Self/Image: Technology, Representation and the Contemporary
Subject, by Amelia Jones. Routledge/258 pp./$120.00 (hb), $35.95 (sb).
Art often depicts an artist's perception of him/herself,
literally or figuratively. In Self/Image: Technology, Representation and
the Contemporary Subject, Amelia Jones provides an excellent range of
artists from the nineteenth century to the present who address/ed issues
of self-identity in their work. She incorporates various quotes and
thoughts from theorists such as Jean Baudrillard and Marshall McLuhan to
illustrate her idea of how the self is linked to one's
understanding of a particular place and time. Each chapter focuses on a
theme and idea highlighting an artist or a collaboration of artists,
allowing for the discussion of a variety of mediums: traditional and
digital photography, performance, film and video installations, and new
technology. Many artists covered are part of the common
repertoire--Cindy Sherman, Orlan, and Stelare, for example--but several,
including Susan Silton and the group Asco, are new to this reviewer.
This book investigates the frequently explored idea of the body,
identity, and the use of technology to interact with the viewer.
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COPYRIGHT 2007 Visual Studies
Workshop Reproduced with permission of the copyright holder. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
Copyright 2007, Gale Group. All rights
reserved. Gale Group is a Thomson Corporation Company.
NOTE: All illustrations and photos have been removed from this article.