Bioviolence: How the Powers That Be Make Us Do What They Want by William Watkin

Author:William Watkin [Watkin, William]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Political Science, General
ISBN: 9781000386851
Google: j0QvEAAAQBAJ
Goodreads: 56099003
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2021-07-18T00:00:00+00:00

A great book in many ways, Kristeva’s work however rarely avers from a mainstream psychoanalytical reading of decapitation as symbol of castration found in Hélène Cixous’ foundational paper from the 1980 “Decapitation or Castration?” (spoiler alert, she chose castration) (Watkin 2000). Yet Kristeva’s reading of the Medusa myth does appear to contain a theory of the history of decapitation’s relationship to the power of the image that speaks indirectly to the ISIS videos. It was published just before they were broadcast. Whatever horror the Medusa represents, vulvic or otherwise, the significance of the story is entirely bound up with the power of the image. If one gazes on the snakes directly, one is turned to stone. Perseus’ reflective shield, it transpires, is one of two safe means of looking at the Medusa full-on. The other is decapitation. Both are inscribed by a mode of visual reflection and separation that is the basis for modern film, ISIS’ chosen medium. As Kristeva explains: “The Medusa-Gorgon only becomes bearable as eikon. Cut off the monster’s head and offer its reflection for view, that is the only way to protect yourself from death” (Kristeva 2012, p.30).

The polished shield commences a process of self-separation that we call representation. What cannot be seen head-on is reflected through the interposition of a film that splits the subject matter in two, inoculating us against the corporal danger of unimpeded seeing. A form of cinema then is born back there in ancient Greece, out of the need to tame an image that, at the same time, we demand to see. The widespread, unwitting sharing of the videos reveals we are all still Greek enough that we want to gaze on death yet not be turned to stone. This is the logic of snuff movies that has been realised by the ubiquity of handheld devices and social media: direct access to the visual taboo of death that previously was only possible by being present at the act.

Reflective representation is the first cut but, as all devotees of decapitation know, if you want to sever a head from a body with a blade, according to Samurai lore at least, two slices are preferable, so as not to want to lose control of the head and have it bounce and spurt towards the emperor’s new clothes. The second cut in the Medusa myth is the removal of the head with the phallic sword. Concentration on the gendered and sexual elements of this process blind us to perhaps the more central importance of Perseus’ weapon which in Cellini’s sculpture sticks out horizontally, only half erect. Read into that all you want, but the sword qua sword has the aesthetic effect of adding a third dimensionality to the work, occupying the distance between the work and the world out there, where you stand, on the Loggia dei Lanzi, just about where she must have stood, y’know, before he topped her? The crowd take a couple of steps back when they hear this, then recommence their selfies.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.