naslovna Dear-, These analyses designate a stage of ‘subsump¬ tion’ in which the extra-economic or social no longer lies outside capital and economics but has been absorbed into it: so that being unemployed or without economic function is no longer to be expelled from capital but to remain within it. Where everything has been subsumed under capitalism, there is no longer anything outside it; and the unemployed—or here the destitute, the paupers—are as it were employed by capital to be unemployed; they fulfill an economic function by way of their very non-functioning.* Love, * Frederic Jameson, Representing Capital (2011). Dear —, The good, the infinite, are nothing less than pure construction. Let’s dare hope, let’s dare build something! I went to wash my clothes in the Seine!* Love, * Antonio Negri. Dear —, The problem of architecture is not that of being seen from without or that of living within. It is in the dialectical relation interior-exterior, at the level of urbanism (houses-streets) and at the lev¬ el of the house (interior-exterior). Build an entire city in order to make love there with only one girl for a few days.* Love, * Guy Debord, Reflections on Architecture (1959). Dear —, If the positive gesture of cooperation has been saturated and digitalized in a neutral space, only a sharpened tool can reveal the movements of the parasite. As profit has taken the impersonal form of rent, its by-effect is the anonymity of sabotage. As rent changed its coordinates of exploitation, a new theory of rent demands a new theory of sab¬ otage before aiming to any new form of organiza¬ tion. Rent is the other side of the commons.* Love, Matteo Pasquinelli, “The Ideology of Free Culture and the Grammar of Sabotage” (2010). Dear —, Collectivize identically! With waves of oceanic expanse and consistency. Love, Dear —, This is the moment to prepare insurrection. It’s better to be frank on this point: our future is over. We have to be radical, as the situation has be¬ come extreme. Financial capitalism is destroy¬ ing our lives. I beg your pardon if my language may seem emphatically tragic. Unfortunately the tragedy is not an effect of my imagination.* Love, Franco Bifo Berardi, “March 25: A Call to Teach In European Banks” (2011). > 03 03 CD CO (D E O o i— 03 • c 'U 'i_ > 03 4-J o 03 =5 > 03 TD c CD CO > CL> O > o • 03 4-J >co Z3 03 o -M T3 hi 03 Z CO 03 03 -M O 03 JZ M u 03 z CD • TD Cl C Cl < O 00 c — 03 < E u T3 hi CD • LL oo _CL> CD 03 4-J 00 >U o 03 > TD CD 03 _I C _cp • -M CD X 03 _C • co c > 5 =5 C LT 03 o 03 LT 03 • O CD • JZ u CD CO CD CD :0 X o c 03 03 on M— CO CD -J— 1 "q3 LT • 'c c '-M -M CD _1 o § 03^ 0) C CD o LT) -J-J c —> < >- _ o c CD CD CD 5 o o • CD : u co 'c Z3 O -p CD _ 1 U • 03 03 ' > TD 03 CD 2 Dear —, Whatever utopia is, whatever can be imagined as utopia, this is the transformation of the totali¬ ty. And the imagination of such a transformation of the totality is basically very different in all the so-called utopian accomplishments—which, in¬ cidentally, are all really like you say: very mod¬ est, very narrow. It seems to me that what peo¬ ple have lost subjectively in regard to conscious¬ ness is very simply the capability to imagine the totality as something that could be completely different.* Love, * Theodor Adorno, “Debate with Ernst Bloch” (1964). E ^ Dear —, But numbers are like letters, only meatier, more full of tingling certainty. The world was so full, it was empty. Meet me at the corner of 83 and 108: a theory of our set. Numbers are a countdown to the end of coded love letters. From — to an even more underground militancy. What is the construction of a new body. What is the imma¬ nent infinity. Love, Dear —, This is approximately the one thousand nine hundred and sixty-eighth letter between us since I switched continents, met you, and our LONG WINTER began. We are always writing variations on, A Single Spark Can Start A Prairie Fire. But we could not anticipate such epistolary conflagration. Love, Dear —, For example, Lefebvre speaks of the “moment of love.” From the point of view of the creation of moments, from the situationist point of view, one must envisage the moment of a particular love, of the love of a particular person. Which means: of a particular person in particular cir¬ cumstances. The maximum “constructed mo¬ ment” is the series of situations attached to a sin¬ gle theme—that love for a particular person—a “situationist theme” is a realized desire. In com¬ parison to Henri Lefebvre’s moment, this series of situations is particularized and unrepeatea- ble. In analyzing the “moment,” Lefebvre has re¬ vealed many of the fundamental conditions of the new field of action across which a revolu¬ tionary culture may now proceed: as when he re¬ marks that the moment tends toward the abso¬ lute and departs from it. The moment, like the situation, is simultaneously proclamation of the absolute and awareness of passing through it. It is, in actual fact, on the path toward a unity of the structural and the conjectural; and the project for a constructed situation could also be defined as an attempt at structuring the conjunction be¬ tween the two.* Love, Unattributed, The theory of moments and the con¬ struction of situations (1960). Dear — We think the situation in which we find our¬ selves: our cycle of struggle carries such a con¬ tent and such a structure of the confrontation between capital and the proletariat, and for us it is the communist revolution, because for us it is rigorously impossible to envisage other forms and other contents. Seeds in the ice, trying. Pa¬ per flames in the snow. Remove all obstacles, one by one. We count on making that which is un¬ conditional in relationships the armor of a politi¬ cal solidarity. ‘Becoming autonomous,’ could just as easily mean learning to fight in the street, to occupy empty houses, to cease working, to love each other madly.* Love, The Invisible Committee, The Coming Insurrection (2007). Dear —, When there was a call for images we would fan through the neighborhood constructing our documents. Our method was patience. We would slowly absorb each image until we were what we had deliberately chosen to become. We would closely observe strangers to study how, in a manner, or in a touch, we might invent the dream of the congress of strange shapes. We would make use of their resistance; it showed us our own content. As I said, our intentions were documentary.* Love, Lisa Robertson, Occasional Work and Seven Walks from the Office for Soft Architecture (2003). Dear —, We set the point of reversal, the end of the desert, the end of capital, in the intensity of the link that each manages to establish between what he or she lives and what he or she thinks. Against the partisans of existential liberalism, we refuse to view this as a private matter, an individual issue, a question of character. On the contrary, we start from the certainty that this link depends on the construction of shared worlds, on the sharing of effective means.* Love, * Anonymous, Call. Dear —, We don’t want what we have. The entire system has to go. No to the Brotherhood, no to the par¬ ties. Revolution, of the youth. A revolution of the people, not the parties.* Love, “In Crowd’s Euphoria, No Clear Leadership Emerg¬ es,” The New York Times (2011). Dear —, But to the extent that gender still structures the world, to the extent that the capitalist devalua¬ tion of reproductive work translates into a deval¬ uation of WOMEN, we cannot discard this cate¬ gory, if not at the cost of making large areas of so¬ cial life virtually unintelligible and losing a cru¬ cial terrain of collective resistance to capitalism. We need a radical movement that programmati¬ cally places at the center of its struggle the erad¬ ication of social inequalities and the eradication of the divisions between production and repro¬ duction, school and home, school and commu¬ nity, inherent to the capitalist division of labor. It is above all the task of women to ensure that this will occur.* Love, * Maya Gonzalez and Caitlin Manning, Political Work with Women and as Women in the Present Condi¬ tions: Interview with Silvia Federici (2010). Dear —, When you said there would be stars, I couldn’t hear the s.* Love, * Eric Baus, The To Sound (2004). Dear —, I am welding you a banner that spells Athens, London, Rome, Georgia, fire, solidarity, occu¬ py like wildflowers!, and, It Will Last. Its strokes of RED ink look like train tracks in an industri¬ al landscape. Love, Empire is everywhere nothing is happening. Eve¬ rywhere things are working. Wherever the nor¬ mal situation prevails. To get organised means: to start from the situation and not dismiss it. To take sides within it. Weaving the necessary mate¬ rial, affective and political solidarities. The name we give to the situation that we are in is “world civil war”. For there is no longer anything that can limit the confrontation between the oppos¬ ing forces. The ‘we’ that speaks here is not a de- limitable, isolated we, the we of a group. It is the we of a position. In these times this position is as¬ serted as a double secession: secession first with the process of capitalist valorisation; then seces¬ sion with all the sterility entailed by a mere op¬ position to empire, extra-parliamentary or oth¬ erwise; thus a secession with the left. Here “se¬ cession” means less a practical refusal to commu¬ nicate than a disposition to forms of communica¬ tion so intense that, when put into practice, they snatch from the enemy most of its force. We con¬ test nothing, we demand nothing. We constitute ourselves as a force, as a material force, as an au¬ tonomous material force.* Love, * Anonymous, Call. Dear —, When the airplanes are grounded, we travel by boat. We may be secretly in love, but they haven’t neutralized us. And nothing can prevent us from taking up our task once again: to re-elaborate a perspective that is capable of removing from us the state of collective impotence that strikes us all. Not exactly a political perspective; not a pro¬ gram; but [an analysis of] the technical and mate¬ rial possibilities of a practical route towards oth¬ er connections with the world and other social connections, and this by being ready for the ex¬ isting constraints, the actual organization of this society, its subjectivities as well as its infrastruc¬ tures. Because it is only through a keen knowl¬ edge of the obstacles to the upheaval that we will manage to clear the horizon. This will be a long¬ term task, and it doesn’t make any sense for us to pursue it alone. This is an invitation.* Love, * Tamac 10, “Why We Will No Longer Respect the Ju¬ dicial Restraints Placed Upon Us” (2009). Dear —, If the subjective process is something like a new creation in the world, we have an infinity of con¬ sequences. In fact, there are no limits. There are potentially—virtually (to speak as Deleuze)— we have virtually an infinity of consequences. But this infinity is not a transcendent one; it’s an immanent infinity. It is the infinity of the body itself in relation to the trace. So we have to un¬ derstand what is an immanent infinity and not a transcendent infinity. * Love, * Alain Badiou, “The Subject of Art” (2007). Dear —, OCCUPY EVERYTHING! WILDFLOWERS EVERYWHERE! Love, Dear —, Everything had a blueness, or to be more pre¬ cise, every object and surface invented its corre¬ sponding blueness. And the trees of the park be¬ came mystical, and we permitted ourselves to use this shabby word because we were slight¬ ly fatigued from our exercises and our amuse¬ ments and because against the deepening sky we watched the blue-green green-gold golden black-gold silver-green green-white iron-green scarlet tipped foliage turn black. No birds now; just the soft motors stroking the night. Stillness. We went to our tree. It was time for the study of the paradox called lust.* Love, Lisa Robertson, Occasional Work and Seven Walks from the Office for So ft Architecture (2003). zadnja Dear —, Where were you when you heard. Thousands of RED-winged blackbirds fell from the sky. It’s not a good shortcut if everyone dies. We should not simply refuse modern culture; we must seize it in order to negate it. We must recall that while any genuinely experimental attitude is usable, that word has very often been misused in the attempt to justify artistic actions within an already-exist¬ ing structure. The only valid experimental pro¬ ceeding is based on the accurate critique of ex¬ isting conditions and the deliberate supersession of them. We have to define new desires in rela¬ tion to present possibilities. Our central idea is the construction of situations.* Love, Guy Debord, Report on the Construction of Situations and on the International Situationist Tendency’s Con¬ ditions of Organization and Action (1957). Dear —, We’ve built, seemingly by vulgar and beauti¬ ful chance, a party. The occupation. The mob. A mobile force. A machine. This is to say many of us are you, and likely many of you are us. We are all bound together merely by inhabiting the same arena. Useful dreams are only dreamt in struggle.* Love, Communiques from Occupied California, After the Fall (2010). Dear —, I am watering the tree in O U R BED RO O M. Love, Dear-, In certain circumstances straight lines and curves may be the same. But even lower math¬ ematics teems with contradictions. In Russia, there was a fundamental difference between the contradiction resolved by the February Revolu¬ tion and the contradiction resolved by the Octo¬ ber Revolution, as well as between the methods used to resolve them. To deny contradiction is to deny everything.* Love, * Mao Tse-Tung, On Contradiction (1937). Dear-, We’ve covered this ground before, the place be¬ tween opacity and oracle in my library mouth. There is no automaticity to a clinamen inclina¬ tion. As hostile as honey, or as sweet. Are your figs local to where I live? Yes. Can we mobilize as a hammer? Yes. Can you build something from honey, wood, and fire? You have to. Is this a standoff, us against them? Love, Dear —, We have no use for ‘democracy.’ I’m sorry, but I have to insist. I understand that choosing slogans such as ‘Real Democracy Now’ could be a less confrontational tactic, because it seems that that to be upfront and say ‘No to any State, democrat¬ ic or otherwise’ could sound bad, but I think its time to let go of the deceit of democracy. Democ¬ racy is a trick. Kratos means power and Demo is supposedly the people... and the people can nev¬ er have power: power is against the people. The contradiction is inherent in the very word, de¬ mocracy. The democratic regime is simply the most advanced, the most perfect, the one that has produced the best results, that has produced this Regime of Well-Being that they say we live in; but really it is still Power, the same as always. A bet¬ ter democracy is an illusion. It’s not the way, and if your uprising gets organized in a way that re¬ sembles the administration of the State, it will al¬ ready be lost, it will be doing nothing more than repeating history with other colors. I urge you to renounce ideas of a better state. I would [also] erase from the list of demands put forth by your leaders [demands for a better future]. The Future is your enemy. The future is what is used to de¬ ceive people, especially, the youth. They say ‘you have a future’ or ‘you have to create your future,’ which really means to resign yourself to death, to a future death. This future is what Capital needs. The future is theirs, it’s their weapon. Don’t let it seem like it’s something blessed or benefi¬ cial: their future should sound to us like death. The future is the future of Business, of Finance, of Capital. You don’t have a future! You need to have the courage to denounce this.* Love, Agustin Garcia Calvo, Protest in Puerta del Sol ( 2011 ). Dear-, The normal course of things was the alliance of the market economy and parliamentary democ¬ racy, an alliance that was the only tenable norm of general subjectivity. Such is the meaning of the term “globalisation”: that subjectivity be¬ came global subjectivity. If it is true that, as Marx predicted, the space where emancipatory ideas are realised is a global space, then the phenom¬ ena of Western enclosure cannot be part of gen¬ uine change. What would genuine change be? It would be a break with the west, a “dewestemisa- tion”, and would take the form of an exclusion.* A dream, you are thinking. Not a dream. Love, * Alain Badiou, “Tunisia, Riots, Revolution” (2011). Dear —, Without the bourgeoisie, there would be no pro¬ letariat; without the proletariat, there would be no bourgeoisie. In given conditions, all contradic¬ tory aspects possess the character of non-identi¬ ty and hence are described as being in contradic¬ tion. But they also possess the character of iden¬ tity and hence are interconnected. This is what Lenin means when he says that dialectics studies how opposites can be identical. Each is the con¬ dition for the other’s existence.* Love, * Mao Tse-Tung, On Contradiction (1937). OJ > o a a; xa o Dear —, In order to anticipate, at least ideologically or intellectually, the creation of new possibilities, we must have an Idea. An Idea that of course in¬ volves the newness of the possibilities that the truth procedure of which we are the militants has brought to light, which are real-possibilities, but an Idea that also involves the formal possibi¬ lity of other possibilities, ones as yet unsuspected by us. An Idea is always the assertion that a new truth is historically possible. And since the forc¬ ing of the impossible into the possible occurs via subtraction from the power of the State, an Idea can be said to assert that this subtractive power is infinite.* We built a wooden house inside of the wooden house. When the porch rots we dream of its decay and when the kitchen sags with the weight of our appetites it is an extremely beau¬ tiful curve. Love, * Alain Badiou, The Communist Hypothesis (2010). Dear-, The appeal of this theory of the ‘multitude’ is that it does not separate the formation of ‘the com¬ mon’ from the organization of work and produc¬ tion but sees it immanent to it. Its limit is that its picture of the common absolutizes the work of a minority possessing skills not available to most of the world population. It also ignores that this work produces commodities for the market, and it overlooks the fact that online communi¬ cation/production depends on economic activi¬ ties — mining, microchip and rare earth produc¬ tion — that, as presently organized, are extreme¬ ly destructive, socially and ecologically. Moreo¬ ver, with its emphasis on knowledge and infor¬ mation, this theory skirts the question of the re¬ production of everyday life. This, however, is true of the discourse on the commons as a whole, which is mostly concerned with the formal pre¬ conditions for the existence of commons and less with the material requirements for the construc¬ tion of a commons-based economy enabling us to resist dependence on wage labor and subordi¬ nation to capitalist relations.* Love, * Silvia Federici, “Feminism And The Politics Of The Commons” (2010). ispod naslovne Dear —, The public library is full of thieves who will not pay for how the earth reads their bodies back each day as indented in snow. Be altruistic as wheat.* 6 Love, * George Kalamaras & Eric Baus, Births Incurred/your recently collected saliva (2003). Dear —, She could easily think back to the times when the development was spread across the city, spread across different functions. Particularly intense at the periphery. Nothing had to be built in a clear¬ ing between two buildings. The clearing could remain. But at one point the space became the private domain. It started to contract and con¬ centrate. Capital-driven development required capital-intense organization of space. It is only by concentrating, creating even narrower circles of centrality, that scarcity could be maintained. She felt complicit, displaced.* Love, * BADco., Responsibility for Things Seen: Tales in Nega¬ tive Space (2011). Dear —, The walls that line our bedroom are nodal points to a communist city space. Privatizing is a reac¬ tion to an anxiety, rather than a becoming antag¬ onism resolvable in civil war. We disavow an in¬ timacy contained to drywall. We don’t build pri¬ vate spaces. Private spaces speculate on private futures. Our spaces are designed not for a future we speculate on but rather a future we consist in as possibility now and notnow. Love, SCUM will destroy all useless and harmful objects—cars, store windows, ‘Great Art,’ etc.* Love, * Valerie Solanas, Scum Manifesto (1968). Dear —, How we sleep when we sleep. Love, Dear —, Every situation can be cracked open from the in¬ side, reconfigured in a different regime of per¬ ception and signification. To reconfigure the landscape of what can be seen and what can be thought is to alter the field of the possible and the distribution of capacities and incapacities. This is what a process of political subjectivation consists in: in the action of uncounted capac¬ ities that crack open the unity of the given and the obviousness of the visible, in order to sketch a new typography of the possible. Collective un¬ derstanding of emancipation is not the compre¬ hension of a total process of subjection. It is the collectivization of capacities invested in scenes of dissensus. It is the employment of the capaci¬ ty of anyone whatsoever, of the quality of human beings without qualities. As I have said, these are unreasonable hypotheses.* Love, * Jacques Ranciere, The Emancipated Spectator (2009). Dear —, They are building the Louvre, again, in Abu Dhabi. It looks like an architecture of labor pow¬ er and destruction and super-speculation, an in¬ dustry of the interlocking monopolies of late capitalism that makes money out of what used to be called culture. I am led to affirm that the Uto¬ pian impulse is profoundly economic, and that everything in it, from the transformation of per¬ sonal relations to that of production, of posses¬ sion, of life itself, constitutes the attempt to im¬ agine the life of a different mode of production, that is to say, of a different economic system.* Love, Frederic Jamerson, “A New Reading of Capital,” Me¬ diations (2010). Dear —, This is not simply a matter of a momentary en¬ counter with the impossible: that would be her¬ oism, not courage. Heroism has always been rep¬ resented not as a virtue but as a posture: as the moment when one turns to meet the impossible face to face. The virtue of courage constructs it¬ self through endurance within the impossible; time is its raw material. What takes courage is to operate in terms of a different duree to that im¬ posed by the law of the world.* Love, * Alain Badiou, The Communist Hypothesis (2010). Dear —, Half the word filament is night. If typing is talk¬ ing with a single sound, I can always tell when you’re thinking of the sun. The way I asked you to say what you saw made me blind for half the morning. You are roughly equivalent to my lips turning RED. Your letters turn to means in the thinking dust.* Love, * Eric Baus, The To Sound (2004). Dear —, In circumstances of this kind it makes no sense for you or me to go with the grain of the West¬ ern consensus that says: ‘we absolutely have to remain in charge of everything happening’. We have to make a stand against the grain, and dem¬ onstrate that the real target of Western bomb¬ ers and soldiers is in no way the wretched Gadd¬ afi, a former client of those who are now getting rid of him as someone in the way of their high¬ er interests. For the target of the bombers is defi¬ nitely the popular uprising in Egypt and the rev¬ olution in Tunisia, it is their unexpected and in¬ tolerable character, their political autonomy, in a word: their independence. To oppose the de¬ structive interventions of the powers means supporting the political independence and the future of these uprisings and revolutions. This is something we can do, and it is an uncondition¬ al imperative.* Love, Alain Badiou, “An open letter from Alain Badiou to Jean-Luc Nancy” (2011). Dear —, If by ‘system’ is meant—and this is the minimal sense of the word—a sort of consequence, coher¬ ence, and insistence—a certain gathering togeth¬ er—there is an injunction to the system that I have never renounced and never wished to.* Love, * Jacques Derrida. Dear —, Every revolution, Marx remarked, begins with flowers. Love, Dear —, In the beginning, we designed objects for pro¬ duction, designs to be turned into wood and steel, glass and brick, or plastic. Then we pro¬ duced neutral and usable designs, then, finally, negative utopias, forewarning images of the hor¬ rors which architecture was laying in store for us, with its scientific methods for the perpetuation of existing models. Then images disappeared, as if in a mirror: now there remain only fables and parables, descriptions and speeches. No longer figures, but traces of a mode of behavior directed towards suggesting the magnificent possibilities of rediscovering and of governing ourselves.* The only project is thus the project for our lives and our relationships with others. The only project is thus one of militant love and uncivil siege, the coordinates of which can be found in abandoned blueprints and an idea about synergy antagonis¬ tic to accumulation. Love, * Superstudio, “Fragments From A Personal Museum” (1973). Dear —, The result of these new objective conditions has been to force certain opportunist elements into open opposition. Certain wait-and-see attitudes have also ceased to be tolerable, and those of our allies who have not seen fit to join us immediate¬ ly have thereby unmasked themselves as adver¬ saries. We have become stronger and therefore more seductive. We don’t want innocuous rela¬ tionships and we don’t want relationships that might serve our enemies. But we don’t have an idealist, abstract, absolutist conception of breaks. As I said at the beginning, a collective project such as the one we have undertaken and are pursuing cannot avoid being accompanied by friendship. But it is also true that it cannot be identified with friendship and that it should not be subject to the same weaknesses. Nor to the same modes of con¬ tinuity or looseness.* Love, * Michele Bernstein, No Useless Leniency (1958). Letters to —: On the Construction and Sharing of Effective Means Frakcija #58/59 to be moved Dear-, I am writing to you from the most public library in the world.* Love, George Kalamaras & Eric Baus, Births Incurred/your recently collected saliva (2003). rakcija: to be moved eklekticni je broj sastavljen od radova koji kruze oko pojmova emocija, njihove reprezentacije, afekata, odnosa i kretanja, ili pakti pojmovi lete poput duhova njihovim tekstualnim tkivom. Nerijetko su suprotstavljeni u osnovnim polazistima, te su, kako svjetonazorski, tako i stilski, posve razliciti. Ulomak iz teksta Melisse Gregg i Gregoryja J. Seigwortha "Inventar svjetlucanja", ujedno i uvodni tekst knjige The Affect Theory Reader, bacenaje udica, teaser za moguca istrazivanja sila susreta i intenziteta. Osobito mi je drago da u ovom broju F rakcije objavljujemo tekst Darka Suvina, u kojem se autor pozabavio interpretacijom Brechtova djela kao "bezosjecajnog" ("Nije jasno tko je iskovao oznaku 'klasik razuma', ali ova komercijalna propaganda svakako izvanredno sazima varku koja je citavu generaciju njemackih skolaraca natjerala da mrze Brechta kao kugu"), kako bi je, uz pomoc razlike izmedu pojmova empatije i simpatije (u borbi protiv hegemonijske empatije), doveo u pitanje. Suvinova je akademska zestina osvjezavajuca, jer on smatra da je "skandalozno primijeniti na njih [emocije] osakacenu, mehanicku i zamagljujucu podjelu u kojoj se razum smatra muskim, analitickim, svojstvenim umu, hladnim, objektivnim i univerzalnim, zdravim, javnim i uredenim, dok bi emocija bila zenska, sinteticka, svojstvena tijelu, topla, subjektivna i specificna, bolesna, osobna i politicki nepouzdana." U "Putu od herojstva do zajednicke ranjivosti" Helene Vosters razotkriva probleme militarizirane poetike tugovanja na primjeru kanadskog fenomena Autoceste heroja, ispresijecajuci ih s osobnim iskazima vezanima uz izvodenje svog performansa Impact Afganistan War. Polazeci od mehanizama zaborava, Ric Allsopp promatra koreografsku sliku hoda unatrag u smislu emocionalne dinamike, koja se opire dovrsenosti tijela, iako sa sobom donosi punocu njegove prisutnosti. Nicholas Ridout govori o vaznosti amaterizma u politickom zivotu, izvrcuci naglavce odnos amaterizma i profesionalizma jer je "ono sto je amater ustvari imao za ponuditi, kao rezultat svoje slobode od zaradivanja za zivot kao profesionalac, ustvari bio profesionalizam." Ipak, oprezan je i prema pojmu rada iz ljubavi jer ga smatra ideoloskim mamcem za ono sto je, u osnovi, kapitalisticki nadnicarski rad. Naposljetku mu se ipak cini da je amaterska kazalisna skupina Queen Mary Players, u svom liku amatera, uspjela uzrokovati prekid u raspodjeli osjetilnog. Vesna Vukovic bavi se radovima Andreje Kuluncic kao primjerima relacione umjetnosti, sa fokusom na kolektivnom procesu kao radnoj proceduri, uz ponesto skepse, odnosno, interesa za paradoksalno u politici inkluzije. Dio Frakcije posvecen kritikama i prikazima fokusiran je uglavnom na po jedno umjetnicko djelo, odnosno knjigu. Medakovo inzistiranje na teatru oduzimanja i uskracivanja u analizi predstave Work Every Day Marjane Krajac u zanimljivoj je napetosti s vecinom ostalih tekstova u ovom broju - dajte mi manjel, umjesto da se "upinjete da me obogatite". Louise Owen nalazi da je glavni problem Audio Obscure u tome sto prividno kreirajuci socijalnu situaciju zvucnom instalacijom, gledatelja/slusatelja zapravo pretvara u usamljenu figuru koja nikom ne vjeruje. Antonija Letinic kontrapunktira predstavu Janeza Janse Slovensko narodno gledalisce sa video trilogijom Yael Bartane ... and Europe Will Be Stunned, koje se obje bave politikama iskljucivanja i njihovim posljedicama, fokus nalazeci u njihovu odnosu prema vremenu. Uz prikaze knjige Petre Sabisch Choreographing Relations: Practical Philosophy and Contemporary Choreography i Natase Govedic Emocionalna predanost i politika afekata, tu je jos i tekst Sarah Wishart, koja se, uz osvrt na blog Toma Lubbocka, bori s emocionalnim posljedicama gubitka rijeci izmedu uma i usta. Za ovu su Frakciju posebno vazni radovi Marije Cetinic, koja jednostavnim postupkom pretvaranja citata u (ljubavna) pisma, postize tektonske pomake u nacinu njihove percepcije. Dear-, Love, Frakcija KRITIKE I POGLEDI: 2 8 14 42 62 80 94 Uvodnik Una Bauer Inventar svjetlucanja (odlomak) Gregory J. Seigworth & Melissa Gregg Emocije, Brecht, empatija naspram simpatije Darko Suvin Put od herojstva do zajednicke ranjivosti: mogucnost drugacije afektivne uporabe tugovanja za kanadskim vojnicima poginulim u Afganistanskom ratu Helene Vosters Hod unatrag: koreografske slike, zaborav i utopija sadasnjosti Ric Allsopp O sramotnoj povijesti amatera Nicholas Ridout Proizvodnja relacija kao umjetnicki medij: o umjetnickoj praksi Andreje Kuluncic Vesna Vukovic 112 118 126 134 140 158 Obustavljen rad izvjesnosti - jedna gledateljska preferenca uz predstavu Work Every Day Tomislav Medak Audio obscura ili 'Strepnja u palom gradu' Louise Owen Skice otkopane proslosti Antonija Letinic Koreografski odnosi - povezivanje koreografija Stefan Holscher Tamo gdje nisi - Tom Lubbock i gubitak rijeci Sarah Wishart Biljeske o suradnicima Na koricama i izmedu tekstova nalaze se radovi Marije Cetinic Letters to -: On the Construction and Sharing of Effective Means rakcija: to be moved is an eclectic issue composed of works circling around terms related to emotions, their representation, affects, relations and movements, or situations where these terms linger like ghosts penetrating the fabric of the text. They are often opposed in their basic assumptions, and differ both in their viewpoints and style. A fragment from the text by Melissa Gregg and Gregory J. Seigworth 'An Inventory of Shimmers', the introduction to the book The Affect Theory Reader, represents a bait, a teaser for a possible research on the forces of encounter and intensities. I am especially delighted that this issue of Frakcija opens with a text written by Darko Suvin, where the author analyses the interpretation of Brecht's work as 'unemotional' ('Who coined "The 'Classic of Reason'" tag is not clear, but its hype at any rate wondrously encapsulates the red herring which has made a whole generation of German school kids hate Brecht like the plague'), in order to put it in question by differentiating between terms like empathy and sympathy (in the struggle against hegemonic empathy). Suvin's academic fury is refreshing because he believes that it is 'scandalous to apply to them [emotions] the hackneyed, mechanical, and obfuscating division where reason is seen as masculine, analytic, proper to the mind, cold, objective and universal, sane, public, and orderly, while emotion would be feminine, synthetic, proper to the body, warm, subjective and particular, sick, private, and politically untrustworthy'. In 'Beyond Heroism And Towards Shared Vulnerabilities' Helene Vosters unravels the problems of militarized poetics of grief through the example of a Canadian phenomenon - The Highway of Heroes - cutting through the academic text with her personal testimonies in relation to her performance Impact Afganistan War. Starting from the mechanism of forgetting, Ric Allsopp analyses the choreographic image of walking backwards in terms of emotional dynamics that resist the final completion of a body, although bringing the fullness of its presence. Nicholas Ridout discusses the importance of amateurism in political life, turning the relation between amateurism and professionalism upside- down since 'what the amateur really had to offer, as a result of his freedom from having to earn his living as a professional, was actually professionalism.' However, he is very careful when talking about 'working' for the love of it because he thinks that might be an ideological bait for something that is, basically, a capitalist labour. Finally, it seems to him that the amateur theatre company Queen Mary Players, in its amateur role, has managed to cause a disruption in the distribution of the sensible. Vesna Vukovic writes about Andreja Kuluncic's works as examples of relational art, focusing on the collective process as a working procedure, with a pinch of scepticism, or rather, interest in the paradoxes of the inclusion policy. The section of this issue dedicated to (re)views focuses mainly, although not exclusively, on a single artistic work or a book. Medak's insistance on theatre of subtraction and deprivation in the analysis of the performance Work Every Day by Marjana Krajac implies an interesting tension with most of the other texts in this issue: give me less!, instead of 'trying to enrich me'. Louise Owen believes that the basic problem of Audio Obscura is that this audio installation seemingly creates a social situation, while it actually turns the spectator/listener into a lonely figure unable to trust anyone. Antonija Letinic counterpoints Janez Jansa's Slovensko narodno gledalisce (The Slovenian National Theatre) with Yael Bartana's video trilogy... and Europe Will Be Stunned, dealing with both the exclusion policies and their consequences, focusing on their relation towards time. Together with reviews of Petra Sabisch's Choreographing Relations: Practical Philosophy and Contemporary Choreography and Natasa Govedic's Emotional Dedication And the Policy of Affects, this issue also presents the text by Sarah Wishart, who is reviewing Tom Lubbock's blog, and struggling with emotional consequences of a word lost somewhere between the mind and the mouth. This Frakcija also brings Marija Cetinic's collages where the author simply turns various philosophical and literary quotes into (love) letters, resulting in tectonic shifts in perception. Dear-, Love, Frakcija ntents (RE)VIEWS: 4 27 51 70 86 101 Editorial Una Bauer Emotion, Brecht, Empathy vs. Sympathy Darko Suvin Beyond Heroism and Towards Shared Vulnerability: Re¬ imagining Canada's Affective Deployment of Mourning in Response to Afghan War Deaths Helene Vosters Walking Backwards: Choreographic Images, Forgetting and the Utopia of the Present Ric Allsopp On the Shameful History of the Amateur Nicholas Ridout Production of Relations as an Art Medium: on the Artistic Practices of Andreja Kuluncic Vesna Vukovic 114 121 129 136 144 150 159 Suspended Work of Certainty - A Spectator's Preference Regarding the Performance Work Every Day Tomislav Medak Audio Obscura, or, 'Dread in the Fallen City' Louise Owen Drafts of the Excavated Past Antonija Letinic Choreographing Relations - Relating Choreographies Stefan Holscher Where You Are Not - the Loss of Tom Lubbock's Words Sarah Wishart Theatre as the Home of the Affective (Dis)Obedience Lada Cale Feldman, Andrea Zlatar, Natasa Govedic, Katarina Kolega Notes on Contributors The work of Marija Cetinic Letters to-: On the Construction and Sharing of Effective Means is on the covers and in-between the articles. 6 Letters to —: On the Construction and Sharing of Effective Means Frakcija #58/59 to be moved Dear-, Although some of us love its common and at times accidental beauty, we're truly exhausted by identity. We sink to the ground. We want to design new love for you because we are hungry for imprudent, sensational, immodest, revolutionary public gorgeousness. We need dignity and texture and fountains.* Love, * Lisa Robertson, Occasional Work and Seven Walks from the Office for Soft Architecture (2003). Letters to — Frakcija #58/59 to be moved i On the Construction and Sharing of Effective Means Dear-, Meet me at the Office for Soft Architecture. Here is what we already know: the flesh is lovely and we abhor the prudery of monuments. Everything is something. We have plenty of time. The problem is not how to stop the flow of items and surfaces in order to stabilize space, but how to articulate the politics of their passage. We propose a theoretical device which amplifies the cognition of thresholds. It would add to the body the vertiginously unthinkable.* Love, * Lisa Robertson, Occasional Work and Seven Walks from the Office for Soft Architecture (2003). 8 Inventar svjetlucanja (odlomak) Gregory J. Seigworth & Melissa Gregg Frakcija #58/59 to be moved Inventar svjetlucanja* Gregory J. Seigworth & Melissa Gregg S engleskoga prevela Tijana Gojic * Preuzeto iz "An Inventory of Shimmers", iz The Affect Theory Reader, uredili Melissa Gregg i Gregory J. Seigworth, str. 1-28. Copyright, 2010, Duke University Press. Sva prava pridrzana. Objavljeno u F rakciji uz dopustenje autora i izdavaca. K ako da uopce zapocnemo kada zapravo ne postoji cisto ili na bilo koji nacin izvorno stanje afekta? Afekt se pojavljuje usred onoga izmedu: u mogucnostima da djelujemo i da se djeluje na nas. Afekt je sudar ili izbaci- vanje trenutacnog ili u nekim slucajevima dugotrajnijeg stanja odnosa bas kao i prolaska (i trajanja prolaska) sila ili intenziteta. Znaci, afekt nalazimo u onim intenzite- tima koji prelaze s tijela na tijelo (ljudsko, neljudsko, dio tijela i dr.), u onim rezonancama koje kruze oko ili medu njima, a ponekad i prijanjaju uz tijela i svjetove, no i u samim prolazima ili varijacima u tim intenzitetima i rezonancama kao takvim. Afekt u svom najantropomorfskijem izdanju, termin je kojim oznacavamo one sile - organske sile koje se kriju ispod, pored ili opcenito, izvan svjesnog znanja, vitalne sile koje nadiru onkraj emocija - koje nas mogu povesti do trenutka, do misli i proteznosti, a koje nas isto tako mogu zadrzati (kao u neutralnom) u jedva zamjetnom srastanju odnosa sila, ili nas preplaviti prividnom neukrotivoscu svijeta. Zaista, afekt je trajan dokaz upravo stalne imerzije tijela, u i izmedu tvrdoglavosti i ritmova svijeta, njegovih odbijanja koliko i poziva. Afekt je umnogome jednakoznacan sa s Horn ili silama susreta. Termin "sila", medutim, moze nas navesti na krivi trag jer afekt ne mora biti pretjerano snazan (iako u nekim slucajevima, npr. u psihoanalitickom istrazivanju traume on to jest). Ustvari, prilicno je vjerojatno da ce afekt cesce probijati pri najfinijim mogucim kratkotrajnim intenzitetima: svi oni minijaturni ili molekularni dogadaji neprimijecenog. Ono obicno i njegovo ekstra-. Afekt se rada u onome sto je izmedu stvari i boravi kao akumulativna pored-nost. Afekt mozemo stoga promatrati kao gradijent kapaciteta tijela - meko prirastanje svemodulirajucih sila-odnosa-koje rastu i padaju ne samo razlicitim ritmovima i modalitetima susreta nego i kroz kanale i reseto osjeta i osjetilnosti, prirastanje koje se poklapa s time da pripada ponasanju virtualno bilo kakvih i bilo kojih stvari. Otuda dolazi stalno imanentna mogucnost afekta da se i nadalje siri: i unutar i van meduprostora nezivog i nezivuceg, unutarstanicnih otkrivanja ekonomije zila, tkiva i crijeva, i maglicastog iscezavanja netjelesnog (dogadaja, atmosfera, osjecaja- zvukova). Istovremeno intiman i neosoban, afekt se akumulira i povezanoscu i prekidima u povezanosti, i tako postaje palimpsest susreta sila sto presijecaju plime i oseke intenziteta koji prolaze kroz "tijela" (tijela ako ih definiramo ne po principu ovojnice-koze ili mede od kakve druge povrsine nego po njihovom potencijalu da uzvrate ili sudjeluju u prolasku afekta). Inventar svjetlucanja (odlomak) Gregory J. Seigworth & Melissa Gregg Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 9 oi Sigmund Freud, Project for a Scientific Psychology, uredio i preveo James Strachey (London: Hogarth, 1966), str. 357-59. 02 Benedict Spinoza, Ethics; On the Correction of Understanding, preveo Andrew Boyle (London: Everyman's Library, 1959), str. 87. Vezivanje i razvezivanje, nastajanje i protunastajanje, neskladne dezorijen- tacije i ritmicko uskladivanje. Afekt obiljezava pripadanje tijela svijetu susreta; ili - pripadanje svijeta tijelu susreta ali isto tako i ne-pripadanje, preko svih onih mnogo nesretnijih dekompozicija medusobnih ne-sumogucnosti. Uvijek tu ima i dvosmislenih ili 'mjesovitih' susreta koji se vise ili manje sudaraju i istiskuju, no najcesce pak pomalo od oboje. U tom sveobuhvacajucem povecavanju sila-odnosa (ili, obratno, u ljustenju ili ispiranju takvih sedimentacija) skriva se prava moc afekta, afekta kao potencijala: to je mogucnost tijela da proizvede i dozivi afekt. Kako tijelo, obiljezeno u svom trajanju ovim raznim susretima s mjesovitim silama, uopce dode do toga da pretvara svoje afekte (svoje dozivljavanje afekta) u djelova- nje (mogucnost da proizvede afekt)? Sigmund Freud na jednom mjestu tvrdi, u svom ranom radu, da afekt uglavnom ne odrazava ni ne misli; afekt djelu- je. OT No Freud je isto tako smatrao da ti putevi afekta ostaju u neposrednoj blizini kretanja misli, toliko blizu da se trepetljike opazaja neprestano protezu izmedu podsvjesnog (ili, bolje receno nesvjesnog) afekta i svjesne misli. U praksi stoga afekt i kognicija nikada nisu potpuno razdvojivi - ako ni zbog cega drugog a ono zbog toga sto je misao takoder tijelo, ona je otjelotvorena. Izbacen svojim nezavrsenim medustanjem, afekt je neodvojiv od neprestanog postajanja tijela (neprestano postajuci drugacije, ma koliko nezamjetno, od onoga sto vec jest), povucen ponad svoje toboznje vezanosti povrsinskom ogranicenoscu, pa i cijelim sastavom, sa silama odnosa. Uz pomoc afekta, tijelo se nalazi izvan sebe koliko i u sebi - premrezeno svojim odnosima - dok na kraju takve cvrste distinkcije prestanu vrijediti. U jednoj od do sada najcitiranijih tvrdnji o afektu, Baruch Spinoza kaze: "Nitko jos nije utvrdio sto sve tijelo moze". 