Discussed topic / reference: Adam Curtis, Bitter Lake
http://vidzi.tv/9jxajnl9c4wh.html
Discussion about the potential for archive material as a generative tool and some of the possible moral issues and conflicts inherent in presenting and framing this kind of material as ‘journalism’.
Comments by Rowan Geddis:
I have been interested in Adam Curtis’ work for some time, but I thought it might be particularly relevant for me to reconsider this piece now, in relation to my current interest in exploring some of Vilem Flusser’s theories regarding ‘Technical Images’ , the idea of a ‘Post-Historical’ age, and particularly in thinking about what could constitute a contemporary (post-internet) definition of Flusser’s ‘Techno-Imagination’.
“When images supplant texts, we experience, perceive, and value the world and ourselves differently, no longer in a one-dimensional, linear, process- oriented, historical way but rather in a two-dimensional way, as surface, context, scene. And our behavior changes: it is no longer dramatic but embedded in fields of relationships. What is currently happening is a mutation of our experiences, perceptions, values, and modes of behavior, a mutation of our being-in-the-world.” Flusser, Into the Universe of Technical Images
In relation to the above, what interests me is Curtis’ creative (non-linear) approaches to historical material as ‘medium’, his understanding of the relationship between memory, image and history and the inter-subjective, rhizomatic relating of disparate materials (spanning space and time), as well as the aesthetic blurring of documentary and fiction.
Even without directly referring to ‘web aesthetics’, structurally speaking, could this kind of work only be made after the internet?
Bitter Lake (and Curtis’ previous film All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace) seems to me to illustrate very contemporary artistic strategies- a topological approach to themes and materials; the repositioning of historical events, as well as thinking through image: using montage as a process.
Is it essential that artistic production today is a struggle (potentially using the Techno-Imagination as a tool) to overcome or ‘de-program’ the delimitation of what Flusser termed the ‘black box’: the technical apparatuses that only give the impression of freedom, but really limit our actions to a prescribed set of programs -(but which also serves as a metaphor for society more widely)?
“What we really see, in a world dominated by technical images, is not a world, but certain concepts relative to the world impregnated in the mediatic structure.” Flusser, Towards a Philosophy of Photography
There is an interesting paper you can find here on the black box and techno-imagination (also attached):
Curtis has stated that he see’s himself not as a filmmaker, nor as an artist but primarily as a journalist.
Whilst he is clearly critiquing the strategies of media and state, in their reductive and polarizing, narrativization of the complexities of global politics and history, with Bitter Lake particularly, Curtis is arguably presenting an extremely subjective narrative-driven construction of history himself, adopting these same strategies of the media spectacle (‘shock and entertain’). With its atmospheric soundtrack and appealing ‘conspiracy theory’-like narrative it feels like a seductive piece of modern propaganda. But is this even a problem?
So anyhow, please do chime in. We felt that there was room to explore further in these sessions issues in using archive material as medium, so let’s see if this gets picked up. Simone Osthoff (who has also written extensively about Flusser) has produced a very strong publication on the ‘active’ archive, which i highly recommend:
https://books.google.se/books/about/Performing_the_Archive.html?id=yC4YAQAAMAAJ&redir_esc=y
Comments by Maryam Omrani:
I found the Bitter Lake very interesting! not only because of it’s form and his approach to documentary and fiction, but also because it was about the Middle East! I don’t know why but I felt something strange about this movie, maybe as you said: “subjective narrative-driven construction of history himself, adopting these same strategies of the media spectacle (‘shock and entertain’). With its atmospheric soundtrack and appealing ‘conspiracy theory’-like narrative it feels like a seductive piece of modern propaganda”
I feel that I have been manipulated as an spectator after watching his movie! I don’t exactly know why!
Comments by Tam Hare:
Yes I agree, Curtis is a master manipulator. But I do think it relates to ideas that I am extremely interested in. That of:where does history and the recorded and largely accepted versions of different events, actually come from?
Dieter Mersch discusses this, in relation to notions of ‘perception’, a bit in a recent book of his I have been reading called Epistemologies of Aesthetics. Also, many of Tariq Ali’s lectures that I have been watching online during the research for this project (& others), present, particularly British & European 20th century history, in a far more multifaceted and complex way, than certainly one is taught in school or via mainstream media broadcasting.
This one especially, if you or anyone else is interested – parts 1 & 2 are both here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MncHuv4OZ9k
Comments by Maryam Omrani:
I have this feeling that at the end, Curtis concluded something. or presumably I perceived it in this way that he decreased the crisis and the “war on terror” to western’s vision of “good” and “bad” ! I think in some ways he simplified the whole story. but I liked the way he ended his narration in a suspended way… I don’t know! I have to think more about the film and his vision! but it was indeed impressive for me specially the way he merged Solaris movie in his narration…
Comments by Tam Hare:
It’s a great film, no question. And I agree that the Solaris allegorical reference for me is one of the most interesting themes in the work. In a sense, his analysis of this as a type of metaphor for subjects in his film, work as an overall characterisation of Bitter Lake in its entirety.
In this sense, I deem that the essence of Bitter Lake is, that it reinforces the idea that there is no empirical ‘truth’ – essentially this notion is a misnomer. Strands, fragments, streams etc., are really what we have regarding history and memory (rhizomatic, as I think Rowan rightly suggested). Therefore, when an artist (like Curtis) creates something on these terms and subsequently utilises an individual focus and attention towards sited source materials, then they can potentiality depict something that is far more intriguing and revealing. And not to mention, creatively more stimulating.
Comments by Rowan Geddis:
Regarding the thread of BL discussion, I agree re. comments -Curtis as a manipulator, (in addition to Tam’s highlighting of his clear interest in absurdities inherent in concepts of empirical truth) I believe that the explicit manner in which he does this (there seems to be no attempt to hide his intentions) Curtis is actually interested in making us aware of how we are manipulated constantly (far more covertly and insidiously) by media and state alike. Its both an unveiling of historical and ‘current’ media ‘untruths’ and manipulations (the post-history angle again perhaps).
Also agreed that the Solaris angle is genius- and I feel (along with the soundtrack and sound design) sets the sci-fi/speculative-fiction tone for the rest of the film, and another element i feel intended to blur the boundaries of fiction/non-fiction and encourage us to question the work as objective in any way. All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace uses similar devices, if not to a fuller degree, with (in the first episode) its tracing of the influence of (objectivist) ideas contained in the speculative fiction of Ayn Rand. Right from the outset, the borrowing of the title from a collection of sci-fi poetry (Richard Brautigan, 1967- which envisions the development of cybernetics to the extent that human labour is no longer necessary) and the opening text ‘THIS IS A STORY ABOUT THE RISE OF THE MACHINES’ (Terminator 3), the three part series is peppered with image, sound and textual references to science fiction culture.
For those who haven’t seen it, its also highly recommended:
https://vimeo.com/groups/96331/videos/80799353