrassa....,R.M.N.

Anonymous.Photographofbronzeglovebelongingtoawoman,1928.Publishedwithcaption"Gantdefemmeaussi.••"inAndreBreton,Nodjo,65.

opposite:

MaryKelly.Interim,PortI:Corpus,1984-85.Laminatedphotopositive,silkscreen,andacryliconPlexiglas.Thirtypanels,ea.35x48in.(90x

122.5em),CourtesyofPostmastersGallery,NewYork.Courtesyoftheartist.

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39.MaryKelly,"DesiringImages/ImagingDesire,"inImagingDesire(CambridgeMass.:MITPress,1996),122.

40.Breton,"SurrealistSituationoftheObject,"272.

41.GabrielOrozco,Photogravity(Philadelphia:PhiladelphiaMuseumofArt,1999).

42.DavidJoselitdescribesOrozco'sworkasinvolvinganencounterwiththereadymade,blur-ringthedistinctionIwishtopreservebetweenrendezvousandencounter."GabrielOrozco,"Artforum39,no.I(September2000):173.

43.Orozco,S4.

44.Ibid.,8.

45.Ibid.,II.

46.InterviewwithCarlAndre.SeeLucyLippard,SixYears:TheDematerializationofArttrom1966to1972(Berkeley:UniversityofCaliforniaPress,1997),40.SeealsoAlexPotts,TheSculpturalImagination:Figurative,Modernist,Minimalist(NewHaven:YaleUniversityPress,2000),312ff.

47.Orozco,36.

precedentswhenshecontraststhefunctionofperspectiveconstructionwithanotherkindofpicturefoundin"therealmoflostobjects,"arealmwhere"vanishingpointsaredetermined,notbygeometry,butbywhatisrealforthesubject,pointslinked,nottoasurface,buttoaplace-theunconscious-andnotbymeansoflight,butbythelawsofprimaryprocess."39Thesefilmyitemsofclothingareadriftintherealmoflostobjects,cutofffromsymbolicallyartic-ulatedreality.ThisisconsistentwithBreton'scallforartiststouserealobjectsintheirwork.Whileheencouragedpoetsandpainterstoincorporatethe"preci-sionofsensibleforms,"healsorequiredthattheseobjectsbedetachedfromthedomainofperception-consciousness,makingthemlikethe"visualresidues"thatturnupindreams.t?Carefullychoosinghermaterialsandformaldevices,Kellypositionsherobjectsinanambiguousspacebetweenexternalnature,percep-tion,andtheunconscious.

GabrielOrozco

ThereisawonderfulcatalogueofanexhibitionofGabrielOrozco'sworkheldatthePhiladelphiaMuseumofArtin1999.4'Reproducedinthevolume,calledPhotogravity,arefragmentsofpagesoftheartist'snotebooks.AllveryGreenBox,youmaysay,andDuchampisundoubtedlyanimportantfigureforOrozco.fButsomeofhisworkandnotespointinanotherdirection.Afragmentarynotereads:"Photographyasahole."43Elsewhereinthenotes,onecanfindjottingsthathelptoexplicatethispuzzlingphrase.Itwouldseemtohavesomerelationtohisideaofthe"expectant(orwaiting)object."44Thisobjectistheinverseofsculpture,whichtraditionallyhasitscenterofgravityinitsbase.Whatwouldhappen,Orozcoasks,ifsculpturewereopenedupandwemovedinsideit?Thentherelationwouldbeinverted;thespectatorwouldbecometheobjectofsight,thevanishingpoint.t-ThisideaisreminiscentofLacan'sinvertedperspectivediagraminTheFourFundamentalConceptsofPsycho-Analysis.ButOrozcohadtoaccom-plishthisinversioninspace,inmaterialform.Onthesamepageisasketchforjustsuchaprojectednonsculpture.Asliceofclayisremovedfromthebaseofatraditionallyconceivedsculpture.Thesculptureisthrownawayandthesliceofclayspreadoutonthegroundandflippedoversowecanseetheimprintofthisopened-out,obliteratedvanishingpoint.WearenotfarfromCarlAndre'sfloorpiecesandhisgnomicremark"Athingisaholeinathingitisnot,"whichpointstowardanideaofsculptureasaruptureinthecontinuumofspace."Forthemostpart,Orozco'snotesaren'tdated,butwecanbeprettysurethisisafirststabatwhatwastobecomeYieldingStone,1992,aballofplasticinethathasbeenrolledthroughthestreet,pickingupmarksanddebris.BlackKites(1997)alsoseemstoplayonacollapseofRenaissanceperspective,whoseveryemblemisthecheckerboard-tiledpavement,nowanamorphicallystretchedanddistortedaroundadeath'shead.IfmyallusiontoLacaninthecontextofOrozco'sworkseemsfarfetched,thereisanotherpageinthenotebookwhereOrozcohasjotteddownaquotationfromSlavojZizek'sLookingAwryYZizekislargelyresponsibleforthemediationtoawideraudienceofLacan'slaterwork,wherehedevelopedtheideaoftherealasaregisterofthepsychicrealitysetinrelationtotheimagi-naryandthesymbolic.TheZizekcitationfollowsremarksonKazimirMalevich'sBlackSquare(1915).