02 Vazno je odmah naglasiti dva kljucna aspekta, odnosno ponovno ih naglasiti: najprije, kapacitet tijela nikada se ne definira samim tijelom nego ga uvijek potpomaze i podrzava polje ili kontekst sila-odnosa; a drugo, ono "ne jos" "poznavanja tijela" je i dalje vrlo prisutno vec vise od 330 godina od Spinozine Etike. Doduse, kao sto je Spinoza detektirao, nikada to pitanje ne cini genericko shvacanje nekog odredenog "tijela" (bilo kojeg tijela) nego, puno singularnije, pokusaj da se konfigurira tijelo i njegovi afekti/afektiranost, njegovo neprestano afektivno stvaranje nekog svijeta, ovo-sti svijeta i tijela. Eseji u ovoj zbirci se svaki na svoj nacin pokusavaju pozabaviti tom "jos- ne-toscu" afektualnih djelovanja i protudjelovanja tijela. Svaki esej iznosi vlastito videnje susreta sa silama i prolazima intenziteta koji opravdavaju, a povremeno i ogoljavaju, singularne i intimno neosobne - cak pod-osobne i pred-osobne slojeve pripadanja (ili ne-pripadanja) svijetu. To je taj neprestani izazov Spinozinog "ne jos:' prenijeti osjecaj hitnosti koji transformira materiju ili vaznosti afekta u eticki, estetski i politicki zadatak sve u jednom. Medutim, Spinoza je naravno morao znati da taj "ne jos" afekta nikada nije ni trebao pronaci ikakvo konacno rjesenje. Nitko nece konacno na kraju uzviknuti: "Aha! Sad znamo za sto je sve tijelo sposobno! To smo rijesili:' Upravo ovaj spinozijanski imperativ, koji se stalno obnavlja upoznatoscu s tim "ne jos" afektivnog djelovanja, vodi afekt - bas kao i teorije koje pokusavaju pregovarati formativne sile afekta - prema sljedecem susretu sila, i onda sljedecem i sljedecem... Ipak, bila bi prilicno ozbiljna pogreska tumaciti suvremene teorije afekta tako da svaki od tih "ne jos" i njihovih "sljedecih" dozivljavamo poput kretanja unaprijed kao u kakvom integriranom vojnickom marsu. Ne postoji jedna, uopcavajuca teorija afekta: ne jos a nece je (srecom) nikada ni biti. Ako nista drugo, puno je primamljivije zamisljati da su jedino sto moze postojati 10 Inventar svjetlucanja (odlomak) Gregory J. Seigworth & Melissa Gregg Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 03 Brian Massumi, Parables for the Virtual: Movement, Affect, Sensation (Durham, N. C.: Duke University Press, 2002) beskrajne i bezbrojne iteracije afekta i teorija afekta: teorija toliko razlicitih i singularno definiranih kao svoj vlastiti susret s tijelima, afektima, svjetovima. (Ne bi li teorija - bilo koja teorija sa ili bez velikog T - trebala biti takva? Takva da barata makar i skromnom metodoloskom vitalnoscu umjesto da se nakalemljuje na svijet sto se koprca pod njom kao kakva nabacena mreza svercajuci interpretabilnost bilo koje vrste?) A takvo stanje stvari mozda bi moglo objasniti zasto prvi susreti s teorijama afekta djeluju kao momentalan (a katkad i stalniji) metodoloski i konceptualni slobodni pad. Cotovo svi isprobani i pravi rukohvati i nogostupi za toliko kriticko-kulturalno-filozofske potrage za teorijom - subjekta/objekta, reprezentacije i znacenja, racional- nosti, vremena i prostora, unutrasnjeg i vanjskog, ljudskog/neljudskog, identiteta, strukture, pozadine/prvog plana itd. - postaju bitno manje samouvjereni i konzekventniji (a bilo kakva ideja "determinacije" ili direktnog linearnog uzroka i posljedice pada u vodu). Kako afekt proizlazi iz mutne, neposredovane povezanosti a ne iz kakve dijalekticke pomirbe potpuno suprotnih elemenata ili primarnih jedinica, on omogucava da kompartmenta- lizacije prepuste mjesto granicama i tenzijama, mjesavinama i zamucenjima. Kao sto je Brian Massumi naglasio 03 , pristupi afektu bi izgledali puno manje kao Slobodan pad kad bi nasi najcesci nacini potrage poceli od pokreta a ne zastoja, s procesima koji se stalno odvijaju a ne sa zauzetih pozicija. Nije onda cudo da ih se, kada bi se teorije usudile dati makar i privremeno ili probno videnje afekta, nerijetko optuzivalo za naivno i romanticno lutanje u neosnovane sfere bezbrojnih inter-implikacija svijeta ili tijela, gubeci se u preobilju razlika koje se roje i odronjavaju: loved sicusne krijesnice intenziteta koji slabasno svjetlucaju u mraku, primjecujuci ona odzvanjanja koja vibriraju, nistavna do seizmicka, pod sirovim naletom danjeg svjetla, dramatizirajud (i zaista, za neuvjerene, teatralizirajuci) ono sto se cesto ne spominje. Ali, kako ce nasi suradnici pokazati, sudarajuca/istiskujuca pripadnost afekta svjetovima, tijelima i njihovim medu-afektima u svojoj imanentnosti - signalizira i sam nagovjestaj teorije afekta: bacajuci svjetlo na "ne jos" djelovanje tijela, bacajuci udicu po nadajmo se (ali i pribojavamo) vrhuncu buducnosti koja se pojavljuje, okusavajuci srecu s beskrajno povezivim, neosobnim i zaraznim pripadanjima ovom svijetu. Letters to — Frakcija #58/59 to be moved On the Construction and Sharing of Effective Means Dear-, Now we are turning books into guns and barricading the windows; we are collectivizing beyond mere happenstance, mere rapture. This is a seismic NOW, FINALLY! where we sediment a different sort of density. We are tautological. Love, 12 Letters to —: On the Construction and Sharing of Effective Means Frakcija #58/59 to be moved Dear-, We are unpacking our library. Yes, we are. The air saturated with the dust of wood, the floor covered with torn paper. It is the base and horizon of our militant intimacy, a structural function, and the measurement of our density. The ice is at the foot of this mountain. That is to say, we are gathering provisions for the long winter, the long campaign of. Love, Dear-, We will refer to this as THE LONG WINTER. As in: Remember the long winter? Or: Remember how long the long winter was? It will seem like a torturous impossibility. How did we make it through. Did we. We did. Yours, 14 Emocije, Brecht, empatija naspram simpatije Darko Suvin Frakcija #58/59 to be moved Emocije, Brecht, empatija naspram simpatije 01 Darko Suvin S engleskoga prevela Marina Miladinov oi Terminologija o emocijama nepro- hodna je prasuma suprot- stavljenih strucnih, pa cak i osob- nih semantika. Stoga svatko tko se odluci baviti tom temom treba utrti vlastiti put i drzati ga se, ili ce propasti. Tako, na primjer, jedna skola smatra da "osjecaji" obuhvacaju i psiholoske emocije i fizioloske afekte; i tako dalje. Rijec "strast" ispocetka je na latinskom oznacavala pasivnu patnju (usp. Isusovu pasiju), dok se na engles- kom i francuskom obicno smatra intenzivno usmjerenom prema nekom cilju. "Patos"je na engleskom teatralno i ne sasvim iskreno iskazivanje emocija. Situacija u drugim jezicima, poput njemackog, nije nista manje zamrsena, iako na drugaciji nacin - vidi bilj. 6. Zahvaljujem Zakladi Humboldt za nagradu koja mi je omogucila da radim u Brechtovu arhivu u nekoliko intervala izmedu 1997. do 2000. godine, kao i Erdmutu Wizisli i osoblju arhiva. Takoder zahvaljujem Sabini Kebir i Tho- masu Weberu sto su me uputili na raznu gradu. Zbog ogranicenosti prostora ovdje ne govorim o Brechtovu osobnom odnosu prema zenama, o kojemu je napisano mnogo neutemeljenih i naprosto pogresnih stvari u kritikama Fuegijeva tipa. Prema mome misljenju, najodmjerenije knjige o toj temi su one Sabine Kebir (vidi cetiri naslova u Bibliografiji), o kojima sam pisao u Brecht Yearbook (Suvin, "A Very" i "Sabine Kebir"). ovom tekstu namjera mije kombinirati dvije vrste argumenata, koji bi se trebali medusobno rasvijetliti. Prva je opceniti pogled na emocije, koji koristi razne pristupe, dijelom i feministicko- materijalisticku argumentaciju (prvenstveno, ali ne i iskljucivo onu Alison Jaggar), kao i Brechtove uvide. Cini mi se iednako vaznim ukazati na neke ozbiljne - iako ne i kljucne - slijepe tocke u Brechtovu tretmanu zenskog roda, bilo u zivotu, bilo u umjetnickom prikazu, i takoder pokazati da je on u svome shvacanju subjektnosti ili osobnosti odbacivao patrijarhalnu ili militaristicku degradaciju jednako kao i holivudsku ili filistarsku zloporabu. Druga se nadovezuje na argumente koje sam iznio drugdje, 02 naime daje crvena nit vazna za razumijevanje Brechtova djela i zivota, koja se iskristalizirala iz njegovih spoznajnih emocija i uvida, bila slika, pojam i praksa drzanja ( Haltung ): kombinacija poze i mnijenja koja je subivstvena s interesom , koji pak nije moguce razdvojiti od odredene vrste emocija. Ideja daje Brechtovo djelo bezosjecajno, ili pak raspeto izmedu razuma i emocija, zastarjela je i pogresna. Te dvije vrste misljenja sjedinjuju se u raspravi o kljucnoj razlici izmedu empatije i simpatije, za koju smatram daje mozemo i moramo ekstrapolirati iz Brechtova stajalista i djela. 1. Orijentacijske napomene o emocijama ... i ovaj pojam morat cemo procistiti prije uporabe, buduci daje star te su ga cesto koristili mnogi ljudi i u mnogobrojne svrhe. Brecht, "Volkstumlichkeit und Realismus", 22.1: 408 Zapocet cu parafrazom onoga sto smatram najrazumnijom mainstream- interpretacijom emocija. Iznio ju je Mandler (66-71 i passim), a dopunio Bruner: emocija je naziv za vid osobnog zivota koji se javlja kao interakcija izmedu neke opcenite situacije, koja u pravilu ukljucuje druge ljude, i unaprijed danih osobnih (pojedinacnih ili kolektivnih) sklonosti. Pojedinac Emocije, Brecht, empatija naspram simpatije Darko Suvin Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 15 02 Vidi: Suvin, "Haltung" i "Haltung (Bearing)". Sa zadovoljstvom primjecujem da je do tog zakljucka vec ranije dosao Dumling (626), cija je izvrsna knjiga izrazito korisna u raspravi o Brechtovu drzanju u raznim pitanjima - ne samo u pogledu glazbe. 03 Vecina filozofskih pristupa od Husserla nadalje, osobito nakon 1950. godine, opcenito bi se slozila sa gledistem da su emo¬ cije namjerne, odnosno dijelom uspostavljene spoznajom i vrednovanjem, usp. Rorty i Stocker; slavni pretece takvog stajalista ukljucivali bi Rousseaua. Iz toga slijedi da se ljude moze smatrati odgovorni- ma za djelovanje na osnovi emocija. No ne slijedi i to da emociju, iakoje u nacelu ili potencijalno spoznajna, treba naprosto poistovjetiti s razu- mom; zanimljiv je argument da ona upotpunjuje nedostatno (npr. presporo) rasudivanje, usp. de Sousa. tumaci ili obraduje neki ostar zahtjev koji pred njega postavlja situacija - shvacajuci istu kao cjelovitu propoziciju ili Cestalt - u tjelesni podrazaj, koji se zatim prosljeduje u svijest (pojmovno misljenje i odgovarajuce samoopazanje), kao i u spremnost na reakciju. Zakljucujem daje emocija (subjekti na koje utjecu drugi subjekti) tijesno isprepleteno nalicje akcije (subjekti koji utjecu na druge subjekte). Sredisnje pitanje koje se danas postavlja o emociji ili emocijama tice se nacina na koji one dopustaju ili ometaju ove ili one akcije. Kratkotrajnije i primitivnije emocije cesto se nazivaju afektima. Emocije koje su dugotrajnije od trenutnih - te stoga obicno nisu ni toliko jednostavne - javljaju se kada se akcija na neko vrijeme prekine. Takve emocije imaju i evaluacijsku, ocito spoznajnu dimenziju, iako mogu biti dane kao implicitna cjelina bez artikulacije. One su nuzno povezane s nacinom na koji se specificno djelovanje ili stanje neke osobe odnosi prema njezinoj cjelokupnoj utjelovljenoj osobnosti, njezinim zivotnim obzorima, vrijednostima i (ne) ugodama (usp. Wolf 113-14), osobito njezinom drzanju ili stajalistu. Moj pristup takoder usvaja radno razgranicenje emocija Jaggarove, koje iskljucuje "automatske tjelesne reakcije i nenamjerne osjete, kao sto su napadaji gladi" ("Love", 148). I najvaznije od svega, emocije se ne nalaze u nekoj vrsti potpuno neracionalnog vakuuma ili "tuposti"; prema ovom "kognitivistickom" gledistu, one ne obuhvacaju samo osjecaje, nego i orijentaciju ili intenciiu , "njihov intencionalni vid i s time povezani sud" (isto, 149). 03 Spoznaja i emocija ne nalaze se nuzno u suprotnosti. Ubrojio bih u razumijevanje, spoznaju ili znanje sve ono sto zadovoljava dva uvjeta: da nam moze pomoci u suocavanju s nasom osobnom i kolektivnom egzistencijom te da se njegova valjanost moze dokazati putem primjene u toj egzistenciji, pri cemu je modificira i pritom biva i samo modificirano (vise o tome u: Suvin, "On Cognitive"). Misljenje, akcija i emocija predstavljaju "apstrakcije koje namecu velik teorijski trosak. Cijena koju placamo... naposljetku je ta da gubimo iz vida njihovu strukturalnu meduovisnost. Na kojoj god ih razini promatrali,... ta tri elementa sastavni su dio jedinstvene cjeline [koja postize integraciju jedino unutar nekog kulturnog sustava]" (Bruner, 117-18). Sto se tice razuma, Brecht je primijetio da "ljudi cine mnogo toga sto je razumno, a ipak ne prolazi kroz njihov Verstand [formalno rasudivanje, DS], Mi ne mozemo funkcionirati bez toga." (CBFA 22.2: 825, navod prema svezak: stranica) Sistematizirani idejni konstrukti teze laznom skladu i ideoloskoj jednoglasnosti kojaje nuzno prisutna u svakom zatvorenom nauku ili Weltanschauungu (npr. 21: 414-17). "Ucenik je vazniji od nauka" (21: 531) - bila je sredisnja Brechtova smjernica. U takvim razmatranjima on se otkriva kao zacudujuce rani zagovornik reintegrate tiiela. zajedno sa svim njegovim osjetima (sto je u mladosti zastupao i Marx), u praksu i teoriju naseg znanja: tijeloje za Brechta sidriste koje suodreduje stajaliste. Mislim daje nekakvo stajaliste prisutno u svim osobnim i posvojnim zamjenicama, u svakoj deixis, u svim metaforama videnja i orijentacije. To mu je naposljetku dopustilo da zakljuci sljedece: "Takvo misljenje... ne suprotstavlja se osjecanju... Sada mi se to cini naprosto nekom vrstom ponasanja, naime drustvenim ponasanjem. Citavo tijelo sudjeluje u njemu sa svim svojim osjetima." (22.2: 753). U tome se slaze s Merleau-Pontyjem ( Phenomenologie, kao i Structure ), prema cijim je rijecima utjelovljenje prozivljeno iskustvo tjelesnosti, kao i uvid daje tijelo mjesto spoznaje ili razumijevanja koje je i samo neodvojivo povezano s utjelovljenim djelovanjem kao priprema, nadomjestak, reakcija ili ovjeravanje povratne informacije. 16 Emocije, Brecht, empatija naspram simpatije Darko Suvin Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 04 Za uvod u literaturu o katego- rizaciji vidi Rosch, a za zanimljiv komplementarni pristup "kinestetskim slikovnim shemama" Johnsona. Cak i ultraformalisticki Kripke dopusta da je osjecaj bitna sastavnica pojmova, buduci da su sva svjesna mentalna stanja neodvojiva od sirovog osjecaja dozivljaja, dokje psiholog Laza¬ rus u opseznim raspravama (citiram najnoviju koju sam pronasao) ustvrdio da je situa- cijska ocjena osobne vaznosti neophodna za emociju. Buduci da emocije sudjeluju u spoznajnom procesu, na njih cesto utjecu njegove kategorizacije, argumentacije i organizacija 04 : mogu se intenzivirati ili umeksati, rasprsiti po citavom procesu ili pak svesti na beznacajnost. Nije korisno, negoje skandalozno primijeniti na njih osakacenu, mehanicku i zamagljujucu podjelu u kojoj se razum smatra muskim, analitickim, svojstvenim umu, hladnim, objektivnim i univerzalnim, zdravim, javnim i uredenim, dok bi emocija bila zenska, sinteticka, svojstvena tijelu, topla, subjektivna i specificna, bolesna, osobna i politicki nepouzdana. Sa stajalista koje ovdje zastupam (a koje se nastoji probiti kroz dzunglu suprotstavljenih misljenja), koji bi danas mogli biti odrzivi pogledi na emocije? Dotaknut cu se samo cetiriju tocaka. Kao prvo, hegemonijsko je shvacanje emocija da su one nuzno uglavnom nesvjesne i osobne: ustvari, one nikada nisu iskljucivo takve. Barem su u najvaznijim slucajevima (ukljucujuci egzemplarni slucaj umjetnosti) aktivni angazman cjelokupne osobnosti, psihofizicka stajalista. Emocije su tako tijesno stopljene s osobnoscu da smo samo u sasvim ogranicenoj mjeri ovlasteni tvrditi da za njih nismo odgovorni. One su nuzna pratnja svakog obzora djelovanja, ukljucujuci strah i ustrucavanje od akcije. To je osobito istinito za dugorocne emocije, koje ocito nisu afekti (usp. raspravu Majke Hrabrosti s Mladim Vojnikom o "dugom gnjevu" u 4. prizoru drame). Nakon sto odbacimo stetnu kartezijansku podjelu na cogito i osjetilno tijelo, mozemo vidjeti da emocije nisu ni sasvim namjerne ili svjesne ni sasvim nenamjerne ili iracionalne; "one su nacini na koji se aktivno bavimo svijetom i cak ga uspostavljamo" (Jaggar, "Love", 152-53 i passim). Kao drugo, Brecht je sasvim ispravno uvidio da se medu najosnovnijim kategorijama u raspravi o bilo kakvoj psihologiji koja je usmjerena na akciju nalaze vrednovanie, promatranie i naposljetku namiera . Ne samo da se oni ne mogu razlucitijedno od drugoga, negoje sve troje usko povezano s emocijama. To se cini jasnim za vrijednosne sudove, koji su u neprekidnom odnosu povratne informacije s emocijama. Na slozenije nacine to vrijedi i za promatranje, koje je takoder duboko isprepleteno s namierama (interesimaj , od primarnih izbora na sto se usredotociti i cemu dati prednost pa sve do odabranih interpretacijskih okvira: "Promatranje je aktivnost odabira i interpretacije."Tu nije moguc Humeovjaz izmedu vrijednosti i cinjenice. Ono sto ce u odredenoj situaciji i za odredene aktere biti cinjenica ovisi o "intersubjektivnim sporazumima, koji se dijelom sastoje od zajednickih pretpostavki o tome sto su 'normalne' ili primjerene reakcije na odredene situacije" (Jaggar, "Love", 154). Kao trece, barem neki od presudnih cimbenika svake emocije sudjeluju i u kolektivnom angazmanu koji je moguce zacrtati ili zamisliti na tom sjecistu drustvene povijesti - nesavrseno ili pak savrsenije. lako vjerojatno postoje i drugi zajednicki cimbenici s "dugorocnim" (iako ne i vjecnim i "intrinzicno ljudskim") emocionalnim stajalistima, specificna i osobna emocija u tom je smislu uvijek i povijesni i drustveni Cestalt, konstrukt koji geni ili neurobiologija ne odreduju u potpunosti, pa cak ni presudno. To je osobito ocito u vezi s vrijednosnim sudovima, namjerom i interesima o kojima sam upravo govorio (usp. Brecht 22.2: 657-59). Emocije su drustveni konstrukti sto koriste bioloske potencijale na vise nacina koji su visestruko kulturno odredeni. I sam pojam emocije ne razlikuje se samo od drustva do drustva, nego se cak zamislja kao zatvoreno semanticko polje samo u nekima od njih. Na primjer, u japanskoj kulturi termin i pojam "kokoro" istovjetan je onome sto se na engleskom jeziku podrazumijeva pod sklonostima, srcem, umom, osjecajima, duhom ili koncepcijom neke osobe, odnosno necemu poput Emocije, Brecht, empatija naspram simpatije Darko Suvin Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 17 svjesne i osjecajne biti osobnosti (buduci da istocnoazijska kulturna sfera ne poznaje krscanski pojam "duse", svijest je ondje svijest o vlastitoj utjelovljenoj osobnosti, koja se ne dijeli na razum i emocije - usp. Suvin, "Soul"). Jaggarova tvrdi da, "ako emocije nuzno podrazumijevaju sudove, onda je ocito da su im potrebni i pojmovi, koji se mogu smatrati drustveno konstruiranim nacinima organiziranja i objasnjavanja svijeta" ("Love", 151). I obrnuto, vaznoje da "emocije daju iskustvenu osnovu vrijednostima", tako da se to dvoje uzajamno potice (isto, 153); vrijednosti i vrijednosni sudovi nalaze se u odnosu bliske povratne sprege s emocijama. Sumnjam da su pojmovi koji su potrebni emocijama nuzno sasvim jasni, ali izvjesno je da su emocije u svakoj osobi uvelike oblikovane semantickim hijerarhijama u koje smo socijalizirani (npr. nedvojbeno snazne macisticke emocije o zenskom djevicanstvu ili kreposti). Sto se tice vrijednosti ili vrednovanja, oni se intimno oblikuju pojmovima, ali i u neposrednom iskustvu, koje je nedvojbeno emocionalno. I naposljetku, ali stoga ne i manje vazno, nasi su zivoti u znatnoj mjeri oblikovani slozenom drustvenom heaemoniiom . koja ukljucuje (nazalost) odredenost politickom ekonomijom, kao i neposrednom politickom kontrolom i kontrolom drustvene skupine, ustvari - kako argumentira Raymond Williams - svim odnosima dominacije i podredenosti, u njihovim oblicima prakticne svijesti, ustvari prozetoscu cjelokupnog zivotnog procesa.... Ona [hegemonija] je citav skup praksi i ocekivanja, tijekom citavoga zivota: nasi osieti i raspodiela enerqiie. nase oblikovanje sebe samih i nasega svijeta. To je sustav znacenia i vrijednosti koji zivimo .... (109-10, naglasak dodan) Nasrecu, unutarte hegemonije mnogi ljudi posjeduju citav spektar oporbenih, subverzivnih i potencijalno produktivnih emocija koje su neuskladive s dominantnim opazajima i vrednovanjima. Takve emocije mogu slijediti nasa uvjerenja ili im cak mogu prethoditi - na primjer, kada "svim osjecajima ovlada nezaposlenost" (Brecht 19: 668). Medutim, "samo kada promisljamo o nasoj ispocetka zbunjujucoj razdrazljivosti, gnusanju, gnjevu ili strahu, mozemo osvijestiti svoju 'nagonsku' svijest da se nalazimo u situaciji prisile, okrutnosti, nepravde ili opasnosti" (Jaggar, "Love", 161). Sve u svemu, nuzno je iznova promisliti odnos razuma i emocije kao elemenata koji se uzajamno konstituiraju, a ne pobijaju. Umjesto da emocije i vrijednosti prijece mogucnost pouzdanog znanja, treba pokazati da su i jedne i druge nuzne za znanje (Jaggar, "Love", 156-57). Dobar primjer je Brechtovo promisljanje iz 1938. godine o osobnim korijenima njegova progonstva: Kada razmislim o tome do cega me doveo Mitgehen [zajednicko putovanje, kretanje u korak, uz aluziju na Mitfuhlen - DS], a u cemu mi je pomoglo neprestano preispitivanje, moram se prikloniti ovom potonjem. Da sam pokleknuo pred onim prvim, jos uvijek bih zivio u svojoj domovini, ali da nisam zauzeo ovu potonju poziciju, ne bih bio postena osoba. (26: 308) Izrazimo li sve ovo tehnickim terminima: iako emocija u ontogenetskom i filogenetskom smislu mozda prethodi pojmovnosti, ona je aksioloski nuzna i intimna komponenta svakog rasudivanja ili spoznaje. U nasim osobnim zivotima emocije mogu slijediti nasa konceptualizirana uvjerenja ili im pak prethoditi. U svakom slucaju, povratne sprege izmedu emocija i svjesne 18 Emocije, Brecht, empatija naspram simpatije Darko Suvin Frakcija #58/59 to be moved refleksije o njima nuzne su za svaku ucinkovitu intervenciju u drustvenu stvarnost - osobito za drustvene skupine koje se bore za "pogled na stvarnost koji je dostupan sa stajalista potlacenih", koji optimisticki mozemo shvatiti kao "perspektivu koja omogucuje manje pristran i iskrivljen te stoga vjerodostojniji pogled" (Jaggar, "Love", 162). Ali to pak znaci da se "epistemicki potencijal emocija" (isto, 163) mora shvatiti ozbiljno zelimo li da bilo koja pozicija bude stabilna (usp. takoder: Hartsock; Jaggar, Feminist; Jameson; Lukacs; Suvin, "On Cognitive", "Subject" i To Brecht, pogl. 4). Epistemicki potencijal ne pridaje nikakvu magicnu ucinkovitost bilo emocijama, bilo sistematiziranim pojmovima, nego jedino mogucnost uporabe ili zloporabe. Ne mogu to bolje izraziti od Brechtova ulomka iz spisa Me-Ti "Uber die Prufung der Gefuhlsbewegungen" ("O preispitivanju emocija"): Kada smo bili mladi, rece Me-ti, ucili su nas da ne vjerujemo razumu, i to je bilo dobro. Ali takoder su nas ucili da vjerujemo svojim osjecajima, i to je bilo lose. Izvor nasih emocija jednako je zatrovan kao i izvor nasih sudova: jer on je jednako dostupan ljudskim nacrtima i stoga ga neprestano zagadujemo i mi i drugi.... Pretpostaviti da postoje emocije bez razuma znaci pogresno shvatiti razum. 08 : 138-39) 2. O emocijama kod Brechta Malo je izjava o umjetnosti koje su me se dojmile kao ona Meier- Craefeova o Delacroixu: Kod njega je vruce srce kucalo u hladnom covjeku. Brecht, Tagebuch 1922, 26: 270 2 . 1 . "Jubilejsko izdanje" Brechta u sest svezaka koje je Suhrkamp objavio 1998. godine, Ausgewahlte Werke in 6 Banden (4000 stranica, 128 DM) najavljeno je i reklamirano u prospektu kao "Bertolt Brecht - Der 'Klassiker der Vernunft 1 ". Nije jasno tko je iskovao oznaku "klasik razuma", ali ova komercijalna propaganda svakako izvanredno sazima varku koja je citavu generaciju njemackih skolaraca natjerala da mrze Brechta kao kugu. Ipak, ta je oznaka ili pogresna (suprotstavimo li razum emocijama) ili pak prilicno nejasna (ne razjasnimo li sto bi "Vernunft" mogao znaciti za Brechta i kod Brechta, i kakvo je doista bilo njegovo stajaliste prema emocijama i njihovoj uporabi). U nastojanju da to otkrijem, prikupio sam pedesetak propozicija koje otvoreno spominju osjecaje ili emocije, a koje se mogu pronaci u 33 sveska najnovije goleme zbirke Brechtovih sabranih djela (GBFA). Medu njima sam pronasao dviie ili tri ranijeg datuma koje doista suprotstavljaju "emotio" i "ratio", s kulminacijom u "Anmerkungen zur Oper Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny" ("Biljeskama uz operu Uspon i pad grada Mahagonlja"), koje je Brecht objavio zajedno s Peterom Suhrkampom 1930. godine (24: 74-84). Taj primjer uvijek se iznova citira, vjerojatno zato sto te biljeske nisu bile samo provokativno ostre, pa stoga i kratke i jasne, nego i zato sto su one jedini dokaz kojije bilo MOGUCE pronaci za Brechta kao "klasika razuma" u uzem smislu rijeci. Preispitao sam ga opseznije u clanku "Haltung (Bearing)", a ovdje cu samo ukratko sazeti svoje nalaze. "Biljeske" sadrze mnoge druge vazne teme, poput definicije sredisnjeg stajalista postojece opere kao "kulinarskog (ili hedonistickog, geniesserische) Emocije, Brecht, empatija naspram simpatije Darko Suvin Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 19 stajalista", ili tvrdnje da je "danasnji povijesni oblik [uzitka] roba" te da je u Mahagoniju ta "provokativna" tema podvrgnuta odredenom preispitivanju: "Na primjer, kada se u 13. odjeljku Prozdrljivac prezdere do smrti, on to cini zato sto prevladava glad" (24: 76-77). Emocije se spominju u cuvenoj kantovskoj tablici s dva suprotstavljena stupca, koja je postala osnovom svih daljnjih sporova. Neke od njezinih mnogobrojnih kratkih stavki isticu kazaliste koje ne projicira gledatelja u akciju na pozornici, paralizirajuci time njegovo djelovanje, nego ga cini promatracem i na taj nacin stimulira njegovo djelovanje, buduci da mu ne daje mogucnost emocija, nego ga "prisiljava na odluke"; to je kazaliste gdje "osjecaji nisu sacuvani", nego se "intenziviraju u spoznaju", gdje se ljudi ne pretpostavljaju kao vec poznati, nego postaju "predmetom ispitivanja". Naposljetku, tablica zavrsava dvjema suprotnostima: prvaje preuzeta iz kratkog sazetka u Marxovu Predgovoru Kriticipoliticke ekonomije (MEW 13: 8), a druga je ono cemu smjeram upravo u ovoj raspravi: Misljenje odreduje bice Drustveno bice odreduje misljenje Emocija [Cefuhl] Razum [Rotio] Ovaj mali nacrt ili tablica kasnije je nekoliko puta tiskana zasebno, izvan "Biljezaka o Mahagoniju", sto je pomoglo da se zaboravi Brechtova vazna pocetna rezerva da ta tablica obiljezava promjenu u naglasku (Gewichtsverschiebung ), a ne neku krutu metafizicku suprotnost. Ali bez obzira na to, zamijecena opreka bila je podvrgnuta zestokim napadima, ne samo burzoaskih konzervativaca, nego prvenstveno Lukacsa i njegovih sljedbenika u sluzbenom, sve vise staljinisticki usmjerenom tisku Komunisticke partije. Codine 1938. Brecht je reagirao na pojednostavljene provokacije kojima se on bio sluzio u weimarskom razdoblju, te je razjasnio i dijelom modificirao svoju poziciju preradivsi tablicu. Osim omanjih skracivanja i promjena, dodao je suprotnost izmedu "onoga sto bi ljudi trebali ciniti" i "onoga sto ljudi moraju ciniti", odnosno izmedu etickog propisa i ekonomsko-fizicke nuznosti; takoder je izbrisao krajnju suprotnost izmedu emocije i razuma (24: 85). Nadalje, u vaznom pismu koje je u srpnju 1939. poslao nekom "drugu M." iz Svedske Brecht komentira: [Ovo] su biljeske za kazalisne predstave i stoga su napisane u vise ili manje polemickom tonu. One ne sadrze potpune definicije i stoga cesto navode onoga tko ih izucava na pogresno shvacanje koje ga ometa u tome da ih koristi na teorijski produktivan nacin. Osobito operni clanak o Mahagoniju treba dopuniti kako bi rasprava postala plodonosna. Ljudi su iz njega iscitali da sam zauzeo stranu "protiv emocionalnog i za racionalno". To, dakako, nije slucaj. Ne znam kako bi se misljenje moglo odvojiti od emocija. Cak niti onaj dio suvremene knjizevnosti koji je, kako se cini, pisan bez razuma ( Verstand ) rijetko odvaja inteligenciju od emocije. U njemu je emocionalno jednako trulo kao i racionalno_ Ne bih ti sve ovo pisao da moja djela ustvari ne sadrze formulacije koje bi mogle gurnuti raspravu u smjer iz kojega nista nece proizaci. jer rasprava tipa "emocija ili razum" zamagljuje glavni rezultat koji se moze pronaci u mojim djelima (bolje receno pokusajima): da se poiava koia se do sada smatrala estetski konstitutivnom, EMPATIIA, u zadnie vriieme vise ili manie izgubila u nekim umietnickim djelima. (To ocito niposto ne znaci da se izgubila i emocija.) (29:149-50) 20 Emocije, Brecht, empatija naspram simpatije Darko Suvin Frakcija #58/59 to be moved To je kljucno pojasnjenje. Svaka daljnja rasprava o Brechtovom stajalistu prema emocijama moze biti plodonosna samo ako od pocetka ozbiljno shvatimo ovo pismo. 2 . 2 . Tako se Brecht veoma brzo udaljio od svake retorike protiv emocija. "Ta vrsta (epskog) prikazivanja", primijetio je oko 1931. povodom Majke, "ne odrice se emocionalnog ucinka: ustvari, njezine emocije samo su pojasnjene... i nemaju nikakve veze s opijenoscu (Rausch)" (22.1:162). Codine 1940. pak pise da i "nearistotelovsko kazaliste koristi kritiku zasnovanu na emocijama (gefuhlsmassige )" (26: 438). To ocito vrijedi i za mnoge druge ulomke i likove iz njegovih drama i pjesama - oni su uvijek jasno razgraniceni i deautomatizirani, sto znaci da su liseni svake filistarske sentimentalnosti. Zanemarujuci ovdje mnoga druga svjedocanstva iz Brechtovih godina emigracije, kao sto su njegova glavna teorijska djela R azgovori o kupnji mjedi i Mali organon za Teatar, citirat cu samo dvije biljeske iz njegova dnevnika. Cini mi se da one svojom kratkocom sacinjavaju dva dijela njegova konacnog, izbalansiranog pogleda na opceniti pristup "militantnoj poziciji 'razum protiv emocije'" (vidi citat dolje). Prvi dio bavi se kazalisnom umjetnoscu, a drugi umjetnoscu zivljenja. U dnevnickoj biljesci od 15. studenoga 1940. Brecht je definirao svoje kazaliste - "za promjenu" u odnosu na uobicajene "lose definicije [kao posebno intelektualisticke]" - "u emocionalnim kategorijama": To je moguce bez ikakvih problema, buduci da u epskom teatru emocionalna i intelektualna linija ostaju istovjetne, kako u glumcu, tako i u gledatelju. Bilo bi nuzno za takvo definiranje izgraditi na osnovama radoznalosti i susretljivosti skup emocija koji ce biti protuteza skupu zasnovanom na uzasu i zaljenju. Dakako, postoje i druge osnove za emocije. Tu je prije svega ljudska produktivnost, koja je najplemenitija od svih. (26: 441) Citava Brechtova teorija osobnosti, ukljucujuci emocionalnost, mogla bi se rekonstruirati oko te temeljne pozicije produktivnosti. Ona se na razne nacine povezuje ne samo s radoznaloscu, nego i sa srecom, prijateljstvom, Ijubavlju i "indignacijom, afektom koji je u drustvenom smislu izrazito produktivan" (27: 140). Naposljetku, Brecht je u biljesci od 4. ozujka 1941. mogao vec sasvim dosljedno izjaviti kako "moramo napustiti militantnu poziciju 'emocije protiv razuma'": Odnos ratio - emotio treba precizno istraziti u svim njegovim proturjecjima, i ne smijemo dopustiti da nasi protivnici prikazuju epski teatar naprosto kao racionalan i antiemocionalan. S jedne strane nalaze se "nagoni, automatizirane reakcije na dozivljaje koje su postale oprecne nasim interesima. Zamucene, jednotracne emocije koje vise ne kontrolira razum. S druge strane, emancipirani ratio fizicara s njihovim mehanickim formalizmom.... Epska nacelajamce kriticku poziciju u publici, ali ta je pozicija eminentno emocionalna. Tu kritiku ne treba brkati s kritikom u iskljucivom, znanstvenom smislu; onaje daleko inkluzivnija i uopce nije specijalizirana (fachbegrenzt), nego je daleko prakticnija i elementarnija. (26: 467) Emocije, Brecht, empatija naspram simpatije Darko Suvin Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 21 Sve u svemu, nema koristi od pretvaranja da se Brecht nije upustao u provokativno jednostrana pretjerivanja kako bi sokirao burzuje, a zatim mijenjao misljenje pod pritiskom iskustva. Priznao je Benjaminu 1934. da njegova misao povremeno zauzima "agitatorsku" ( hetzerische ) poziciju (CS 6: 53 i), a 1938. mu je to dodatno pojasnio: "Dobro je kada nekoga tko je zauzeo ekstremnu poziciju pretekne reakcionarno razdoblje; tako dospije na mjesto u sredini" (GS 6: 535). Brecht je bio neuobicajeno svjestan pritisaka krvave politike nasega stoljeca: "Fasizam, sa svojim grotesknim naglaskom na emocionalnome, a mozda jednako toliko i odredena dekadencija racionalnog elementa marksisticke doktrine, potaknuli su me da snaznije naglasim racionalno. Medutim, upravo ta najracionalnija forma, 'poucna drama' ( Lehrstuck ), pokazuje najemocionalnije ucinke." (22.1: 500) Jednu od Brechtovih stalno prisutnih nota nalazimo u njegovoj obrani odredene vrste gipkog, ali kritickog razuma, odbacivanju nekritickog uranjanja u glupost i pokvarene emocije, kao i u pokusaju da na proturjecne nacine pomiri emociju i razum u prikladnom stavu (usp. npr. 26: 324-25 i 28: 564-65). Stoga smatram da se namecu barem tri smjera daljnjeg rada zelimo li u potpunosti iskoristiti Brechtove uvide za svoju danasnju orijentaciju. Prvi smjer bio bi otkriti barem otprilike sto su, prema njegovu misljenju, emocije unutar "skupa zasnovanog na" radoznalosti, susretljivosti i indignaciji - pa ponekad cak i na "mjesavini uzitka i uzasa (sto ne bi trebalo postojati, zar ne?)" ili na "pionirskoj avanturisticnosti" (22.1: 418 i 559). Smatram da bi sredisnje mjesto zauzeo brizljivo odmjeren raspon emocionalnih stajalista (vidi 2i: 99 vec 1921. godine), ali nikada ravnodusnost. Dva stozera takvog raspona bili bi sredisnja pozicija Brechtova kasnog razdoblja, priiaznost , i njegova gotovo uvijek prakticirana, ali diskurzivno ne tako cesto isticana kategorija (ali usp. 22.2: 8io-n i 817) liupkosti koja ujedinjuje "strast i razum" - kao u njegovu prijedlogu himne, za koju mi je itekako zao sto nije danasnja njemacka himna (kao sto nije bila niti u DDR-u): Anmut sparet nicht noch Muhe Leidenschaft nicht noch Verstand Dass ein gutes Deutschland bluhe Wie ein andres gutes Land. ("Kinderhymne", 12: 303) Ne mogu ovdje prevesti tu drazesnu snagu, ali barem cu je pokusati prenijeti u rimovanu prozu: Ne stedite mara ni truda / Ni strasti ni razuma ne stedite / Da procvate Njemacka nam dobra / I kao svaka dobra zemlja vrijedi. Drugi smjer istrazivanja bio bi otkriti kako u Brechtovoj praksi (predstava, pjesnistva i proznih djela) razlicite emocije gipko djeluju jedna na drugu kao i u povratnoj sprezi s pojmovnim propozicijama, na preciznim mjestima i s precizno doziranim naglascima. Brecht se itekako brinuo o gipkosti, te taoisticka mekoca kod njega pobjeduje nad krutoscu (to je mozda najdojmljivije sazeto u njegovoj pjesmi Legenda o nastanku knjige "Tao-te- king"). Zapocet cu s raspravom o spomenutim horizontima u trecem ulomku ovoga teksta. Smatram da je strateska napetost ili suprotnost na koju se valja usredotociti ona izmedu svrgavanja iluzionisticke, sentimentalne, nekriticke i pseudosucutne empatije (Einfuhlung se istice u citiranom pismu iz 1939. godine, a druga svjedocanstva nalaze se u svescima 22-23 i 26-27 izdanja 22 Emocije, Brecht, empatija naspram simpatije Darko Suvin Frakcija #58/59 to be moved CBFA, koja sam uglavnom naveo u svome clanku "Haltung [Bearing]") i potencijalno intenzivne, ali uvijek razumne simpatije. Ta opreka izmedu Einfuhlung i Mitgefuhl, empatije i simpatije, koju mozemo naci u Brechtovim poetskim, scenskim i drugim umjetnickim (kao i prakticnim) pozicijama, moze se primijeniti i na empirijsko ponasanje. Treci smjer pristupio bi Brechtovoj sredisnjoj poziciji da produktivnost ukljucuje ljubav, a ljubavje produktivnost. Pristupio sam toj struji drugdje (vidi moj clanak "Brecht: Bearing", koristeci pionirske indikacije Haffadove i Nussbaumove), i nadam se da cu se jos vratiti toj temi. 3. O empatiji naspram simpatije: pitanje kriticke razdaljine Emocije takoder sudjeluju u kritici, i mozda je upravo tvoj zadatak organizirati kritiku kroz emocije. Brecht, Messingkauf Dialogues, 22.2: 751 05 O Lippsovoj "projekcijskoj empatiji" i povijesti tog termina do Brechta i kod njega vidi: Weber. Iznenadenje i prostorna ili vremenska razdaljina... jednako su potrebni kako bi shvatio sto te okruzuje... tako ocito da vise to ne mozes jasno vidjeti. Braudel, "History and the Social Sciences" Najvaznije bavljenje emocijama koje se okvirno tice "simpatije" ili "posrednog razumijevanja", odnosno usmjerenosti nadruge ljude, bilaje u Brechtovoj Njemackoj kompleksna rasprava Maxa Schelera, koja je danas dijelom prilicno zastarjela, ali je u svoje vrijeme imala znatan autoritet. Njegova terminologija cesto nije sasvim jasna, a ponekad je upravo zbunjujuca, ali mojaje namjera izvuci iz nje sljedece indikacije, mijenjajuci ih ondje gdje to bude potrebno za moju svrhu. Scheler ostro razlucuje suosjecanje ( Mitgefuhl ) od sucuti ( Mitleiden ) kao i od zajednickog radovanja ( Mitfreude ), a i od puko distancirane reprodukcije (Nachvollzug ) tudih osjecaja ili iskustva, u kojima se uopce ne sudjeluje. S jedne strane, u namjernom oponasanju ili reprodukciji (Nachvollzug} osjeca- mo opcenitu kakvocu tude nesrece, ali ne patimo zajedno s drugim, ili pak osjecamo tudu radost, ali se sami ne radujemo. Osjecaji druge osobe dani su s odmakom, predstavljeni "poput krajolika koji subjektivno 'vidimo' u sjecanju, ili pak melodije koju 'cujemo' na slican nacin" (9/20). Dakako, to vec podrazu- mijeva neko pocetno poimanje i razumijevanje cinjenice da drugi ljudi imaju vlastite dozivljaje. Medutim, iako ostaje nejasno kako ta "intuitivno shvatljiva i unutarnja veza izmedu pojedinca i dozivljaja" djeluje izmedu dvaju agensa, ona ne ukljucuje nuzno empatiju opazatelja (mene). Druga osoba ima "zaseb- no sebstvo, razlicito od nasega", koje mi "nikada ne mozemo u potpunosti razumjeti, buduci da je uronjeno u vlastite psihicke dozivljaje...". Mozemo samo imati "svoj pogled na nj, uvjetovan nasom vlastitom, zasebnom naravi" (10/21). Scheler stoga izricito polemizira protiv svake teorije "projekcijske empatije" 05 koja bi se zasnivala na istovjetnosti pojedinaca, ili pak na Schopenhauerovoj metafizici jedinstvenoga Bica koje se protivi iluzornoj individualizaciji (51/66), i u kojemu je Drugi, podvrgnut patnji, "josjedno Ja (Ich noch ein Mai)". S druge strane, u suosjecanju se "u meni zbiva istinski dozivljaj slican onome sto se dogada u drugoj osobi...", ali niposto istovjetan - cak niti u kracem ili slabijem obliku (n/22). Tako ovdje imamo posla s dvjema krajnostima: potpunim pomanjkanjem interesa i dodira (beskonacna razdaljina) i potpunim Emocije, Brecht, empatija naspram simpatije Darko Suvin Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 23 06 Simmelova najvaznija rasprava o razdaljini vjerojatno je "The Stranger" [Der Fremde], - Osim Brechta i dvojice mislilaca na koje se on u tom pogledu nado- vezuje, Nietzschea i Sklovskoga, u ugodno interdisciplinarnoj literaturi o razdaljini smatram osobito korisnima Blumenberga, Bullougha, Cinzburga i Scarry- jevu, Phillipsov pregled s pove- com bibliografijom i bogatu gradu kod Ute Osterkamp. Ona istice kako su neki znanstvenici nazvali dihotomiju afekata i slozenijih emocija Cefiihle (osjecaji) vs. Emotionen, ali to manjinsko glediste kosi se s Brechtovom uporabom termina Gefuhl i Emotion kao sinonima, kao i s engleskom uporabom rijeci "emotion" za oba znacenja. stapanjem (nulta razdaljina). Negdje izmedu tih dviju krajnosti nalazi se srednja zona, koju on naziva suosjecanjem. Potpuno duhovno i prakticno posvecivanje nekom cilju i/ili osobi, na primjer u vjerskom ili kripto-vjerskom poistovjecivanju poput nacionalizma i fasizma, Scheler naziva "emocional- nom zarazom" ( Gefuhlsansteckung, 14/255), iako i o tome raspravlja na prilicno nejasan nacin. Ipak, on ispravno ukazuje na to da je u pravilu "vjerovanje u" neku karizmaticnu licnost sasvim razlicito od bilo kakvog "vjerovanja da", koje se moze argumentirati (86/96). Upravo tu je moguce pokazati kljucnu vaznost Brechtovog doprinosa, kao i vektora koji se na njemu zasnivaju i koje je moguce nastaviti. Da napomenemo: Brecht je i sam zelio oduciti ljude od "suosjecanja ( mitzuemppnden)" tako sto ce se utjeloviti u junaku, u prilog "nekoj visoj vrsti interesa: onome u usporedbi, u drugome, neproracunljivom i iznenadujucem" (26: 271; usp. 21: 534). Zakljucujem da je danas korisno razlikovati tri stajalista: ravnodusnost bez emocija; potpunu emocionalnu zarazu ( Mitleiden ili Mitfreude), koja se obicno naziva empatijom; i suosjecanje, za koje predlazem da koristimo termin simpatiia . Ono se najbolje moze prikazati u smislu spoznajne (idejne i takoder emocionalne) razdaliine izmedu opazatelja i opazenoga, promatraca i promatranih dogadaja. Razdaljina je neophodan sastavni dio svakog razumijevanja. To je metafora prema kojoj se prostor koristi za neki moralni i/ili spoznajni pojam kada se bavimo psiholoskim iskustvom ukljucenosti u ono sto se dogada ili postoji, a to su prvenstveno drugi ljudi i njihovo djelovanje. Ona pretpostavlja svijest o njihovoj odvojenosti; kao sto je to formulirao Simmel, razdaljina je kljucna "kako bi se pojmilo specificno znacenje ( Eigenbedeutung ) stvari.... Objekt nam je jukstaponiran samo u onoj mjeri u kojoj nije naprosto ukljucen u nas odnos prema njemu" ( Philosophie 41-42). Razradenije (ili zamrsenije) receno: Slika do koje se dolazi posredstvom na bilo koji nacin uspostavljene razdaljine/intervala ( Abstand ) ima vlastiti znacaj i ne moze se nadomjestiti ili ispraviti drugom slikom, do koje se doslo posredstvom druge razdaljine/intervala.... Jedino specificni ciljevi spoznaje mogu odluciti o tome treba li se neposredno pojavna ili prozivljena stvarnost preispitati s obzirom na ( befragt werden soil auf) neki osobni ili kolektivni subjekt.... (Crundfragen n-i2)° 6 Smatram da Brechtova "zacudnost" ( Verfremdungs-Effekt, NE otudenost!) znaci da bi gledatelj (a sasvim ocito i drustveni akter izvan kazalista) trebao prema onome sto se dogada i postoji zauzeti razdaliinu koia ie prikladnaza razumiievanie kako bi mogao biti iznenaden njegovom specificnom neslicno- scu s onime sto poznajemo, mada u mogucnosti da razumije pomocu njihovih generickih slicnosti. Prikladna razdaljina trebala bi odgovarati materiji koju se razmatra, oscilirajuci prema potrebi u skladu sa situacijom, ali tako da ne bude ni ravnodusnost ni potpuno poistovjecivanje, nego uvijek nesto kao Schelerov Mitgefuhl. Ta simpatiziraiuca razdaljina (oba termina ove napetosti jednako su vazna) prije svega znaci da vrijednosni sudovi i interesi agensa nuzno sadrze i odobravanje i kritiku, iako u sasvim razlicitim razmjerima u skladu sa situacijom i njegovim ili njezinim interesima. Ovdje mogu samo aludirati na presudnu antropolosku argumentaciju da dozivljaji velikim dijelom djeluju implicitno, tako da se u prijenosu medu ljudima, koji nikada nemaju istovjetne pretpostavke, implikacije nuzno mijenjaju (usp. Gendlin 399 i passim). Potpuno poistovjecivanje uvijek je iluzorno: ono je i 24 Emocije, Brecht, empatija naspram simpatije Frakcija #58/59 Darko Suvin to be moved 07 Ovdje Brecht i nije bio toliko daleko od Aristotela, koji u svojoj Retor/d (par. 6, 2.8) ispravno primjecuje da patnja bez razda- Ijine nije vrijedna zaljenja, nego je uzasna. Zaljenja moze biti samo ondje (recimo u kazalistu) gdje je promatrac dovoljno blizu patnji drugih, ali se ne poistovje- cuje s njome u potpunosti. samo iluzija te uvijek usmjerava zivot prema nerealistickoj iluziji. Moje emocije mogu imati bol ili patnju drugoga za svoj namjerni predmet, ali stvarna kakvoca bola neizbjezno je moja vlastita. Vec je pionir na tom polju, Adam Smith, uocio sljedece: "Buduci da nemamo neposrednog iskustva s onime sto osjecaju drugi ljudi, ne mozemo oblikovati nikakvu predodzbu o nacinu na koji su ti ljudi pogodeni, osim tako da zamislimo kako bismo se sami osjecali u slicnoj situaciji" (l.i.i.2). I naposljetku, empatija je vazna metoda nekritickog poistovjecivanja u politici, kao sto je Hitler uvidio i izrazito ucinkovito upotrijebio - Benjamin je to 1930-ih godina nazvao "empatijom u pobjednika" (CS l: 696). Brechtovo glavno usmjerenje, koje je u skladu s danasnjom najzanimljivijom antropoloskom psihologijom, stoga je odbacivanje empatije kao alfe i omege u prilog precizno ranqiranoi i arqumentiranoi simpatiii . Simpatija cak i etimoloski znaci "su-osjecanje" (za razliku od empatije kao "u-osjecanja"); kao sto je ustvrdio Smith, kada se ispravno definira, ona nuzno ukljucuje refleksiju i imaginaciju, buduci da se radi o mnijenju. Brecht je naglaseno ustvrdio kako njegovo kazaliste "niposto ne odbacuje emocije. Osobito ne osjecaj pravednosti i teznju ka slobodi (Cerechtigkeitsgefuhl, Freiheitsdrang), kao ni pravednicki gnjev.... 