複眼時代

文：陳永賢

 

動態影像的再觀看與被折射

 

「複眼時代」（The Era of Compound Eyes）主要探討動態藝術與新媒體藝術在當代媒介中經由視覺而呈現的感知議題。這裡指涉「複眼」所產生的幻視，如同眼睛所見真實般的信度，但經由擬像傳輸過程，在每個被身歷其境的感知狀態下，如同海市蜃景乍現，瞬間立即顯現另一層幻象的語言符號。這種觀看模式與影像「折射」所欲求的相對關係，猶如古書《淮南萬畢術》的一段話：「取大鏡高懸，置水盤於其下，則見四鄰矣。」此動態媒體藝術之鏡面傳送影像的折射原理，讓觀眾的雙眼成了偵察四周的窺探之眼，而欲求之心也隨之被視聽影像所挑動。進而言之，動態媒體作品透過鏡像媒介，經由轉譯和折射之後的符號，讓視覺符碼產生動態媒體的「皺褶」，並延伸出對於觀看與沈浸之間的對話。

 

面對動態媒體圖像的轉碼與再現之議題，包括數位音像、虛擬實境、擴增實境、錄像藝術及媒體裝置，創作者採用數位化圖像作為呈現方式，其外在表徵，不免令人感受其扁平化投射之後的轉折意涵。值得注意的是，這一層圖像薄膜，隔開觀者與影像陳述之間的表面，卻又在此圖像的薄膜場域，反射出作者意圖與觀者反應之對話之中，而產生一種朦朧、阻隔，抑或擾動作用的狀態。這個抽象式的圖像層膜，在創作者勾勒其影像文本之後，觸及觀者沈浸的交互過程之間，產生了視覺語意下的動態媒體影像之「皺褶」（le pli）。

 

動態媒體的皺褶與晶體

 

動態媒體的視覺圖像如何產生皺褶關係？「皺褶」（le pli）理論可從德勒茲（Gilles Louis Réné Deleuze）於1988年以「皺褶」觀念找尋答案。他探討巴洛克繪畫的起源與世界崩塌等問題，在其《皺褶：萊普尼茲和巴洛克》中以葛雷柯（El Greco, l541-1614）作品為例，指出畫面中油彩皺褶因不具情節和敘事性，甚至離開它們的支撐物，仍然得以跨越出時代的侷限。德勒茲以虛擬實踐「外觀論」，將巴洛克和不同時期之各類藝術、思想混搭的外在性場域作為比對；並以「認識論」來分析對象表面的符號徵候，同時也以皺褶／反皺褶的延展，促成一種離開描繪對象的表層，跨越出歷史的限制。「皺褶」成為一種可以想像的開放體：「皺褶－晶體」（pli-cristal），表達一種另類知識形態的「根莖邏輯」（logique rhizomatique）。換言之，皺褶是無止境的來回運動，不只從一個到另一個的皺褶，而且會以此作為啟動點再繼續。這種無止境的運動，並非出自自身分裂或自身的繁殖，而是出自異質的和不均等元素的切斷，所造成再繼續、重新啟動、一去一回的無限運動。

 

援用德勒茲「皺褶論」思想之於當代動態媒體藝術，特別是在電子媒介經由視覺呈現後之感知議題，因擬像傳輸過程，而產生視覺表面膜之延異，形成了一種跨越視覺文本的多重部署。原本單純指涉物質擠壓現象的「皺褶」，轉喻為新媒體藝術所帶來的影像速度感、自身的運動感、無止境的時間軸與交互作用的互動行為。易言之，媒體藝術所產生之皺褶，由起皺到折疊，近似一個非此、非彼的抽象世界，它出現於數位圖像中的壓擠蠕動之處、變異於偏離，甚至再次皺褶的表面膜組織之投射反應之中。因此，應用電腦程式與數位化圖像之作品，乃透過鏡像媒介、觀看角度以及折射反應，使轉譯後的視覺符碼產生另一種深層詮釋，且透過此視覺薄膜反應，進而延伸對於觀看與沈浸之間的對話。（本文為摘錄，論述全文請參閱展覽手冊）

