Boris Groys
Created @11 februari 2024 21:35
Class CI
Type Reading
Subject Media
Reviewed
Deadline @22 februari 2024
Iconoclasm as an Artistic Device:
Iconoclastic Strategies in Film
The document "Iconoclasm as an Artistic Device: Iconoclastic Strategies in
Film" by Boris Groys delves into the relationship between film and iconoclasm,
exploring how film has engaged in a struggle against other media and
traditional cultural values. Groys presents the concept of cinematic iconoclasm
as a means of challenging the authority of old gods or cultural norms, while
also highlighting film's role in celebrating movement and destruction. The essay
discusses examples from various films, from Luis Buñuel's "Un chien andalou"
to Andy Warhol's "Empire State Building," to illustrate the iconoclastic gestures
within the medium. It further examines the shift in the portrayal of iconoclasm in
present-day cinema, where the destruction of traditional icons is no longer
seen as liberation but as an expression of radical, inhumane evil, often depicted
in disaster epics, movies about aliens, and vampire thrillers. The essay
concludes by exploring how certain films, such as Douglas Gordon's "Feature
Film," have brought the iconoclastic gesture full circle by immersing the viewer
in a world of darkness, symbolizing the loss of movement within the film.
In essence, Groys' analysis offers a comprehensive exploration of the
historical, philosophical, and artistic dimensions of iconoclasm in film. The
Boris Groys 1
Created @11 februari 2024 21:35
Class CI
Type Reading
Subject Media
Reviewed
Deadline @22 februari 2024
Iconoclasm as an Artistic Device:
Iconoclastic Strategies in Film
The document "Iconoclasm as an Artistic Device: Iconoclastic Strategies in
Film" by Boris Groys delves into the relationship between film and iconoclasm,
exploring how film has engaged in a struggle against other media and
traditional cultural values. Groys presents the concept of cinematic iconoclasm
as a means of challenging the authority of old gods or cultural norms, while
also highlighting film's role in celebrating movement and destruction. The essay
discusses examples from various films, from Luis Buñuel's "Un chien andalou"
to Andy Warhol's "Empire State Building," to illustrate the iconoclastic gestures
within the medium. It further examines the shift in the portrayal of iconoclasm in
present-day cinema, where the destruction of traditional icons is no longer
seen as liberation but as an expression of radical, inhumane evil, often depicted
in disaster epics, movies about aliens, and vampire thrillers. The essay
concludes by exploring how certain films, such as Douglas Gordon's "Feature
Film," have brought the iconoclastic gesture full circle by immersing the viewer
in a world of darkness, symbolizing the loss of movement within the film.
In essence, Groys' analysis offers a comprehensive exploration of the
historical, philosophical, and artistic dimensions of iconoclasm in film. The
Boris Groys 1