'Kriticko stajaliste', kojemu to kazaliste nastoji privesti svoju publiku, za nj nikada ne moze biti odvise strastveno" (23:109). Naprotiv, za Brechta je empatija ( Einfuhlung ) stajaliste do kojega dovodi "sugestija" u kojoj se "gledatelja... sprecava da zauzme kriticku poziciju prema reprezentiranome razmjerno umjetnickoj ucinkovitosti reprezentacije" (26: 437). 07 Medutim, Brecht je takoder snazno, iako stedljivo, koristio i naposljetku poceo teoretizirati prolazno empatiisko poistovjecivanje s nekim postupcima ondje qdie oni podrazumiievaiu aktivaciiu gledatelja pomocu emociia - najocitiji je primjer indignacija zbog gubitka ljudskih zivota u represivnim situacijama poput rata ili nezaposlenosti. Takvo emocionalno poistovjecivanje moglo bi se naci, dopustioje, u mnogim likovima koji oklijevajuce i ponekad samo djelomicno prilaze ispravnom stajalistu, ali ga naposljetku usvoje. To bi vrijedilo za njegove zenske likove Pelageju Wlassowu u Majci, Joan Dark u Sv. Ivani klaonickoj i gospodu Carrar u istoimenoj drami (22.1:161-62, 26: 455, 22.2: 677), kao i za Katrinin gnjev i zaljenje dok bubnja kako bi spasila grad i njegovu djecu u drami Majka Hrabrost i njezina djeca. Za Calileja bi to vrijedilo samo mjestimicno (usp. Suvin, "Heavenly"). Tako Brechtovo djelo artikulira zivotnu borbu protiv hegemonijske empatije. Njegova glavna motivacija bilaje to sto je u 20. stoljecu bio svjedok tolikih varijanti zagadenih emocija: "Izvori osjecaja i strasti [neke osobe] jednako su zamuceni kao i izvori njezinih spoznaja" (15: 295). Vampirska praksa pasivne publike koja se emocionalno "uvlaci" u kozu velicanstvenog pojedinca na pozornici, koji velicanstveno i pati, i koji ce misliti, osjecati i zivjeti za svakog gledatelja i umjesto njega, sto je Brecht dojmljivo analizirao u djelu Razgovori o kupnji mjedi, suprotstavlja se samoodredenju. Brecht je sasvim ispravno prepoznao da je to sredisnji mehanizam "teatralike" ili sporazumnog povezivanja vode i vodenoga u fasisticko jedinstvo. Kao sto kaze nacisticki slogan: "Der Fuhrer denkt fur uns!" ("Voda misli za nas!"); a s time se slozio i razvijeni staljinizam. Nazalost, Brechtova zabrinutost nije zastarjela. Iluzionizam se otada pomaknuo u nove, "disneyficirane" filmske tehnologije pod vodstvom Amerike, a iz njih u televiziju i njezine nasljednike (to sam opsezno raspravio u clanku "Utopianism"). Istrazivanja su pokazala da postoje mnogi Ijubitelji sapunica koji brkaju, odnosno stapaju likove i glumce, iako nitko ne zna tocno Emocije, Brecht, empatija naspram simpatije Darko Suvin Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 25 koliko njih to cini koliko dugo: najpreciznija procjena koju sam pronasao je da ih se mozda oko 5-10% nalazi u "dimenziji zaludenosti" (usp. oprecna stajalista u: Harrington-Bielby, 104-10 i 120-21). Nekriticka uporaba empatije, od obozavanja junaka do okreta prema "stvarnosti kao spektaklu" u doba kasnog imperijalizma, arogantno odrice drugome status osobe koia ie poput mene - nekoga tko je u danim kljucnim vidovima potrebe za zivotom i pravednoscu isti kao ja - ali i druqaciii od mene . buduci da ima vlastitu volju i prava. To je popraceno ogranicenjem moje vlastite slobode i identiteta. Empatija tako ostaje sredisnji mehanizam iluzije i iluzionizma, psiholoska i politicka prijetnja. Moze se izbjeci jedino neprestanom interakcijom znanja i neznanja, onoga sto se vec znacajno razumjelo i onoga sto tek treba znacajno razumjeti. 26 Emocije, Brecht, empatija naspram simpatije Darko Suvin Frakcija #58/59 to be moved Bibliografija Benjamin, Walter. Gesammelte Schriften. Frankfurt: Suhrkamp, 1980.-87. [kratica CS] Blumenberg, Hans. Schiffbruch mit Zuschauer. Frankfurt: Suhrkamp, 1988. Brecht, Bertolt. Werke. Crosse Kommentierte Berliner und Frankfurter Ausgabe. Frankfurt & Berlin: Suhrkamp & Aufbau V., 1988.-98. [kratica CBFA] Bruner, Jerome. Actual Minds, Possible Worlds. Cambridge MA: Harvard UP, 1986. Bullough, Edward. "'Psychical Distance’ as a Factor in Art and an Esthetic Principle", u: Melvin M. Rader, ur. A Modern Book of Esthetics. New York: Holt, Rinehart, 1951., str. 315-42. Dumling, Albrecht. Brecht und die Musik. Munchen: bei Kindler, 1985. Gendlin, E. T. "The Responsive Order". Man and World 30 (1997.): 383-411. Ginzburg, Carlo. Wooden Eyes. Prev. M. Ryle i K. Soper. New York: Columbia UP, 2001. Haffad, Dorothea. Amour et societe dans I'oeuvre de Brecht. Alger: Office des Publ. Universitaires, 1983. Harrington, C. Lee i Denise D. Bielby. Soap Fans. Philadelphia: Temple UP, 1995. Hartsock, Nancy C. M. Money, Sex, and Power. New York: Longman, 1983. Jaggar, Alison M. Feminist Politics and Human Nature. Totowa NJ: Rowman & Allanheld, 1985. _. "Love and Knowledge”, u: ista i Susan Bordo, ur. Gender/ Body/ Knowledge. New Brunswick: Rutgers UP, 1989., str. 145-71. Jameson, Fredric R. "History and Class Consciousness as an Unfinished Product". Rethinking Marxism l.i (1988.): 49-72. Johnson, Mark. The Body in the Mind. Chicago: U of Chicago P, 1990. Kebir, Sabine. Ein akzeptabler Mann? Berlin/DDR: Aufbau, 1987, prosireno izdanje 1998. _. Ich fragte nicht nach meinem Anteil: Elisabeth Hauptmanns Arbeit mit Bertolt Brecht. Berlin: Aufbau, 1997. _. Abstieg in den Ruhm: Helene Weigel. Eine Biographie, Berlin: Aufbau, 2000. _. Mein Herz liegt neben der Schreibmaschine: Ruth Berlaus Leben vor, mit und nach Bertolt Brecht. Algier: Ed. L. Moulati, 2006. Kripke, Saul A. Naming and Necessity. Cambridge MA: Harvard UP, 1982. Lazarus, Richard S. "The Cognition-Emotion Debate...", u: T. Dalgleish i M. Power, ur. Handbook of Cognition and Emotion. New York: Wiley & Sons, 1999., str. 3-20. Lukacs, Georg. Geschichte und Klassenbewusstsein. Berlin & Neuwied: Luchterhand, 1968. Mandler, George. Mind and Emotion. New York: Wiley, 1985. Marx, Karl i Friedrich Engels. Werke. Berlin: Dietz, 1962s. [kratica MEW] Merleau-Ponty, Maurice. Phenomenologie de la perception. Pariz: nrf, 1943. _. The Structure of Behavior. Prev. A. Fisher. Boston: Beacon, 1963. Osterkamp, Ute. "Zum Problem der Gesellschaftlichkeit und Rationalitat der Gefuhle/ Emotionen", u: Forum Kritische Psychologie 40. Hamburg: Argument, 1999., str. 3-49. Nussbaum, Laureen. "The Evolution of the Feminine Principle in Brecht's Work". German Studies Review 8.2 (1985.): 217-44. Phillips, Mark Salber. "Relocating Inwardness". PMLA 118.3 (2003.): 436-49. Rosch, Eleanor. "Principles of Categorization", u: ista i B. B. Lloyd, ur. Cognition and Categorization. Hillsdale: Erlbaum, 1978., str. 28-50. Rorty, Amelie Oksenberg, "Explaining Emotions", u: ista (ur.). Explaining Emotions. Berkeley: U of California P, 103-06. Scarry, Elaine. The Body in Pain. New York: Oxford UP, 1985. Scheler, Max. The Nature of Sympathy. Prev. P. Heath. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1954. [Wesen und Formen der Sympathie (1923.), u: Gesammelte Werke, sv. 7. Bern, 1973.: 7-258; u tekstu citirano kao A/B, pri cemuje A broj stranice u engleskom izdanju, a B u njemackom], Simmel, Georg. "The Stranger", u: The Sociology of Georg Simmel. Ur. K. Wolff. London: Free P, 1940., str. 402-08. _. Grundfragen der Soziologie. Berlin & Leipzig: Goschen, 1917. _. Philosophie des Geldes. Frankfurt: Suhrkamp, 1989. Smith, Adam. Theory of Moral Sentiments. Ur. D. D. Raphael i A.L. Mackie. Indianapolis: Liberty, 1982. Suvin, Darko. "Brecht: Bearing, Pedagogy, Productivity". Gestos 5.10 (1990.): n-28. _. "On Cognitive Emotions and Topological Imagination". Versus 68-69 0994 ): 165-201; dostupno na: www.focusing. org/apm_papers/suvin.html. _,_For Lack of Knowledge. Pullman WA: Working Papers Series in Cultural Studies, Ethnicity, and Race Relations [No. 27], 2001. _. "Haltung", u: Historisch-kritisches Worterbuch des Marxismus, sv. 5. Hamburg: Argument, 2002., coll. 1134-42. _. "Haltung (Bearing) and Emotions: Brecht's Refunctioning of Conservative Metaphors for Agency", u: T. Jung, ur. Zweifel - Fragen - Vorschlage. Frankfurt a. M.: Lang, 1999., str. 43-58. _. "Heavenly Food Denied: Life of Galileo", u: P. Thomson i C. Sacks, ur. The Cambridge Companion to Brecht. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1994., str. 139-52. _. "Sabine Kebir. Mein Herz liegt neben der Schreibmaschine". Brecht Yearbook 32 (2007.): 420-24. _. "The Soul and the Sense: Meditations on Roland Barthes on Japan". Canadian R. of Comparative Lit. 18.4 (1991.): 499-531. _. "The Subject as a Limit-Zone of Collective Bodies". Discours social/ Social Discourse 2.1-2 (1989.): 187-99. _. To Brecht and Beyond. Brighton: Harvester P, 1984. _. "Utopianism from Orientation to Agency: What Are We Intellectuals under Post-Fordism To Do?" Utopian Studies 9.2 (1998.): 162-90. _. "A Very Acceptable Public Sphere Critic". Brecht Yearbook 24 (1999.): 386-96. Weber, Thomas. "Einfiihlung", u: Historisch- kritisches Worterbuch des Marxismus, sv. 3. Hamburg: Argument, 1997., coll. 133-47. Williams, Raymond. Marxism and Literature. New York: Oxford UP, 1981. Wolf, Ursula. "Gefuhle im Leben und in der Philosophie", u: H. Fink-Eitel i C. Lohmann, ur. Zur Philosophie der Gefuhle. Frankfurt: Suhrkamp, 1994., str. 112-35. Emotion, Brecht, Empathy vs. Sympathy Darko Suvin Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 21 oi The terminology about emotion is ajungle of competing disciplinary or indeed personal semantics, so that anybody venturing upon it must hew out her own path and stick to it, or founder. For ex. One school holds that "feeling" encompasses both psychological emotions and physiological affects; and so on. "Passion" started out in Latin as passive suffering (for ex. the Passion of Jesus), it is in English and French generally regarded as intensely goal-directed. "Pathos" is in English a theatrical and not quite genuine representation of emotion. The situation in other languages, such as German, is not less but differently intricate - see note 6. My thanks go to the Humboldt Foundation for a Prize which allowed me to work in the Brecht Archive during the tenure at some intervals in 1997-2000, and to Erdmut Wizisla and the Archive staff. Also to Sabine Kebir and Thomas Weber for indications of materials. All the unattributed translations from non-English texts are mine. For reasons of space I am not discussing here Brecht's personal relationships to women, about which much misleading and simply wrong stuff has been written in criticism of Fuegi's type. The most balanced books on this theme seem to me those by Kebir (see the four titles in Works cited), about which I have written in Brecht Yearbook (Suvin, "AVery" and "Sabine Kebir"). Emotion, Brecht, Empathy vs. Sympathy 01 Darko Suvin wish to pursue here in tandem two lines of argument for mutual illumination. The first one is a general view of emotions which uses, among other approaches, some feminist-materialist argumentation (primarily but not only of Alison Jaggar) and insights by Brecht. It seems to me important equally to show some serious--though not central--blind spots in Brecht's treatment of the female gender in life or in effigy, and to show that he had an understanding of subjecthood or personality that refused the patriarchal or militaristic downgrading of emotion as well as its Hollywoodian or philistine misuse. The second one builds on my argument in other places 02 that the red thread central to understanding Brecht's work and life, which crystallized out of Brecht's own cognitive emotions and insights, was the image, concept, and practice of stance or bearing: Haltung, a posture-cum-attitude consubstantial with an interest, which is in turn not to be disjoined from certain kinds of emotion. The notion that his work is unemotional, or split between reason and emotion, is obsolete and misleading. The two lines are united in a discussion of the pivotal distinction between empathy and sympathy which I think can and must be extrapolated from Brecht's stance and writings. 1. An Orientation about Emotion ...this concept too we shall have to clean before using, as a ancient concept, used much and by many people and for many purposes. Brecht, "Volkstumlichkeit und Realismus," 22.1: 408 02 See Suvin, "Haltung" and "Haltung (Bearing)." I find with pleasure that this conclusion has been earlier arrived at by Dumling (626), whose excellent book is most useful for discussing Brecht's bearings - not only as concerns music. I shall start by paraphrasing what I take to be the most reasonable mainstream interpretation of emotion by Mandler (66-71 and passim), supplemented by Bruner: An emotion is the name given to an aspect of personal life that arises as interaction between a general situation, as a rule involving other people, and a pre-existing personal (single or collective) disposition. A sharp demand from the situation is interpreted or reworked by 28 Emotion, Brecht, Empathy vs. Sympathy Darko Suvin Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 03 Most philosophical approaches from Husserl on, especially after 1950, would generally agree with the view that emotions are intentional, that is, in part constituted by cognition and evaluation, cf. Rorty and Stocker; illustrious precursors of such a stance would include Rousseau. From this it follows that people can be held responsible for acting on basis of emotions. But it does not follow that emotion, though in principle or potentially cognitive, is to be simply identified with reason; an interesting argument is that it supplements inadequate (for ex. too slow) reasoning, cf. de Sousa. 04 See for an introduction to the literature on categorization Rosch, and for an interesting complementary approach on "kinesthetic image schemas" Johnson. Even the ultra¬ formalist Kripke allows that feeling is essential to concepts, since all conscious mental states are inseparable from a raw feel of experience, while the psychologist Lazarus has in extensive discussions (I cite the latest I found) argued that a situational appraisal of personal significance is indispensable for an emotion. the individual--who understands it as a given overall intimation or Cestalt-- into bodily arousal, with outputs both to consciousness (conceptual thought, and resulting self-perception) and to response readiness. I conclude that emotion (subjects being affected by subjects) is an intricately intertwined obverse of action (subjects affecting other subjects). The central question about emotion/s today is how they permit or hinder which actions. Briefer and more primitive emotions are often called affects. More than momentary emotions, which are usually therefore also less simple, result when action is for a while interrupted. Such emotions also have an evaluative, clearly cognitive, dimension, though they may be given as an implicit whole without articulation. They have to do with the way in which a person's particular activity or state relates to her/his whole embodied personality, its life-horizons, values, and (dis)pleasures (cf. Wolf 113-14), and in particular its bearing or stance. My approach also adopts Jaggar's working delimitation of emotions which excludes "automatic physical responses and nonintentional sensations, such as hunger pangs" ("Love" 148). Most important, emotions are not in some kind of totally non-rational limbo or "dumb"; in this "cognitivist" view, they comprise not only feelings but also orientation or intention , "their intentional aspect, the associated judgment" (ibidem 149).° 3 There is no necessary opposition between cognition and emotion. I would count as understanding, cognition or knowledge anything that satisfies two conditions: that it can help us in coping with our personal and collective existence; that it can be validated by feedback with its application in the existence, modifying it and being modified by it (cf. more in Suvin, "On Cognitive"). Thought, action, and emotion represent "abstractions that have a high theoretical cost. The price we pay... in the end is to lose sight of their structural interdependence. At whatever level we look, ...the three are constituents of a unified whole [that achieves its integration only within a cultural system]." (Bruner 117-18) As to reason, Brecht noted that "people do much that is reasonable yet does not pass through their Verstand [formal reasoning, DS], We cannot well do without this." (CBFA 22.2: 825, further used by Volume: Page) The systematized notional constructs tend to false harmony and ideological univocity necessarily present in any closed doctrine or Weltanschauung (e.g. 21: 414-17): "The learner is more important than the doctrine" (21: 531) was Brecht's central orientation. In such considerations, he is an astonishingly early pioneer of a reintegration of the body , with all its senses (as the young Marx also was), into the practice and theory of our knowledge: the body is for Brecht the co-determining anchorage for stance. A stance is present, I think, in all personal and possessive pronouns, all deixis, and all metaphors of vision and orientation. It allowed him finally to conclude: "Such a thinking... does not oppose feeling.... It seems to me now simply a kind of behaviour, namely a societal behaviour. The whole body with all the senses participates in it." (22.2: 753). This dovetails well with Merleau- Ponty ( Phenomenologie, also Structure ), in whose terms embodiment is both a lived experience of being body and a realization that the body is the site of cognition or understanding, which is itself inextricably tied to embodied action as preparation, surrogate, response or feedback validation. As emotions participate in the cognitive process they are often affected by its categorizations, arguments, and organization 04 : they may be intensified or softened, diffused to the whole process or dwarfed into insignificance. It is not useful but scandalous to apply to them the hackneyed, mechanical, and obfuscating division where reason is seen as Emotion, Brecht, Empathy vs. Sympathy Darko Suvin Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 29 masculine, analytic, proper to the mind, cold, objective and universal, sane, public, and orderly, while emotion would be feminine, synthetic, proper to the body, warm, subjective and particular, sick, private, and politically untrustworthy. From the stance adopted here (which attempts to find a way amid a jungle of contrasting opinions), what may today be tenable views on emotion? I shall touch only upon four points. First, the hegemonic notion about emotions is that they must be largely involuntary and private: but in fact they are never only such. At least in the most significant cases (including the exemplary case of art), they are active engagements of the whole personality, psychophysical stances. The emotions are so intimately interfused into personality that only to a rather limited degree are we entitled to disclaim responsibility for them. They are necessary concomitants of any horizon of action, including fear of and horror at actions. This is particularly true for long-term emotions, which are obviously not affects (cf. Mother Courage's discussion of "the long rage" with the Young Soldier in Scene 4 of that play). Once we have refused the pernicious Cartesian split between the cogito and the sensual body, it is possible to see that emotions are neither fully intentional or conscious nor fully non-intentional or irrational; "[rjather, they are ways in which we engage actively and even construct the world" (Jaggar, "Love" 152-53 and passim). Second, as Brecht quite correctly realized, among the most fundamental categories when discussing any psychology geared toward action are evaluation, observation , and finally intention . Not only are they not to be sundered from each other, but all of them are closely related to emotions. This seems clear for value-judgments, which are in constant feedback with emotion. In complex ways, this holds for observation too, which is also deeply enmeshed with intentions (interests! , from the primary choices what to focus on and privilege, to the interpretive frames chosen: "Observation is an activity of selection and interpretation." In it, the Flumean chasm between value and fact is not possible. What will in a given situation be, by given agents, taken for facts depends on "intersubjective agreements that consist partly in shared assumptions about 'normal' or appropriate emotional responses to situations" (Jaggar, "Love" 154). Third, at least some determining factors of any emotion participate also in some collective engagement that is at that juncture of social history possible to sketch out or imagine--imperfectly, or perhaps more perfectly. While probably sharing other factors with "long duration" (though not eternal and "intrinsically human") emotional stances, a particular and personal emotion is in that sense always also a historical and social Gestalt, a construct not fully or even decisively determined by genes or neurobiology. This is particularly clear in connection with the value-judgments, intention, and interests just discussed (cf. Brecht 22.2: 657-59). Emotions are social constructs which use biological potentialities in a number of culturally overdetermined ways. The concept itself of emotion is not only different in different societies but indeed invented as a closed semantic field only in some of them. I would instance that in Japanese culture the term and concept of "kokoro" means equally what is in English expressed by a person's disposition, heart, mind, feeling, spirit or conception, i.e. something like the aware and feeling essence of personality (since the East Asian cultural sphere has no Christian concept of "soul," awareness is awareness of one's embodied personality, not split between reason and emotions--cf. Suvin "Soul"). Jaggar argues that "[i]f emotions necessarily involve judgments, then obviously they 30 Emotion, Brecht, Empathy vs. Sympathy Darko Suvin Frakcija #58/59 to be moved require concepts, which may be seen as socially constructed ways of organizing and making sense of the world" ("Love" 151). Conversely, it is important that "emotions provide the experiential basis for values," so that these two induce each other (ibidem 153); values and value judgments are in close feedback with emotion. I would doubt that the concepts required for emotions are necessarily very clear, but certainly emotions are in each person hugely inflected by the semantic hierarchies we are socialized into (e.g. the undoubtedly strong macho emotions about female virginity or chastity). As for values or evaluations, they are both intimately inflected by concepts and in immediate experience, no doubt, emotional. Last but not least, our lives are largely shaped by a complex societal hegemony , that includes (alas) the determinations by political economy as well as direct political control and social group control, in fact - in the argument of Raymond Williams - all the relations of domination and subordination, in their forms as practical consciousness, as in effect a saturation of the whole process of living.... It [hegemony] is a whole body of practices and expectations, over the whole of living: our senses and assignments of energy, our shaping perceptions of ourselves and our world. It is a lived system of meanings and values .... (109-10, emphasis added) Fortunately, within any hegemony many people possess a range of oppositional, subversive, and potentially productive emotions incompatible with the dominant perceptions and evaluations. Such emotions may follow on our convictions or they may indeed precede them--say, when "all feelings are dominated by unemployment" (Brecht 19: 668). However, "Only when we reflect on our initially puzzling irritability, revulsion, anger or fear may we bring to consciousness our 'gut-level' awareness that we are in a situation of coercion, cruelty, injustice or danger" (Jaggar, "Love" 161). In sum, it is necessary to rethink the relation between reason and emotion as mutually constitutive rather than oppositional. Far from precluding the possibility of reliable knowledge, emotion as well as value must be shown as necessary to knowledge (Jaggar, "Love" 156-57). A good example is Brecht's 1938 reflection on the personal roots of his exile: When I reflect what has Mitgehen [fellow travelling, falling into step, with an allusion on Mitfuhlen--DS] led me to and in what has repeated examining helped me, I must counsel the latter. Had I succumbed to the former stance, I would still be living in my homeland, but had I not taken up the latter stance, I would not be an honest person. (26: 308) To put all of this into technical terms: while emotion may be ontogenetically and phylogenetically prior to conceptuality, it is axiologically a necessary, intimate component of all reasoning or cognition. In our personal lives, emotions may follow on our conceptualized convictions or they may precede them. In any event, the feedback between emotions and conscious reflecting on them is necessary for any efficient intervening into societal reality--and particularly for societal groups struggling for a "perspective on reality available from the standpoint of the oppressed," which we might optimistically take as "a perspective that offers a less partial and distorted and therefore a more reliable view" (Jaggar, "Love" 162). But this means, in turn, that the "epistemic potential of emotion" (ibidem 163) has to be taken Emotion, Brecht, Empathy vs. Sympathy Darko Suvin Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 31 seriously if any stance is to be stable (cf. also Hartsock; Jaggar, Feminist; Jameson; Lukacs; Suvin, "On Cognitive," "Subject," and To Brecht, ch. 4). An epistemic potential does not confer any magical efficacy on either emotions or systematized concepts, simply a possibility for use or misuse. I cannot put it better than Brecht's Me-Ti section "Uber die Prufung der Gefuhlsbewegungen" ("Examining the Emotions"): In our youth, said Me-ti, we were taught not to trust reason, and that was good. But we were also taught to trust our feelings, and that was bad. The source of our emotions is just as contaminated as the source of our judgments: for it is just as accessible to people's designs and therefore continually polluted by ourselves and others_ To assume there are emotions without reason means to understand reason wrongly. (18:138-39) 2. On Emotion in Brecht Few statements about art have so struck me as Meier-Graefe's one about Delacroix: In him a hot heart beat in a cold person. Brecht, Tagebuch 1922, 26: 270 2 .1. The 1998 Suhrkamp six-volume "Jubilee edition" of Brecht, Ausgewahlte Werke in 6 Banden (4000 pages, 128 DM) was announced in a flyer and advertised as "Bertolt Brecht - Der 'Klassiker der Vernunft'." Who coined "The 'Classic of Reason'" tag is not clear, but its hype at any rate wondrously encapsulates the red herring which has made a whole generation of German schoolkids hate Brecht like the plague. However, the appellation is either false (if reason is opposed to emotion) or quite unclear (if it is not argued what "Vernunft" may mean for and in Brecht, and what his stance toward and use of emotions really were). In an attempt to find this out, I collected ca. 50 propositions overtly mentioning feeling or emotion to be found in the 33 volumes of Brecht's latest giant collected edition (GBFA). Among these, I have found two or three early ones which indeed oppose "emotio" to "ratio," culminating in the "Anmerkungen zurOper Aufstieg und Fall derStadt Mahagonny" ("Notes to the Opera Mahagonny ") published by Brecht together with Peter Suhrkamp in 1930 (24: 74-84). This one example has been cited again and again, probably because these notes were not only provocatively pointed and thus brief and clear but also because they were the only proof that COULD be found for Brecht as "the classic of reason" in the narrow sense. I have examined it at some length in "Haltung (Bearing)" and I shall here just briefly summarize my finding. The "Notes" contain many other significant themes, such as defining the central stance of existing opera "a culinary (or enjoying, geniesserische) stance," and further that "the present historical form [of enjoyment is] that of commodity" and that in Mahagonny this "provocative" thematics is subjected to some examination: "When for example in Section 13 the Glutton eats himself to death, he does so because hunger dominates" (24: 76-77). Emotion is mentioned in a memorable Kantian table with two opposed columns, which then became the bone of all future contentions. Some of its many brief entries stress a theatre that does not project the audience member into the action on the stage and thus paralyze his activity, but 32 Emotion, Brecht, Empathy vs. Sympathy Darko Suvin Frakcija #58/59 to be moved rather makes of him an onlooker and thus stimulates his activity, that does not give him the possibility for emotions but rather "forces him into decisions"; a theatre where "the feelings are not conserved" but rather "heightened into cognitions," where people are not presupposed as known but rather become "an object to be examined." Finally, the table ends with two oppositions: the first is taken from a brief summary in Marx's Preface to For a Critique of Political Economy (MEW 13: 8), and the second is what I am leading up to in this particular discussion: Thought determines being Social being determines thought Emotion [ Cefuhl ] Reason [Ratio] This little scheme or table was then several times reprinted by itself, outside of the "Notes to Mahagonny," which made it easy to forget Brecht's initial important qualification that his table marked a change of stress (Cewichtsverschiebung ) rather than a rigid metaphysical opposition. Nonetheless, the perceived opposition was then subjected to strong attacks not only by bourgeois conservatives but primarily by Lukacs and his followers within official, increasingly Stalinist KP press. In 1938, reacting against oversimplifying provocations to which he was prone in the Weimar epoch, Brecht clarified and partly modified his position by rewriting this table. Together with minor cuts and modifications, he added an opposition between "what people ought to do" and "what people have to do," i.e. between ethical prescription and economical-cum-physical necessity; and he suppressed the final opposition between emotion and reason (24: 85). Furthermore, in an important letter from Sweden in July 1939 to a "comrade M," Brecht commented: [These] are notes to theatre performances and thus written in a more or less polemical vein. They do not contain full definitions and therefore often lead their student to misunderstandings which prevent him from working with them in a theoretically productive way. In particular, the opera article about Mahagonny needs some additions in order for the discussion to become fruitful. People have read out of it that I take the party "against the emotional and for the rational." This is, of course, not so. I would not know how thoughts could be separated from emotions. Not even that part of contemporary literature which seems to be written without reason ( Verstand ) really separates intelligence from emotion. In it, the emotional is just as rotten as the rational_ I would not write you all this had my works not in fact contained formulations which may push the debate toward a direction from which nothing follows. For, a discussion about "emotion or reason" obscures the main result that can be found in my works (or better attempts): that a phenomenon so far held as esthetically constitutive, the EMPATFIY, has lately been more or less dispensed with in some works of art. (This obviously does not at all mean that emotion has been dispensed with.) (29:149-50) This is a crucial clarification. Any further discussion of Brecht's stance toward emotions can only be fruitful if it begins by taking this letter seriously. Emotion, Brecht, Empathy vs. Sympathy Darko Suvin Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 33 2 . 2 . Thus, Brecht very soon retreated from any rhetoric against emotion. "This type of (epic) presentation," he noted around 1931 a propos of The Mother, "does [not] renounce emotional effect: in fact, its emotions are only clarified... and have nothing to do with intoxication (Rausch)" (22.1:162). Or in 1940, "non-aristotelian theatre uses also a critique based on emotions (gefuhlsmassige )" (26: 438). This obviously holds for many other passages and figures of his plays and poems--always clearly delimited and de- automatized, which means wrested away from philistine sentimentality. Slighting here many other testimonies from Brecht's emigration years, such as his major theoretical writings The Messingkauf Dialogues and A Short Organon for the Theatre, I shall cite here only two diary notes. In their brevity, they seem to me to constitute the two parts of his final, balanced view of a general approach to the "militant position of 'reason vs. emotion'" (see the quote below). The first part deals with the art of theatre, and the second with the art of living. In the diary note from Nov. 15,1940, Brecht defined his theatre--"for a change" from the usual "bad definitions [as especially intellectualistic]" --"in emotional categories": This is possible without any problems, since in the epic theatre the emotional line and the intellectual line remain identical in the actor and in the spectator. It would be necessary [for such a defining] to build on the basis of curiosity and helpfulness a set of emotions which balances the set based on terror and pity. Of course, there are other bases for emotions too. There is above all human productivity, the noblest of them all. (26: 441) A whole Brechtian theory of personality, including emotionality, could be reconstructed around this basic stance of productivity. It is variously associated not only with curiosity but also with happiness, friendliness, love, and "indignation, this socially highly productive affect" (27:140). Finally, Brecht could quite consistently announce, in the note of March 4,1941, "that one must get out of the militant position of 'emotion vs. reason 1 ": The relationship of ratio to emotio in all its contradictoriness should be exactly researched, and one should not allow our opponents to present epic theater as simply rational and anti-emotional. [On the one hand], "instincts", automatized reactions to experiences, have become opposed to our interests. Muddied, one-track emotions, no longer controlled by reason. On the other hand the emancipated ratio of the physicists with their mechanical formalism.... The epic principles guarantee a critical stance in the audience, but this stance is eminently emotional. This critique is not to be confused with a critique in an exclusive scientific sense, it is much more inclusive, not at all specialized (fachbegrenzt), much more practical and elementary. (26: 467) In sum, there is no use pretending Brecht did not indulge in provocatively one-sided exaggerations to shock the bourgeois, and then change his mind under the pressure of experience. He confessed to Benjamin in 1934 that his thinking had at times an "inflammatory" (hetzerische) stance (GS 6: 531), and in 1938 further explained to him: "It is good when one who has taken up an extreme position is overtaken by a reactionary period; one gets then to a 34 Emotion, Brecht, Empathy vs. Sympathy Darko Suvin Frakcija #58/59 to be moved location in the middle" (CS 6: 535). Brecht was uncommonly aware of the pressures of bloody politics in our century: "Fascism, with its grotesque stress on the emotional, and perhaps no less a certain decadence of the rational moment in the Marxist doctrine stimulated me to a stronger stress on the rational. Nonetheless, precisely the most rational form, the 'play for learning' (Lehrstuck), shows the most emotional effects." (22.1: 500) A constant tenor of Brecht's may be found in his defense of a certain type of flexible but critical reason, refusal of uncritical submersion in both stupidity and corrupt emotions, and attempt at contradictory reconciliations of emotion and reason in a proper stance (cf. e.g. 26: 324-25 and 28: 564-65). Thus, if we want to make full use of Brecht's insights for our orientation today, I think at last three directions of further work are indicated. The first direction would be to find out at least approximately what were in his opinion the emotions within "the set based on" curiosity, helpfulness, and indignation--indeed, sometimes based on "a mixture of pleasure and horror (which should not exist, no?)" or on "pioneering adventurousness" (22.1: 418 and 559). I believe a central place would be taken by a carefully weighted spread of emotional stances (see 21: 99 already in i92i)--but never indifference. Two pivots of such a spread could be the central stance of Brecht's late period, friendliness , and his almost always practiced though not so often discursively stressed category (but cf. 22.2: 8io-n and 817) of grace uniting "passion and reason"--as in his proposed anthem, for which one much regrets it isn't the German national anthem today (as it wasn't in the GDR): Anmut sparet nicht noch Muhe Leidenschaft nicht noch Verstand Dass ein gutes Deutschland bluhe Wie ein andres gutes Land. ("Kinderhymne," 12: 303) [I cannot translate this gracious force here but will put it into rhyming prose at least: Spare not any toil nor grace/ Spare not passion nor reason/ That a good Germany, as any good place, / Might come to its flowering season.] The second direction of investigation should be to find out how in Brecht's practice (of performances, poetry, and prose writings) differing emotions flexibly interact with each other and with notional propositions in precise places and precise dosages of emphasis. Brecht is much exercised with flexibility and a Daoist softness winning over rigidity (this is perhaps most memorably encapsulated in his poem Legend on the Coming About of the "Tao-te-king" Book). I shall begin discussing both these horizons in the third section below. I believe the strategic tension and opposition to be focussed upon is one between the dethroning of illusionistic, sentimental, uncritical, pseudo-compassionate empathy (Einfuhlung --this is stressed in the cited 1939 letter, and other testimonies are in GBFA volumes 22-23 and 26-27, mostly adduced in my "Haltung [Bearing]") and a possibly intense but always reasonable sympathy. This opposition between Einfuhlung and Mitgefuhl, empathy and sympathy, found in Brecht's poetic, scenic, and other artistic (as well as practical) stances, may be used as applicable to empirical behaviour. Emotion, Brecht, Empathy vs. Sympathy Darko Suvin Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 35 A third direction would approach Brecht's central stance that produc¬ tivity encompasses love and that love is a production. I have approached this strand elsewhere (in "Brecht: Bearing ," using the pioneering indications by Haffad and Nussbaum) and hope to return to it. 3. On Empathy vs. Sympathy: A Matter of Critical Distance Emotions too participate in critique, maybe it is precisely your task to organize critique through emotions. Brecht, Messlngkauf Dialogues, 22.2: 751 Surprise and [spatial or temporal] distance... are both equally necessary for comprehending what surrounds you... so evidently that you can no longer see it clearly. Braudel, "History and the Social Sciences" 05 On Lipps's "projective empathy" and the history of the term up to and including Brecht, see Weber. The most important and enduring treatment of emotions pertaining vaguely to "sympathy" or "vicarious understanding," i.e. to orientation toward other people, was in Brecht's Germany Max Scheler's intricate, today in places quite obsolete but in his time authoritative discussion. Its terminology ranges from not always clear to obfuscating, but I propose to dig out the following indications, changing them where need be for my purposes. Scheler sharply differentiates fellow-feeling ( Mitgefuhl ) both from commiserating with (Mitleiden)-- or rejoicing with (Mitfreude)-- and from a mere distanced reproduction ( Nachvollzug ) of others' feeling or experience with no participation in it. On the one hand, in a putative imitation or reproducing ( Nachvollzug} we feel the general quality of the other's sorrow without suffering with her, or of his rejoicing without rejoicing with him. The other's feeling is given at a remove, represented "like a landscape which we 'see' subjectively in memory, or a melody which we 'hear' in similar fashion" (9/20). Of course, this already presupposes an initial grasping and understanding of the fact that other people have their own experiences. However, while it remains unclear how this "intuitable intrinsic connection between individual and experience" works between two agents, it does not necessarily involve empathy on the part of the percipient (me). The other person has "an individual self distinct from our own," which "we can never fully comprehend..., steeped as it is in its own psychic experience...". We can only have "our own view of it..., conditioned as this is by our own individual nature" (10/21). Scheler therefore polemicizes expressly against any theory of "projective empathy" 05 based on identity between individuals, or on Schopenhauer's metaphysics of unified Being as against illusory individuation (51/66), in which the Other, subject to suffering, is "another I ( Ich noch ein Mai)." On the other hand, in fellow-feeling "a genuine experience takes place in me... similar to that which occurs in the other person...," but not at all identical--not even in a perhaps briefer or weaker form (n/22). We have thus to do here with two extremes, total lack of interest and contact (infinite distance) and total fusion of feeling and will (zero distance). Somewhere in between the two extremes, there is a middle area which he calls fellow-feeling. Full spiritual and practical entrusting of oneself to a cause and/or a person, say in religious or crypto-religious identification such as nationalism and fascism, is by Scheler called "emotional contagion" (Cefuhlsansteckung , i4/25ff.), though again discussed in rather unclear ways. 36 Emotion, Brecht, Empathy vs. Sympathy Darko Suvin Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 06 Simmel's most important discussion on distance is perhaps in "The Stranger." --Besides Brecht, and the two people on whose shoulders he here stands, Nietzsche and Shklovsky, in the pleasingly interdisciplinary secondary literature on distance I found useful Blumenberg, Bullough, Ginzburg, Scarry, the