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The Era of Compound Eyes

Chen Yung-Hsien

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Pli-cristal of Unstable Media Art

 

How does a dynamic visual image create a relationship of le pli? In 1988, Gilles Louis Réné Deleuze discussed the origin of Baroque and the collapse of the universe with the concept of ‘le pli’. In his book, Le Pli Leibniz et le Baroque, using El Greco’s painting as example, he points out that the le pli of oil paints aren’t narrative, even leaving their anchor, can still overcome the limitations of era. Deleuze compares Baroque and external field of various art and thoughts. He also uses epistemology to analyze symbolic signs on the surface of the subject. Le pli becomes an open imaginable body: pli-cristal, expressing logiquerhizomatique of another form of knowledge. In other words, le pli is an endless back and forth movement, not only from one to the other, but also as a starting point of continuity. This infinite movement is not caused by fissiparity, but by the cutout of heterogeneous and unequal elements, resulting in an endless movement of repeat and restart.

 

Referring to Deleuze’ theory of le pil, contemporary unstable media art creates difference on the visual surface due to the transmission process, especially the perception of digital media through visual presentation. It creates a multi-presentation that is more than just visual context. Le pli originally means the phenomenon of material being fold or extrude. Later, it refers to the interactive relationship of sense of speed, movement, eternality of image and time brought by media art. In other words, le pli caused by media art not only appears in the space of folding, changing and derivation of digital image, but also on the surface of projection. Therefore, the artworks of computer programs and digital images, the translated visual code form another layer of interpretation through mirror image, view angle and refraction. It then reaches to the conversation between viewing and immersion via visual layer.

 

The Difference of Unstable Media Art

 

Referring to Deleuze’s theory, digital image precipitation is based on observation, construction and representation of humanistic and scientific theory from an objective perspective. The substance of unstable media art is constructed by speed, time, space and interaction. However, due to the feedback from immersive relationship, people feel excitement or pain caused by the invasion of virtual reality. It becomes a compatible state of object, subject and fact. People begin to examine the illusion, comparing to common sense and memories, and to judge self-cognition and value of existence. For Deleuze, the changing state of le pli is the ‘becoming’ of diversity of dynamic, heterogeneity and difference. Here, the concept of le pli is not referred as its original meaning or interpretation, but the presentation of unstable media art, which is neither the representation of project, nor thrilling neurotic disorder. After the collapse of projection, it evokes a special situation.

 

Time, space and interactive filed of contemporary media art, as an image reading center, exists in an eternal medium due to interface’s extension, derivation or transformation. Unstable media art is an energetic idea, so to speak. On one hand, it creates tension between composite materials and special spaces. On the other hand, it collects various experiences and forms from different areas, including humanity, society, culture, science, philosophy and more. These heterogeneous and composite elements reinitiate the perceptual response of infinite action, which creates an inseparable aesthetic relationship between the viewers and unstable media art.

 

Le Pli of Unstable Media Art within the Era of Compound Eyes

 

According to above, sort out four kinds of le pli mentioned by Deleuze. First, it is the substance of our bodies, including pleasure and desire. Second, it is the relationship generated by power through special rule. Third, it is the construction of knowledge and truth. And last, it is the dehors, which the subject is waiting for salvation and liberation in different ways. These four kinds of le pli constitute an irreducible mode of subjective process.

 

Therefore, starting from Delezue’s theory of le pli, le pli of unstable media art mentioned in ‘The Era of Compound Eyes’ is not only just physical phenomenon, but also the transcoding based on visual and cultural context, which is closely related each other. This leads to the discussion of flowing media and contexts. Based on unstable media art’s refraction and transcoding, The Era of Compound Eyes explores issues about le pli, including ‘flow and variation’, ‘liquefaction and crystal’, and ‘culture and transcoding’, which are further analyzed as below.

 

(1). Flow and Variation: Visual Difference in Unstable Media

 

Imagery is representation. Today, visual images have become the perceptual power in everyday life. Visual symbols are not just about communication and feeling, but being constructed in different ways, especially the digitalize image of unstable media art. In other words, the deeper meaning of unstable media art is the mataimage, which gradually forms a new perceptual experience through machine and computer programs.