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GabrielOrozco.YieldingStone.1992.Plasticineanddust.19in.diam.(48.5em),132.2Ibs(60kg).CollectionWalkerArtCenter.Min-neapolis.CourtesyoftheartistandMarianGoodmanGallery.NewYork.

48.SlavojZizek,LookingAwry:AnIntroductiontojacquesLacanthroughPopularCulture(Cambridge.Mass..andLondon:Verso.1991),19.

The"reality"(whitebackgroundsurface,the"liberatednothingness:'theopenspaceinwhichnothingnesscanappear)obtainsitsconsistencyonlybymeansofthe"blackhole"initscenter,(theLacaniandasDing,theThingthatgivesbodytothesubstanceofenjoyment)i.e.,bytheexclusionoftheReal,bythechangeofthestatusoftheRealintothatofacentrallack.48

IfKellyshowsustheobject'sproximitytothatcentrallack,thenOrozcowantstoshowustheunrepresentablethresholditself:thenext-to-nothing,therippleinwater,"thewakeofanaction,"asheputsit.Inshort,"photographyasahole."See,forexample,Orozco'sphotographofafoundZendrawingdonewithrainwaterforinkandbicyclewheelsforabrush,ExtensionofReflection,1992.HisBreathonPiano,1993,showsasmokypatchofcondensationonthecoolblacksur-faceofthepiano.TheWaitingChairs,1998,areexpectantobjects,parexcellence.Thesephotographspresentobjectsonthethresholdofvisibilityorinvokeanabsenceorpastmomentintime.Inthisway,Orozcoheightensphotography'sthat-has-been

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GabrielOrozco.ExtensionofReflection,1992.C-print.16x20in.(40.6x50.8em),Editionof5.CourtesyoftheartistandMarianGoodmanGallery,

NewYork.

GabrielOrozco.BreathonPiano,1993.C-print.16x20in.(40.6x50.8ern),Editionof5.CourtesyoftheartistandMarianGoodmanGallery,

NewYork.

49.SlavojZizek,"BurningtheBridges."inTheZizekReader.ed.ElizabethWrightandEdmondWright(Oxford:Blackwells,1999).ix.

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character,butalsogeneralizesittoincludethewholetextureofourexperienceoftheworld,punctuatedasitiswithholesleadingdowntotheunconscious.

Wesawthatthemodernisttraditionofdisinterestedartdisplacedsubjectiv-ityinfavorofthemedium;theeffectofDuchamp's(postmodern?)interventionwastoexpandtheideaofmediumtoincludethewholeinstitutionofart.Thedesubjectivizingstrategyofthereadymade,withitssystematicworkofnegationandtestingofthelimitsofwhatcountsasart,hassustainedartpracticeformostofthelastcenturyandcontinuestodoso.YetthedominanceoftheDuchampeffectmayhaveblindedustothelegacyofthefoundobject,whichislessvisibleandlessconcernedwithreflectingonandunderminingtheconventionsandinstitutionsofart.TheexamplesofMaryKellyandGabrielOrozcoshowthatthereisawealthofartthatbreakstheself-criticalcircleandopensitselftowiderissuesofsubjectivityandSOciality,lossandmemory,loveanddeath.AsZizeksopithilyputit,withregardtoculturaltheory:"Thecelebratedpostmodern

'displacement'ofsubjectivityratherexhibitsanunreadinesstocometotermswiththetrulytraumaticcoreofthemodernsubject."49MyproposalforanaestheticbeyondthepleasureprincipleisaimedatapproachingthatcoreandsosetsaboutcomplicatingthetraditionofKantiandisinterestednessandthedisplacementoreffacementofsubjectivityimpliedbythereiterationofthereadymade.However,itretainsthevalueKantplacedontheengagementwithanopaque,elusiveobjectthatsetsintoplaythesenses,imagination,andunderstanding.

MargaretIversenisProfessorofArtHistory.UniversityofEssex,England.SheistheauthorofA/oisRiegl:ArtHistoryandTheoryandMaryKelly(withDouglasCrimpandHomiBhabha).Shealsoedited(WithDanaArnold)ArtandThought.

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