survey by Phillips with a larger bibliography, and the rich materials in Osterkamp. Osterkamp points out that the dichotomy of affects vs. more complex emotions is by some scholars termed Gefuhle (feelings) vs. Emotionen, but this minority view is at odds with Brecht's usage of Gefiihl and Emotion as synonyms as well as with the English use of "emotion" for both. Still, he rightly points out that as a rule "belief in" a charismatic person is quite different from any argumentable "belief that" (86/96). It is here that Brecht's contribution, and vectors based on it that can be carried further, may prove of central importance. To foreshadow: Brecht himself wanted to wean people from "feeling together ( mitzuemppnden )" by incarnating themselves in the hero, in favour of "a higher kind of interest: the one in similes, in the other, the incalculable, the surprising" (26: 271; cf. 21: 534). I conclude that what is useful today is to distinguish three stances: indifference without emotion; full emotional contagion ( Mitleiden or Mitfreude), which is usually called empathy; and fellow-feeling, for which I propose to use the term sympathy . This can be best discussed in terms of cognitive (both notional and emotional) distance between the percipient and the perceived, the observer and the observed events. Distance is an indispensable constituent and component of all understanding. It is a metaphor by which space is used for a moral and/or cognitive tenor when dealing with the psychological experience of involvement with events or existents, primarily other people and their actions. It presupposes an awareness of their separateness; as Simmel put it, distance is crucial "in order to cognize the specific meaning ( Eigenbedeutung ) of things.... The object... is juxtaposed to us only as far as it is not merely included into our relationship to it." (Philosophie 41-42) And more developed (or convoluted): The image reached by means of a however constituted distance/ interval ( Abstand ), has its own right, it cannot be replaced or corrected by another image reached by means of another distance/interval.... Only the particular goals of cognition may decide whether the immediately appearing or lived reality should be examined in view of (befragt werden soil auf) a personal or a collective subject.... (Grundfragen n-i2)° 6 I believe Brecht's Estrangement ( Verfremdungs-Effekt, NOT alienation!) means that the spectator (and quite overtly also the social agent outside the theater) ought to take up a distance proper for understanding towards events and existents so that she might be surprised by their specific unlikenesses to what we know yet not prevented from understanding by their generic similarities. The proper distance should fit the matter treated, oscillating as required by the situation but always somewhere within the range of Scheler's Mitgefuhl rather than indifference or full identification. This sympathizing distance (both terms of this tension being equally significant) most importantly means that the agent's value-judgments and interests necessarily contain both approval and critique, though in quite various proportions according to the situation and her interests. I can here only allude to the decisive anthropological argument that experiences function in large part implicitly, so that when they cross between people, who never have quite the same presuppositions, the implications necessarily change (cf. Gendlin 399 and passim). A full identification is always illusory: it is itself an illusion and it works towards a life of unrealistic illusion. My emotion may have another's ache or suffering as its intentional object, but the actual quality of the ache is inescapably my own. Already the pioneering Adam Smith had realized: "As we have no immediate experience of what other men feel, we can form no idea of the manner in which they are affected, but by conceiving what we ourselves should feel in the like situation" (l.i/1.2). Last Emotion, Brecht, Empathy vs. Sympathy Darko Suvin Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 37 07 Here Brecht was not that far from Aristotle, who in his Rhetoric ( 1 | 6, 2.8) rightly observes that suffering without distance is not pitiable but horrible. There can only be pity (say in theatre) when the onlooker is sufficiently near to the suffering of others yet not completely identified with it. not least, empathy is an important method of uncritical identification in politics, as Hitler most efficaciously realized - Benjamin called it in the 1930s "empathy into the victor" (CS l: 696). Brecht's main orientation, in line with today's most interesting anthropological psychology, is therefore a refusal of empathy as the be-all and end-all in favour of precisely graded and argued sympathy . Sympathy means, even etymologically, "feeling with" (as opposed to empathy's "feeling into"); as Smith argued, when rightly defined it necessarily involves reflection and imagination since it is an opinion. Brecht emphatically stated that his theater "in no way dispenses with emotions. And in particular not with the feeling for justice, urge toward freedom and righteous anger.... The 'critical stance', to which it attempts to bring its audience, can never be too passionate for this theatre." (23:109) To the contrary, for him empathy (Einfuhlung ) is a stance brought about by "suggestion" in which "the spectator is... prevented from taking up a critical position toward the represented in proportion to the artistic efficacy of the representation" (26: 437)-° 7 Nonetheless, Brecht also powerfully, though sparingly, used and eventually began to theorize a transitory empathetic identification with some actions where they include emotions activating the spectator -most clearly, an indignation against the waste of human lives in oppressive situations of war or unemployment. Such an emotional identification may be found, he allowed, in many figures who reluctantly and sometimes only partially approach the right stance, but finally do take it up. This would hold for his female protagonists Pelagea Wlassowa in The Mother, Joan Dark in St Joan of the Slaughterhouses, and Sefiora Carrar in the eponymous play (22.1: 161-62, 26: 455, 22.2: 677), as well as for Kattrin’s anger and pity when she is drumming to save the city and its children in Mother Courage and Her Children. For Galileo, it would hold only in patches (cf. Suvin, "Heavenly"). Thus, Brecht's work articulates a lifelong battle against hegemonic empathy. His main motive was that he witnessed in the 20th Century too many variants of polluted emotions: "The sources of [a person's] feelings and passions are just as muddied up as the sources of his cognitions" (15: 295). The vampiric praxis of a passive audience emotionally "creeping into" the skin of the great as well as greatly suffering individual on the stage who will think, feel, and live for and in lieu of any spectator, which was memorably analyzed in The Messingkauf Dialogues, militated against self-determination. It was quite correctly identified by Brecht as the central mechanism of a "theatralics" or consensus-bonding of fascist unity between the leader and the led. As the Nazi slogan had it, "Der Fuhrer denkt fur uns!" ("The Leader thinks for us!"); and High Stalinism agreed. Alas, his concern is not outdated. Illusionism has since shifted into the new US-led or "disneyfied" technologies of movie, and then TV and its successors (I discuss this at length in "Utopianism"). Research has shown there are many soap-opera fans who (con)fuse characters and actors, though nobody knows just how many sustain it for how long: the best guesstimate I found is that perhaps 5-10% are in a "lunatic dimension" (cf. the conflicting views in Harrington-Bielby 104-10 and 120-21). The uncritical use of empathy, from hero worship to the turn to "reality as spectacle" in late imperialism, arrogantly denies the Other the status of a person who is like me --somebody who is in given essential aspects of needfulness for life and justice the same as me-- but also unlike me. having her own will and rights. Concomitant to this, my own freedom and identity are also slighted. Empathy thus remains 38 Emotion, Brecht, Empathy vs. Sympathy Darko Suvin Frakcija #58/59 to be moved the central mechanism for illusion(ism), a psychological and political menace. It may only be avoided by a constant interaction of knowing with not-knowing, of the already significantly understood and the now for the first time to be significantly understood. Emotion, Brecht, Empathy vs. Sympathy Darko Suvin Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 39 Works Cited Benjamin, Walter. Cesammelte Schriften. Frankfurt: Suhrkamp, 1980-87. [as CS] Blumenberg, Hans. Schiffbruch mit Zuschauer. Frankfurt: Suhrkamp, 1988. Brecht, Bertolt. Werke. Crosse Kommentierte Berliner und Frankfurter Ausgabe. Frankfurt & Berlin: Suhrkamp & Aufbau V., 1988-98. [as CBFA] Bruner, Jerome. Actual Minds, Possible Worlds. Cambridge MA: Harvard UP, 1986. Bullough, Edward. "'Psychical Distance' as a Factor in Art and an Esthetic Principle," in Melvin M. Rader ed., A Modern Book of Esthetics. New York: Holt, Rinehart, 1951, 315- 42. de Sousa, Ronald. The Rationality of Emotion. Cambridge MA: MIT P, 1987. Diimling, Albrecht. Brecht und die Musik. Miinchen: bei Kindler, 1985. Gendlin, E.T. "The Responsive Order." Man and World 30 (1997): 383-411. Ginzburg, Carlo. Wooden Eyes. Trans. M. Ryle and K. Soper. New York: Columbia UP, 2001. Haffad, Dorothea. Amour et societe dans Toeuvre de Brecht. Alger: Office des Publ. Universitaires, 1983. Harrington, C. Lee, and Denise D. Bielby. Soap Fans. Philadelphia: Temple UP, 1995. Hartsock, Nancy C.M. Money, Sex, and Power. New York: Longman, 1983. Jaggar, Alison M. Feminist Politics and Human Nature. Totowa NJ: Rowman & Allanheld, 1985. ---. "Love and Knowledge," in eadem and Susan Bordo eds.. Gender/ Body/ Knowledge. New Brunswick: Rutgers UP, 1989,145-71. Jameson, Fredric R. Brecht and Method. ---. "History and Class Consciousness as an Unfinished Product." Rethinking Marxism 1.1 (1988): 49-72. Johnson, Mark. The Body in the Mind. Chicago: U of Chicago P, 1990. Kebir, Sabine. Ein akzeptabler Mann? Berlin/DDR: Aufbau, ig87,enlarged edn. 1998. ---. Ich fragte nicht nach meinem Anteil: Elisabeth Hauptmanns Arbeit mit Bertolt Brecht. Berlin: Aufbau, 1997. ---. Abstieg in den Ruhm: Helene Weigel. Eine Biographie, Berlin: Aufbau, 2000 ---. Mein Herz liegt neben der Schreibmaschine: Ruth Berlaus Leben vor, mit und nach Bertolt Brecht. Algier: Ed. L. Moulati, 2006. Kripke, Saul A. Naming and Necessity. Cambridge MA: Harvard UP, 1982. Lazarus, Richard S. ""The Cognition-Emotion Debate...," in T. Dalgleish and M. Power eds.. Handbook of Cognition and Emotion. New York: Wiley & Sons, 1999, 3-20. Lukacs, Georg. Geschichte und Klassenbewusstsein. Berlin & Neuwied: Luchterhand, 1968. Mandler, George. Mind and Emotion. New York: Wiley, 1985. Marx, Karl, and Friedrich Engels. Werke. Berlin: Dietz, 1962ft. [as MEW] Merleau-Ponty, Maurice. Phenomenologie de la perception. Paris: nrf, 1943. ---. The Structure of Behavior. Trans. A. Fisher. Boston: Beacon, 1963. Osterkamp, Ute. "Zum Problem der Gesellschaftlichkeit und Rationalitat der Cefuhle/ Emotionen," in Forum Kritische Psychologie 40. Hamburg: Argument, 1999, 3-49- Nussbaum, Laureen. "The Evolution of the Feminine Principle in Brecht's Work." German Studies R 8.2 (1985): 217-44. Phillips, Mark Salber. "Relocating Inwardness." PMLA 118.3 (2003): 436-49. Rosch, Eleanor. "Principles of Categorization," in eadem and B.B. Lloyd eds.. Cognition and Categorization. Hillsdale: Erlbaum, 1978, 28- 5 °. Rorty, Amelie Oksenberg. "Explaining Emotions," in eadem ed., Explaining Emotions. Berkeley: U of California P, 103-06. Scarry, Elaine. The Body in Pain. New York: Oxford UP, 1985. Scheler, Max. The Nature of Sympathy. Trans. P. Heath. L: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1954 [Wesen und Formen der Sympathie (1923), in his Gesammelte Werke, Bd. 7. Bern, 1973: 7-258; cited in text as A/B, A being the English and B the German page], Simmel, Georg. "The Stranger," in The Sociology of Georg Simmel. Ed. K. Wolff. London: Free P, 1940, 402-08. ---. Grundfragen der Soziologie. Berlin & Leipzig: Coschen, 1917. ---. Philosophie des Geldes. Frankfurt: Suhrkamp 1989. Smith, Adam. Theory of Moral Sentiments. Ed. D.D. Raphael and A.L. Mackie. Indianapolis: Liberty, 1982. Stocker, Michael, with Elizabeth Hegeman. Valuing Emotions. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1996. Suvin, Darko. "Brecht: Bearing, Pedagogy, Productivity." Gestos 5.10 (1990): n-28. ---. "On Cognitive Emotions and Topological Imagination." Versus no. 68-69 0994): 165-201; available on www.focusing.org/ apm_papers/suvin.html. ---. For Lack of Knowledge. Pullman WA: Working Papers Series in Cultural Studies, Ethnicity, and Race Relations [No. 27], 2001. ---. "Haltung," entry in Historisch-kritisches Worterbuch des Marxismus, Vol. 5. Hamburg: Argument, 2002, col. 1134-42. ---. "Haltung (Bearing) and Emotions: Brecht's Refunctioning of Conservative Metaphors for Agency," in T. Jung ed., Zweifel - Fragen - Vorschlage. Frankfurt a.M.: Lang, 1999, 43-58. ---. "Heavenly Food Denied: Life of Galileo," in P. Thomson and C. Sacks eds., The Cambridge Companion to Brecht. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1994,139-52. ---. "Sabine Kebir. Mein Herz liegt neben der Schreibmaschine." Brecht Yearbook 32 (2007): 420-24. ---. "The Soul and the Sense: Meditations on Roland Barthes on Japan." Canadian R. of Comparative Lit. 18.4 (1991): 499-531. ---. "The Subject as a Limit-Zone of Collective Bodies." Discours social/ Social Discourse 2.1-2 (1989): 187-99. ---. To Brecht and Beyond. Brighton: Harvester P, 1984. ---. "Utopianism from Orientation to Agency: What Are We Intellectuals under Post- Fordism To Do?" Utopian Studies 9.2 (1998): 162-90. ---. "A Very Acceptable Public Sphere Critic." Brecht Yearbook 24 (1999): 386-96. Weber, Thomas. "Einfuhlung," entry in Historisch- kritisches Worterbuch des Marxismus, Vol. 3. Hamburg: Argument, 1997, col. 133-47. Williams, Raymond. Marxism and Literature. New York: Oxford UP, 1981. Wolf, Ursula. "Cefuhle im Leben und in der Philosophie," in H. Fink-Eitel and C. Lohmann eds., Zur Philosophie der Gefuhle. Frankfurt: Suhrkamp, 1994,112-35. 40 Letters to —: On the Construction and Sharing of Effective Means Frakcija #58/59 to be moved Dear-, We thaw and thin everything around us. We are the warmest ice on earth. You could shape my mouth to believe in the body, militancy, and sugar. Our barricades are the kind that take thousands of years to granulate. We are a manifesto for everyone's future. Love, Letters to — Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 41 On the Construction and Sharing of Effective Means Dear-, We can protect each other from everything, at least until there is nothing left from which to be protected, at which point our year ZERO will be everyone's year ZERO and all cops will be gardeners. Love, 42 Put od herojstva do zajednicke ranjivosti Helene Vosters Frakcija #58/59 to be moved Put od herojstva do zajednicke ranjivosti: mogucnost drugacije afektivne uporabe tugovanja za kanadskim vojnicima pogmulim u Afgamstanskom ratu Helene Vosters S engleskoga prevela Marina Miladinov Dnevnik: Impact Afghanistan War, 5. veljace 2011. Stoj. Padni. Stoj. Padni. Stoj. Padni. Udar tijela o zemlju. Iznenadujuca prilagodba povzsini. Prvi snijeg te godine bio je mekan i udoban, ali sada, kako se zima oduzila, zemlja je popzimila topografiju mjeseceva krajolika. Padanje je laksi dio - cudnovata arhitektura tijela i udova. Ustajanje, dizanje, to je tesko. Stoj. Padni. Disi. Promet, pjev ptica, udaljeni glasovi u prolazu, jastreb koji kruzi, udovi stabala, avion koji zeze nebo, snijeg. Padanje. Zemlja postaje nekakvo medumjesto gdje dozivljavam nepreglednost svoje udaljenosti od svih onih koji su pali ili padaju u Afganistanu, ali i svoju bliskost s njima. Udaljenost jer sam akutno svjesna neprikladnosti svoje geste. Padam svojevoljno. Nisu me pokosili. Nisam ranjena. Mogu ustati. Ustajem. Ali upravo je ta svijest o udaljenosti ono sto me povezuje. Svaki je pad utjelovljena meditacija o nejednakoj raspodjeli ranjivosti u nasem geopolitickom krajoliku. Sa svakim padom uvidam - "mogla" bih to biti ja, ali nisam ja, i uvidam razloge zbog kojih nisam. Put od herojstva do zajednicke ranjivosti Helene Vosters Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 43 oi Izvornom nazivu operacije, "Operacija konacne pravde", usprotivili su se islamski duhovni vode s obrazlozenjem da "jedino Bog moze udijeliti konacnu pravdu". Derek Brown (27. rujna 2001.) http://www.guardian. c0.uk/w0rld/2001/sep/27/ afghanistan.terrorism5. 02 Canada, Department of National Defence (DND), News Room NR 02.001 (7. sijecnja 2002.). Dostupno na: http://www. forces.gc.ca/site/news- nouvelles/news-nouvelles-eng. asp?cat=oo&id=35i. 03 Toronto Star (24. studenog 2010.). Dostupno na: http:// www.thestar.com/special/ article/8g7222--have-your-say- on-canada-s-afghan-mission. Harperova je vlada tvrdila da nije potrebno novo glasovanje u Parlamentu kako bi se produzila misija, buduci da kanadske trupe nece ostati u Afganistanu u borbenom svojstvu, nego na vjezbi. 04 Canada, DND, "Fallen Canadians" (8. kolovoza 2011.) http://www. forces.gc.ca/site/news- nouvelles/fallen-disparus/ index-eng.asp. 05 U.S. Department of Defense, News Transcript, Public Affairs, "Enduring Freedom Operational Update" (30. listopada 2001.) http://www.defense.gov/ transcripts/transcript. aspx?transcriptid=2232. lakoje politika nebrojanja smrtnih slucajeva bila cesto osporavana (i nedosljedno provodena), redovito su je isticali glasnogovornici americke vojske i Pentagona tijekom desetljeca rata u Afganistanu. Codine 2006. je Donald Rumsfeld, tadasnji ministar obrane, objasnio kako je ta politika obrnuta od americke prakse tijekom rata u Vijetnamu: "Prisjetimo li se rata u Vijetnamu, tada su se poginuli brojali dan za danom... Time se impliciralo da pobjedujete ako se broj poginulih penje, a gubite ako se broj poginulih smanjuje." Time U.S. (2. lipnja 2009.) http:// www.time.com/time/nation/ article/0,8599,1902274,00. html#ixzziWETDevB4. ana 7. listopada 2001. Sjedinjene Americke Drzave (pracene britanskim snagama) pokrenule su takozvanu "Operaciju trajne slobode" (Operation Enduring Freedom ili OEF), odnosno rat u Afganistanu. 01 lako u tom pocetnom napadu nije sudjelovalo kanadsko vojno osoblje, tadasnji premijer Jean Chretien je u cinu diskurzivne angaziranosti odmah obznanio predanost Kanade da pridonese medunarodnoj "kampanji protiv terora" u vojnom pogledu te je u veljaci 2002. kanadska vojska poslala prvih 750 kopnenih jedinica u Afganistan. 02 U studenome 2010., devet godina nakon pocetka americkog rata u Afganistanu, premijer Steven Flarper i njegova konzervativna vlada obznanili su svoju odluku da produze (nakon 2on. godine, roka koji je odredio parlament) kanadsku vojnu prisutnost u Afganistanu do 20i4.° 3 Od pocetka napada na Afganistan pod americkim vodstvom nakon n. rujna umrloje ili poginulo 157 pripadnika kanadskog vojnog osoblja. 04 lakoje svaki od tih slucajeva bio komemoriran u kanadskim medijima i sluzbenim ceremonijama repatrijacije, kao i narodnim komemoracijama tipa "Autoceste heroja", ne postoje tocni podaci o tome koliko je Afganistanaca poginulo ili umrlo kao posljedica ratnog stanja tijekom tog razdoblja. Taj nedostatak preciznih brojki kada se radi o afganistanskim ratnim zrtvama velikim je dijelom rezultat americke politike "no-body count", kakvuje u prvom mjesecu rata najavio americki vojni glasnogovornik, kontraadmiral John D. Stufflebeem: "Kao vojna ustanova, mi obicno ne brojimo mrtve, ili ih barem ne brojimo sada. Mozda se to cinilo u proslim ratovima. Ali sada to ne cinimo." 05 Nedostatak brojki takoder odrazava ono sto je Judith Butler nazvala "diferencijalnom raspodjelom tugovanja po narodima", pri cemu se zapadnjacki zivoti procjenjuju kao vrijedni tugovanja, dok zivoti nezapadnjackih "drugih" ostaju izvan domene tugovanja (2009, 24). Nakon povratka prvih kanadskih vojnika poginulih u Afganistanskom ratu u proljece 2002. godine Kanadani su se poceli "spontano" okupljati duz repatrijacijske trase dugacke 172 kilometra, izmedu vojne baze u Trentonu, Ontario i Ureda za sudsku medicinu u Torontu. 06 Mase su se okupljale uz autocestu 401 u Ontariju i na njezinim izlazima i nadvoznjacima, cekajuci ponekad satima na vrucini, kisi ili ledenoj hladnoci kako bi odale pocast povorci vozila s tijelima kanadskih vojnika. Komemoracijski fenomen "Autoceste heroja" od samog je pocetka naisao na pozitivan odjek u medijima sirom Kanade (kao i u SAD-u),° 7 sto je dovelo do sluzbenog preimenovanja dijelova repatrijacijske trase u "Flighway of Heroes" (2007.) i "Route of Heroes" (2010.) te nadahnulo mnostvo pjesama i komemoracijskih video spotova na YouTubeu. 08 Poput mnogih drugih narativa o kanadskom identitetu, Autocesta heroja postala je pricom o tome koliko su Kanadani drugaciji od svojih juznih susjeda. Za razliku od Amerike, gdje je vlada C. W. Busha zabranila medijima da objavljuju slike lijesova americkog vojnog osoblja poginulog u Afganistanu i Iraku, u Kanadi je javno izrazavanje "narodnog" tugovanja za mrtvim vojnicima pridonijelo vec ionako plodnom arsenalu dokaza o altruistickoj superiornosti kanadske nacije. 09 Medutim, pazljiviji pogled na komemoracijski fenomen poput Autoceste heroja otkrit ce drugu stranu tog narativa. Ovaj clanak kombinira fenomenolosko, teorijsko i povijesno istrazivanje uloge utjelovljenih i afektivnih izraza tugovanja u konstruiranju narativa smrti koji su povezani s militarizmom i ratom, usporedujuci kriticku analizu komemoracijskog fenomena Autoceste heroja i autoetnografsko promisljanje 44 Put od herojstva do zajednicke ranjivosti Helene Vosters Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 06 Provizorni rasporedi (zasnovani na ocekivanom vremenu dolaska zracnog transporta na CFB u Trentonu) za obrede repatrijacije objavljuju se u svim glavnim medijima, kao i u drustvenim glasilima. 07 Primjer americkog medijskog izvjesca je "A hard road: The Highway of Heroes", koje je emitirano u glavnom terminu n. studenog 2008. (Dan sjecanja u Kanadi, Dan veterana u SAD-u) na MSNBC-u. http://www. msnbc.msn.com/id/2n34540/ vp/2765l384#2765l384. 08 Kanadska rok-grupa The Trews (s Gordiejem Johnsonom) napisala je i izvela hit-singl 2010. godine s refrenom: Carry me home down The Highway of Heroes / People above with their flags flying low. / Carry me softly, down The Highway of Heroes. / True Patriot Love, / There was never more. 09 Propali pokusaj premijera Stevena Harpera 2006. da oponasa zabranu Bushove vlade samoje istaknuo razlike, poka- zavsi superiornu sposobnost Kanade da se suprotstavi vladinoj cenzuri. 10 Kampanja naslovljena "America: Open for Business" krenula je iz San Francisca, a ubrzo su je prihvatili gradovi sirom SAD-a. San Francisco Chamber of Commerce (2. rujna 2011.) http://www.sfvirtualshop.com/ mayor_brown.htm. o svakodnevnom javnom obredu komemoracije, koji se sluzi poetikom zajednicke ranjivosti i nastoji posluziti kao sredstvo diskursa zajednice i mobilizacije kao odgovora na militarizam i rat. Nadovezujuci se na suvremene teorije tugovanja u geopolitickom kontekstu (Butler 2009, 2006, 2003; Taylor 2004) i drzavne modulacije afekta u smjeru militarizacije civilne psihologije (Orr 2006, 2004; Massumi 2010, 2005), kao i na feministicka istrazivanja u kojima se analizira povijesna uloga zena kao primarnih posrednika javnog tugovanja na Zapadu i pozadinskih ideoloskih i strukturalnih snaga koje su pridonijele regulaciji, kontroli i obuzdavanju njihovih drustveno situiranih praksi tugovanja (Holst-Warhaft 2000,1992; Seremetakis 1991; Hockey 2001, 1997 ), ovaj clanak preispituje nacin na koji fenomen Autoceste heroja - iako se cesto manifestira kao narodni pokret - odrazava i podrzava program drzavno sponzoriranih projekata vojnog sjecanja pomocu militarizirane poetike tugovanja. Zabiljeska na blogu : Impact Afghanistan Wat, 14. szpnja 2010. Osjecam cudnovato olaksanje prepustajuci se pzocesu dozivljavanja soka. To me cini svjesnim koliki dio svog zivota posvecujem njegovu izbjegavanju ili ublazavanju. Sjecam se kako je u danima netom nakon 11. rujna, dok su mnogi "Amezikanci" bili duboko pogodeni napadom na WTC, dzzava hitro intervenirala kako bi uspostavila kontrolu nad emocionalnim reakcijama. Uklonjeni su oltari koje je zajednica podigla sirom New Yorka. Kolektivno tugovanje sustavno je preusmjereno u nacionalisticki i domoljubni zar, a za koji tjedan lansirana je i kampanja nacionalnih razmjeza pod nazivom "America: Open for Business" - uz popratnu sliku amezicke zastave kao torbe za kupovinu. 10 Dana 1. srpnja (na Dan Kanade) 2010. godine, kao reakcija na kanadske popularne, javne i "diferencijalne" izraze tugovanja za poginulima u Afganistanskom ratu, zapocela sam s komemoracijskim projektom Impact Afghanistan War, u kojemu padam too puta dnevno u javnom prostoru tijekom godine dana - a svaki pad simbolizira jednog poginulog Afganistanca. Impact je utjelovljeno istrazivanje prostora izmedu "nas" i "njih", izmedu pojedinacnog i drustvenog tugovanja, izmedu osobnog obreda i javnog prosvjeda, izmedu umjetnosti i politike. To je poduze ispitivanje vaznosti afektivnog tijela, smjestenog u javnost, kroz performans i proizvodnju drustvene empatije, kao i ispitivanje uloge praksi javnog tugovanja u konstrukciji narativa smrti povezanih s militarizmom i ratom. U knjizi Okviri rata (2010.) Judith Butler tvrdi kako je selektivno "uokvirivanje" ili "izgradivanje dozivljaja kljucno u vodenju rata" (26). Butlerova se nadovezuje na Althusserovu ideju o visestrukim modalitetima materijalnosti, isticuci kako "okviri rata" ne funkcioniraju samo kao njegove pretece ili komentari, nego kao "materijalne instrumentalnosti nasilja" (xiii). Narodna podrska vojnim akcijama cesto je uvjetovana uokvirivanjem "neprijateljskih" populacija tako sto se one izbacuju iz onoga sto se smatra normalnim podrucjem "ljudskih" vrijednosti i smjestaju u drugost koja je shodno tome izvan dometa naseg suosjecanja i empatije (2003, 22). U najotvorenijem obliku ta je "derealizacija" ocita u demonizaciji "neprijatelja" koja vladama, vojskama i pojedinacnim vojnicima nudi opravdanje za vodenje rata. Medutim, Butlerova takoder tvrdi da derealizacija djeluje u sirem Put od herojstva do zajednicke ranjivosti Helene Vosters Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 45 n I Diana Taylor je u svojoj analizi uloge spektakla u argentinskom "prljavom ratu" istaknula kako je medijski utjecaj na vidljivost nekih stvari, dok druge ostaju nevidljive (ili sasvim nestanu) pridonio "percepticidu", u kojemu je sirajavnost postala slijepa za okrutnosti kojima je svakodnevno svjedocila tijekom vojne diktature (1997.). 12 Makov cvijet postao je simbolom sjecanja u svim nacijama Commonwealtha (nesto manje u SAD-u) netom nakon Prvog svjetskog rata i osobito je vazan Kanadanima. Pjesma Johna McCraea, medicinskog casnika u Prvom svjetskom ratu, koja komemorira golemi broj ratnih zrtava, zapocinje rijecima: "In Flanders fields the poppies blow". Kanadani su pretrpjeli osobito velike gubitke u tom ratu - od 7,5 milijuna gotovo ih je 70 tisuca poginulo na bojistu, a ranjeno je jos 140 tisuca osoba (Royal Canadian Legion, "Teachers Guide", 29. kolovoza 2on.) http://www.legion.ca/_ PDF/Teachers/T_GUI DE_E.pdf). Generacije kanadskih skolaraca ucile su napamet i recitirale stihove "In Flanders Fields". Danas nastavni program o kanadskoj vojnoj povijesti, znacenju makova cvijeta i drugih vojnih komemorativnih ceremonija, kao i odgovarajuce skolske aktivnosti, odreduju "Vodici za ucitelje" koje objavljuju Royal Canadian Legion i Veterans Affairs Canada. drustvenom spektru tako sto citave populacije smjesta izvan dometa naseg kolektivnog tugovanja, olaksavajuci time empaticni odmak velikih razmjera u odnosu na rezultate vojnih akcija nase nacije. Primarni mehanizam kojim ta derealizacija djeluje u drustvenoj sferi je "diferencijalna alokacija tugovanja", pri cemu se "tugujucima" dodjeljuju institucionalno odrzavane lokacije za "slavljenicko javno tugovanje" uz odgovarajucu "zabranu javnog tugovanja za zivotima drugih" (25): Okvir uvijek nesto odbacuje, izostavlja, uvijek de-realizira i de- legitimizira alternativne verzije stvarnosti, odbacene negative sluzbene verzije.... U tom smislu okvir nastoji uspostaviti neku zabranu tugovanja: tu nema unistenja i nema gubitka. Cak i ako se okviri aktivno angaziraju na reduplikaciji ratnog unistenja, oni samo glacaju povrsinu melankolije ciji gnjev treba suzbiti, sto cesto nije moguce (2010, xiii). 11 Zabiljeske na blogu: Impact Afghanistan Wat, 11. studenoga (Dan sjecanja) 2010. Dok sam padala danas u Queen's Patku, pedesetak metaia ispted mene stajao je vojnik u stavu mirno. Nakon svakoga pada ustala sam i nasli bismo se oci u oci. I tako stotinu puta. Bio je ptedaleko od mene da bih jasno razabtala njegovo lice, ali izgledao je mlado. Mlado i kthko. Kada sam dovrsila svoje padove, ostala sam kako bih svjedocila pozdtavu 21 hica: vojnici u stavu mitno. Natedba za paljbu prosla je zapovjednom ljestvicom. Zatim eksplozivna tika topa. I dim. Dvadeset jedan put. Krcata simbolima nacionalizma, Autocesta heroja, bas kao i ceremonijal na Dan sjecanja kojemu sam prisustvovala, dio je sireg projekta kanadskog kulturnog sjecanja, koje se ne proizvodi naprosto propagandnim mehanizmom odozgo prema dolje, nego putem slozene mreze zainteresiranih organizacija i institucija koje su se uvjezbale u koristenju popularnih medija (Fremeth 2010, 53). Vojni projekti sjecanja nisu puke kompilacije specificnih povijesnih narativa, nego imaju vlastitu poetiku, koja se sastoji od znakova, simbola i gesti. Na Autocesti heroja sve vrvi zastavama. Raspete su preko nadvoznjaka, veterani ih podizu, a civili masu njima i privijaju ih na prsa. Dok prolazi povorka vozila s mrtvim tijelima, njihovim obiteljima i vojnom pratnjom, uniformirano osoblje - vojska, policija, vatrogasci i prva pomoc - stoje mirno i salutiraju. Neuniformirani gradani oponasaju militaristicke geste. Neki salutiraju. Drugi odabiru vise "civilnu", ali jednako domoljubnu i nacionalisticku gestu polazuci ruku na srce. Zalost, kao afektivno gorivo, generira zajednicku i javnu zakletvu koja se proteze mnogo dalje od vremenskih i tjelesnih granica komemoracijskog dogadaja kroz njegovu reprezentaciju i re-reprezentaciju u drustvenom mediju: kako u njegovoj glavnoj struji, tako i u "puckoj" varijanti. Gradansko sudjelovanje u militariziranim komemoracijama uglavnom se odlikuje ritualiziranom sutnjom. Fizicki rekviziti - zastava, top, makov cvijet, 12 zuta traka - ne oznacavaju samo sjecanje na mrtve i odavanje pocasti, nego i prenose poruku da ovo nije ni vrijeme ni mjesto za raspravu o vanjskoj politici, izrazavanje neslaganja ili dovodenje u pitanje geopolitickih uvjeta koji su 46 Put od herojstva do zajednicke ranjivosti Helene Vosters Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 13 U knjizi Panic Diaries: A Genealogy of Panic Disorder (2006.) i clanku "The Militarization of Inner Space" (2004.) Jackie Orr prati povijest suvremenog nacina na koji americka vlada manipulira nesigurnoscu i terorom kako bi militarizirala civilnu psihologiju i stvorila "civilne vojnike". Slicno tome, Brian Massumi je u clancima "Fear (The Spectrum Said)" (2005.) i "The Future Birth of the Affective Fact: The Political Ontology of Threat" (2010.) ustvrdio kako je modulacija straha kroz njegovu proizvodnju kao "afektivne cinjenice" postala sveprisutna i instrumentalizirana politicka strategija u SAD-u nakon n. rujna. 14 CBC News/World (27. ozujka 2on.) http://www.cbc.ca/news/ world/story/2on/o3/27/ afghanistan-soldier.html. 15 CBC News/World (n. travnja 2010.) http://www.cbc.ca/ news/world/story/20io/o4/n/ afghanistan-canadian.html. 16 CBC News/World (20. srpnja 2010.) http://www.cbc.ca/ news/world/story/20io/o7/2o/ afghanistan-cdn-soldier-killed. html. 17 lako McCready govori o migraciji popularne americke kampanje Yellow Ribbon u Kanadu kao o odrazu sireg trenda sve vece militarizacije kanadske kulture, kroz citav svoj clanak prenosi tu argumentaciju i na druge aspekte kanadskog projekta vojnog sjecanja, ukljucujuci komemoracije na Autocesti heroja i ceremonije na Dan sjecanja. rezultirali gubitkom vojnog osoblja za kojim se tuguje (McCready 2010). Dok vojska ima vlastiti, interni skup obreda i praksi kojima je svrha pretvoriti regrute u ratnike spremne na borbu, vojni projekti sjecanja djeluju stvarajuci neku vrstu "civilnog vojnika": stojimo u stavu mirno. Pridrzavamo se pravila angazmana - cak i ako je to privremeno. 13 Sudjelovanjem u narodnim komemoracijama repatrijacije na Autocesti heroja ili u obredima na Dan sjecanja, nosenjem makova cvijeta (ili sutnjom dok smo okruzeni njihovim obilnim sezonskim cvatom na reverima jakni i kaputa) privremeno smo mobilizirani kao "civilni vojnici" (Orr 2004, 452). Dok civilni sudionici komemoracije na Autocesti heroja izvode svoju ritualiziranu predstavu domoljubne sutnje, vojni i drzavni sluzbenici oblikuju narative koji pridaju znacenje smrti: "Nepokolebljiva predanost desetnika Scherrera i drugih hrabrih Kanadana u Afganistanu izvor je ponosa za sve Kanadane." (Premijer Steven Harper o poginulom desetniku Yannicku Scherreru). 14 "Pripadnici nasih kanadskih snaga ... koji se suocavaju s neprijateljem ucinit ce sve kako bi osujetili njegovo napredovanje. Hrabrost koju je pokazao vojnikTodd rjecito govori o njegovoj posvecenosti nasoj zemlji i ovoj misiji" (Ministar obrane Peter MacKay o smrti vojnika Tylera Williama Todda). 15 "Hrabrost i zadivljujuca predanost Kanadana poput Sappera Colliera donose sigurnost i stabilnost afganistanskom narodu... Njihov trud i rad svakodnevno stite nase interese i vrijednosti ovdje, kod kuce, kao i sirom svijeta. Zrtva Sappera Colliera nece biti zaboravljena (Premijer Steven Harper o poginulom Sapperu Brianu Collieru)." 16 Spektakularne i medijski izrazito eksponirane javne komemoracije na Autocesti heroja, zajedno s neproblematiziranim narativima herojstva i dobrohotnog militarizma, kao i odsutnost bilo kakvog priznanja afganistanskih zrtava, predstavljaju "okvir" kroz koji Kanadani kao gradani shvacaju Afganistanski rat (i sudjeluju u njemu). Ono stoje unutartog okvira - herojski poginuli kanadski vojnici i njihova dragovoljna zrtva - ucinjeno je vidljivim, dok ono izvan okvira - afganistanske zrtve i bilo kakva krivica kanadske vojske (i kanadske javnosti) za njihovu smrt - ostaje izvan vidokruga, pa stoga i neshvatljivo. Pristajanjem na ta presutna pravila angazmana, pravila koja odreduju za kime i kako trebamo tugovati - tiho i s neupitnim domoljubnim ponosom - mi se u ritualnom smislu mobiliziramo. Kao uokvirujuci mehanizam, komemoracije na Autocesti heroja i njihova militarizirana poetika sluze nekolicini medusobno povezanih svrha: one su mehanizam kojim se osjecaj gubitka zbog kanadskih ratnih zrtava afektivno povezuje s nacionalistickim narativima herojstva i kanalizira u njih. Povezano s time, kroz "potvrdu i velicanje odredenih omiljenih nacionalnih tema: muzevnih, normativnih i moralno besprijekornih mladica(i u manjoj mjeri zena), cija zrtva nije samo spas nacionalnog karaktera, nego je retrospektivno postala i njegovim temeljem i jamcem", one usutkavaju javnu raspravu i protivljenje ratu (McCready 2010, 34). 17 Naposljetku, osiguravanjem institucionalno podrzavanog lokaliteta za "svecano javno tugovanje" za onima - kanadskim vojnim osobljem - koji su proglaseni "vrijednima tugovanja", one proizvode odgovarajucu "zabranu javnog tugovanja za zivotima drugih [Afganistanaca]" (Butler 2006, 37). Put od herojstva do zajednicke ranjivosti Helene Vosters Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 47 18 Pearsonuje 1957. godine dodije- Ijena Nobelova nagrada za mir za njegovu ulogu u "stvaranju snaga "Plavih sljemova" koji su pratili naseljavanje Sueskog kanala" (Coulon i Liegeois, 2010: v), a nakon togaje od 1963. do 1968. godine bio 14. kanadski premijer. 19 Diskurs o kanadskom vojnom angazmanu u Afganistanu kao humanitarnom cinu siri se kroz sluzbena glasila kanadske vlade i Ministarstva narodne obrane (DND): mrezna stranica kanad¬ ske vlade koja govori o "vojnoj prisutnosti Kanade u Afganista¬ nu" navodi kao cetiri prioriteta sljedece: "(1) investiciju u buduc- nost afganistanske djece i omla- dine kroz razvojne programe na podrucju obrazovanja i zdrav- stva; (2) rad na sigurnosti, unapredenju pravde i ljudskih prava, osiguranjem maksimalno 950 vojnih instruktora, pomoc- nog osoblja i otprilike 45 pripadnika kanadske civilne policije kako bi se pripomoglo obuci afganistanskih snaga Nacionalne sigurnosti; (3) promicanje redovne diplomacije; i (4) pomoc u osiguranju huma- nitarne pomoci" (http://www. afghanistan.gc.ca/canada- afghanistan/index. aspx?lang=eng). 20 Vidi takoder analizu americke drzavne i vojne manipulacije straha kao mehanizma u interpolaciji "gradanina- vojnika": Jackie Orr (2006, 2004). Butler istice kako bi "egalitarnije zalovanje", koje bi ustrajalo na tome da su svi zivoti vrijedni tugovanja, zalovanje koje bi se zasnivalo na spoznaji da je ranjivost primarni (i zajednicki) uvjet zivota, moglo potaknuti "etiku nenasilja i politiku radikalnije preraspodjele humanizirajucih ucinaka" (Butler 2003, 9). Medutim, buduci da pise u americkom kontekstu, ona takoder tvrdi da bi takvo tugovanje unistilo nacionalnu samopercepciju i zahtijevalo "odustajanje od same ideje svijeta kao suverene odgovornosti SAD-a, za cijim bi se gubitkom zalilo na nacin na koji se nuzno gube i zale narcisticke i megalomanske fantazije" (2006, 40). Prosirujuci analizu Butlerove sjeverno od americke granice, mozemo zamisliti da bi, kada bi Kanadani usvojili egalitarniji pristup zalovanju vezanom uz Afganistanski rat, kolektivni identitet od kojega bismo morali odustati i zaliti za njime vjerojatno bila (mozda ne toliko narcisticka, ali jednako megalomanska) ideja o nama samima kao dobrohotnim globalnim mirotvorcima, identitet koji je povijesno i institucionalno utemeljila vodeca uloga koju je tadasnji kanadski ministar vanjskih poslova Lester B. Pearson odigrao u osnivanju prvih mirovnih snaga Ujedinjenih naroda (UN), koje su poslane 1956. godine kao odgovor na krizu u Sueskom kanalu. 18 Medutim, noviji istrazivaci na podrucjima kao sto su Kanadski studiji ili Obrana i vanjski poslovi slazu se u tome da suvremena kanadska vojna politika jedva slici njezinu povijesnom mirotvornom mandatu (Berland i Fitzpatrick, 2010; Fremeth, 2010; Coulon i Liegeois, 2010). Dok je Pearson pridonio oblikovanju preduvjeta za prve operacije mirovnih snaga UN-a, koje su ukljucivale uvjete kao sto su "sporazum o primirju; dogovor zaracenih strana; nepristranost mirovnih snaga; uporaba sile koja je strogo ogranicena na samoobranu; i izvrsna odgovornost Ceneralnog tajnika" (Coulon and Liegeois, 3), danas "kanadske vlade radije uplecu Kanadu u vojne intervencije izvan struktura UN-a, u ovom specificnom slucaju Afganistana, i u protuustanicke misije" (50). Fremeth (2010) primjecuje da je paralelno s prijelazom Kanade sa samodefinirane vojne uloge "mirotvorca" na aktualnu borbenu ulogu u Afganistanskom ratu pod vodstvom SAD-a doslo do opcenitijeg i sveprozimajuceg trenda militarizacije kanadske kulture. Fremeth smatra da je glavni cimbenik kojije pridonio i potaknuotaj pomakznatno povecanje institucionalne i fiskalne potpore sirenju kanadskih projekata vojnih komemoracija tijekom posljednjeg desetljeca. Simultano poticuci i kanalizirajuci afekte koji su povezani s tugovanjem zbog kanadskih proslih i sadasnjih ratnih zrtava u narative herojstva, pozrtvovnosti i dobrohotne vojne intervencije, ti prosireni projekti vojnih komemoracija prikrivaju kanadsko sudjelovanje u "imperijalnom ratu agresije, odmazde i kontrole nad resursima" tako sto "Kanadi daju osjecaj nacionalne neduznosti" (McCready, 2010, 39). 19 Brian Massumi (2005) objasnjava kako se ucinkovita modulacija afekta postize njegovom bifurkacijom, razdvajanjem emocionalnog i fenomenoloskog dozivljaja od kognitivne ili kriticke interpretacije. Time sto se "afektivni dozivljaj" prikazuje kao subjektivan (privatan), odvaja ga se od politickog (javnog) i ideoloskog procesa proizvodnje racionaliziranih narativa nacionalizma i njihovih pratecih strategija vojne i vanjske politike. Dok je u Massumijevu primjeru koloristickog sustava antiteroristickog uzbunjivanja, kakav primjenjuje americko Ministarstvo domovinske sigurnosti, strah "afektivna cinjenica" pomocu koje se proizvodi narativ nuznosti "rata protiv terora", u slucaju kanadskih projekata vojne komemoracije tugovanje postaje afektivnom cinjenicom pomocu koje se grade i odrzavaju narativi humanitarnog militarizma. 20 48 Put od herojstva do zajednicke ranjivosti Helene Vosters Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 21 Pojam "Zapada" problematican je na vise nacina, ukljucujuci (l) njegovu povijesnu (i pristranu) funkciju onoga koji definira "kulturu" i "zapadnu civilizaciju" za razliku od "orijenta” i "necivi- liziranog drugoga"; i (2) nacin na koji cini nevidljivim i homogeni- zira visestrukost identiteta unutar i sirom "Zapada". Svojom upotrebom termina ne zelim zanijekati tu problematiku. Umjesto toga, usredotocujuci se na nacin na koji je dominantna (i dominirajuca) kultura konstrui- rala predodzbe o smrti i zalova- nju, namjeravam istraziti nacin na koji su (i razlog zbog kojega su) odredene prakse tugovanja postale normalne, dok su "druge" marginalizirane ili su sasvim nestale. 22 Svojom politicki ucinkovitom uporabom "majcinstva" kao simbola otpora protiv brutalne drzavne represije Majke s Plaze de Mayo utjecale su na mnoge kasnije skupine i pokrete koji su koristili strateski esencijalisticke ideje "majke" ili "zene" kako bi se suprotstavile nasilju, militarizmu i ratu. Neki od tih pokreta su CoMadres, Odbor majki i roda- kinja politickih zatvorenika, nestalih i ubijenih u Salvadoru; pokret za nuklearno zamrza- vanje u Velikoj Britaniji i SAD-u; Fronta majki u Sri Lanki i Zenski pokret za mir u bivsoj Jugoslaviji (Bouvard, 1994). Jedna od skupina koje su najduze potrajale i imale najsiri domet, a Majke su im bile kljucno nadahnuce, zove se Women in Black. Rad feministickih znanstvenica Nadije C. Seremetakis, Gail Holst- Warhaft i Jenny Hockey rasvjetljuje dugu i rodno obojenu povijest u pozadini afektivne bifurkacije zalovanja na javnu i privatnu domenu diljem suvreme- nog Zapada. 