 

In Herbert Marcuse’s book, One-Dimension Man: Studies in the Ideology of Advanced Individual Society, he describes artistic variation potential as scientific practice. He says,

 

          Technological civilization establishes a specific relation between art and technics. I mentioned above notion of a            reversal of the Law of Three Stages and of a ‘revalidation’ of metaphysics on the basis of the scientific and                      technological transformation of the world. The same notion may now be extended to the relation between                    science-technology and art. The rationality of art, its ability to ‘project’ existence, to define yet unrealized                        possibilities could then be envisaged as validated by and functioning in the scientific-technological                                    transformation of the world.

 

The philosopher’s prediction is similar to the trends od contemporary instable media art, which is also the ideas to be discussed in ‘The Era of Compound Eyes’.

 

(2). Liquefaction and Crystal: Immersion of Moving Image

 

From viewer’s perspective of seeing, people receive flowing information from codes and visualized languages, and experiences changes. As Maurice Merleau-Ponty believes: Perception is being understood. The viewer’s behavior connects the physical space and the flowing image represented in the virtual space through perception and performance that later become part of the consciousness.

 

Furthermore, to become a role of browsing, the viewer’s gaze, a visualization world, is presented by technology. When the screen interface is seen as the window to access virtual world, the world becomes his sensory body. It is because that technological media, allowing experience to move between perceptions, constructs this visualized universe. Flowing image has become the body of visual world creating another layer of perceptual meaning.

 

(3). Culture and Transcoding: Refraction of Unstable Media

 

The illusion created by the refraction of unstable media art is a clear but also blurry consciousness. Just like Jean Baudrillard ‘s elaboration of ‘simulation’,

 

           No more mirror of being and appearances, of the real and its concept. No more imaginary coextensivity: it is                 genetic miniaturization that is the dimension of simulation. The real is produced from miniaturized cells,                         matrices, and memory banks, models of control - and it can be reproduced an indefinite number of times from             these.’

 

For another example, Roland Barthes uses the term ‘contrecommunication’ is his book, S/Z, to interpret connotation as a plural and secondary meaning for denotation. The value of context involves contractual relationship between producer and consumer, owner and customer, author and reader. This transforms into refraction of unstable media art tempting reader to interact with objects.all internal codes stack and layer. Hypertext, intextuality, non-linearity, flattening, game, decentralization, negotiation, multi-sound, nomadic thoughts, etc. in the codes are the readable contexts in Barther’s ideal. The refraction of unstable media art also reflects the author’s ideology. It attracts people to read. However, it’s a singular and unidirectional idea that refracts and collects. The code of contrecommunication becomes miniaturized reality and illusion. It is a visual representation, a transferred value context, and a combination of analog, digital, and dynamic process, which enables controlled, copied and manufacturing audio-visual formats gradually extending to the transcoding thinking of cultural content.

 

Summary

 

In summary, the code of the unstable media art creates le pli in the gaps, especially from the refractive interface. Viewer becomes part of this immersive process, and the mystery with compound eyes. Back to nowadays digital life, unstable media reflects a ubiquitous ‘era of compound eyes. Virtual reality, augmented reality, technology,automatic control, computer computing, mechanical power, artificial intelligence, human-machine interface and digital application equipment introduce a new context of unstable media art.

 

As Richard Wright points out, the proliferation of technology media, video language ​​and computer program is accompanied by Aestheticized Techniques and is integrated with the concept of art. In his book, Critique of Information, Scott Lash mentions that contemporary science and technology culture is not a reappearing culture, because the reappearing culture assumes a symbolic correspondence with reality. Therefore, RANDOMIZE Intl. Unstable Media Art Festival 2019 follows the footsteps of contemporary media technology and continues to leap forward, combining creative concepts and artistic thinking, breaking the limitations of single medium. In particular, ‘The Era of Compound Eyes’ presents the creator's creative connotation in unstable media art. Other then creating real, virtual, conscious, existential, participatory, interactive and other characteristics in digital reorganization structure,while adding cultural aesthetics and humanistic thinking, this increasingly adds its unique charm to the moving image that is refracted by the digital mirror image.