21 One primjecuju da zene nisu bile samo primarni posrednici obreda zalovanja u zajednici kroz povijest, u vecini predindustrijskih zapadnih drustava, nego i da je zenska tuzaljka sluzila kao "nadahnjujuca poetika periferije", prostora kroz koji je "dogadaj smrti" davao zenama mogucnost da komentiraju drustveni svijet i utjecu na nj (Seremetakis 1991, i). Profesionalne narikace izvodile su i vodile strukturirane i kolektivizirane improvizacije koje su ukljucivale elemente zvuka, poezije i afektivne izvedbe kako bi se kanalizi- rale snazne emocije povezane sa smrcu i pomoglo ozaloscenima da podijele svoju preveliku i cesto "neartikuliranu zalost" (2000, 4). Medutim, Hockeyjeva istice kako su diljem suvremenog Zapada, iako kulturne reprezentacije zalovanja (slike i narativi) obicno povezuju emocio- nalni izraz zalosti sa zenama, ustvari muskarci bili uze povezani s dogadajem smrti kroz njegovu naraciju i profesionalno posredovanje. Ta rodna obojenost bifurkacije zalovanja na privatno i javno, afektivno i kognitivno, ocitaje u medijskim izvjescima o kanadskim ratnim zrtvama u Afganistanu, gdje se uglavnom citiraju muski (vojni i drzavni) glasnogovornici te oni stoga oblikuju javni narativ kojim se proizvodi znacenje, a koji okruzuje pokojnike i okolnosti njihove smrti, dok medijske slike emocionalnih izraza gubitka koje u afektivnom smislu podupiru te narative najcesce prikazuju zene - supruge, majke ili "djevojke" poginulih vojnika. Zabrane zajednickih obreda zalovanja na Zapadu zapocele su vec u 6. stoljecu p.n.e., kadasu Solonovi zakoni u grckim gradovima-drzavama ogranicili praksu "zalovanja za mrtvima" za one koji su s njima bili blisko povezani (Holst-Warhaft 2000, 34). Holst-Warhaftova smatra da se zbog usredotocenosti na zalost i gubitak zensko tugovanje kosilo sa sposobnoscu drzave da nadzire stajalista o "vrijednosti smrti za zajednicu ili drzavu, otezavajuci time vlastima regrutaciju poslusne vojske" (igg2, 3) te napominje da su se narativi povezani sa smrcu promijenili kada se drzava snaznije posvetila zakonodavstvu vezanom uz obrede zalovanja, pri cemu se naglasak pomaknuo s gubitka ili tugovanja na eulogiju ili velicanje pokojnika. To je velicanje, osobito u slucaju poginulih u borbi, postalo javnim licem smrti, dok su emocije povezane sa zaloscu i gubitkom gurnute u sve izoliraniju i privatiziranu sferu uze obitelji. Holst-Warhaftova je prosirila svoju povijesnu analizu zenskog zalovanja na istrazivanje uporaba javnog tugovanja i praksi zalovanja u 20. stoljecu kao sredstva otpora zajednice, ukazujuci na trajnu vaznost kontrole nad javnim i afektivnim iskazivanjem zalosti. Osobito nadahnjujuci primjer koristenja zajednickog tugovanja kao oruda otpora protiv militarizma su Las Madres de la Plaza de Mayo, cije je hrabro i ustrajno iskazivanje zalosti (i gnjeva) uspjesno dovelo u pitanje kontrolu argentinske vojne hunte nad narativima povezanim s njihovim voljenima koji su nestali. Tjednim prosvjedima na trgu preko puta argentinske predsjednicke palace u vrijeme represivne vojne diktature majke s Plaze de Mayo prekinule su "percepticid" koji su provodili drzava i mediji te ucinkovito upotrijebile svoju zalost kao sredstvo za (pre) oblikovanje javnog diskursa i razvoj nacionalnog i medunarodnog otpora protiv nasilne diktature hunte. 22 Kada sam se 20og. godine vratila u Kanadu nakon sto sam gotovo dvadeset godina zivjela u SAD-u, i kada sam cula za komemoracije na Autocesti heroja, isprva sam bila veoma ganuta. Cinile su se tako osvjezavajucom promjenom naspram politike cenzure kakvu je provodila Put od herojstva do zajednicke ranjivosti Helene Vosters Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 49 Bushova vlada. Naivno sam zamisljala da ti "narodni" izrazi javnog zalovanja za poginulim kanadskim vojnim osobljem nalikuju na otpor kakav su pruzile Las Madres te da su usmjereni protiv militarizma i rata u Afganistanu. Medutim, kada sam vidjela sveprisutnu medijsku pozornost i namjerno preuvelicavanje komemoracije kanadskih ratnih zrtava, upala mi je u oci specificnost militariziranog narativa. Gdje su glasovi majki, oceva, djece, ljubavnica, prijatelja i gradana koji se ne slazu s kanadskim vojnim narativom o sretnim ratnicima koji su nesebicno zrtvovali svoje zivote u cinu prosvijecene vojne intervencije? Gdje su nasi izrazi zalosti i gnjeva? Gdje je priznanje afganistanskih zrtava? Gdje je nasa suvremena periferalna poetika zalovanja, koja bi svojim povezivanjem afektivnog izraza s "kritickom interpretacijom" bila sposobna promijeniti militarizirane i medijski poticane nacionalisticke narative herojskog ratnistva? Zabiljeska na blogu: Impact Afghanistan Wat, 6. sijecnja 2011 . lucet, dok sam padala u Yotku, na obzoru se pojavilo ambulantno vozilo. Kietalo se pjesackom stazom ptema meni. Dok sam padala - devedeset dva, devedeset tii, devedeset cetiii - nekoliko mi je pitanja proslo ktoz glavu. Hocu li zavrsiti ptije nego sto dodu do mene? Hoce li me, smiju li me zaustaviti? Tko ih je pozvao?? Kada sam pala devedeset sesti put, ambulantno vozilo zaustavilo se pteda mnom i uz moj stand s tazglednicama i ispisanom zastavom. Bolnicar je spustio ptozor - devedeset sedam - promotiio tazglednice i zastavu - devedeset osam - pogledao u mene - devedeset devet - podigao ptozor i ambulantno vozilo je produzilo. Nakon odlaska vozila pogodio me iznenadan i sirov nalet emocija. Pozeljela sam vrisnuti. Baciti se na zemlju. Plakati i vristati u gnjevu: Upomoc! Upomoc! Upomoc! 50 Put od herojstva do zajednicke ranjivosti Helene Vosters Frakcija #58/59 to be moved Bibliografija Berland, Jody i Blake Fitzpatrick (ur.). Cultures of Militarization: Special Edition ofTopia, Canadian Journal of Cultural Studies. Cape Breton: Cape Breton University Press, 2010. Bouvard, Marguerite Guzman. Revolutionizing Motherhood: The Mothers of the Plaza De Mayo. Wilmington: Scholarly Resources Inc., 1984. Brown, Derek. "Attack and aftermath: a glossary of terms", guardian.co.uk (27. rujna 2001.), http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2001/ sep/27/afghanistan.terrorism5 (20. kolovoza 2011 .). Bulter, Judith. Precarious Life: The Powers of Violence and Mourning. New York: Verso, 2004. _. "Violence, Mourning, Politics", The Analytic Press 4(1) Studies in Gender and Sexuality (2003.): 26. _. Frames of War: When Is Life Crievable? New York: Verso, 2009. Canada. National Defence and the Canadian Forces. Department of National Defence, http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/home-accueil- eng.asp. _. "Canada Deploys Ground Forces to Afghanistan", News Release NR-02.001 (7. sijecnja 2002.), http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/ news-nouvelles/news-nouvelles-eng. asp?cat=oo&id=35i (8. kolovoza 2011.). _. "Fallen Canadians", http://www.cmp- cpm.forces.gc.ca/fc-ncd/index-eng.asp (8. kolovoza 2on.). _. "Canada's Engagement in Afghanistan”, http://www.afghanistan.gc.ca/ canada-afghanistan/index.aspx?lang=eng (io. srpnja 2011.). Canadian Broadcasting Corporation News/ World. "Canadian soldier killed in Afghan blast" (27. ozujka 2011.), http://www.cbc.ca/ news/world/story/2on/o3/27/afghanistan- soldier.html (8. kolovoza 2011.). _. "Canadian Soldier Killed in Afghanistan” (n. travnja 2010.), http://www. cbc.ca/news/world/story/20io/o4/n/ afghanistan-canadian.html (8. kolovoza 2011 .). _. "Canadian Soldier Killed in Afghanistan" (20. srpnja 2010.), http://www. cbc.ca/news/world/story/20io/o7/2o/ afghanistan-cdn-soldier-killed.html (8. kolovoza 2on.). Carter, Chris. "Flave your say on Canada's Afghan mission", Toronto Star 24 (studeni 2010.). http://www.thestar.com/special/ article/897222--have-your-say-on-canada-s- afghan-mission (io. srpnja 2011.). Coulon, Jocelyn i Michel Liegeois. Whatever Happened to Peacekeeping? The Future of a Tradition. Canadian Defence and Foreign Affairs Institute, 2010. Fremeth, Howard. "Searching for the Miltarization of Canadian Culture: The Rise Of a Military-Cultural Memory Network", Cultures of Militarization: Special Edition of Topia, Canadian Journal of Cultural Studies. Ur. Jody Berland i Blake Fitzpatrick. Cape Breton: Cape Breton University Press, 2010. Gilroy, Paul. Postcolonial Melancholia. New York: Columbia University Press, 2005. Hockey, Jenny. "Women in Grief: Cultural Representation and Social Practice", Death, Gender and Ethnicity. Ur. David Field, Jenny Hockey i Neil Small. New York: Routledge, 1997. _. "Changing Death Rituals", Grief Mourning and Death Ritual. Ur. J. Hockey, J. Katz i N. Small. London: Open University Press, 2001. Holst-Warhaft, Gail. Dangerous Voices: Women's Laments and Greek Literature. New York: Routledge, 1992. _. The Cue for Passion: Grief and Its Political Uses. London: Harvard University Press, 2000. Massumi, Brian. "Fear (the Spectrum Said)", positions 13/1 (2005.): 27. _. "The Future Birth of the Affective Fact: The Political Ontology of Threat”, Digital and Other Virtualities: Renegotiating the Image. Ur. Antony Bryant i Griselda Pollock. New York: I. B. Tauris, 2007. McCready, A. L. "Tie a Yellow Ribbon 'Round Public Discourse, National Identity and the War: Neoliberal Militarization and the Yellow Ribbon Campaign in Canada", Cultures of Militarization: Special Edition ofTopia, Canadian Journal of Cultural Studies. Ur. Jody Berland i Blake Fitzpatrick. Cape Breton: Cape Breton University Press, 2010. NBC Nightly News. "A hard road: The Highway of Heroes" (n. studenog 2008.), http://www. msnbc.msn.com/id/2n34540/ Vp/27651384#27651384 (io. lipnja 2011.). Orr, Jackie. "The Militarization of Inner Space", Critical Sociology 30/2 (2004.): 30. _. Panic Diaries: A Genealogy of Panic Disorder. Durham: Duke University Press, 2006. Royal Canadian Legion. "The Royal Canadian Legion: Teachers' Guide", bez datuma, http:// www.legion.ca/_PDF/Teachers/T_GUIDE_E. pdf (2. rujna 2011.). San Francisco Chamber of Commerce. "San Francisco Open for Business", bez datuma, http://www.sfvirtualshop.com/mayor_ brown.htm (3. rujna 2011.). Seremetakis, Constantina-Nadia. "Women and Death: Cultural Power and Ritual Process in Inner Mani", Canadian Women's Studies 8/2 ( 1987 -): 3- _. The Last Word: Women, Death, and Divination in Inner Mani. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1991. Taylor, Diana. Disappearing Acts: Spectacle of Gender and Nationalism in Argentina's 'Dirty War'. Durham i London: Duke University Press, 1997. Thompson, Mark. "Should the Military Return to Counting Bodies?", Time U.S. (2. lipnja 2009.), http://www.time.com/time/nation/ article/0,8599,1902274,00. html#ixzziWETDevB4 (2. rujna 2011.). The Trews i Gordie Johnson. "Highway of Heroes", 2010. Bumstead Productions LTD. U.S. Department of National Defense. "Enduring Freedom Operational Update", News Transcript, Public Affairs (30. listopada 2001.), http://www.defense.gov/transcripts/ transcript.aspx?transcriptid=2232 (8. kolovoza 2on.). Beyond Heroism and Towards Shared Vulnerability Helene Vosters Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 51 Beyond Heroism and Towards Shared Vulnerability: Re-imagining Canadas Affective Depioyment Mourning in Response aan War Deaths Helene Vosters Journal: Impact Afghanistan War, February 5, 2011 Stand. Fall. Stand. Fall. Stand. Fall. The impact of body with ground. The surprising accommodation of surfaces. The season's first snow was soft and embracing, but now, as winter wears on the ground has taken on the topography of a moonscape. Falling is the easy part - the curious architecture of body and limbs. It's standing, rising, that's difficult. Stand. Fall. Breathe. Traffic, birdsong, distant or passing voices, circling hawk, tree limbs, plane slicing sky, snow. Falling. The ground becomes a between- space where I experience both the vastness of my distance from, and a closeness to, all those who have fallen, who are falling, in Afghanistan. Distance, because I am acutely aware of the inadequacy of my gesture. I fall of my own accord. I have not been struck down. I am not injured. I can rise. Do rise. But it is precisely this awareness of distance that connects me. Each fall becomes an embodied meditation on the unequal distribution of vulnerability in our geopolitical landscape. With each fall I recognize - it "could" be me, it isn't me, and, the reasons it's not. 52 oi The operation's original title. Operation Ultimate Justice, was objected to by Islamic clerics on the grounds that "ultimate justice can only be dispensed by Allah" (Brown, Derek. September 27, 2001 http://www.guardian. co.uk/world/2001/sep/27/ afghanistan.terrorism5). 02 Canada. Department of National Defence (DND), News Room NR 02.001, January 7, 2002. Available from http://www.forces.gc.ca/ site/news-nouvelles/news- nouvelles-eng. asp?cat=oo&id=35i. 03 Toronto Star, November 24, 2010. Available from http:// www.thestar.com/special/ article/8g7222--have-your-say- on-canada-s-afghan-mission. The Harper government argued that a new Parliamentary vote was not required to extend the mission since the Canadian troops will stay on in Afghanistan in a training, not a combat, capacity. 04 Canada. DND, "Fallen Canadians" August 8, 2011 http://www. forces.gc.ca/site/news- nouvelles/fallen-disparus/ index-eng.asp. 05 U.S. Department of Defense, News Transcript, Public Affairs, "Enduring Freedom Operational Update" October 30, 2001 http://www.defense. gov/transcripts/transcript. aspx?transcriptid=2232. Though highly debated (and erratically practiced) the no body count policy has been reiterated by U.S. military and Pentagon spokes people throughout its decade-long war in Afghanistan. In 2006, then Defense Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld explained that the policy is a reversal of the U.S. practices during the Vietnam War: "If you'll recall the Vietnam War, they had body counts that went on day after day after day .... The implication of that was that you were winning if the body count went up and losing if the body count went down." Time U.S. June 2, 2009 http:// www.time.com/time/nation/ article/0,8599,1902274,00. html#ixzziWETDevB4. Beyond Heroism and Towards Shared Vulnerability Frakcija #58/59 Helene Vosters to be moved n October 7, 2001 the U.S. (accompanied by British forces) launched Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), its War in Afghanistan. 01 Though no Canadian military personnel participated in this initial invasion, then Prime Minister Jean Chretien, in an act of discursive engagement, immediately announced Canada's commitment to contribute military forces to an international "campaign on terror" and, in February 2002, the Canadian military deployed its first 750 ground troops to Afghanistan. 02 In November of 2010, nine years after the start of the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan, Prime Minister Steven Flarper's Conservative government announced its decision to extend (beyond the 2on deadline mandated by parliament) Canada's military presence in Afghanistan until 20i4.° 3 Since the onset of the post-g/n U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan 157 Canadian military personnel have died or been killed. 04 While each of these deaths have been memorialized in the Canadian media and through official repatriation ceremonies as well as and through popular "Flighway of Fleroes" memorials, there are no exact numbers for Afghans who have been killed or died as a result of war-related causes during this time. This lack of an accurate accounting of Afghan war deaths is, in large measure, a result of the U.S.'s no-body count policy as communicated in the first month of the war by U.S. military spokesperson, Rear Adm. John D. Stufflebeem: "[A]s a military institution, we don’t keep body counts, or at least we’re not keeping body counts. Maybe in past wars it was done. But we’re not doing that." 05 The lack of accounting is also a reflection of what Judith Butler calls a "differential distribution of grievability across populations" wherein Western lives are deemed grievable while the lives of non-Western "Others" remain outside of the realm of grievability (2009, 24). With the return of Canada's first Afghanistan War combat fatalities in spring 2002, Canadians began to "spontaneously" gather along the 172- kilometre repatriation route between the military base in Trenton, Ontario and Toronto's coroner's office. 06 Crowds gathered onto Ontario's Highway 40i's roadsides and freeway overpasses and waited, sometimes for hours, in heat, rain, and freezing cold, to pay tribute to the passing motorcade bearing the bodies of Canadian soldiers. Since its inception, the "Highway of Heroes" memorial phenomena has garnered positive media attention across Canada (as well as in the U.S.),° 7 has led to the official renaming of sections of the repatriation route to the "Highway of Heroes" (2007) and "Route of Heroes" (2010), and has inspired a host of songs and you-tube video tributes. 08 Like many a Canadian identity tale, the Highway of Heroes has become a story of how different Canadians are from our neighbors to the south. Set in contrast to the U.S., where the G. W. Bush administration prohibited the media from broadcasting images of the coffins of U.S. military personnel killed in Afghanistan and Iraq, Canada's public "grassroots" display of mourning for our military dead has added to the already prolific arsenal of evidence of Canada's altruistic national superiority. 09 A closer look, however, at the Highway of Heroes memorial phenomena troubles this narrative. This paper combines a phenomenological, theoretical and historical inquiry into the role of embodied and affective expressions of mourning in constructing narratives of death related to militarism and war by juxtaposing a critical analysis of the Highway of Heroes memorial phenomena with an auto-ethnographic reflection of a daily public memorial ritual that employs a Beyond Heroism and Towards Shared Vulnerability Helene Vosters Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 53 06 Tentative schedules (based on expected time of air transport arrivals to the CFB at Trenton) for the repatriation ceremonies, are announced through both mainstream media and social media outlets. 07 An example of U.S. news coverage is the November n, 2008 (Remembrance Day in Canada, Veterans Day in the U.S.) prime time MSNBC feature news story, "A hard road: The Highway of Heroes" http:// www.msnbc.msn.com/ id/2n3454o/ vp/2765l384#2765l384. poetics of shared vulnerability and seeks to serve as an agent for community discourse and mobilization in response to militarism and war. Drawing on contemporary theories of mourning in a geopolitical context (Butler 2009, 2006, 2003; Taylor 2004) and of the state's modulation of affect towards the militarization of civilian psychology (Orr 2006, 2004; Massumi 2010, 2005) as well as on feminist scholarship analyzing women's historical role as the primary mediators of public mourning in the West and the underlying ideological and structural forces that contributed to the regulation, control and constraint of their socially situated mourning practices (Holst-Warhaft 2000,1992; Seremetakis 1991; Hockey 2001,1997) this paper will interrogate how the Highway of Heroes phenomena - though often framed as a grassroots movement - reflects and reinforces the agenda of state sponsored military memory projects through a militarized poetics of mourning. 08 Canadian rock band The Trews (with Gordie Johnson) wrote and produced a hit single in 2010 with the chorus: Carry me home down The Highway of Heroes / People above with their flags flying low. / Carry me softly, down The Highway of Heroes. / True Patriot Love, / There was never more. 09 Prime Minister Steven Harper's failed 2006 attempt to emulate the Bush administration's prohibition only added to the story of difference by demonstrating Canadian's superior capacity to resist government censure. 10 The "America: Open for Business" campaign originated in San Francisco and was quickly adopted by cities nation wide. San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, September 2, 2on, http://www.sfvirtualshop.com/ mayor_brown.htm. Blog entry: Impact Afghanistan War, Tuly 14, 2010 There is an odd relief in committing myself to a process of experiencing impact. It makes me aware of how much of life is dedicated to its avoidance or mitigation. In the early post-9/11 days when many "Americans" were deeply affected by the attack on the twin-towers I remember how quickly the state entered to manage the emotional response. Community constructed altars throughout New York City were dismantled. Collective grief was systematically re-directed into nationalistic and patriotic fervor and, within weeks, a nation-wide ad campaign was launched: "America: Open for Business" - with its accompanying image of the American flag as a shopping bag. 10 On July l (Canada Day), 2010, in response to Canada's popular, public and "differential" expressions of grief related to Afghan war casualties, I began Impact Afghanistan War, a memorial project in which I fall too times a day in a public space for one year - each fall in recognition of an Afghani death. Impact is an embodied investigation of the space between "Us" and "Other," between individual and social grief, between personal ritual and public protest, and between art and politics. It is a sustained inquiry into the significance of the affective and publicly situated body in the performance and production of social empathy and into the role of public mourning practices in the construction of narratives of death related to militarism and war. In Frames of War (2010) Judith Butler argues that the selective "framing" or "carving up [of] experience [is] essential to the conduct of war" (26). Butler extends Althusser's notion of the multiple modalities of materiality, suggesting that "frames of war" operate not merely as precursors to, and commentary on, war but as "material instrumentalities of violence" (xiii). Popular support of military actions is often predicated on the framing of "enemy" populations such that they are cast outside of what is considered the normal realm of "human" values into an otherness that is consequently outside of the range of our compassion and empathy (2003, 22). At its most overt this "derealization" is evident in the demonization of "the enemy" which provides governments, armies and individual soldiers with the justification to wage war. However, Butler also argues that derealization functions on a broader social scale by placing entire populations outside of 54 n Similarly, in her analysis of the role of spectacle in Argentina's "Dirty War," Diana Taylor argues that the media's rendering of some things as visible and others as invisible (or disappe¬ ared) helped to produce a "percepticide" wherein the general population blinded themselves to atrocities they bore witness to daily during the military dictatorship (1997). Beyond Heroism and Towards Shared Vulnerability Frakcija #58/59 Helene Vosters to be moved the range of our collective grief thereby facilitating a large-scale empathetic detachment from the results of our nation's military actions. A primary mechanism through which this derealization operates in the social sphere is through the "differential allocation of grief" wherein "grievable humans" are allotted institutionally supported venues for "celebrated public grieving" while there is a corresponding "prohibition on the public grieving of other's lives" (25): [T]he frame is always throwing something away, always keeping something out, always de-realizing and de-legitimating alternative versions of reality, discarded negatives of the official version.... In this sense the frame seeks to institute an interdiction on mourning: there is no destruction, and there is no loss. Even as the frames are actively engaged in redoubling the destruction of war, they are only polishing the surface of a melancholia whose rage must be contained, and often cannot (2010, xiii). 11 Blog entry: Impact Afghanistan Wat, November 11 (Remembrance Day), 2010 As I fell in Queen's Park today a soldier stood at attention about 50 meters in front of me. After each fall, I rose and we stood facing one another. One hundred times. He was too far away for me to make out his face but he looked young. Young and fragile. After I completed my falls I stayed to witness the 2T-gun salute: The soldiers at attention. The order to fire passed down a chain of command. The cannon's explosive roar. The smoke. Twenty-one times. Replete with symbols of nationalism, the Highway of Heroes memorials, like the Remembrance Day Ceremony I attended, are part of a larger Canadian military cultural memory project that is produced not through a simple top down propaganda mechanism, but rather, through a complex network of organizational and institutional stakeholders that have become adept at using popular media (Fremeth 2010, 53). More than simply compilations of particular historical narratives, military memory projects have their own poetics constructed of signs, symbols and gestures. At the Highway of Heroes memorials flags abound. They're draped over freeway overpasses, flown on fire-engine ladders, held aloft by veterans, waved and held abreast by civilians. As the motorcade bearing the bodies of the dead, their families and their military escort pass, uniformed personnel - military, police, fire and rescue workers - stand at attention and salute. Un-uniformed citizens mimic the militaristic gestures. Some salute. Others choose the more "civilian" but equally patriotic and nationalist display of placing hand over heart. Grief, as affective fuel, generates a communal and public pledge to nation, a pledge whose performance extends far beyond the temporal and corporeal boundaries of the memorial event through its representation and re¬ representation in both mainstream and "grassroots" social media. Citizen participation in militarized memorials is largely one of a ritualized enactment of silence. The physical props - the flag, the cannon, the poppy, 12 the yellow ribbon - signify not only remembrance and the Beyond Heroism and Towards Shared Vulnerability Helene Vosters Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 55 12 The poppy, a symbol of Remembrance throughout the Commonwealth nations (and to a lesser degree in the U.S.) since shortly after WWI, has a particularly poignant meaning for Canadians. World War I Canadian Medical Officer, John McCrae's poem to commemo¬ rate the huge loss of soldier's lives during the First World War opens with the words "In Flanders fields the poppies blow." Canadians suffered especially heavy losses in WWI - out of a population of 7. 5 million, close to 70,000 died on the battlefield and another 140,000 were wounded (Royal Canadian Legion, "Teachers Guide" August 29, 2011 [online] http://www.legion.ca/_PDF/ Teachers/T_GUIDE_E.pdf). For generations, the memorization and recitation of "In Flanders Fields" has been standard fare in Canadian schools. Today, curriculum about Canadian military history, the meaning of the poppy other military commemoration ceremonies, as well as suggested lessons and activities are disseminated through "Teachers Guides" produced by both the Royal Canadian Legion and Veterans Affairs Canada. 13 In Panic Diaries: A Genealogy of Panic Disorder (2006) and "The Militarization of Inner Space" (2004) Jackie Orr traces the history of contemporary U.S. government's manipulation insecurity and terror as a means of militarizing the civilian psychology and calling into being the "civilian soldier." Likewise, in "Fear (The Spectrum Said)" (2005) and "The Future Birth of the Affective Fact: The Political Ontology of Threat" (2010) Brian Massumi argues that the modulation of fear through its production as an "affective fact" has become an increasingly pervasive and instrumentalized political tactic in post-g/n US. 14 CBC News/World, March 27, 2011 http://www.cbc.ca/news/ world/story/2on/o3/27/ afghanistan-soldier.html. 15 CBC News/World, April n, 2010 http://www.cbc.ca/news/ world/story/20io/o4/n/ afghanistan-canadian.html. honouring of the dead, but also, the message that this is not the time or place to debate foreign policy, to voice dissent or to question the geopolitical conditions that resulted in the loss of the military personnel being mourned (McCready 2010). Whereas the military has its own internal set of rituals and practices designed to transform recruits into battle-ready warriors, military memory projects act as a way of creating a kind of "civilian soldier": We stand at attention. We adhere to the rules of engagement - even if only temporally. 13 Through participation in the Highway of Heroes popular repatriation memorials, or Remembrance Day ceremonies, through the wearing of poppies (or our silence in the face of their prolific seasonal blossoming on jacket and coat lapels) we are temporarily interpellated as "civilian soldiers" (Orr 2004, 452). While civilian participants of the Highway of Heroes memorials perform their ritualized enactment of patriotic silence, it is military and state officials who shape the narratives that attribute meaning to the deaths: "The relentless commitment of CpI. Scherrer and other brave Canadians in Afghanistan is a source of pride to all Canadians." (Prime Minister Steven Harper on the death of Corporal Yannick Scherrer). 14 "Our Canadian Forces members... face an enemy that will go to any length to try to undermine any progress made. The courage demonstrated by Pte. Todd speaks volumes to his dedication to our country and to this mission" (Defence Minister Peter MacKay on the death of Private Tyler William Todd). 15 "The bravery and remarkable commitment of Canadians like Sapper Collier are bringing safety and stability to the people of Afghanistan ... Every day, their dedication and work protect our interests and values here at home and around the world. Sapper Collier's sacrifice will not be forgotten (Prime Minister Steven Harper on the death of Sapper Brian Collier)." 16 The Highway of Heroes spectacular and highly mediatized public memorials, together with these unproblematized narratives of heroism and benevolent militarism, and the absence of any recognition of Afghani causalities provide a "frame" through which Canadians, as citizens, apprehend (and participate in) the War in Afghanistan. What is inside the frame - Canada's heroic and willingly self-sacrificing military dead - is made visible while what is outside of the frame - Afghani dead and any culpability on the part of the Canadian military (and the Canadian public) in their deaths - is left unseen and therefore rendered inapprehensible. Through our acquiescence to the unspoken rules of engagement, rules that determine who and how we should mourn - silently and with an unquestioning patriotic pride - we ritualistically enlist. As a framing mechanism, the Highway of Heroes memorials with their militarized poetics serves several interrelated functions: They are a mechanism through which expressions of loss for Canadian military casualties are affectively linked with, and channeled into, nationalist narratives of heroism. By extension, through "the affirmjation] and exaltjation of] certain preferred national subjects: the masculinized, normative and morally unimpeachable young men (and to a lesser extent, women) whose sacrifice is not only the salvation of the national character, 56 16 CBC News/World, July 20, 2010 http://www.cbc.ca/news/ world/story/20io/o7/2o/ afghanistan-cdn-soldier-killed. html. 17 While McCready is referring to the migration of the U.S.'s popular Yellow Ribbon Campaign to Canada as a reflection of a larger trend towards the increased militarization of Canadian culture, throughout his essay he extends his argument to other aspects of Canada's military memory project including the Highway of Heroes memorials and Remembrance Day ceremonies. 18 Pearson was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957 for his role in the "creation of a 'Blue Helmet' force to follow through with the settlement of the Suez Canal" (Coulon and Liegeois, 2010: v) and went on to serve as Canada's 14 th Prime Minister, from 1963 to 1968. 19 The discourse of Canada's military's engagement in Afghanistan as an act of humanitarianism is dissemina¬ ted through official communica¬ tions by the Canadian Govern¬ ment and the Department of National Defence (DND): The Government of Canada's Website outlining "Canada's Engagement in Afghanistan" lists as Canada's four priorities, "(i) investing in the future of Afghan children and youth through development programming in education and health; (2) advancing security, the rule of law and human rights, through the provision of up to 950 CF trainers, support personnel, and approximately 45 Canadian civilian police to help train Afghan National Security Forces; (3) promoting regional diplomacy; and (4) helping deliver humanitarian assistance" (http://www.afghanistan.gc.ca/ canada-afghanistan/index. aspx?lang=eng). Beyond Heroism and Towards Shared Vulnerability Frakcija #58/59 Helene Vosters to be moved but retrospectively has become its foundation and guarantor" they silence public debate and opposition to the war (McCready 2010, 34). 17 And finally, through the provision of an institutionally supported venue for the "celebra¬ ted public grieving" of those - Canadian military personal - who are rende¬ red "grievable humans" they produce a corresponding "prohibition on the public grieving of others' [Afghani] lives" (Butler 2006, 37). Butler suggests that a more "egalitarian mourning" that insists on the grievability of all lives, a mourning that is based on the recognition that vulnerability is a primary (and shared) condition of life, could facilitate "an ethics of non-violence and a politics of a more radical redistribution of humanizing effects" (Butler 2003, 9). Writing in the context of the U.S. she argues, however, that such mourning would destroy national self-perception and require that "the notion of the world itself as a sovereign entitlement of the United States must be given up, lost, and mourned, as narcissistic and grandiose fantasies must be lost and mourned" (2006, 40). Extending Butler's analysis north of the border, one can imagine that if Canadians were to adopt a more egalitarian approach to grieving Afghan war deaths the collective identity we would have to give up and mourn is the (perhaps less narcissistic but equally grandiose) notion of ourselves as benevolent global peacekeepers, an identity historically and institutionally grounded the leadership role played by Canada's (then) Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lester B. Pearson, in the 1956 founding the first United Nations (UN) peacekeeping force in response to the crises in the Suez Canal. 18 Emergent Canadian Studies and Defense and Foreign Affairs scholars concur, however, that Canada's contemporary military agenda bears little resemblance to its historical peacekeeping mandate (Berland and Fitzpatrick, 2010; Fremeth, 2010; Coulon and Liegeois, 2010). Whereas Pearson helped shape prerequisites for early UN peacekeeping operations which included such conditions as a "cease-fire agreement; consent of the parties; impartiality of the Force; use of force strictly limited to self-defense; and executive responsibility of the Security General" (Coulon and Liegeois, 3), today, "Canadian governments have preferred to commit Canada to military interventions outside the UN structure, and in the particular case of Afghanistan, in a counter-insurgency mission" (50). Fremeth (2010) notes that corresponding to Canada's shift away from its self-defined military role as "peacemakers," to its current combat role in the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan, there has also been a more generalized and pervasive trend towards the militarization of Canadian culture. Fremeth suggests that a major contributing factor in facilitating this shift has been the significant increase in institutional and fiscal support for the expansion of Canadian military memory projects over the past decade. Through the simultaneous triggering and channeling of affect associated with the grief related to Canada's past and present military casualties into narratives of heroism, sacrifice and benevolent military intervention, these expanded military memory projects mask Canada's participation in "an imperial war of aggression, retribution and resource control" by "furnishing Canada with a sense of national innocence" (McCready 2010, 39). 19 Brian Massumi (2005) explains that the effective modulation of affect is achieved through its bifurcation, the splitting off of the emotional and phenomenological experience from cognitive or critical interpretation. Through the rendering of "affective experience" as subjective (private) it becomes separated from the political (public) and ideological process of producing rationalized narratives of nationalism with their accompanying Beyond Heroism and Towards Shared Vulnerability Helene Vosters Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 20 Also see Jackie Orr (2006, 2004) for an analysis of U.S. state and military's manipulation of fear as a mechanism for the interpellation of the "citizen soldier." 21 The notion of "the West" is problematic in many ways including (1) its historical (and biased) function as the signifier of "culture" and "western civilization" as positioned against the "Orient" and the "uncivilized other" and, (2) its invisibilization and homogeni¬ zation of the plurality of identity within and throughout "the West." My use of the term is not intended to deny these problematics. Rather, by focusing on how the dominant (and dominating) culture has constructed notions of death and mourning, my intent is to examine how (and why) certain practices of mourning have come to be normalized while "others" have become marginalized or altogether disappeared. military and foreign policy agendas. Whereas, in Massumi's example of the U.S. Homeland Security's color-coded terror alert system, fear is the "affective fact" through which the narrative for the necessity of a "war on terror" is produced, in the case of Canada's memorial memory projects, grief becomes the affective fact through which narratives of humanitarian militarism are manufactured and maintained. 20 The work of feminist scholars Nadia C. Seremetakis, Gail Holst-Warhaft and Jenny Hockey illuminate the long and gendered history that underpins the affective bifurcation of grief into public and private domains throughout the contemporary West. 21 They note that not only were women historically the primary mediators of community-based mourning rituals in most Western pre-industrial communities, but also, that women's lament operated as "an empowering poetics of the periphery" a space through which the "event of death" provided women with an opportunity to comment on and influence their social world (Seremetakis 1991, i). Skilled lamenters performed and conducted structured and collectivized improvisations that incorporated elements of sound, poetry and affective performance to channel the powerful emotions associated with death and to assist the bereaved in communicating their overwhelming and often "inarticulate grief" (Holst- Warhaft 2000, 4). Hockey notes that throughout the contemporary West, however, while cultural representations of grief (images and narratives) commonly associate grief's emotional expression with women, it is men who are more closely associated with the event of death through its narration and professional mediation. This gendering of the private/public, affective/cognitive bifurcation of mourning is evident in the media reports of Canadian military casualties in Afghanistan where it is predominantly male (military and state) spokespeople who are quoted, and therefore, who shape the public meaning¬ making narrative surrounding the deceased and the circumstances of their death, while the media images of emotional expressions of loss that affectively bolster these narratives are most often of those women - the wives, mothers or "girlfriends" of deceased soldiers. Interdicts against community mourning rituals in the West began as early as the sixth century B.C.E. when laws introduced by Solon in the city- states of Greece restricted the practice of "lamenting the dead" to those directly related to the deceased (Holst-Warhaft 2000, 34). Holst-Warhaft suggests that because of its focus on grief and loss women's lament interfered with the state's ability to control attitudes about the "value of death for the community or state [thus] making it difficult for authorities to recruit an obedient army" (1992, 3) and notes that as the state became increasingly involved in legislating mourning rituals the narratives associated with death also changed, with the emphasis moving away from loss or mourning and towards eulogy or the praise of the dead. Praise, especially in cases of death incurred in battle, became death's public face while the emotions associated with grief and loss became relegated to the increasingly isolated and privatized sphere of the nuclear family. Holst-Warhaft extends her historical analysis of women's lament to an examination of twentieth-century uses of public mourning and lament practices as a tool for community resistance, demonstrating the ongoing significance of control over the public and affective performance of mourning. An especially inspiring example of the deployment of community grief as tool of resistance to militarism is that of Las Madres de la Plaza de Mayo, whose courageous and persistent public performance of grief (and 58 Beyond Heroism and Towards Shared Vulnerability Helene Vosters Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 22 Through their politically effective utilization of "Motherhood" as a symbol of resistance to brutal state repression, the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo have influenced numerous subsequent groups and movements who have employed strategically essentialist notions of "mother" or "woman" to challenge violence, militarism and war. Some of these movements include CoMadres, the Committee of Mothers and Relatives of Political Prisoners, Disappeared, and Assassinated in El Salvador; the nuclear freeze movement in Briton and the U.S.; the Sri Lankan Mother's front and the former Yugoslavia's Women's Peace Movement (Bouvard, 1994). One of the most long-lasting and far-reaching groups that identify the Mothers as a key inspiration is Women in Black. rage) successfully challenged the Argentinean military junta's control over narratives related to their disappeared loved ones. Through their weekly protests in the plaza across from Argentina's Presidential Palace during the repressive military dictatorship, the Mother's of the Plaza de Mayo disrupted the state and media produced "percepticide" and effectively used their grief as a vehicle to (re)frame public discourse and generate national and international resistance to the junta's violent dictatorship. 22 When I returned to Canada in 2009, after living for almost twenty years in the U.S., and heard about the Highway of Heroes memorials I was initially very moved. They seemed such a refreshing change from the Bush administration's policy of censure. Naively, I imagined these "grassroots" displays of public mourning for Canada's repatriated military personnel to be Las Madres-like acts of resistance to militarism and opposition to the war in Afghanistan. As I bore witness to the pervasive media attention and aggrandized memorialization of Canada's military casualties, I was struck, however, by the singularity of the militarized narrative: Where are the voices of the mothers, fathers, children, lovers, friends and citizens who dissent from the Canadian military's narrative of the happy warriors who selflessly sacrifice their lives in acts of enlightened military intervention? Where are our expressions of grief and outrage? Where is the recognition of the Afghani dead? Where is our contemporary peripheral poetics of lament, which through its incorporation of affective expression with "critical interpretation" has the capacity to challenge militarized and media-endorsed nationalistic narratives of heroic warrior-ship? Blog entry: Impact Afghanistan War, January 6, 2011 Yesterday, while falling at York an ambulance appeared on the horizon. It was traveling on a footpath and heading my way. As I fell - ninety-two, ninety-three, ninety-four - several questions went through my mind: Will I finish before they reach me? Will they, can they, stop me? Who called them?? By ninety-six the ambulance pulled up in front of me and alongside my stand with its postcards and inscribed-upon flag. A paramedic rolled down his window - ninety-seven - looked at the cards and the flag - ninety-eight - looked at me - ninety-nine - rolled up his window and the ambulance drove on. In the ambulance's wake I was struck by a sudden and raw surge of emotion. I wanted to cry out. To hurl myself to the ground. To weep, and scream with outrage: Emergency! Emergency! Emergency! Beyond Heroism and Towards Shared Vulnerability Helene Vosters Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 59 Bibliography Berland, Jody and Blake Fitzpatrick (eds). 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"Tie a Yellow Ribbon 'Round Public Discourse, National Identity and the War: Neoliberal Militarization and the Yellow Ribbon Campaign in Canada." Cultures of Militarization: Special Edition ofTopia, Canadian Journal of Cultural Studies. Ed. Berland, Jody and Blake Fitzpatrick. Cape Breton: Cape Breton University Press, 2010. Print. NBC Nightly News. "A hard road: The Highway of Heroes." n, Nov. 2008. Web. 10, June 2011. . Orr, Jackie. "The Militarization of Inner Space." Critical Sociology 30 2 (2004): 30. Print. Orr, Jackie. Panic Diaries: A Genealogy of Panic Disorder. Durham: Duke University Press, 2006. Print. Royal Canadian Legion. "The Royal Canadian Legion: Teachers' Guide." n.d. Web. 2, Sept. 2on. . San Francisco Chamber of Commerce. "San Francisco Open for Business." n.d. Web. 3, Sept. 2on. . Seremetakis, Constantina-Nadia. "Women and Death: Cultural Power and Ritual Process in Inner Mani." Canadian Women’s Studies 8 2 (1987): 3. Print. Seremetakis, Constantina-Nadia. The Last Word: Women, Death, and Divination in Inner Mani. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1991. Print. Taylor, Diana. Disappearing Acts: Spectacle of Gender and Nationalism in Argentina's 'Dirty War’. Durham and London: Duke University Press, 1997. Print. Thompson, Mark. "Should the Military Return to Counting Bodies?" Time U.S. 2, June 2009 Web. 2, Sept. 2011. . The Trews and Gordie Johnson. "Highway of Heroes." 2010. Bumstead Productions LTD. U.S. Department of National Defense. "Enduring Freedom Operational Update." News Transcript, Public Affairs. 30, Oct. 2001. Web. 20, Aug. 2011. . 60 Letters to —; On the Construction and Sharing of Effective Means Frakcija #58/59 to be moved Dear-, I am worried about your embedded bout of disavowal. The submerged magenta hidden under your blue. I can’t see a difference between the shore, spilled iodine, and fissures in a sinking craft. What I’m asking for is a fish border, a fence equal to her scattered breath. You would sound so good beside my name.* Love, * George Kalamaras & Eric Baus, Births Incurred/your recently collected saliva (2003). Letters to — Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 61 On the Construction and Sharing of Effective Means Dear-, When the superstructure obstructs the development of the economic base, political and cultural changes become principal and decisive. Are we going against materialism when we say this? No.* Love, * Mao Tse-Tung, On Contradiction (1937). 62 Hod unatrag Ric Allsopp Frakcija #58/59 to be moved Hod unatrag: koreografske slike, zaborav 1 utopija sadasnjosti* Ric Allsopp S engleskoga prevela Monika Bregovic Uvod S namjerom da se pozabavim s poetikom, mehanizmima i tehnologijama zaborava unutar same izvedbe te njiho- vom ulogom u njezinu razumijevanju i recepciji, okupio sam ideje koje bi se mogle upotrijebiti u promisljanju onoga sto je u pitanju u cinu izvedbe - osobito ako je taj cin proizvoden primarno tjelesnim sredstvima u obliku koreografije i plesa. Zelio bih raspraviti o "koreografskim slikama", pri cemu ne mislim na koreografske slike u normativnom smislu, u obliku sistematicnih i koherentnih obrazaca plesnih fraza unutar vremenski zadanog estetskog objekta izvedbe, vec na koreografske slike u obliku integralnog i nerazdvojivog odnosa izmedu pokreta i zapisa - izmedu nestalog ili zaboravljenog i preostalog, te njihovih uzajamnih modifikacija: zaboravljeno oblikovanje, negativan prostor preostalog; koreografska slika u smislu emocionalne, a ne reprezentacijske dinamike. Ovaj rad polazi od pretpostavke da su mehanizmi zaborava sastavni dio koreografske koncepcije odnosa izmedu pokreta i sjecanja te sastavni dio izvedbe kao sredstva utjelovljenja slika i dozivljavanja igre prisjecanja i zaborava koji cine iskustvo umjetnickog djela. Za pristup aspektima suvremene izvedbene prakse i njezinu odnosu s koreografijama fizickih i afektivnih slijepih pjega sluzim se Benjaminovom anticipacijom "utopije u srcu sadasnjosti" i njegovom idejom o materijalnosti povijesti. 01 Fizicka slijepa pjega koja se proteze iza nasih leda podrucje je koje se tijekom hoda unatrag zaboravlja i s kojim se ujedno (paradoksalno) suocava- mo. Hod unatrag metaforicka je i doslovna interakcija s beskonacnim prosto- rom iza nasih leda i zaboravom kao sredstvom oblikovanja i preoblikovanja * Ovajje rad prvi put izlozen na konferenciji PSh7 'Camillo 2.0' na panelu 'tehnologije zaborava' u Utrechtu (svibanj 2011.); u srpnju 2on. izlozen je kao ilustrirano predavanje za MA SODA pri HZT, University of the Arts, Berlin. oi Vidi Walter Benjamin, 1940/ 1999; Stephane Moses, 2009: 108; Freddie Rokem, 2010:141- 176 Hod unatrag Ric Allsopp Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 63 naseg videnja svijeta. Tijelo je pokretni proprioceptivni mehanizam koji neprestano mijenja nasu percepciju i interakciju sa svijetom te kao takvo utjelovljuje kontinuiranu transformaciju odnosa tehnologije, sjecanja i iskustva. Rad uspostavlja provizorne poveznice izmedu Benjaminove tvrdnje da je "slika ono u cemu se proslo u bljesku sastavlja u konstelaciju sa sadasnjim" ( Passagenwerk ); koncepta slike pjesnika Charlesa Olsona prema kojem je slika cezura ili praznina izmedu ritma i spoznaje, prostora i djelovanja, znacenja i tvari; "akcije" kao transformacije materijala i misli kao sto ih zamislja Joseph Beuys; analize carobnih radnji i njihove srodnosti s umjetnoscu i sjecanjem koju predlaze Carolyn Nakamura. 02 Yes. No. A bit. Not Really. Predlozio bih analizu novijeg koreografskog djela Yes. No. A bit. Not Really (2010.) glazbenika Borisa Haufa, reziserke Lucy Cash i koreografkinje Christine Ciupke, izvedenog u listopadu 2010., u berlinskom Sophiensaele. Zanimljivoje sto je Benjaminova tvrdnja da je "svako sada vrijeme odredene prepoznatlji- vosti" ili trenutka prepoznavanja (Rokem, 1999:144) vidljiva u izvedbi paralel- no s idejom da je slika sadasnjosti oblik zaborava i rekonstrukcije: da hodamo ili se "suocavamo" istovremeno prema naprijed i nazad, da proslost prizivamo ali i preoblikujemo dok ona istovremeno preoblikuje nas, i da takve moguce transformacije (i njihove doslovne i afektivne posljedice) operiraju ne samo na razini umjetnickog djela (estetike) vec i na razini svakodnevnice. Odnos izmedu formalnih estetskih aspekata djela i svakodnevnih pokreta koje priziva i kojima se istovremeno koristi takoder docaravaju osjecaj besko- nacnog toka pokreta koji proizvodi emocionalan i gotovo opipljiv osjecaj prostora s jedne strane, a percepciju formalnih i citljivih ritmicnih oblika koji uokviruju i ogranicuju djelo s druge. Djelo Yes. No. A bit. Not Really. (2010.) opisuje se kao "kolaborativna kompozicija koja uspostavlja veze izmedu ritma, slike, zvuka i pokreta u intimnom prostoru za malobrojnu publiku"; sam naziv vec mozda nagovjestava neke svakodnevne odgovore na zaboravljena pitanja. Programska knjizica poducava citatelja umjetnosti izabiranja sjedeceg mjesta: Izaberite svoje mjesto na polaroidima izlozenim u predvorju. Svaka fotografija ima broj koji oznacuje broj sjedala. Izaberite fotografiju koja vam privuce paznju i pronadite odgovarajuce sjedalo u Hochzeitssaalu. Spustio sam se do predvorja na prvom katu i na zidu ugledao priblizno pedeset polaroida urbane svakodnevnice. Izabrao sam broj 320 - polaroid stola sa svjetiljkom i oznakom "tiho" te neprepoznatljivom osobom koja sjedi s druge strane. Zaboravio sam zasto me bas ta slika privukla. Polaroidi oznacuju, podjednako oblikom i teksturom kao i sadrzajem, neposrednost svakodnevnice. Daju dodatni osjecaj izmjestenosti izmedu sadasnjeg mjesta i vremena i njima bliskog mjesta i vremena koji su uvuceni u izvedbu i koji informiraju ili pak uznemiruju gledatelja. Zatim smo pozvani smo na kat u Hochzeitssaal, u vise-manje cetverokutni prostor (oko 10 x 10 metara) okruzen numeriranim stolcima s ulazom na svakom uglu. Pod je zut. Slijedi opis same izvedbe po sjecanju, cin sjecanja kroz pisanje koje utjelovljuje asocijacije, ocekivanja a ujedno i pocetak zaborava. 02 Vidi Walter Benjamin, 1999: N3/1, pp. 462-463 citirano u Rokem, 2010:144--145; Charles Olson, 1970; Gregory Ulmer, 1985: 225- 264; Nakamura, 2006:18-45. 64 Hod unatrag Ric Allsopp Frakcija #58/59 to be moved Tri izvodaca polako se krecu unatrag oko vanjskog ruba/ publike. Tri izvodaca leze na podu - prijelaz sa hoda na puzanje i lezanje. Pravokutni pokrivac. Partenisica - svaka ispodjednog ugla pokrivaca. Hod unatrag uz vanjski i unutarnji rub prostora. Sad malo po dijagonali. Osvrtanje unatrag. Pogled prema gore, pogled u stranu - povremeno medusobno gledanje. Enigmaticni osmijesi. Tko su ovi likovi? Nema oklijevanja. Samo glatki prijelazi u smjerovima - naprijed i nazad; nazad i naprijed; od vertikale prema horizontal!; od horizontale prema vertikali. Ritmovi hodanjatihim koracima. Formalna konstrukcija kazalista sjecanja - ali bez sadrzaja? Polaroidi na zidu izblijedjeli iz sjecanja. Sva tri izvodaca leze na boku - spavaju pa se okrenu; spavaju pa se okrenu. Pod pokrivacem, povlace pokrivac, preklapaju pokrivac. Ponavljanje harmonicne sekvence - meditativno i uspavljujuce - sjecanje samo. Pokret je linearan i uglat. Krivulje se pojavljuju samo kod lezanja. Pogled prema publici. Trenuci prepoznavanja preobrazavaju se (poput glazbene pratnje) u osjecaj da nicega nema, likovi nastanjuju drugi prostor i vrijeme, druge povijesne trenutke. "Utopija sadasnjosti" - trenutak "prijelaza" od jednog do drugog, inverzija, trajno vracanje u kontekst. Heidegger je tehnologiju shvacao cinom razotkrivanja (1993: 307-342). Sto tehnologija zaborava koja se razvija kroz izvedbu i tri tijela razotkiva i kako? Sto tocno preostaje? Mozda preostaje upravo trenutak same emocije, trajna, blaga fluktuacija sjecanja i zaborava, koja mapira pokrete i otkrivenja svakodnevnog iskustva. Zelio bih locirati upamcene fragmente izvedbe - fragmente preostale nakon procesa zaborava, a koje sam upravo na niz razlicitih nacina prizvao ili ponovo sastavio: kroz dvije preostale jasne slike - hod unatrag i pokrivac - koje izranjaju u odnosu na tijelo u pokretu, odnosno u obliku koreografskih slika; i iz raznih perspektiva razmotriti kako te dvije slike "preostaju" nakon procesa zaborava. Prva slika je "hod unatrag", obrat i retrogradni pokret kao formalna kompozicijska strategija i sredstvo izmjestanja i ometanja pozornosti i ocekivanja. To je promisljeni pokret; pokret koji se opire okretanju. Kretanje ili hod unatrag ipak nije ulicni i svakodnevni pokret. Hod unatrag "iskljucuje" okret, obrtanje oko osi, frontalnost koja dominira u svakodnevnom kretanju. Radi se o izrazito svetom, ritualnom i estetskom pokretu. Druga slika ukljucuje pokrivac kao prostor koji je pokretan, preklopljiv i koji omata; toplina, vrelina, sigurnost, granica i pokrov, trenutak iz kojeg pokret izvire i u kojem uz bezbroj asocijacija zavrsava. Teksturirani prostor koji je u interakciji sa povrsinom okruzenom posjednutim gledateljima ili ljudima koji hodaju unatrag, i modificira je. Obje slike ukljucuju i obuhvacaju tijela u pokretu u obliku dvostrukog zapisa akcije i objekta; tijela koja povezuju i ispreplicu akciju i objekt, transformiraju i bivaju transformirana pokrivacem kao prenosivim prostorom, pokretnom granicom; hodom unatrag u slijepu pjegu. Kako prezivljava ono sto preostaje? Slike Walter Benjamin je primijetio da se "povijest razlama u slike, a ne price". 03 U "The Gift of Past", Emily Jacir I Susan Bucks-Morss komentiraju poznati Benjaminov "naslov" za Kleeovu sliku Angelus Novus (1920.) i primijecuju da prolazna prisutnost materijalnog svijeta i ljudske srece ostavlja za sobom metafizicku nesigurnost koja afirmira prolaznost jer nam se 03 Citirano u Jacir & Bucks-Morss, 2011: 26 Hod unatrag Ric Allsopp Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 65 samo kroz nju ukazuje istina. Njegovaje slika osjetljiva na vrijeme. (2011: 34 ) Isto se mozda moze reci i za koreografsko djelo, nepostojanu prirodu "prolaz- nog" pokreta. Pies, prolaznost tijela koje se krece i hoda ostavljaju slabi trag svoje prisutnosti. Stvaraju svoje slike (ono sto prezivljava/preostaje/preobra- zava) "u pokretu, prolazno". Slika - "zadrzana" ili rezidualna slika koja se proizvodi s publikom i za nju definirana je zaboravom kojim se, s vremenom, "visak" odbacuje ili pak zadrzava. Sjecamo se samo kljucne slike bez okolnih pojedinosti. Djelo se postupno rastvara u svoje zadrzane slike - primjerice, ritam hoda unatrag, otkrivanje pokrivaca. Pokret tijela koje pokazuje, zapisuje, slika ili prinosi zrtvu svojom sposobnoscu okretanja docarava tropicku radnju koja priziva i sjecanje i zaborav (vraca aspekte koji su izgubljeni, zaboravljeni, odbaceni, zanemareni) i na trenutak vraca u zivot (u Benjaminovu smislu konstelacije koja oblikuje sliku) uvjete koji sadrze sliku. To "mjesto" ili marker okretanja ili vracanja operira kao temeljni princip u Olsonovoj projektivnoj poetici u kojoj topos (mjesto) / typos (otisak) / tropos (radnja) cine pokret i dinamiku fizickog procesa iz kojeg slika proizlazi. U ranoj projektivnoj pjesmi ABCs (2) (1949.) oformljuje se slika dinamike izmedu mjesta i njegova prepoznavanja - one sd: of rhythm is image of image is knowing of knowing there is a construct Ta dinamika konstituira tehnologiju "toposa", kao sustava "mjesta" u kazalistu sjecanja, u kojemu slika kontinuirano djeluje dvosmjerno: natrag prema ritmu/ uzroku i naprijed prema znanju/spoznaji, mjestu "invencije" koje se u obicajnoj tradiciji povezuje sa "kretanjem po polju", lociranjem slika i ideja te pronalaskom njihovih zivih poveznica; djelovanje "kompozicije prema polju", kao sto Olson predlaze, u kojoj je forma tek produzetak sadrzaja: slike razmjestene tako da se "nista ne dogada osim samog mjesta". To dinamicno polje podsjeca na Benjaminovu "Denkbild" ili "mentalnu sliku" koja "izvodi misao putem slike koja je priguseno i tiho zavrsila" (Rokem, 2010:172). Primjer istoga jest njegov naslov za Kleeovu sliku na kojoj rajska oluja otpuhne bespomocnog Andela povijesti natrag u buducnost, pri cemu se neprestano redefinira mjesto iz kojeg pokret proizlazi dok se Andeo "sprema odmaknuti od onoga u sto gleda". Koreografija nam, s druge strane, nudi drugaciji oblik "mentalne slike" - u ovom slucaju mozda "Bewegungsbild" ili "Tanzbild" - odnosno pokret u obliku "koreografske slike". Olson u Syllabary for a Dancer (1952.) napominje da je "(p)les i objekt i akcija". Istovremeno objekt i akcija" 04 , preklapanje dvosmjernog pokreta misli i tijela koji proizvode osjetilnu ili reprezentacijsku "koreografsku sliku". Naknadni efekti Drugi pristup onome sto preostaje jest putem "naknadnih efekata". U ovom slucaju zadrzana slika tijela (onoga sto preostaje) rastvara se i postaje vidljiva u obliku "koreografske slike, kako je provizorno nazivam"; no ne u trenutku njezine proizvodnje, vec nakon prolaska vremena koje konstituira zaborav. 04 Prvi put objavljeno u Maps 4 (1971) str. 9-15 66 Hod unatrag Ric Allsopp Frakcija #58/59 to be moved Gregory Ulmer u raspravi o "Akcijama" Josepha Beuysa primjecuje da Beuysovi objekti "proizvode referencijalni ucinak, iako ni na sto ne referiraju". Drugim rijecima, referencijalnost omogucuje primatelj kojije u odnosu na podrazaj, sam proizvodi iz sebe". (Ulmer, 1985: 251) Teziste djela premjesta se s pitanja "tko govori" na pitanje "tko prima" - odnosno, na sposobnost primatelja ili gledatelja da cita djelo kao sliku - u ovom slucaju sliku tijela koja hodaju unatrag. Ulmer primjecuje da su Beuysovi objekti-akcije zamisljeni da djeluju putem naknadnog efekta, radeci tako s "vremenom razumijevanja" [...] [Mjorate iskusiti Beuysova djela nakon dostatnog vremenskog odmaka, oblikovanog sjecanjem" (1985: 252) Predlazem da se ideja "naknadnog efekta" upotrijebi i za razumijevanje i obrazlozenje koreografske slike - osobito kad se proizvodi bez referenta - kinetikom samog tijela. Ulmer tvrdi da su Beuysovi objekti istovremeno ono sto jesu (njihove osobine motiviraju koncept koji im se pridaje) i stimulacija generalnog procesa sjecanja i imaginacije. Na primarnoj razini, objekt ne prenosi "poruku" vec pokrece gledatelja - ostavsi otvoren u svojoj referencijalnosti, objekt priziva asocijativna sjecanja motivirana ne osobinama objekta vec primateljem: tema djela poput Fat Corner [...] nije imanentna materijalu i nije joj moguce pristupiti interpretativnim sredstvima vec prizivanjem asocijativnog sjecanja gledatelja. (1985: 251) To asocijativno sjecanje (na razini angazmana pojedinca sa procesom slike) vezano je uz ucinak zaborava, povratak koreografskih slika koje djelo poput Yes. No. A bit. Not Really, proizvodi, naknadni efekt koji djeluje uz pomoc "vremena razumijevanja" koje je definirano kao "dostatna" distanca. Prisjecanje u Benjaminovu smislu oznacuje ne samo evokaciju trenutaka iz proslosti vec i njihovu transformaciju. "Modificirajuci" ucinak prisjecanja jest instrument retroaktivnog ucinka sadasnjosti na proslost; zahvaljujuci prisjecanju povijesno vrijeme vise ne izgleda nepovratno". (Moses, 2009:121) Ono podsjeca na Olsonovu prostornu sliku povijesti kao polja a ne kronologije. Mozdaje moguce i sam protok vremena zamisliti kao "slijepu pjegu"; vrijeme potrebno za zaborav sporednih pojedinosti slike i "upamcivanje" - doslovno sastavljanje slike kao konstelacije "sadasnjosti" i asocijacija okupljenih oko same slike - ili za oblikovanje slike nakon "dostatnog vremena". "Vrijeme" se ne smatra ritmom vec sastavnicom mehanizma kojije, prema Olsonovoj projektivnoj poetici, nuzan za pretvaranje slike u saznanje i zatim konstrukt. Ne radi se o brzini komodifikacije - instantnoj referencijalnoj ili ugadajucoj kvaliteti slike - vec naknadnom ucinku koji nas ujedno dime i uznemiruje. Pisac Peter Handke je u odnosu na Beuysov rad primijetio da "naknadni efekt transformiranih objekata koji nadopunjavaju polje asocijacija [koje gledatelj unosi u djelo] ostavlja veoma snazan dojam" (citirano u Ulmer, 1985: 252). "Intenzitet" slike jest njezina sposobnost da za pojedinca te naknadne efekte odrzava u napetosti. Takoder je zanimljivo promotriti Beuysovo shvacanje "akcije" prema kojem je akcija "samo jos jedna rijec za prirodu pokreta [...] Upisao sam karakter akcije u svoj rad: kako bih pronasao pocetke pokreta u svijetu" (Ulmer, 1985: 255); gdje pocinje pokret; kako sam pokret oblikuje nase odnose s kontekstom koji odredujemo i koji odreduje nas. Pokret zapisa i zapis Hod unatrag Ric Allsopp Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 67 pokreta razotkrivenog unutar koreografske slike povezuje materijal i misao ne demonstracijom vec utjelovljenjem ideje. Beuysovi "objekti-akcije" u obliku dvostrukog zapisa paralelni su s koreografskim slikama Yes. No. A bit. Not Really, na temelju dvostrukog zapisa tijela koje propituje materijale hoda i njegova izmjestanja u svrhu razotkrivanja "vlastitih" osobina. Carobne radnje Naposljetku mozemo napomenuti i kako koreografskom tijelu i nereferencijalnim slikama koje stvara mozemo pristupiti kao carobnim radnjama ili ih i same promatrati kao carobne radnje: radnje koja se uvijek pokrecu iznova i ostaju nedovrsene (kao i samo tijelo) jer uvijek nadilaze granice reprezentacije. Kao sto sam pokusao dokazati, tijelo u izvedbi moze se i iz Beuysove i Olsonove perpektive promatrati kao "objekt-akcija". U The General Theory of Magic antropolog Marcel Mauss (1902) tvrdi da je "carolija i izvodenje radnje i misljenje". 05 Prakticno djelovanje carolije jest paralela, protuteza i korespondencija poetici - cinu stvaranja - koji je od osobitog interesa u svakoj diskusiji o stvaranju suvremene izvedbene prakse. Analiza carobnih praksi koju nudi Carolyn Nakamura sredstvo je uz pomoc kojeg se koreografska slika te Beuysovo shvacanje pokretnog nereferencijalnog tijela kao "objekta-akcije" mogu promatrati iz druge perspektive (Nakamura, 2005). Podsjeca donekle i na Irit Rogoff i njezin koncept "odvracanja pogleda" koje ona shvaca radikalnim sredstvom gledanja: utoliko sto se koreografska slika udaljuje od normativnih percepcija tijela kao reprezentacije kojom se na sto ukazuje ili pak zamjenjuje. 06 U raspravi o carobnom u odnosu na predmete koji pruzaju zastitu - predmete koji imaju moc odvracanja zlih utjecaja ili nesrece (od grckog - "okrenuti se, okrenuti se od nekoga/necega") - Nakamura tvrdi da konvencionalne arheoloske interpretacije orijentirane na objasnjenje i smisao "ne dohvacaju najsnaznije aspekte drevne magije, upravo ono sto magiju cini magicnom" (2005: 21). Njezin pristup, barem prema mojem misljenju, ima poveznice s izvedbom koja (namjerno ili ne) stoji izvan ili na marginama normativnih percepcija tijela u pokretu - "koreografskom slikom" kakvu opisujem u ovom radu - u nereferencijalnim aspektima tijela u pokretu tijekom izvedbi, poput onih koje nudi Yes. No. A bit Not Really. Nakamura primjecuje da je u takvim okolnostima [pjotrebno prizvati caroliju uperenu izravno u smisao i tvar te uronjenu u sjenovite procese materijalizirajuceg iskustva, uvjerenja i vrijednosti" [...] Potrebno je uzeti u obzir logiku a ne estetiku carolije kojom se ostvaruje smisao (Cosden, 2001). Time se aktivira radikalna materijalnost koja ne samo da odreduje zajednicku konstituciju subjekata i objekata, vec i stvara uvjete za takve diskurzivne prakse." (2005: 21) 05 Citirano u Nakamura, 2006: 21. 06 Vidi Irit Rogoff, 2005:117-134. Ako razmisljamo o koreografskim slikama unutar okvira koje sam pokusao izloziti, "njihova privlacnost lezi u nemogucnosti njihova dovrsenja, potpunog ili savrsenog otkrivanja; ljudski odnosi uvijek je pokrecu i daju joj poticaj". (2005: 23) Na taj nacin koreografska slika uvijek "nadilazi vlastiti opis" i razotkriva "ekstra-semanticku funkciju carobnog objekta". Nakamura upucuje na srodnost carolije, umjetnosti i sjecanja: 68 Hod unatrag Ric Allsopp Frakcija #58/59 to be moved Na taj nacin, carobni objekt ne samo da reprezentira. On prezentira. Ta prezentacija, koja ne reprezentira ili izmislja vec dohvaca (Deleuze 2003:48), priziva silu koja nadilazi ukupnost slozenih odnosa i ideja koji je proizvode" [...] Transakcije izmedu covjeka i stvari slijede ekonomiju sadasnjosti u smislu da ne teze pomirenju suprotnosti vec ocuvanju razdvojenosti." (2005: 23-4) Da zakljucim, "koreografska slika" koja proizlazi iz kinetike samog tijela (ili je unutar nje sadrzana) - cin kretanja bez referenta - nosi sa sobom punocu (ali ne i dovrsenost) prisutnosti tijela. Ne "sto" vec "kako". Ako vrijedi Bahtinova izjava da "biti znaci komunicirati" te da tijek takve razmjene podrazumijeva osjetilnu intimnost vanjskog svijeta i nas samih, tada "biti znaci biti za drugog i kroz druge za nas same". "[Cjudenje je kljucno nacinu razumijevanja koji "dohvaca ono sto u nama i drugima prethodi razumu i nadilazi razum". (Pettigrew 1999:66) Tjelesni osjet u ovom je slucaju kljucan jer poznaje vise od onog sto izrazavaju rijeci. Carobni "trik" lezi u dohvacanju nepoznatog dezorganizacijom svih osjeta; kao rezultat, deregulira odnose koje rigorozno reguliraju normativni kulturalni oblici. Estetsko iskustvo magije tezi ponovnom uspostavljaju povezanosti izmedu ljudi, stvari i mjesta u njihovu neodvojivom jedinstvu, jedinstvu koje biva prikriveno "uobicajenim nacinima percepcije". (Harrison 1993:180). Carolija tako tezi perceptivnim pokretima koji neprestano oblikuju smisao umjesto da mu teze. (2005: 25-26) Ono sto smatramo kontinuitetom (polazeci od Benjaminove ideje o umrtvljujucem kontinuitetu povijesti koja se opire transformaciji) kontinuirano prekida cin zaborava - taj trenutni ili postupni gubitak koji stvara kljucni lorn za ponovo stvaranje svijeta i proizvodnju "utopije u srcu sadasnjosti". Hod unatrag Ric Allsopp Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 69 Bibliografija Benjamin, Walter (1999) The Arcades Project, prev. Eiland & McLaughlin, Cambridge MA., London: Harvard University Press Benjamin, Walter (i999[i94oj) 'Theses on the Philosophy of History' u Illuminations, ur. Hannah Arendt, London: Pimlico Deleuze, Cilles (2003) Francis Bacon: The Logic of Sensation, prev. D.W.Smith, Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press Cosden, Chris (2001) 'Making Sense: Archeology and Aesthetics' u World Archeology 33 (2): 163-167 Harrison, Robert Pogue (1993) Forests: The Shadow of Civilization Chicago: Chicago University Press Heidegger, Martin (1993) 'The Question of Technology' u Basic Writings, ur. David Krell.New York: Harper Collins Jacir, Emily & Susan Bucks-Morss (2011) 'The Gift of the Past' u 100 Notes- 100 Thoughts: No. 004 Ostflidern: Hatje Cantz/ Documenta 13 Kassel Nakamura, Carolyn (2005) 'Mastering Matters: Magical Sense and Apotropaic Figurine worlds of Neo-Assyria' u Archaeologies of Materiality, ur. Lynn Meskell, Oxford: Blackwell Mauss, Marcel (2001 [1902]) A General Theory of Magic, London: Routledge Moses, Stephane (2009) The Angel of History: Rosenzweig, Benjamin, Scholem, Stanford: Stanford University Press Olson, Charles (1971)' A Syllabary for a Dancer' u Maps 4 Olson, Charles (1970) 'ABCs (2)' u The Archeologist of Morning London: Cape Goliard Press Pettigrew, David E. (1999) 'Merleau-Ponty and the Unconscious: A Poetic Vision' u Merleau-Ponty [...], ur. D. Olkowski and J. Morley, Albany: SUNY Press Rogoff, Irit (2005) 'Looking Away: Participation in Visual Culture' u After Criticism, ur. Gavin Butt, Oxford: Blackwell Rokem, Freddie (2010) Philosophers and Thespians: Thinking Performance, Stanford: Stanford University Press Ulmer, Gregory (1985) Applied Grammatology, Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press Walking Backwards Ric Allsopp Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 70 Walking Backwards: Choreographic Images Forgetting and the onia of the Present* Ric Allsopp Introduction n an attempt to engage with the poetics, mechanisms and technologies of forgetting within performance, and how they help us to understand the event and reception of performance, I want to bring together some ideas that might allow us to rethink what is at stake in the event of performance itself - especially where that event is produced primarily through bodily means in forms of choreography or dance. I want to discuss 'choreographic images' not in a normative sense as the systematic and coherent patterning of movement phrases in a time-based aesthetic object of performance; but as an integral and inseparable relationship between movement and inscription - between what disappears or is forgotten, and what remains, and how each of these terms modifies the other: the forgotten forming, as it were, the negative space of what remains; the choreographic image as an emotional rather than representational dynamic. This paper assumes that mechanisms of forgetting are integral to a choreographic conception of the relation between movement and memory, and of performance as a means of embodying images and experiencing the play of recollection and forgetting that constitute our experience of the art work. It considers Walter Benjamin's anticipation of 'a utopia in the heart of present' and his conception of the materiality of history, as a means of engaging with aspects of contemporary performance practice and its relation to the choreographies of physical and affective blind spots. 01 The physical blind-spot that extends behind our backs is an area both forgotten and confronted (paradoxically) through actions of walking backwards. Walking backwards is both a metaphorical and literal engagement with the endless space behind our backs and the necessity of * This paper was first given at PSI17 'Camillo 2.0' as part of a panel on 'technologies of forgetting' in Utrecht (May 2on); and subsequently as a illustrated lecture for MA SODA at HZT, University of the Arts Berlin in July 2011. oi See Walter Benjamin, 1940/ 1999; Stephane Moses, 2009: 108; Freddie Rokem, 2010:141- 176 Walking Backwards Ric Allsopp Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 71 forgetting as a means of shaping and reshaping our perspective on the world. The body is a moving proprioceptive technology that is continually altering our perception of, and our engagement with, the world and as such is an embodiment of a continually transforming relation between technology, memory and experience. The paper makes some tentative connections between Benjamin's perception that 'image is that wherein what has been comes together in a flash with the now to form a constellation' ( Passagenwerk ); the poet Charles Olson's idea of image as that which turns in the caesura or gap between rhythm and knowing, between place and action, between meaning and matter; Joseph Beuys' 'actions' as transformations of material and thought; and Carolyn Nakamura's analysis of magical operations and their kinship to art and memory. 02 Yes. No. A bit. Not Really. I would like to suggest a reading of a recent choreographic work Yes. No. A bit. Not Really (2010) by the musician Boris Hauf, the film-maker Lucy Cash and choreographer Christina Ciupke, that was shown at Sophiensaele in Berlin last October (2010). On seeing the work in performance, I was intrigued by the way that Walter Benjamin's idea that 'each now is the time of a particular recognizability' or moment of recognition (Rokem, 1999:144), was visible in the work in parallel with the idea that the image of the present moment is also both a form of forgetting and reconstructing: that we walk, or 'face', backwards and forwards at the same time, that we do not simply evoke the past but transform it as it in turn transforms us, and that such potential transformations (and their actual and affective consequences) operate not only at the level of the art work (aesthetics), but also at the level of the everyday. The relationship between the formal aesthetic aspects of the work and the everyday movements that it both invokes and utilises also suggests a feeling, on the one hand, of endless flows of movement that produce an emotional and almost tangible sense of space; and, on the other, a perception of formal and legible rhythmic shapes that frame and contain the work. Yes. No. A bit. Not Really. (2010) is described as 'a collaborative composition that proposes connections between rhythm, image, sound and movement in an intimate setting for a small audience'; and its title perhaps already suggests some everyday answers to forgotten questions. The programme notes instruct the reader on the art of choosing a seat: To choose your seat we invite you to view the polaroids in the foyer. Each photograph has a number below, which is the number of a seat. Please select a number from below a photograph that draws your attention and find the corresponding seat number amongst the chairs in the Hochzeitssaal. 02 See Walter Benjamin, 1999: N34, pp. 462-463 quoted in Rokem, 2010:144--145; Charles Olson, 1970; Gregory Ulmer, 1985: 225- 264; Nakamura, 2006:18-45. I walk up to the foyer on the first floor and see approximately 50 polaroids of the urban everyday displayed on the wall. I choose number 320 - a polaroid shot across a table top with a lamp, a sign saying 'silence' and an indistinct figure seated on the other side of the table. I forget now why I was attracted to this particular image. The polaroid images signify, as much through shape and texture as through their contents, the immediacy of the everyday. They give an additional sense of a displacement between 'here and now' and a 12 Walking Backwards Ric Allsopp Frakcija #58/59 to be moved closely parallel 'here and now' that is taken into the performance and that informs or disturbs the seated spectator. We are called up stairs to the Hochzeitssaal where we find a more or less square space (about no x no meters) bordered by chairs (each numbered) with an entrance at each corner. The floor is yellow. What follows now is what I remember of the performance itself, an act of remembering through writing that incorporates associations, anticipations, and always already a process of forgetting. Three performers walk backwards slowly around the outside of the perimeter/ audience. Three performers lying on floor - the transitions from walking to crawling to lying. A rectangular blanket. A pair of trainers - individually placed under the corner of the blanket. Walking backwards around outer and inner perimeters of the space. Some diagonals. Looking backwards. Looking upwards, looking sideways - occasionally looking at each other. Enigmatic smiles. Who are these figures? There is nothing hesitant here. Only smooth transitions in direction - forwards and backwards; backwards and forwards; from the vertical to the horizontal; from the horizontal to the vertical. The rhythms of walking in silent movement. The formal construction of a memory theatre - but without content? The polaroids on the wall vaguely remembered. All three performers lying on the floor on their sides - sleeping, then turning; sleeping then turning. Linder the blanket, pulling the blanket, folding the blanket. A repeating harmonic sequence - meditative and soporific - itself a memory. The movement is linear and angular. There are few curves except when lying on the floor. Looking across at the audience. Moments of recognition transform (like the sound score) into the feeling that nothing is there, the figures inhabit a different space-time, different historical moments. The 'utopia of the present' - a moment of 'crossing' from here to there, a chiasmus, a constant moving into context. Heidegger understood technology as an act of revealing (1993: 307- 342). What is it that the technology of forgetting that unfolds through this performance, that the three moving bodies reveal and how? What is it that remains? Perhaps what remains is precisely the movement of emotion itself, the constant, small-scale fluctuations of remembering and forgetting, that map the movements and revelations of our everyday experience. I would like to locate the remembered fragments of this performance - those fragments that have remained through the process of forgetting that I have just evoked or yet again re-assembled, in a number of ways: through what remains as two resolved images - walking backwards, and the blanket - that emerge in relation to the moving body, in other words as choreographic images; and to discuss in a number of ways how these two images 'remain' through the processes of forgetting. The first image then is 'walking backwards', reversal and retrograde movement as a formal compositional strategy and as a means of displacing and disrupting attention and expectation. It is a considered movement; a movement that resists turning. Yet to move or walk backwards is not a pedestrian or everyday movement. It 'excludes' the turn, the rotation around an axis, the frontality that predominates in our everyday movement. It is more or less exclusively a sacred, ritual or aesthetic move. The second image is the blanket as a portable, foldable, enfolding space; as warmth, as heat, as security, as boundary and cover, as a point from which movement is both initiated and terminates with its myriad associa¬ tions. As a textured ground that interacts and modifies the planar space marked by a boundary of seated spectators, or backward moving walkers. Walking Backwards Ric Allsopp Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 73 Both images involve and enfold moving bodies as themselves a double¬ inscription of action and object; bodies that relate and entangle action and object, transforming and being transformed through the blanket as a portable space, a moving boundary; through walking backwards into the blind spot. How does what remains persist? Images Walter Benjamin observed that '[hjistory breaks down into images, not into stories'. 03 In 'The Gift of the Past', Emily jacir & Susan Bucks-Morss observe, in relation to Walter Benjamin's famous 'caption' for Klee's painting Angelus Novus (1920), that the passing presence of the material world and of human happiness in it leaves us with the metaphysical necessity of affirming transitoriness because only in passing is the truth available to us. It's image is time- sensitive. (2on:34) The same case can perhaps be made for choreographic work, for the transitory nature of movement 'in passing'. The dance, the moving, stepping body in passing may leave little trace of its presence. It creates its images (that which persists/ remains/ transforms) 'in movement, in passing'. Its image - the 'holding' or residual image that is produced for, with, by the spectator becomes more defined through the process of forgetting as over time it sheds its excess, or perhaps leaves only its 'excess'. We remember only the essential image and not the surrounding details. Gradually the work resolves into its holding images - for instance the rhythm of walking backwards, the unfolding of the blanket. The movement of the body that gestures, inscribes, or paints, or sacrifices invokes through its ability to turn: the tropic action that invokes both memory and forgetting (returning those aspects that have been lost, forgotten, shed, disregarded) and brings to life for an instant of recognition (in Benjamin's sense of the constellation that forms the image) the conditions that hold the image. This 'place' or marker of turning or returning operates too as a basic principle in Olson's projective poetics where topos (place) / typos (registration) / tropos (action) form the movement and dynamic of a physical process from which image moves outwards. In his early positional poem ABCs (2) (1949) image is formed of a dynamic between place and its recognition - one sd: of rhythm is image of image is knowing of knowing there is a construct This dynamic constitutes the technology of the 'topos', as a 'place' system in a memory theatre, where image works continually in two directions: back to rhythm/ causation and forward to knowing/ recognition, a place of 'invention' which in the commonplace tradition was associated with 'movement about a field', locating images and ideas and finding their living 03 Q UOtec j i n jacir & Bucks-Morss connections; the work, as Olson proposed, of 'composition by field' in which 2011:26 74 Walking Backwards Ric Allsopp Frakcija #58/59 to be moved form was never more than an extension of content: a disposition of images where 'nothing takes place but the place itself. This dynamic field has a resonance with Benjamin's 'Denkbild' or 'thought-image' that 'performs a thought through an image that has come to a muted, silenced standstill' (Rokem, 2010:172). This is exemplified in his caption for Klee's painting in which the Angel of History is irresistibly blown backwards into the future by a storm from paradise, constantly redefining that place from which movement proceeds as he 'seems about to move away from something he stares at.' Choreography, rather, leaves us with another mode of 'thought-image' - perhaps here a 'Bewegungsbild' or 'Tanzbild' - that is in movement as 'choreographic image'. Olson suggests as much in Syllabary for a Dancer (1952) where '[djance is an object and an action. It is simultaneously an object and an action' 04 it is the intertwining of the bi¬ directional movements of thought and of body that produce a 'choreographic image' whether that is sensuous or representational. After-effects The second way of considering what remains is as 'after-effect'. Here the idea is that the holding image of the body (that which remains) resolves itself and becomes perceptible as what I am tentatively calling the 'choreographic image'; yet not at the moment of its production, but through the passage of time that constitutes a process of forgetting. In his discussion of Joseph Beuys' 'Actions' Gregory Ulmer notes that in Beuys' case, the objects that he uses 'produce the effect of reference, but without referring to anything. Or rather, the reference is now supplied by the recipient, who in response to the stimulus, produces it out of himself'. (Ulmer, 1985: 251) The attention of the work shifts from the question of 'who speaks' to the issue of 'who receives' - that is, how we as participants or spectators are able to read the work as image - in this case bodies walking backwards; the displacement of a blanket. Ulmer notes that Beuys' object- actions are expressly intended to function by means of an after-effect, working thus directly with 'the time of understanding' [...] [Ojne has to experience Beuys' works from the proper distance in time, as integrated by the operation of memory' (1985: 252) I am suggesting here that this idea of the 'after-effect' can also be used to understand or account for the choreographic image - especially where this is produced without reference - through the kinetic of the body itself. Ulmer affirms that Beuys' objects are both what they are (their qualities motivate the concept attached to them) and stimulation for the general processes of memory and imagination. At the primary level, the object does not 'transfer a message' but moves the spectator - remaining open in its reference, the object evokes associated memories that are motivated less by the qualities of the object than by the subject of reception: the theme of a work like Fat Corner [...] is not immanent in the material and is not accessible by means of interpretation but only through its appeal to the observer's associative memory. (1985: 251) 04 First published in Maps 4 (1971) PP 9-15 Walking Backwards Ric Allsopp Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 75 This associative memory (at the level of individual engagement with the process of the image) is linked to the effect of forgetting, the return of the choreographic images that a work such as Yes. No. A Bit. Not Really produces, the after-effect working with the 'time of understanding' defined as a 'sufficient' distance. We can note also that remembrance in Benjamin's terms aims not simply to evoke a moment from the past, but aims to transform it. The 'modifying' effect of remembrance - 'it is the instrument of the retroactive effect of the present on the past; because of it historical time no longer appears irreversible' (Moses, 2009: in) This echoes Olson's spatial image of history as a field rather than as a chronology. Perhaps also we can imagine here the passing of time as itself a 'blind spot'; the time it takes to forget the non-essential details of the image and to 're-member' - literally to piece together the image as a constellation of 'now' and the associations gathered around the image itself - or for the image to form itself over 'sufficient time'. 'Time' here considered not as rhythm but as a part of the necessary mechanism that Olson's projective poetics suggest of how image leads to knowing and from thence to a construct. This is not the speed of commodification - the instant referential or gratifying image - but the after-effect of something that both moves us and disturbs us. The writer Peter Handke experienced in relation to Beuys' work that '[wjhat hits home is the after-effect of the transformed objects which complete the field of association [that the spectator brings to the work]' (quoted in Ulmer, 1985: 252). The 'intensity' of image is then its capacity to hold for the individual these after-effects in tension. It is also interesting to note Beuys' own view of 'action' as consisting 'in and for itself another word for the nature of movement [...] I ground the action character in my work: to find the beginning of movement in the world' (Ulmer, 1985: 255); where does movement begin; how does movement itself shape our relations to the contexts that we define and which define us. The movement of inscription and the inscription of movement that is revealed inside the choreographic image joins together material and thought in ways that do not demonstrate ideas, but embody ideas. Beuys' 'object-action' as a double inscription is paralleled in the choreographic images of Yes. No. A Bit. Not Really through the double inscription of the body which interrogates in turn the materials of walking and its displacements in order to discover their 'own' properties. Magical Operations Finally we can consider that the choreographic body and the non-referential images that it creates might be considered as or in terms of a magical operation: an operation that is set in motion and that (like the body itself) is never complete in so far as it always exceeds the limits of its own representations. As I have tried to suggest, the body in performance can be considered in both Beuys' and Olson's sense as an object-action. In The General Theory of Magic the anthropologist Marcel Mauss (1902) affirmed that 'magic is as much a way of doing as a way of thinking'. 05 The practical operations of magic provide a parallel, counterpoint and correspondence to poetics - the act of making - that is perhaps of particular interest to any discussion of how contemporary performance practice may be factured. Carolyn Nakamura's analysis of magical operations provides a means of considering 05 Quoted in Nakamura, 2006: 21. Walking Backwards Ric Allsopp Frakcija #58/59 to be moved from another position the choreographic image, and the Beuysian sense of the moving non-referential body as an 'object-action' (Nakamura, 2005). It also has some resonance with Irit Rogoff's notion of 'looking away' as a radical means of spectatorship: in so far as the choreographic image constitutes a turning away from normative perceptions of the body as a representation that points elsewhere, or that stands in for something else. 06 In her discussion of magical sense in relation to apotropaic objects - objects having the power to avert evil influences or bad luck (from Creek 'to turn away or from') - Nakamura argues that conventional interpretations in archeology that are oriented towards explanation and meaning, 'fail to get at the most compelling aspects of ancient magic, exactly that which makes it magical' (2005: 21). Her approach has, in my view at least, a resonance for performance work that (intentionally or otherwise) stands outside of, or on the margins of normative perceptions of the body in movement - the 'choreographic image' as I figure it here - to the non-referential aspects of the moving body in performance, such as the work offered in Yes. No. A Bit Not Really. Nakamura notes that, in such circumstances [wjhat is required is an evocation of magic that aims directly at the caesura between meaning and matter and delves into the shadowy processes of materializing experience, belief and value' [...] We should consider then, not a logic but an aesthetics of magical practice, as a particular way of making sense (Gosden, 2001). And this way of doing engages a radical materiality that not only enacts the mutual constitution of subjects and objects, but provides the condition for such discursive practices.' (2005: 21) Thinking of choreographic images in the terms I have tried to set up here the 'allure of the thing lies in the way in which it can never be completed, never be fully or perfectly discovered; and it is always set in motion, propelled by human relations'. (2005: 23) In this way the choreographic image always 'exceeds its own narration' and reveals the 'extra-semantic function of the magical object'. Nakamura points to the kinship between the processes of magic, of art and of memory: In this way, the magical object does not merely represent. It presents. This presentation, as not reproducing or inventing but a capturing (Deleuze 2003:48) conjures a force that exceeds the totality of the complex relations and ideas that produce it.' [...] These human-thing transactions trace an economy of the present in the sense that they do not seek a reconciliation of opposites, but rather a preserving of disjunction.' (2005: 23-4) To conclude, the 'choreographic 'image' that emerges from (or that is held within) the kinetics of the body itself - the act of movement without reference - carries with it the fullness (but not the completion) of the presence of the body. Not 'what it is' but 'how it is'. If, as Mikhail Bahktin asserted '[t]o be means to communicate' and that the movement of such an exchange presumes a sensuous intimacy between the outside world and ourselves, then 'to be means to be for another, and through the other, for oneself.' 06 See Irit Rogoff, 2005:117-134. Walking Backwards Ric Allsopp Frakcija #58/59 to be moved '[W]onder is central to a mode of understanding that is 'capable of grasping what, in ourselves and in others precedes and exceeds reason'. (Pettigrew 1999:66) Bodily sense is key here, since it can know something more than words express. The 'trick' of magic then, lies in attaining the unknown by disorganising all the senses; in effect, it acts to deregulate relationships that are rigorously regulated by normative cultural forms. The aesthetic experience of magic seeks the recovery of correspondences between people, things and places in their undifferentiated unity, a unity that becomes obscured through "habitual modes of perception". (Harrison 1993:180). In this way magic aims at the perceptual movements that continually render meaning rather than at meaning itself. (2005: 25-26) What we see as a continuity (taking Benjamin's point about the deadening continuity of a history that resists transformation) is continually disrupted through the act of forgetting - that momentary or gradual loss that provides the decisive break that creates the world anew and produces a 'utopia in the heart of the present'. References Benjamin, Walter (1999) The Arcades Project trans. Eiland & McLaughlin, Cambridge MA., London: Harvard University Press Benjamin, Walter (1999I/1940]) 'Theses on the Philosophy of History' in Illuminations ed. Hannah Arendt, London: Pimlico Deleuze, Cilles (2003) Francis Bacon: The Logic of Sensation trans. D.W.Smith, Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press Cosden, Chris (2001) 'Making Sense: Archeology and Aesthetics' in World Archeology 33 (2): 163-167 Harrison, Robert Pogue (1993) Forests: The Shadow of Civilization Chicago: Chicago University Press Heidegger, Martin (1993) 'The Question of Technology' in Basic Writings ed. David Krell.New York: Harper Collins Jacir, Emily & Susan Bucks-Morss (2011) 'The Gift of the Past' in 100 Notes- 100 Thoughts: No. 004 Ostflidern: Hatje Cantz/ Documenta 13 Kassel Nakamura, Carolyn (2005) 'Mastering Matters: Magical Sense and Apotropaic Figurine worlds of Neo-Assyria' in Archaeologies of Materiality ed. Lynn Meskell, Oxford: Blackwell Mauss, Marcel (2001 [1902]) A General Theory of Magic London: Routledge Moses, Stephane (2009) The Angel of History: Rosenzweig, Benjamin, Scholem, Stanford: Stanford University Press Olson, Charles (1971)' A Syllabary for a Dancer' in Maps 4 Olson, Charles (1970) 'ABCs (2)' in The Archeologist of Morning London: Cape Goliard Press Pettigrew, David E. (1999) 'Merleau-Ponty and the Unconscious: A Poetic Vision' in Merleau-Ponty [...] ed. D. Olkowski and J. Morley, Albany: SUNY Press Rogoff, Irit (2005) 'Looking Away: Participation in Visual Culture' in After Criticism ed. Gavin Butt, Oxford: Blackwell Rokem, Freddie (2010) Philosophers and Thespians: Thinking Performance, Stanford: Stanford University Press Ulmer, Gregory (1985) Applied Grammatology, Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press 78 Letters to —: On the Construction and Sharing of Effective Means Frakcija #58/59 to be moved Dear-, A banal yet crucial discussion among four workers and a student in an ill-lit room must momentarily be enlarged to the dimensions of Communism and thus be both what it is and what it will have been as a moment in the local construction of the True. Through the enlargement of the symbol, it must become visible that ‘just ideas’ come from this practically invisible practice. The five-person meeting in an out-of- the-way suburb must be eternal in the very expression of its precariousness.* Love, Alain Badiou, “The Idea of Communism,” The Idea of Communism (2010). >.» Letters to — Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 79 On the Construction and Sharing of Effective Means Dear-, The deeper the revolution, the more completely the distinction between mine and yours disappears. The more perfect the love. Love, 80 O sramotnoj povijesti amatera Nicholas Ridout Frakcija #58/59 to be moved O sramotnoj povijesti amatera Nicholas Ridout S engleskoga prevela Marina Miladinov oi Ellen Meiksins Wood i Neal Wood, Class Ideology and Ancient Political Theory: Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle in Social Context (Oxford: Blackwell, 1978.). Prvi dio: Atena va pripovijest zapocinje u Ateni. To je Atena u kojoj je politicka moc zemljoposjednicke aristokracije bila na zalasku nakon Periklove smrti 429. godine p. n. e. Medutim, teoreticari politike cija se misao temeljila na vrijednostima te zemljoposjednicke klase, i koja je te vrijednosti razradila, naposljetku su se izborili za to da njihova verzija dogadaja bude ona koja je doprla do nas s najsnaznijim odjekom. To znaci da je najpoznatiji prikaz tog trenutka atenske politicke povijesti prica koju su ispricali filozofi aristokratskog podrijetla, odani tom drustvenom sloju, prica u kojoj su demagozi demokracije bili ti cije su sebicne i vulgarne politicke makinacije dovele do propadanja velicine kakva je Atena dotada bila. Dakako, institucije klasicnog obrazovanja - od helenofilskog njemackog prosvjetitelj- stva do imperijalnih odgojnih temelja britanskog sustava javnog skolstva - pozlatile su Ijiljan tog dominantnog narativa. Trebalo je donekle razmrsiti ideoloske struje u djelima pripovjedaca - mozemo ih nazvati filozofima ako zelimo - Sokrata, Platona i Aristotela. Ali kao sto su Ellen Meiksins Wood i Neal Wood pokazali u svojoj drustvenopolitickoj analizi aristokratske misli i djela tih autora, tu se ustvari radilo o drustvenoj podjeli rada. 01 Pitanje o tome tko bi trebao vladati svodilo se na odluke ili preferencije vezane uz odnos rada i mod, na razliku izmedu amatera i profesionalaca. Da predemo na stvar: drustvena, ekonomska i politicka moc u atenskoj je demokraciji iskliznula iz ruku aristokracije i dospjela pod kontrolu profesionalnih klasa, a trgovci i obrtnici, koji su cinili znatan dio gradskog stanovnistva, poceli su donositi vlastite politicke odluke. U pripovijesti koju nam prenose Sokrat, Platon i Aristotel u politiku su se mijesali jedino oni gradani koji su bili dovoljno bogati te su imali za to dovoljno slobodnog vremena. Drugim rijecima, politika je bila stvar dokonih amatera, a ne tog novog narastaja pridoslih profesionalaca. Wood i Wood prate ustrajnost te klasne preferencije od Sokrata preko Platona do djela Platonova ucenika Aristotela: "Stoga je znanje, koje je bilo tako temeljna vrlina prema krajnje O sramotnoj povijesti amatera Nicholas Ridout Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 81 02 Wood i Wood, str. 105. 03 Platon, Drzava 395 b-c. Hrv. prijevod: Platon, Drzava, prev. Martin Kuzmic (Zagreb: Naklada Jurcic, 2009.). 04 Wood i Wood, str. 204, bilj. 31. 05 Wood and Wood, p. 153. 06 Aristotel, Politika 1328b, navod iz: Wood i Wood, str. 222. Hrv. prijevod: Aristotel, Politika, prev. Tomislav Ladan (Zagreb: Globus i Sveucilisna naklada Liber, 1988.) 07 Usp. Wood i Wood, str. 41-64, o sirenju aktivnog gradanstva. intelektualistickom Sokratovu gledistu, bilo izvan domasaja mnogih. Ako znanje kojeje neophodno za vrlinu ovisi o dokolici i neprestanom istrazivanju i samopreispitivanju, ono ostaje sasvim izvan domasaja obicnog covjeka; i to ne samo zato sto mu nedostaje slobodnog vremena, nego i u osnovnijem smislu, zato sto je tijelom i duhom vezan za svijet materijalnih nuznosti potrebom da zaraduje za zivot, dok znanje podrazumijeva oslobodenost od svijeta pojavnosti i potreba.' 02 Taj prikaz vrline nalazi svoj puni politicki izraz u Platonovim stanjima duse. Tako on u Drzavi, na primjer, predlaze da obrazovni program za Cuvare drzave bude rezerviran za one koji su "rijeseni svih ostalih zanimanja... da cuvaju slobodu svoje drzave" 03 Kako primjecuju Wood i Wood, termin koji Platon ovdje koristi za "slobodu" je "eleutheria", koji ima dodatnu konotaciju "gospodstva". 04 Taj obrazovni program, dakle, ovisi o drustvenoj podjeli rada, ali ne naprosto izmedu razlicitih oblika rada (fizickog naspram intelektualnog), nego izmedu onih koji tesko rade i onih koji su toga oslobodeni, odnosno onih koji se medusobno razlikuju u igri koja je najuze povezanas britanskim sustavom javnog skolstva, atoje kriket, kao "Gospoda" i "Igraci". Wood i Wood isticu kako je stoga "tesko izbjeci zakljucak da je bitan preduvjet za postojanje vrle filozofske manjine bila osigurana egzistencija klase ciji zivot nije ovisio o fizickom radu ili o trgovini, a koja je mogla zapovijedati radom drugih kako bi zadovoljila svoje potrebe i zelje."° 5 Aristotel nastavlja tu koncepciju odnosa klase i vlasti u svojoj Politici, gdje "u svome nepotpunom opisu idealnog polisa - koji podsjeca na Magneziju iz Platonovih Zakona - predlaze iskljucenje obrtnika, trgovaca, zemljoradnika i svih nadnicara iz gradanstva s objasnjenjem da je zivot u takvom zanimanju "neplemenit i suprotan kreposti". 06 No taje formulacija ponesto paradoksalna, buduci da je ono sto je amater ustvari imao za ponuditi, kao rezultat svoje slobode od zaradivanja za zivot kao profesionalac, ustvari bio profesionalizam. Buduci da je imao vremena kao aristokratski gospodin, amater se mogao u potpunosti posvetiti politickom zivotu. Mogao je citati, pisati, misliti i promisljati pitanja moraine i politicke filozofije. Mogao je, ustvari, postati profesionalnim politicarom. No sada se dogodilo to da su se i pravi amateri odlucili ukljuciti u politiku. Ljudi koji nisu imali vremena - a mozda ni sklonosti, ali vrijeme je bilo od presudne vaznosti - za izucavanje politicke teorije sada su postali aktivnim gradanima u demokraciji, a njihova stajalista i vrijednosti pocela su dominirati politi- kom.° 7 Stoga se sada politikom bave ljudi koji naprosto ne znaju sto cine. U prethodnom razdoblju cinjenica da ne znaju sto cine ili o cemu govore sprecavala bi ih u tome da ista cine ili govore. Njihov strah od sramote imao bi moc da ogranici njihovu slobodu govora. U sadasnjoj situaciji oni se, medutim, pretvaraju da znaju. Prema tome, postoje dvije vrste amatera. Jedni imaju vremena pa mogu nauciti kako postati profesionalnim politicarima. Drugi moraju raditi te se stoga moraju pretvarati da su profesionalni politician. Postoji rizik, i to je mozda ono cega se Platon najvise boji, da ce te dvije vrste amatera postati nerazlucive i da ce to dovesti do sustava vlasti u kojemu ce moc biti u rukama onih koji su usavrsili umijece pretvaranja da se bave politikom. Do vladavine glumaca, takoreci. Martina Sheena ili Ronalda Reagana. O cemu se ustvari radilo, pitam se, u sveopcem preziru koji su mnogi visoko obrazovani krugovi gajili prema predsjedniku-glumcu? Je li odvise nategnuto pretpostaviti da tu vidimo tragove stare Platonove predrasude? Da se radilo o politicaru cije zvanje ga je ucinilo jedinstveno nekvalificiranim za vlast? I da je samim time sto je bio glumac nuzno morao zauvijek ostati amater u domeni politickoga? 82 O sramotnoj povijesti amatera Nicholas Ridout Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 08 Vidi, na primjer: Jacques Ranciere, Hatred of Democracy, prev. Steve Corcoran (London i New York: Verso, 2006.). 09 Ranciere opsezno raspravlja o tom konceptu u svojim politickim i estetskim djelima, na primjer u: Disagreement: Politics and Philosophy, prev. Julie Rose (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1999.) i The Politics of Aesthetics: The Distribution of the Sensible, prev. Gabriel Rockhill (London: Continuum, 2004.). Mislilac koji je preuzeo na sebe zadatak reorganiziranja naseg razumije- vanja atenske demokracije za potrebe politicke filozofije je Jacques Ranciere, i stoga bih zelio ukratko uvesti u raspravu njegovu inverziju Platonove pozicije o tome tko bi trebao vladati. Za Rancierea su jedine osobe koje su doista kvalificirane za vladanje one koje nemaju za to nikakvih kvalifikacija. Izrazimo li to ponesto drugacijim rijecima, jedina kvalifikacija za vladanje upravo je nedostatak kvalifikacije za vladanje. To je ono sto on ponekad naziva "skan- dalom" demokracije. 08 Pa tko bi onda u tom skandaloznom i radikalnom scenariju mogao biti kvalificiran po svojoj nekvalificiranosti? Ili, da postavimo jednostavnije pitanje, tko bi doista mogao tvrditi kako nema bas nikakvih kvalifikacija za vladanje? To je razlog zbog kojega, pretpostavljam, Ranciere raspravlja o ideji da bi se radikalna demokracija trebala zasnivati na sustavu lutrije. Ono sto zeli postici tim paradoksalnim manevrom jest otkriti postoja- nje onoga sto ponekad naziva "ulogom onih koji nemaju nikakve uloge". 09 To bi bio onaj dio bilo kojeg politickog tijela, drustva ili zajednice koji nema nikakvog udjela niti igra ikakvu ulogu u svojoj vladi.Jedna od glavnih znacajki onih koji ne igraju nikakvu ulogu je ta da su oni naprosto nevidljivi i necujni. Cak i ako ili kada nesto ucine, to nitko ne primijeti. Posljedice njihova djelova- nja pripisuju se necemu ili nekome drugom. To je rezultat onoga sto Ranciere naziva raspodjelom ili ponekad razdvajanjem osjetilnoga: to je sustav duboko usadenih sposobnosti da vidimo, cujemo i osjecamo koje neke stvari ili ljude cine dostupnima nasem razumu i osjecajima, dok druge nasilno i nuzno iskljucuje. To je razlog zbog kojega, kako ja smatram, a ne znam smatra li tako i Ranciere, proletarijat vise ne moze igrati ulogu onih koji ne igraju nikakvu ulogu. Cinjenica da ih se tako moze imenovati i prepoznati kao subjekte povijesti i aktere u revolucionarnoj promjerni momentalno ih diskvalificira, takoreci, od toga da igraju ulogu onih koji ne igraju nikakvu ulogu. Oni vec imaju svoju ulogu. Postoje amateri, koji jedini imaju dovoljno slobodnog vremena da postanu profesionalnim politicarima. Postoje profesionalci, cije je vrijeme zauzeto radom te nemaju slobodnog vremena koje bi im trebalo za natjeca- nje s amaterima, stoga se moraju pretvarati da znaju sto cine i o cemu govore, kao sto to cine glumci. Ti profesionalci stoga postaju nekom vrstom amaterskih politicara. No mozda postoji i treca skupina ljudi, koji su skriveni negdje medu drugima i koji ce dospjeti na vlast samo ako ih nasumicno izaberu, jer to je jedino po cemu odgovaraju radikalnoj demokratskoj pretpostavci da ne bi trebali vladati na osnovi toga sto posjeduju bilo kakve kvalifikacije. Mogli bismo reci da se u Ateni najvazniji dio onih koji nisu igrali nikakvu ulogu vjerojatno sastojao od znatne skupine ne-gradana: robova. Oni nisu igrali nikakvu ulogu u javnom zivotu grada, buduci da su bili ograniceni na sferu rada. A buduci da nisu sudjelovali u politici, Platon se nije protivio tome da vrse citav niz mimetickih funkcija - da se bave glazbom ili kazalis- nom izvedbom - koje je smatrao stetnima po moralni karakter svakoga tko je, kao gradanin, bio odreden za sudjelovanje u vladavini gradom-drzavom. Stoga bismo mogli reci da na tom stupnju rob pocinje izgledati ne samo kao kandidat za igranje uloge onih koji ne igraju nikakvu ulogu (time sto ne igra nikakvu ulogu u politickom zivotu), nego takoder kao igrac cija ga diskvalifki- ranost upravo kvalificira za igranje uloge, u svojstvu glumca, drugih koji pripadaju onima koji igraju neku ulogu - oni su likovi na pozornici koji predstavljaju gradanima likove kojima su pridruzeni kako bi formulirali njihove moraine i politicke sudove: protagoniste komedije i tragedije. Barem bismo mogli reci da glumac, prema tjeskobnom Platonovu pogledu na odnos kazalista i politike, zauzima polozaj strukturalne slicnosti s polozajem roba, O sramotnoj povijesti amatera Nicholas Ridout Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 83 polozaj u kojemu su obojica sposobni obavljati prljavi posao koji dopusta profesionalnim amaterima aristokracije da se dalje bave svojom politikom. Rad robova je, dakako, preduvjet za ne-rad politike. io Jane Austen, Mansfield Park (London: Penguin, 2003.). n Edward Said, Culture and Imperialism (London: Vintage, 1994-)- 12 David Brion Davis, The Problem of Slavery in the Age of Revolution (Oxford i New York: Oxford University Press, 1999.). 13 Karl Marx, Capital, Volume One, prev. Ben Fowkes (London: Penguin, 1990.) (sesto poglavlje o kupoprodaji radne snage, str. 270-280). Drugi dio: Mansfield Park Robovi ne igraju nikakvu ulogu u romanu Mansfield Park Jane Austen. 10 Oni su naglaseno odsutni, ali strukturalno nuzni. U meduvremenu je uloga koju ne igraju preduvjet, kako se cini, za igranje uloga koje su pridruzene dokonim mladim aristokratima ciji zivoti i ljubavi sacinjavaju temu romana. Poznato je daje Edward Said primijetio kako ekonomija Mansfield Parka, engleskog seoskog imanja gdje se dogada veci dio radnje, ovisi o prihodima s plantaza secerne trske u Antigui, gdje se radna snaga sastoji od robova. 11 Stovise, upravo dok se glava domacinstva, gospodin Bertram, bavi ondje svojim poslovnim interesima, njegova djeca i njihovi prijatelji odluce se zabaviti tako sto ce uprizoriti predstavu. Saidova argumentacija uglavnom se tice relativne sutnje romana po pitanju ropstva, koja se ocituje u obilju detalja kojima se artikulira jedan projekt "kucanskog boljitka" - onaj koji se odvija u Mansfield Parku - u usporedbi sa sturoscu opisa prividno paralelnog projekta ponovne uspostave reda u Antigui. lako Said povezuje te restauracije u svojoj analizi nacina na koji se gospodin Bertram neocekivano brzo vrati u Mansfield Park i time uzrokuje nagli prekid amaterske produkcije Kotzebueovih Ljubavnih zavjeta u verziji Elizabeth Inchbald, on ne razraduje vezu koju ovdje zelim istaknuti, naime onu izmedu amaterskih glumaca i robova koji su predmettih povezanih restauracija. Kazaliste se raspusta zato sto su njegovi glumci prisiljeni, pod pritiskom moralnog autoriteta zemljoposjednicke aristokracije (u kojoj se pretpostavlja da sudjeluju), priznati da njihova gluma ugrozava njihovu sposobnost da budu ta aristokracija, prijeteci da ce ih svesti na onu vrstu ljudi koja nema kontrole nad vlastitim mislima i osjecajima. Cinjenica da je taj prekid uzrokovan povratkom robovlasnika na scenu djeluje kao poziv na promisljanje o glumcima i robovima kao komplementarnim likovima u ulozi onih koji ne igraju nikakvu ulogu: robovi na plantazi strukturalni su preduvjet za amatersku glumu koja mlade aristokrate pretvara u robove vlastitih osjecaja neprikladne seksualne zudnje jednih prema drugima. Cini se kao daje pokusaj izvedbe Ljubavnih zavjeta u Mansfield Parku dopustio da na pozornicu imanja stupi upravo ono ropstvo o kojemu roman inace tako poznato i napadno suti. Roman Jane Austen objavljen je u vrijeme kadaje pokret za ukidanje ropstva bio vec u punom jeku u Britanskom Carstvu. David Brion Davies je u opseznom povijesnom istrazivanju abolicionistickog pokreta prepoznao, uz iskreno moralno i vjersko protivljenje ropstvu, duboku strukturalnu kompatibilnost abolicionizma i logike industrijskog kapitalizma. 12 Kako je objasnio Marx, rad u industrijskom kapitalizmu treba biti "Slobodan": radnika/ radnicu treba osloboditi obveza u kojemu njegovo ili njezino vrijeme vec prisvaja, na primjer, neki feudalni gospodar, kako bi bio/bila na raspolaganju i takoder pod obvezom da svoj rad plasira na trzistu. 13 Kako bi funkcionirao ekonomski sustav zasnovan na nadnicarskom radu slobodnih radnika, nuzno je da se sam rad shvaca kao nesto sto bi covjek zelio ciniti i u sto stupa slobodno, dobrovoljno i bez prisile. Stovise, kako se razvija industrijski kapitalizam, rad mora postati nesto sto radnik shvaca kao moralno dobro, pa cak i nesto - ali to je mozda karakteristicno za kasnije faze kapitalizma i njegov postindustrijski razvoj - u cemu bi radnik trebao uzivati. Ropstvo, 84 O sramotnoj povijesti amatera Nicholas Ridout Frakcija #58/59 to be moved prema tome, predstavlja problem za kapitalizam, buduci da nudi prilicno neosporive dokaze o tome da je rad nesto sto radnik ne zeli ciniti. Rob radi pod prisilom, pod prijetnjom nasilja. Ako se ljude mora siliti na rad bicevima i lancima, kako ce se bilo koga moci uvjeriti u to da radi dobrovoljno, za nad- nicu? Ideologija rada u kapitalizmu zahtijeva ukidanje ropstva. Bolje receno, zahtijeva da se ono ucini nevidljivim, kako ne bi obeshrabrivalo druge da preuzmu ulogu rada za nadnicu. No u romanu Jane Austin uglavnom se ne spominje ni nadnicarski rad (iako se njegov svijet nazire u prizorima gdje se njegova junakinja Fanny Price vraca svome prvotnom domu, u vidljivo nedokono kucanstvo svojih roditelja u Portsmouthu). Umjesto toga, mozda bismo rad amaterskih glumaca u romanu mogli smatrati izvedbom ideolos- kog rada u ime ideje o dobrovoljnom radu o kojemu ovisi kapitalisticki nadnicarski rad. Slika ljudi koji "rade" iz ljubavi daleko je bolja reklama za rad od slike karipskih robova gospodina Bertrama. Ako se amatersko kazaliste mora obustaviti, navodno u interesu dolicnosti aristokratske klase, onda ono djeluje kao ambivalentna praksa - s jedne strane korisna kao model slobodnog nadnicarskog rada, ali opasna zbog toga sto istodobno dopusta ulaz sablasti neslobodnog, ropskog rada. Treci dio: Mile End Mile End je mjesto gdje radim, na Odsjeku dramskih umjetnosti pri londonskom Queen Mary University. Ulazeci u zgradu u kojoj je smjesten Odsjek dramskih umjetnosti, prolazim kroz predvorje u kojemu su ponekad izlozene fotografije koje u meni pobuduju strasnu nelagodu i koje me, kada ih pogledam i dopustim si pomisao da bi me netko drugi mogao vidjeti kako ih promatram, ili me na bilo koji nacin s njima povezati, natjeraju da se zacrvenim i hitro zamaknem za ugao, u svoj ured, gdje se mogu pretvarati da se to uopce nije dogodilo. Te fotografije pojave se svaki put kada Queen Mary Players postave neku predstavu. Queen Mary Players nemaju nikakve veze s Odsjekom dramskih umjetnosti. Odsjek dramskih umjetnosti je ozbiljan akademski odsjek, bas kao i drugi odsjeci u toj zgradi, ciji zaposlenici takoder vide te fotografije: profesori knjizevnosti, povjesnicari i politolozi. Queen Mary Players su amaterska kazalisna druzina, koju je, cini mi se, osnovao neki postariji profesor povijesti i koja postavijednu ili dvije produkcije godisnje, drame poput Mnogo buke nizasto ili Skola skandala. U njoj sudjeluje mjesovito osoblje, ali uglavnom studenti, ukljucujuci, moram priznati, i vise studenata s Odsjeka dramskih umjetnosti, koji se time takoreci bave u slobodno vrijeme. Vjerojatno bi ovdje trebalo razjasniti da mi ne nudimo glumacki program, kao ni drugi sveucilisni odsjeci dramskih umjetnosti u Velikoj Britaniji, niti obrazujemo studente za profesionalne glumacke uloge. Itekako se trudimo pokazati svim buducim studentima da mi nismo konzervatorij, iako nekih 40% naseg preddiplomskog dramskog programa ukljucuje poduku kazalisnih umjetnosti i glume putem prakse. Treba napomenuti i da sam odsjek nema kazalisnog repertoara niti postavlja dramske produkcije. I to je tipicno za sveucilisne odsjeke u Velikoj Britaniji. Nas nastavni program i nasa poduka barem su djelomicno organizirani tako da suzbiju svaki moguci dojam kako pripremamo svoje studente za posao profesionalnih glumaca. Otuda moja akutna nelagoda i sram koji osjetim kada dva puta godisnje u samo srce naseg odsjeka provali ta amaterska dramska druzina sa svojim fotografijama dvadesetogodisnjaka odjevenih u tajice i beretke, kose prekrivene talkom kako bi djelovala sijedo i svom tom prokletom glumom. O sramotnoj povijesti amatera Nicholas Ridout Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 85 Tada shvatim dvije stvari. Prva je sljedeca: amaterska dramska druzina i amaterski glumac duboko su usadeni u ideju kazalisne struke. Nigdje izvan opere, ali i to je zaseban svijet, previse uzasan, a da bih ovdje o njemu raspravljao, nisam susreo takvu odanost protokolima i terminologiji, ideologiji zvanja i mitologiji ili praznovjerjima Struke. Na tim fotografijama vidim mocnu fetisizaciju onoga sto znaci biti profesionalac, snimke kulture strastvenog oponasanja. Studenti koji su upisani u sveucilisni program dramskih umjetnosti, koji nastoji zadrzati cimje moguce veci odmakod struke u onom smislu u kojemu je ovdje zamislja masta amatera, kao i od posljedica tog amaterskog oponasanja, posvecuju jednu vecer za drugom, dok bi mogli pisati eseje o gadenju u djelu Reze Abdoha, lesini gradanskog hobija iz predgrada koja sejosjedva mrda. I sada cu vam reci sto me toliko zabrinjava u vezi moga srama. Svojom afektivnom reakcijom na fotografije koje svjedoce o tom pothvatu ustvari izrazavam svoj duboki prezir prema jednom cinu ljubavi. Prema amaterskom radu. Druga stvar koju uvidam je ta da u takvom amaterskom radu svjedocim cinu otpora. Ako ne svjesnog, a ono barem strukturalnog. Jer sto mi radimo na sveucilisnom odsjeku dramskih umjetnosti ako ne poducavamo studente kako da postanu profesionalni kazalisni djelatnici? Dakako, mi to na neki nacin cinimo, ali ne za kazaliste kakvo se zamislja u produkciji Mnogo buke nizasto kakvu postavljaju Queen Mary Players. No ono sto takoder cinimo je to da ih pripremamo za njihovu stvarnu buducnost. Sa svakom godinom koja prolazi sastavljamo sve specificniji popis ishoda ucenja koji se ocekuju od nasih kolegija o kontrakulturama, seksualnosti ili eksperimentalnoj izvedbenoj praksi, u kojima opisujemo prenosive vjestine - sav onaj team¬ building, komunikaciju, prilagodljivost - za koje ce nasi studenti morati dokazati da ih posjeduju kako bi zaradivali za zivot u svijetu neoliberalnog kapitalizma. Organiziramo radionicke sekcije u kojima im pomazemo da razrade svoj zivotopis i navodimo ih da povezuju one ishode ucenja koje smo im obecali i sve ono za sto sada mogu tvrditi da su kvalificirani, kako ne bi bilo nikakve opasnosti da zapadnu u ulogu onih koji ne igraju nikakvu ulogu. Stoga se vracam na svoju raniju, samo dijelom frivolnu tvrdnju. Ako je glumac za Platona osoba koja ne zna nista o onome sto se pretvara da radi, dok je za Diderota glumac osoba koja ne zna raditi nista posebno, ali se upravo iz tog razloga moze pretvarati da je bilo sto, a za Rancierea su pak samo oni koji ne posjeduju nikakve kvalifikacije kvalificirani za vlast, sto bismo trebali misliti o amaterskom glumcu kao liku osobe koja cak nije kvalificirana niti da se pretvara kako je kvalificirana za bilo kakav posao? 14 Stogaje mozda moj sram, koji osjecam dok hodam predvorjem svoga radnog mjesta, mjesta gdje radim kao potpuno kvalificirani profesionalac, posljedica trenutnog uvida, ispod talka i stigmatizacije, u ulogu onih koji ne igraju nikakvu ulogu. Queen Mary Players na trenutak su uzrokovali prekid u raspodjeli osjetilnoga, prekid koji u liku amatera, zaboravljenog lika roba - jer naposljetku, u neoliberalnom 14 Usp. Denis de Diderot, "The kapitalizmu nema robova - na trenutak zabljesne u vidokrugu. Paradox of the Actor", u: Selected Writings on Art and Literature, ur. i prev. s uvodom Geoffrey Bremner (London: Penguin, 1994.); o daljnjem razvoju ideje glumca kao nicega, vidi: Philippe Lacoue-Labarthe, "Diderot: Paradox and Mimesis", u: Typography: Mimesis, Philosophy, Politics, ur. Christopher Fynsk (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1998.). 86 On the Shameful History of the Amateur Nicholas Ridout Frakcija #58/59 to be moved On the Shameful History of the Amateur Nicholas Ridout oi Ellen Meiksins Wood and Neal Wood, Class Ideology and Ancient Political Theory: Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle in Social Context (Oxford: Blackwell, 1978.) Part One: Athens his history begins in Athens. This is an Athens in which the political power of the land-owning aristocracy is on the wane, after the death of Pericles in 429 BCE. All the same the political theorists whose thought built upon and elaborated the values of this land-owning class have managed, in the end, to make sure that their version of things would be the one that reached us with the strongest reverberation. This means that the most familiar account of this moment in Athenian political history is the story told by the philosophers of aristocratic background and allegiances, the story in which it was the demagogues of the democracy whose self-interested and vulgar politicking ushered in the decline from the greatness that was. Of course the institutions of classical education - from the philhellenism of the German enlightenment to the imperial training ground of the British public school system - have gilded the lily of this dominant narrative. And it's taken a little unravelling, the ideological current in the work of the storytellers - we can call them philosophers if we like - Socrates, Plato, Aristotle. But, as Ellen Meiksins Wood and Neal Wood show in their socio-political analysis of their aristocratic thought and writing, it turns out to be a matter of the social division of labour. 01 The question of who should govern comes down to decisions or preferences about the relationship between work and power, about a distinction between amateurs and professionals. To get to the point, social, economic and political power in the Athenian democracy has slipped from aristocratic hands into the grasp of the professi¬ onal classes, and the traders and artisans who are swelling the population of the city are starting to take political decisions for themselves. In the story told by Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, it was only those citizens wealthy enough and therefore with enough time on their hands, who had any business concerning themselves with politics. Or, to put it another way, politics was a matter for gentleman amateurs, rather than for this new breed of arriviste professionals. Wood and Wood track the persistence of this class preference from Socrates, through Plato to the work of Plato's student, On the Shameful History of the Amateur Nicholas Ridout Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 87 02 Wood and Wood, p. 105. 03 Plato, Republic 395 b - c 04 Wood and Wood, p. 204, fn. 31. 05 Wood and Wood, p. 153. 06 Aristotle, Politics 1328b, cited in Wood and Wood, p. 222. 07 See Wood and Wood, pp. 41 - 64, for an account of the expansion of active citizenship. Aristotle: 'The knowledge so basic to virtue in Socrates's highly intellectua- listic view, therefore, is beyond the attainment of the many. If the knowledge necessary for virtue depends upon leisure and constant enquiry and self- examination, it is quite outside the resources of the common man; and not only because he lacks leisure time, but because in a more fundamental sense he is bound in body and spirit to the world of material necessity by the need to earn his livelihood, while knowledge implies liberation from the world of appearances and necessity.' 02 This account of virtue finds its full political expression in Plato's specu¬ lative states. In The Republic, for example, Plato proposes that the educatio¬ nal programme for the Guardians of the state should be reserved for those 'set free from all manual crafts to be the artificers of their country's free¬ dom'. 03 As Wood and Wood note, the term used here by Plato for 'freedom' is 'eleutheria', which carries the additional connotation of'gentlemanliness'. 04 This educational programme depends, then, upon a social division of labour, not simply between different modes of labour (manual or intellectual) but between those who labour and those who do not, between those who were distinguished from one another in the game most closely associated with the British public school system, cricket, as 'Gentlemen' and 'Players'. 'It is difficult, then', write Wood and Wood, 'to avoid the conclusion that the essential condition for the existence of the virtuous and philosophic few is the ensured existence of a class of men whose livelihood does not depend on their own labour or trade and who can command the labour of others to supply their needs and wants.' 05 Aristotle carries forward this conception of the relationship between class and government in his own Politics, where, 'in his incomplete description of the ideally best polis - reminiscent of Plato's Magnesia of the Laws - Aristotle proposes the exclusion of artisans, shopkeepers, farm labourers, and all wage-earners from citizenship on the grounds that such occupations are 'ignoble and inimical to goodness'. 06 But there's a paradox in this formulation, since what the amateur really had to offer, as a result of his freedom from having to earn his living as a professional, was actually professionalism. With time on his hands the aristocratic gentleman amateur could devote himself completely to the life of politics. He could read, write, think, ponder moral and political philosophy. He could, in fact, become a professional politician. But what has happened now is that real amateurs have taken it into their heads to play at politics. People who don't have the time - nor even perhaps the inclination, but it's the time that matters - to study political theory, have become active citizens in the democracy and their attitudes and values are taking over politics. 07 So now politics is being done by people who simply don't know what they are doing. Back in the day the fact that they didn't know what they were doing nor what they were talking about would inhibit them from doing or saying anything. Their fear of shame would work powerfully to constrain their freedom of speech. Now what they do is to pretend that they know. There are two categories of amateur, then. One has time on his hands, and can learn to be a professional politician. The other has work on his hands, and therefore has to pretend to be a professional politician. There is a risk, and this is perhaps what Plato fears the most, that the two will become indistinguishable from one another; that this will lead to a system of government in which power rests with those who have perfected the art of pretending to do politics. Government by actors, that is. By Martin Sheen. Or Ronald Reagan. What was at stake, I wonder, in the widespread contempt in which the acting president was held in many highly educated circles? Is it too 88 On the Shameful History of the Amateur Nicholas Ridout Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 08 See, for example, Jacques Ranciere, Hatred of Democracy, translated by Steve Corcoran (London and New York: Verso, 2006.) og This concept is widely discussed in Ranciere's political and aesthetic writing, including, for example. Disagreement: Politics and Philosophy, translated by Julie Rose, Minneapolis, University of Minnesota Press, 1999, and The Politics of Aesthetics: The Distribution of the Sensible, translated by Gabriel Rockhill (London: Continuum, 2004.) much to suggest that a trace of the old Platonic prejudice was in play here? That this was a politician whose profession made him uniquely ill-qualified to rule? That by virtue of being an actor he could only ever be an amateur in the realm of the political? Someone who has taken on the task of reorganising our understanding of Athenian democracy for the purposes of political philosophy is Jacques Ranciere, and I want just briefly to put into play his inversion of the Platonic position on who it is who ought to govern. For Ranciere, the only people who are actually qualified to govern are those with no qualification to do so. Or, to put it slightly differently, the only qualification for governing is to have no qualification to govern. This is what he sometimes calls the 'scandal' of democracy. 08 In this scandalous and radical scenario, who, then, might qualify by being unqualified? Or, to ask perhaps an easier question, who might sincerely be able to claim to have no qualifications to govern whatsoever? This, I suspect, is why Ranciere discusses the idea that a radical democracy would be based on a lottery system. What Ranciere is interested in doing, by way of this paradoxical manoeuvre, is to reveal the existence of what he sometimes calls 'the part of those who have no part'. 09 That is, that part of any political body, society or community that neither possesses any part of it nor plays any part in its government. One of the key characteristics of the part of those who have no part is that they simply aren't seen or heard. Even if and when they do things, no one notices. The effects of their actions are attributed to something or someone else. This is an effect of what Ranciere calls the distribution, or sometimes, the partition of the sensible: that is the system of deeply embodied capacities to see, hear and feel which in making some things and people available to our sense and sensibility, forcibly and necessarily excludes others. That is why, I think, and I don't know if Ranciere thinks this, the part of those who have no part can no longer be taken by the proletariat. That they can be so named, identified as the subject of history, the agent of revolutionary change, immediately disqualifies them, as it were, from being of the part of those who have no part. They already have a part. There are the amateurs who are the only ones with enough free time to become professional politicians. There are the professional people whose time is taken up with work and who don't have the free time they need to compete with the amateurs, so instead have to pretend to know what they are doing and talking about, like actors do. These professionals therefore become a kind of amateur politician. But there is maybe also a third group of people, hidden somewhere among these others, who only get to govern if selected at random, the only means by which they meet the radical demo¬ cratic stipulation that they should not govern on the basis of possessing any qualification to do so. In Athens, we might say that the most important part of those who had no part will have been played by a significant group of non¬ citizens: slaves. They play no part in the public life of the city; they are confi¬ ned to the realm of work. And because they don't take part in politics, Plato will make no objection to their performing a range of mimetic functions - playing music, performing in the theatre - which he considers deleterious to the moral character of anyone destined, as a citizen, to play a role in the government of the city. So the slave, one might say, at this stage, begins to look like, not just a candidate for playing the part of the part who have no part (in that he or she plays no part in political life) but also a player whose disqualification precisely qualifies them for playing the part, as an actor, of others who are of the part who do have a part - the stage figures who represent for the citizens the figures upon whom they are enjoined to On the Shameful History of the Amateur Nicholas Ridout Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 89 formulate their moral and political judgements: the characters of comedy and tragedy. At least we may say that the actor, in the anxious Platonic view of the relationship between theatre and politics, occupies a position of structural similarity to that of the slave, a position in which they are able to perform the dirty work that allows the professional amateurs of the aristo¬ cracy to get on with their politics. The work of slaves is of course a precon¬ dition for the non-work of politics. io Jane Austen, Mansfield Park (London: Penguin, 2003.) n Edward Said, Culture and Imperialism (London: Vintage, 1994) 12 David Brion Davis, The Problem of Slavery in the Age of Revolution (Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 1999) Part Two: Mansfield Park Slaves play no part in Jane Austen's novel, Mansfield Park . 10 They are markedly absent but structurally necessary. Meanwhile the part they don't play seems to be a precondition for the playing of parts enjoyed by the leisured young aristocrats whose lives and loves constitute the subject of the novel. Edward Said famously noted that the economy of Mansfield Park, the English country estate where most of the action of the novel takes place, depends upon inco¬ me from sugar plantations in Antigua where the labour forces is composed of slaves. 11 Indeed, it is while the head of the household, Mr Bertram, is in the Carribbean, attending to his business interests there, that his children and their friends decide to entertain themselves by putting on a play. Said's argument largely concerns the novel's relative silence on the question of slavery, manifested in the wealth of detail with which one project of 'domestic improvement' is articulated - that which takes place at Mansfield Park - when compared with the brevity with which an apparently parallel project of restoring order, in Antigua, is treated. While Said links these restorations in his analysis of the way that Mr Bertram's unexpectedly early return to Mansfield Park forces the hasty abandonment of their amateur production of Elizabeth Inchbald's version of Kotzbue's Lover's Vows, he does not develop the connec¬ tion I want to make here, between the amateur players and the slaves who are the subjects of these related restorations. The theatre is suspended beca¬ use its actors are forced, under the pressure of the moral authority of the landowning aristocracy (in which they are supposed to be participants) to recognise that their acting threatens their capacity to be that aristocracy, that it threatens to reduce them to the kind of people who have no control over their own thoughts and feelings. That this interruption is occasioned by the return of the slave-owner to the scene looks like an invitation to think about actors and slaves as complementary figures of the part who have no part: the slaves on the plantation are the structural precondition for the amateur act¬ ing that makes the young artistocrats slaves to their own feelings of inappro¬ priate sexual desire for one another. It is as though the attempt to perform Lover's Vows at Mansfield Park allows onto the stage of the estate the very slavery on which the novel is otherwise so famously and obtrusively silent. Austen's novel was published at a time when the movement for the abolition of slavery in the British Empire was well under way. David Brion Davies, in a wide-ranging historical investigation of the abolitionist move¬ ment, has identified, alongside sincere moral and religious objections to slavery, a deep structural compatibility between abolitionism and the logic of industrial capitalism. 12 Industrial capitalism requires, as Marx explains, that labour should be 'free': the worker must be free from obligations in which his or her time is already claimed by, say, a feudal landlord, and therefore both available and obliged to take his or her labour into the marketplace. 13 In order for an economic system based upon the waged labour of free workers, it is 90 On the Shameful History of the Amateur Nicholas Ridout Frakcija #58/59 to be moved essential that work itself be understood as something that one would wish to do, into which one may enter freely, voluntarily, without coercion. Indeed, as industrial capitalism develops work must become something which the worker understands as a moral good, and even - and this is perhaps chara¬ cteristic of later phases in this capitalism and its post-industrial develop¬ ments - something that the worker should even enjoy. Slavery poses a problem for capitalism, then, in that it offers a fairly incontrovertible demonstration that work is something the worker doesn't want to do. The slave works under compulsion, under the threat of violence. If people must be forced to work by whips and chains how will it be possible to convince anyone to work of their own free will, for wages. The ideology of work under capitalism demands that slavery be abolished. Or rather, it demands that it be made invisible, lest it discourage the others from taking up the part of wage labour. But in Austen's novel, wage labour is also largely absent (although we get glimpses of its world in the scenes where the heroine, Fanny Price, is returned to her original home, in the decidedly unleisured household of her parents in Portsmouth). Instead, we might perhaps see the work of the amateur actors in the novel as performing ideological labour on behalf of the idea of voluntary labour upon which capitalist wage labour depends. The image of people 'working' for the love of it is a far better advertisement for work than the image of Mr Bertram's Carribbean slaves. If the amateur theatre must be stopped, apparently in the interests of aristo¬ cratic class propriety, then it figures as an ambivalent practice - useful on the one hand for modelling free wage labour, but dangerous because of the way that it simultaneously re-admits the spectre of unfree slave labour. 13 Karl Marx, Capital, Volume One, translated by Ben Fowkes (London: Penguin, 1990) (Chapter Six: The Sale and Purchase of Labour Power, pp. 270 - 280). Part Three: Mile End Mile End is where I work, at the Department of Drama at Queen Mary University of London. When I walk into the building in which the Drama Department is located, I pass through a foyer in which there are sometimes photographs on display which cause me acute discomfort, and which, when I am looking at them and when I allow myself to entertain the thought that someone else might see me looking at them, or associate me with them in any way, bring blood rushing to my face and send me swiftly around the corner and into my office where I can pretend that it never happened. These photographs appear whenever the Queen Mary Players are presenting a play. The Queen Mary Players have nothing to do with the Drama Department. The Drama Department is a serious academic department, just like the other ones in this building and whose employees also see these photographs: the literature professors, the historians, the political theorists. The Queen Mary Players is an amateur dramatic society, founded, I believe, by a senior professor of history, and which puts on one or two productions a year, of plays like Much Ado About Nothing or the The School for Scandal. A mixture of staff, but mainly students, take part, including, I have to say, a number of students from the Drama Department, in their leisure time, as it were. It's probably worth clarifying here that, like all university drama departments in the UK, we don't offer an acting program and we are not training students for professional roles as actors. We are at great pains to make sure that all prospective students understand that we are not a conservatoire, even though about forty percent of our undergraduate drama programme involves the teaching of theatre and performance by means of practice. Nor, by the On the Shameful History of the Amateur Nicholas Ridout Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 91 14 See Denis de Diderot, 'The Paradox of the Actor', in Selected Writings on Art and Literature, edited, translated and with an introduction by Geoffrey Bremner (London: Penguin, 1994), and for a further development of the idea of the actor as nothing, see Philippe Lacoue-Labarthe, 'Diderot: Paradox and Mimesis', in Typography: Mimesis, Philosophy, Politics, edited by Christopher Fynsk, Stanford (Stanford University Press, 1998). way, does the department itself run a theatre season or mount productions of plays. This, too, is typical of university departments in the UK. Our curriculum and our teaching is, at least in part, organised to interrupt any possible sense that were are preparing our students for work as professional actors. Hence my acute discomfort, my shame, at the twice-yearly eruption of the amateur dramatic society in our midst, with their photographs of twenty-somethings dressed up in britches and bonnets, with their talcum- powder grey hair and all that bloody acting. I realise two things. The first is this. The amateur dramatic society and the amateur actor are deeply invested in the idea of the theatre profession. Nowhere, outside the opera house, but that's another world, too horrible to contemplate here, have I witnessed such devotion to protocols and terminology, to the ideology of craft and to the mythology and the superstitions of The Profession. In these photographs then, what I see is a powerful fetishisation of what it is to be professional, snapshots of a culture of passionate emulation. Students enrolled on a university drama programme, one which wants to distance itself as far as it possibly can from both the profession, as it is imagined here in the imagination of the amateur, and from the effects of this amateur emulation, devote evening after evening, when they could be writing essays about abjection in the work of Reza Abdoh, to the barely twitching corpse of a suburban bourgeois pastime. And now I'll tell you what I think is so worrying about my shame. In my affective response to the photographs that give evidence of this enterprise, I am expressing my profound contempt for an act of love. For the work of amateurs. And the second thing I realise, is, that in this work of amateurs, I am witnessing an act of resistance. If not conscious, at least structural. For what are we doing, in the university drama department, if we are not training our students to be professionals in the theatre? Well, of course we are, in a sense, but not that theatre, not the theatre imagined in the Queen Mary Players' production of Much Ado About Nothing. But what we are also doing is training them for their real future. With every passing year we write ever more specific learning outcomes for our courses on counter-cultures, sexuality, experimen¬ tal performance practice, in which we outline the transferable skills - all the team-building, communications, collaboration, adaptability - that our students will need to demonstrate they possess to make their living in a world of neoliberal capitalism. We organise workshop sessions to help them develop their curricula vitae, and guide them in making connections between those learning outcomes we said we would deliver and the things they can now claim to be qualified to do, lest there be any risk of their falling into the part of those who have no part. Hence I return to my earlier, only partly frivolous proposition. If the actor is for Plato the person who knows nothing about what it is he is pretending to do, and for Diderot the actor is the person who can do nothing in particular but can, for that very reason, pretend to be everything, and for Ranciere it is only those who possess no qualifications who are qualified to rule, what are we to make of the amateur actor as the figure for the person who is not even qualified to pretend to be qualified to do anything. 14 Perhaps my shame, then, as I walk through the foyer of my workplace, the place where I work as a fully qualified professional, comes from a fleeting glimpse, from under the talcum powder and the stigmata, of the part who have no part. The Queen Mary Players have momentarily performed a disruption in the distribution of the sensible, a disruption which, in the figure of the amateur, the forgotten figure of the slave - for there are no slaves in neoliberal capitalism, after all - momentarily flashes into view. 92 Letters to —: On the Construction and Sharing of Effective Means Frakcija #58/59 to be moved Dear-, It is this continuity and intensity that makes our correspondence a veritable laboratory preparing and experimenting with a common oeuvre. People who talk about revolution and class struggle without referring explicitly to everyday life, without understanding what is subversive about love and what is positive in the refusal of constraints, such people have a corpse in their mouth.* If you follow the road north to me, you’ll pass the mountaintops where teenage girls shoot hail from the sky with old artillery guns. They live like gods, you’ll see, protecting their village’s crops. Our route is the most barren and already eaten by fires that never cease burning.** When I was 4 and you were notyetborn, we joined the anticolonial struggle which we understood immediately to mean anticapitalist. This is what the Austro-Hungarian Empire looks like now. See. Do you understand that when I say I love you, I mean: communism, honey, lavender, RED, gun, immanence. Love, * Raoul Vaneigem, The Revolution of Everyday Life (1967). * * Alexis Orgera, Dear Friends, The Birds Were Wonderful! (2009). Letters to — Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 93 On the Construction and Sharing of Effective Means ooooo? oooooo? oooo? OOOQOOO 000 0000 OOOO! 0000?! to o 000 30000." Dear-, The inscription of negativity in the subject, usually in the form of a constitutive finitude is taken as a sign of what allows the subject to always escape or evade capitalist capture. We have a symmetrical affirmation and ontologization of resistance to high affirmationism, simply recast in different terms. The deflationary concept of the subject, however, leaves mysterious the process by which the failure of the subject will be converted into active and successful resistance. Negativity is a practice, not a principle, a destruction of existing positivities.* Love, * Benjamin Noys, The Persistence of the Negative (2010). 94 Proizvodnja relacija kao umjetnicki medij Vesna Vukovic Frakcija #58/59 to be moved Proizvodnja relacija kao umjetnicki medij 0 umjetmckoj praksi Andreie Kuiuncic Vesna Vukovic ovor o suvremenoj umjetnosti u prvom je redu govor o izlozbenoj praksi, a ovaj govor podrazumijeva svojevrsni poremecaj u tradicionalnoj podjeli rada unutar sustava umjetnosti, u kojem je umjetnik stvarao, kustos birao i izlagao, a gledatelj promatrao i kontemplirao. To da vise nema "ontoloske" razlike izmedu stvaranja i izlaganja umjetnosti, to nam je, vec od Duchampa, jasno, i to, izmedu ostaloga, za posljedicu ima i zamagljivanje uloge dvaju od tri funkcije, a to je umjetnik i kustos. Ostaje vidjeti sto je dogada s onom trecom, funkcijom gledatelja koji je najprije prevlascu poetike otvorenih formi, a kasnije kroz praksu tzv. institucionalne kritike, izvucen iz udobne pozicije "nevinog" promatraca i ukljucen u samu proizvodnju. Nicolas Bourriaud je u knjizi Relacijska estetika iz 1998. ponudio citanje umjetnickih praksi nggo-ih koje je potakla informacijska kultura. Bourriaud svoje uvide uvelike temelji na recepcijskoj teoriji i kritickim praksama orijentir- anima na sferu recepcije, dakle na onome sto se obicno nazova 'drugim valom' institucionalne kritike, odnosno onim umjetnickim praksama orijentiranima ne toliko na umjetnicki aparat, tj. muzejsko-galerijski sustav zajedno s njegovim ekonomskim i politickim kontekstom, vec na drustvenu mrezu umjetnosti, na siri ideoloski kontekst, ili, Bourriaudovim rijecima, na "citav skup ljudskih odnosa i njihov drustveni kontekst". Pritom "treba da naucimo kako da bolje zivimo u postojecem svetu, umesto da, puni predrasuda o istorijskoj evoluciji, gradimo novi. Drugim recima, umetnicko delo ne treba da kreira neku zamisljenu ili utopijsku stvarnost, vec da ustanovljava vidove postojanja i modele delovanja u okviru vec postojece realnosti, nezavisno od merila koje umetnik bira." 01 Dakle, umjetnik se ukljucuje u vec postojeci svjetski tok (u nggo-ima to su prostori koje su 'kolonizirali' masovni mediji i kultura spektakla), u vladajuce proizvodne uvjete, a upravo relacijske prakse, tvrdi Bourriaud, bolje pristaju suvremenim drustveno-ekonomskim prilikama. Naime, u vrijeme dominacije tercijarnog sektora, industrije usluga, umjetnici, kao postopoliticki proizvodaci, postaju pruzatelji kulturnih usluga, a sto je teza koju razraduje u svojoj sljedecoj knjizi Postprodukcija. oi Nikolas Burio, R elaciona estetika, Centarza savremenu umetnost - Beograd, Beograd, 2002., str. 4. Proizvodnja relacija kao umjetnicki medij Vesna Vukovic Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 95 Okrenimo se sad umjetnickoj praksi Andreje Kuluncic. Njen se rad obicno svrstava u kategoriju tzv. 'drustveno angazirane umjetnosti'. Obradujuci 'vruce' drustvene teme umjetnica u samo srediste svoga interesa stavlja istrazivanje kao umjetnicki proces te suradnju u kolektivnom procesu kao radnu proceduru, pri cemu se suradnja zbiva istodobno na dva kolosjeka: s jedne strane publika u njenim radovima cesto ima aktivnu ulogu sukreatora, s druge strane Andreja Kuluncic umjetnicke vjestine redovito nadopunjuje komplementarnim vjestinama iz drugih podrucja (od filozofije i sociologije preko biologije sve do dizajna i marketinga). Ove dvije recenice, koje su parafraza umjetnicine biografije, a pri cemu je ovdje zanr biografija rastegnut do krajnjih rubova, a vjerojatno i dosta preko njih (u svakom slucaju, ostaje zanimljivo primijetiti da Andreja Kuluncic u svojoj sluzbenoj biografiji ne navodi osobne podatke, poput mjesta rodenja, skolovanje, ne nize izlozbene uspjehe, vec 'suho' iznosi svoju umjetnicku poziciju. Njena je biografija zapravo umjetnicki statement), najavljuju problematiku kojom cu se u ovom tekstu pozabaviti. Najprije cu razmotriti ono sto nazivamo "relacijskom" praksom - a sto obuhvaca drustveno angaziranu umjetnost, umjetnost zajednice (community art), dijalosku umjetnost, participativnu umjetnost, intervencionisticku umjetnost... - kao prevladavajucim formatom od nggo-ih naovamo, citajuci Bourriauda unakrsno s pisanjem londonske kriticarke Claire Bishop kojaje identificirala kljucna mjesta 'manjkavosti', 'slabosti' diskursa koji okruzuje relacijske prakse, a koji bi se mogao oslikati kao premjestanje mjesta kritike u eticki registar. Nadalje, ponudit cu ponovno citanje teksta predavanja Waltera Benjamina "Umjetnik kao proizvodac", kao moguci smjer razmisljanja o suvremenim umjetnickim praksama i njihovom emancipatorskom potencijalu. Sve ovo cu kao analiticku resetku primijeniti na analizu radova Andreje Kuluncic. U zavrsnom cu koraku, umjesto zakljucka, na primjerima multidisciplinarnih suradnji u umjetnickoj praksi Andreje Kuluncic i uz pomoc Virnove teze o "virtuoznosti" otvoriti pitanje o funkciji umjetnika u suvremenim proizvodnim odnosima. 02 Nikolas Burio, R elaciona estetika, Centar za savremenu umetnost - Beograd, Beograd, 2002., str. 54- 03 Nikolas Burio, R elaciona estetika, Centar za savremenu umetnost - Beograd, Beograd, 2002., str. 8 . I. Nicolas Bourriaud u pokusaju kategorizacije umjetnickih praksi nggo-ih uvodi termin "relacijska umjetnost" i definiraje kao "skup umjetnickih praksi koje kao svoje teorijsko i prakticno polaziste uzimaju cjelinu, svukupnost ljudskih odnosa i njihov drustveni kontekst, radije negoli neovisni i privatni prostor" 02 . Osnovni problem koji Bourriauda zaokuplja jest kako pristupiti suvremenim umjetnickim praksama, procesualnim i otvorenih formi, pa ce za svoju relacijsku estetiku reci da "ne predstavlja teoriju umjetnosti, vec teoriju forme" 03 . Forma suvremenog umjetnickog djela prelazi njegov materijalni oblik, vise se ne radi o prostoru koji treba obici pogledom, vec o trajanju u koje gledatelj ukljucuje daleko vise od pukog fizickog prisustva, svoje stavove, svoja iskustva, a takva djela se procjenjuju prema meduljudskim odnosima koje predstavljaju, proizvode ili poticu. Glavna kritika upucena Bourriaudovom pokusaju identifikacije tendencija u suvremenoj umjetnosti tvrdi kako on krci put komodifikaciji ne-objektne umjetnosti jer u umjetnicko trziste ukljucuje i umjetnicke procese i dogadaje, sto je u osnovi direktan odgovor na zamjenu ekonomije dobara ekonomijom usluga. Brian Holmes taj izazov relacijske estetike objasnjava time kako je "bilo potrebno pronaci upotrebnu vrijednost komercijalne slike kao odgovor na situacionisticku kritiku suvremenog 96 Proizvodnja relacija kao umjetnicki medij Frakcija #58/59 Vesna Vukovic to be moved otudenja koje provode mediji. Iznad pasivnosti spektakla postojalo bi drustvo aktivnih 'statista' u kojem bi svatko stvarao mrezu odnosa pomocu simbolickih materijala dostupnih preko kulturne industrije. Uloga umjetnika bila bi proizvesti modele slobodnog i "interaktivnog" ponasanja unutar trgovackog i medijskog drustva." 04 Londonska kriticarka Claire Bishop se u tekstu "Antagonism and Relational Aesthetics" posebno obara na Bourriaudov kljucni kriterij, "kriterij ko-egzistencije", po kojemu sama forma cini relacijska djela demokratskima jer se upravo posredstvom forme pred gledateljem otvaraju pitanja koja ne pretpostavljaju nikakvu apriornu stvarnost, i primjecuje da takva pitanja, teoretski, gledatelj moze postavljati nalazeci se pred bilo kojim umjetnickim djelom. Otvorenost kao novu paradigmu u umjetnosti razradio je Umberto Eco u Otvorenom djelu (1962.), govoreci upravo o onim o umjetnickim djelima koja su otvorena u svojoj 'opipljivosti', pojavnosti, dakle, formi, a ne tek u metaforickom smislu. Bourriaud ipak svoj veliki uzor iskrivljeno aplicira. Naime, Eco je utro put pitanjima recepcije, dok ih Bourriaud nanovo vraca umjetnickoj racionalnosti. Pitanje participacije danas, kada je ga koristi i business da bi poboljsao efikasnost, kada je ona prisutna u mass-medijima (reality show), sve vise postaje neodjeljivo od pitanja politickog opredjeljenja. Bishop tvrdi kako ne postoji privilegirani medij za umjetnicko djelo i kako sama cinjenica da je djelo participativno, ili suradnicko, ili pak interaktivno, ne odreduje njegov znacaj. Ono sto je presudno, a sto relacijska estetika uporno ignorira, jest kakve to odnose suvremena umjetnost proizvodi, za koga i zasto? Radovi Andreje Kuluncic definitivno ulaze u kategoriju "relacijske umjetnosti" jer funkcioniraju kao mjesta susreta, jer uspostavljaju odnos "bliskosti" s gledateljem, jer ukljucuje "trajanje". Pogledajmo kakve odnose proizvode, za koga i zasto. Rad 7 franak = l glas iz 2008., koji umjetnica naziva politickom umjetnickom intervencijom, "alatom za nelegalne osobe", bavi se polozajem ilegaliziranih 05 imigranata u Svicarskoj. Rad funkcionira kroz tri formata; prvi je medijska kampanja (letci, novinski oglasi, billboard na glavnom gradskom kolodvoru u Zurichu) kojom se poziva svicarske Sans-Papiers da doniraju jedan franak u svrhu obnove svicarskog parlamenta, drugi internetska stranica na kojoj se moze pratiti stanje donacije i treci realizacija donacije - 'stvarne' (novcane) donacije od strane ne-postojecih ljudi. Ovi na simbolickoj razini nevidljivi i nepostojeci ljudi 'odrzavaju' svicarsko drustvo odozdo, ciste, cuvaju djecu i starije ljude, posluzuju... i na svakodnevnoj su razini itekako vidljivi, mada opet ne mogu izici na ulicu govoreci "Mi bismo svoja prava". Umjetnica odlucnom gestom davanja vidljivosti ovom nevidljivom sloju od 300 000 ljudi, na prvi pogled pomirljivom gestom 'donacije' svicarskom parlamentu, u prvi plan iznosi kritiku njihova polozaja u svicarskom drustvu, to da su iskljuceni, svedeni na muk, povuceni iz javnosti. Utoliko se metafora u naslovu l franak = l glas ne odnosi samo na pravo glasa na parlamentarnim izborima, vec i na glas u javnosti. Rancierovskim rjecnikom, rjecnikom radikalne univerzalne jednakosti koja kao temeljnu pretpostavku demokracije vidi jednakost jednog bica darom govora s bilo kojim drugim bicem, moze se red kako spomenuta jednakost ovdje vise nije apstraktna, vec postaje vidljiva ne samo na javnoj sceni, vec i u fizickom prostoru (plakati, letci, billboard kao instalacija). Zahtjev koji iznova preslaguje stvari jer nije ni na cemu utemeljen osim na ovoj jednakosti po pravima kakva ima bilo koja druga skupina. Da se vratim pitanjima koja smo postavili uvodno u ovoj analizi: odgovorili smo 'za koga' i 'zasto' se u analiziranom umjetnickom radu odnosi proizvode, ostaje 04 Brian Holmes: Promisljanje muzeja. Umjetnost u zrcalu politicke ekonomije, u: Hijeroglifi buducnosti, Sto, kako i za koga/ WHW i arkzin.communications, Zagreb, 2002., str. 74. 05 Koristim termin "ilegalizirani imigranti"jer umjetnica inzistira na njemu. Proizvodnja relacija kao umjetnicki medij Vesna Vukovic Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 97 nam da odgovorimo i 'kakvi' se to odnosi proizvode. Kriterij za prosudbu drustveno angazirane umjetnosti odnosi se na njen odnos prema drustvenoj promjeni. Za koga i zasto u ovom je radu jasno, ali ono sto ga cini estetski zanimljivim, pri cemu cu prigrliti Rancierovu definiciju umjetnosti kao "sposobnosti da se misli proturjecnost", jest izvjesna kontradikcija koja se proizvodi kroz 'kako'. Participacija ilegaliziranih imigranata u radu ipak ostaje nevidljiva jer umjetnica ne izlaze slike ukljucenih ljudi, nego - paradoksalno zadrzavajuci svoju autorsku poziciju - ona ostaje ta koja im 'daje' glas, kroz ciji rad progovaraju. Takav izbor da reprezentira, etickim kriterijima mjeren, ne odgovara najbolje politici inkluzije, vec kritizira s jedne strane polozaj ilegaliziranih imigranata u drustvu i ambivalentnost umjetnosti u odnosu na drustvenu promjenu. Jedan od najranijih radova Andreje Kuluncic, barem u kategoriji onih koji prisvajaju formu reklamne kampanje, a sto je taktika koju umjetnica u svom radu vrlo cesto primjenjuje ( Austrians Only, Bosnians out, Teenage Pregnancy...), Nama - igo 8 zaposlenih, 15 robnih kuca (2000.), predstavlja i svojevrsnu prijelomnu tocku, ne u njenoj umjetnickoj praksi koliko god odredujuci za njen buduci smjer, vec prije svega u polju lokalne umjetnicke produkcije. Njegova je pionirska uloga u tome sto tranziciju problematizira iz ekonomske perspektive, nakon godina bavljenja nacionalizmima i kulturnim identitetima, sto otvara prostor za raspravu o 'mutnim' pitanjima koja su u vezi s promjenom drustvenog sustava, instalacije kapitalistickog poretka te posljedicno ubrzane segregacije drustva. Upravo odavde treba promatrati umjetnicinu odluku da ne prikazuje slike bijede, da ne iznosi osobne price i da, na svaki raspolozivi nacin, umakne potencijalnoj empatiji i spustanju problematike sa strukturne razine na ravninu osobne nesrece. Nije nevazno red daje pripremajuci rad provela nekoliko mjeseci u razgovorimas radnicima/ama i sindikalistima/icama i daje za to vrijeme prikupila poprilicno osobnih prica. 'Hladni', ravnodusni dizajn plakata nicim to ne odaje, radnice, koje su nasminkali i uredili strucnjaci vizazisti, na plakatima izgledaju upravo glamurozno. Ovaj raskorak izmedu njihove osiromasene i obespravljene stvarnosti i ispeglane i nasminkane reprezentacije na plakatu otvara kriticku distancu za percepciju njihovog polozaja u siroj drustvenoj strukturi (sadrzaj) i promatranje 'umjetnickog' medija (forma). 06 Walter Benjamin, "The Author as Producer”, New Left Review 1 /62, 1970., str. 1 II. Upravo ovom opozicijom, starom i sterilnom raspravom o odnosu forme i sadrzaja, bavi se Walter Benjamin u tekstu predavanja iz 1934. pod nazivom "Autor kao proizvodac" stavljajuci oba ova faktora u zivo socijalno okruzenje. Benjamin zamjenjuje staro materijalisticko pitanje o odnosu umjetnickog djela prema drustvenim odnosima proizvodnje svoga vremena pitanjem kako ono stoji u drustvenim odnosima svoga vremena, cime cilja na funkciju koju djelo ima u umjetnickim odnosima proizvodnje, dakle na njegovu tehniku. Dugu raspravu o odnosu sjedne strane kvalitete i s druge strane politicke tendencije umjetnickog djela Benjamin je premostio formulom koja rasvjetljava odnos ovih dvaju faktora: "Ispravna politicka tendencija djela ukljucuje njegovu knjizevnu kvalitetu jer ukljucuje njegovu knjizevnu tendenciju" 06 . Ovu potonju nalazi u progresu ili regresu literarne tehnike, pri cemu su mu kljucne reference Brechtov epski teatar i angazman Sergeja Tretjakova koji mu sluzi kao ilustracija onoga sto naziva "operativni pisac". Portret autora kao proizvodaca Benjamin derivira iz novina primjecujuci da 98 Proizvodnja relacija kao umjetnicki medij Vesna Vukovic Frakcija #58/59 to be moved nas upravo novine tjeraju da preispitamo podjelu izmedu autora i citatelja. Ponovno citanje Benjaminovog teksta otvara pitanje danasnje estetike produkcije ili, da se zapitamo Benjaminovim rjecnikom, koja je pozicija umjetnickog djela u proizvodnim odnosima naseg vremena? Medutim, odmah valja Benjaminov tekst smjestiti u njegovu historijsku realnost u vrijeme postoktobarske Rusije, u vrijeme kulturnih i umjetnickih eksperimenata, u vrijeme vrlo snaznog internacionalnog politickog pokreta, u vrijeme jake sovjetske drzave sa svojom drustvenom organizacijom i instucijama. Dakle, kad danas postavljamo Benjaminovo pitanje na umu moramo imati sasvim izmijenjen historijski kontekst, a to je vrijeme globalizirane ekonomije, globalnog trzista, vrijeme oslabljene drzave, vrijeme komercijalizacije umjetnicke produkcije, vrijeme prekarizacije rada, pa tako i umjetnickog rada. Primijetiti da se ovakve, relacijske prakse, kakve su u suvremenoj umjetnosti (posebno u prevladavajucim formatima bijenala, trijenala, documenti, manifesti..) cesto instrumentalizirane u svrhu pomirenja i zakrivanja drustvenih antagonizama, nije tesko, ali nije ni produktivno. Utoliko bismo ovaj Benjaminov argument o vaznosti pozicije umjetnickog djela u odnosima proizvodnje svoga vremena mogli ponovo uciniti smislenim trazeci nova pitanja ciji bi on odgovor mogao biti. U radu Artists from..., izvedenom u formi plakatne akcije na Manifesti 4 2002. godine - no razlicitih plakata koji uz fotografije umjetnika, sudionika Manifeste, izlazu i sljedece podatke: zemlja iz koje umjetnik dolazi, prosjecna godisnja placa u toj zemlji 2001. i placa toga umjetnika u istoj godini - Andreja Kuluncic nas suocava s polozajem umjetnika na trzistu rada. Medutim, za pretresanje gore otvorenih pitanja okrenut cu se novijem radu O stanju nacije iz 2008. godine. Rad se, najprije kao cjelogodisnje istrazivanje i suradnja sa strucnjacima iz razlicitih podrucja, zatim kao medijska interevncija pa konacno kao izlozba i niz radionica i javnih diskusija, bavio prisutnoscu i konstrukcijom Drugog u mainstream medijima. Medijska intervencija sastojala se u lansiranju virus-vijesti, ni po cemu posebnih, osim po cinjenici da su protagonisti pripadnici manjinskih skupina: homoseksualci, Kinezi, Romi... Sva dokumentacija izlozenaje u galeriji kojaje za vrijeme trajanja izlozbe funkcionirala kao sastajaliste, mjesto produkcije (mini studio za snimanje intervjua), radionica i diskurzivni prostor. Ako se 'subverzivna' poruka i moze plasirati u medijski prostor, a rad je pokazao da moze, i tako 'zahvatiti' siroku javnost, pitanje njegove recepcije, a koje je uslijed otvorenosti njegove forme kljucno, ostaje problematicno. Referentni okvir mainstream tiskovine previse toga zadaje. Tako se umjetnicka intervencija kojaje iskoracila iz galerije 'u svijet', vraca natrag u galeriju kaojedinijoj raspolozivi prostor koji dozvoljava zastajanje, promisljanje i raspravu. Kako ovdje artikulirati pitanje angazmana, ili Benjaminovo pitanje pozicije umjetnickog rada u proizvodnim uvjetima njegovog vremena? Mozda zaista, kakoje ujednoj prilici ustvrdio ruski umjetnik i aktivist Dmitry Vilensky, danas nije vrijeme da se mijesa umjetnost i informativnost. Nadalje, ekonomski aspekt, koji umjetnica gotovo uvijek naglasava, u ovom je radu nazalost izostao. Nazalost, jer je pitanje drugosti, ne samo rasno ili rodno, dakle identitarno, vec uvijek ujedno i klasno pitanje. Mada sam naslov, "O stanju nacije", priziva govor politicara, izvjestaje vladajucih 'dusebriznika', Andreja Kuluncic i ovdje, kao i u ostalim radovima, progovara o krizi zajednice. Paradoksalno, od pada komunizma i napustanja ideje drustva kao projekta, a koji se najcesce ilustrira performativom Margaret Thatcher "There is no such thing as society" 07 , svjedocimo porastu participacijskih praksi kao proces koji tece paralelno s procesom snizenja drustvene participacije, pa tako sluzi kao 07 Margaret Thatcher, u razgovoru za casopis Women's Own, 1987. Proizvodnja relacija kao umjetnicki medij Vesna Vukovic Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 99 svojevrsna 'maska' tom procesu (privatizacija zdravstva, skolstva, socijalne usluge...). Radovi Andreje Kuluncic, tvrdoglavo i uvijek iznova, postavljaju pitanje drustva kao cjeline, u vremenu u kojem, da se posluzim rijecima Borisa Budena, "iz iluzije o drustvu bez klasa padamo u realnost klase bez drustva". III. Uvodno smo ustvrdili kako je podjela rada u umjetnickom sustavu duboko izmijenjena i da danas tesko razdvajamo funkcije umjetnika, kustosa, a sve vise i gledatelja. Ova se raspodjela, dakako, ne zaustavlja u umjetnickom polju, vec se tice proizvodnih odnosa uopce. Paolo Virno u knjizi "Gramatika mnostva" govori o krizi podjele svekolikog ljudskog iskustva na rad, djelovanje i intelekt (podjelu na poiesis, praxis, intelekt uspostavio je Aristotel, a razradila Hannah Arendt). Danas su granice medu ovim podrucjima olabavljene, u suvremenom svijetu imamo fuziju rada i politike koja se ocituje u "izlaganju rada pogledu drugih", dakle rad je preuzeo obiljezja politickog djelovanja:"... posfordisticki rad, rad koji proizvodi visak vrijednosti, na sebe preuzima ono sto su prema stoljetnoj tradiciji bila obiljezja svega politickog djelovanja ." 08 Ovo ukljucivanje javnog djelovanja u radni proces Virno objasnjava kategorijom virtuoznosti, kao "... djelatnosti... koja nalazi vlastito ispunjenje (iliti vlastiti cilj) u samoj sebi, bez da se opredmeti u nekom trajnom djelu, bez da se odlozi u "dovrseni proizvod" ili u neki objekt koji nadzivljuje izvedbu. S druge strane, to je djelatnost koja trail prisutnost drugih, koja postoji samo u prisutnosti publike ." 09 S obzirom na nepostojanje "dovrsenog proizvoda" te potrebu za prisutnoscu drugih, svako je politicko djelovanje virtouzno, no vrijedi i obrnuto: svaka je virtuoznost u sebi politicka. Kako svako umjetnicko djelo trazi prisutnost drugih, ono je nuzno politicko djelovanje. Medutim, kako smo ranije ustvrdili, ne postoji privilegirani medij za umjetnicko djelo, a sama cinjenica da je djelo participativno, ili suradnicko, ili pak interaktivno, ne odreduje njegov politicki znacaj. Nadalje, recepcija umjetnosti, nekad vita contemplativa, danas kroz interakciju, suradnju, ko-kreaciju, poprima znacajke rada i djelovanja. Andreja Kuluncic u svojim radovima najcesce pribjegava suradnji u kolektivnom procesu, umjetnicke vjestine redovito nadopunjujuci komplementarnim vjestinama iz drugih podrucja (od filozofije i sociologije preko biologije sve do dizajna i marketinga). Ova metodologija, prisutna i u ostalim radovima, najbolje se manifestira u multidisciplinarnim suradnickim projektima, kakvi su Distributivna pravda i Zatvorena zbilja - embrio. Radi se o ranijim radovima, za koje se ovdje moze utvrditi da su na neki nacin zadali pravac ili oblikovali njenu umjetnicku poziciju, oba su vecim dijelom izvedena u mediju interneta, oba projekta (sama ih umjetnica naziva projektima, a ne radovima) tematiziraju 'teske' teme: genetski inzenjering, odnosno njegove eticke implikacije te distribuciju drustvenih, zajednickih dobara, uz sudjelovanje strucnjaka 10 . Pritom, umjetnica nadzire proces, komunicira sa suradnicima i omogucuje komunikaciju medu tim raznorodnim disciplinama; njeno se djelovanje s jedne strane iscrpljuje u komunikaciji, u organizaciji javnog prostora oko odredene teme od drustvenog znacenja (u tome je smislu njeno djelovanje virtuozno i nalik djelovanju politicara), a s druge strane njen se rad ostvaruje upravo kroz komunikaciju. Komunikacija je tako ujedno i sredisnja proizvodna aktivnost i proizvod sam. Ova se aktivnost u galerijskim postavu, a oba su rada visestruko i medunarodno izlagana, realizirala u formi instalacije, kao prikladnoj formi za ovaj dugotrajan i 08 Paolo Virno, Gramatika mnostva, Jesenski i Turk, Zagreb, 2004., str. 44. 09 Paolo Virno, Gramatika mnostva, Jesenski i Turk, Zagreb, 2004., str. 46. 10 U radu Embrio to su: Andreja Kuluncic (vizualna umjetnica i voditeljica projekta), Trudy Lane (dizajnerica), Cabrijela Sabol (sociologinja), Matija Puzar (programer), Ivo Martinovic (producent) kao autori te mr. sc. Lidija Vukovic (molekularna biologinja), mr. sc. Tomislav Janovic (filozof i koordinator znanstvenog dijela projekta), Romana Rozic (direktorica video dokumentacije) i Momo Kuzmanovic (urednik kataloga); u radu Distributivna pravda: Andreja Kuluncic (vizualna umjetnica i voditeljica projekta), Tomislav Janovic (filozof), Neven Petrovic (filozof), Cabrijela Sabol (sociologinja), Ivo Martinovic (foto & video), Matija Puzar (programer), Dejan Jankovic (dizajner) i Trudy Lane (dizajnerica). 100 Proizvodnja relacija kao umjetnicki medij Vesna Vukovic Frakcija #58/59 to be moved kompliciran proces koji obuhvaca istrazivanja, diskusije i analize. S druge strane, upravo se instalacija smatra kljucnom formom koja je umjetnicima omogucila da demokratiziraju svoju umjetnost, tako sto je dozvolila gledateljima da fizicki stupe u prostor umjetnickog djela i tako ga, inace zatvorenog, otvore demokratskoj praksi, transformiraju posveceni prostor umjetnickog rada u prostor javne diskusije, komunikacije, edukacije, umrezavanja. Medutim, kako je ustvrdio Boris Croys u eseju "Politike instalacije" 11 , u analizama se uvijek iznova previda vazan cin koji prethodi otvaranju prostora instalacije zajednici posjetitelja, a to je simbolicki cin privatizacije inace javnog prostora izlozbe. Naime, prostor izlozbe simbolicki pripada javnosti, kojoj je kustosje duzan opravdati svoje izbore, i koja pri posjetu tradicionalnoj izlozbi ostaje na svom teritoriju. Nasuprot tome, prostor umjetnicke instalacije uvijek je simbolicko vlasnistvo umjetnika, koji, za razliku od kustosa, nije duzan javnosti opravdavati svoje izbore, a ulazeci u prostor instalacije posjetitelj stupa na tudi teren i podvrgava se autoritarnoj vladavini umjetnika. Suvereni karakter instalacijske prakse tako razotkriva skrivenu dimenziju demokratskog poretka: nasilni cin njegovog uvodenja, kao i dubinski ambivalentan pojam slobode izbora. Izazov koji stoji pred relacijskom umjetnoscu jest "kako proizvesti modele slobodnog i "interaktivnog" ponasanja. Paolo Virno predlaze da se vratimo originalnom znacenju pojma res, koji u latinskom osim stvari, oznacava i cinjenicu, dogadaj, vidljivu reakciju, akciju. U tome bi svjetlu "reifikacija" bila nastojanje da se nesto ucini vidljivim, upadljivim u pojavnom svijetu. Tom pozitivno znacenju reifikacije Virno kao negativni pol suprotstavlja pojam "otudenja" koji oznacava oduzimanje, izvlastenje. Reifikacija (cinjenica da "zivot uma" postaje cinjenica ili primjetna akcija) bi utoliko mogla biti, predlaze Virno, protuoruzje u borbi protiv post- fordistickog otudenja. "Svaka je suvremena komunikacija bojiste izmedu prikladne reifikacije i strasnog otudenja ". 12 n Boris Croys: "Politics of Installation”, u: Going Public, Sternberg Press, Berlin, 2010. 12 Branden W. Joseph: Interview with Paolo Virno, Grey Room 21, Fall 2005., 33. Production of Relations as an Art Medium Vesna Vukovic Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 101 Production of relations as an art medium On the art practices of Andreja Kuluncic Vesna Vukovic Translated from Croatian by Ivana Ackie he modern art discourse is primarily a discourse of exhibition practices, and that discourse implies a sort of disorder in the traditional division of labour within the artistic system; one where the artist creates, the curator selects and exhibits, and the spectator observes and contemplates. The fact that there is no "ontological" difference between creating and exhibiting art has been clear to us since Duchamp, and that results in, amongst other things, blurred roles of two of the three functions, those of the artist and the curator. It remains to be seen what happens with the third function; the one of spectator who was, first through dominance of poetics of the open form, and later through practice of the so-called institutional critique, extricated from the comfortable position of an "innocent" observer and who became involved in the production itself. In his 1998 Relational Aesthetics, Nicolas Bourriaud offered a reading of artistic practices of the '90s inspired by information culture. Bourriaud based his insights largely on reception theory and the critical practices oriented toward the perception sphere, in other words, that which is usually referred to as the "second wave" of institutional critique; which is to say, those artistic practices oriented towards not so much the artistic apparatus, or the museum-gallery system together with its economic and political context, as towards the social network of art, the wider ideological context, or in Bourriaud's words, "the whole of human relations and their social context". In doing so, we should be "learning to inhabit the world in a better way, instead of trying to construct it based on a preconceived idea of historical evolution. In other words, the role of artworks is no longer to form imaginary and utopian realities, but to actually be ways of living and models of action within the existing real, whatever the scale chosen by the artist". 01 Thus, the artist gets involved in the already existing global trend (in the '90s, these were the spaces "colonised" by the mass media and the culture of spectacle) and the governing production conditions, and it is relational practices in particular, according to Bourriaud, that better fit the contemporary socio-economic circumstances. Namely, during the dominance of the tertiary sector or the service industry, artists, as post-political producers, become providers of cultural services, which is a thesis he elaborates on in his subsequent work, Postproduction. 01 Nicolas Bourriaud, Relational Aesthetics (Dijon: Les presses du reel, 2002) p. 13. 102 Production of Relations as an Art Medium Vesna Vukovic Frakcija #58/59 to be moved Let us now consider the artistic practices of Andreja Kuluncic. Her work is usually classified as the so-called "socially engaged art". By working on "hot" social topics, the artist focuses on research as an artistic process, and the cooperation in the collective process as a work procedure, whereby this cooperation happens simultaneously on two tracks: on the one hand there is the audience which often has the active role of a co-producer in her works, and on the other hand, Andreja Kuluncic regularly supplements the artistic skills with complementary skills from other areas (from philosophy and sociology, to biology, design and marketing). These two sentences, which are a paraphrase of the artist's biography, and here the biography genre should be considered only in the loosest sense, as this biography reaches and quite possibly crosses its boundaries (in any case, it is interesting to note how in her official biography Andreja Kuluncic doesn't mention any personal information, such as place of birth, education, she doesn't list her exhibition successes, but "dryly" discloses her artistic position; her biography is actually an artistic statement), announce the subject matter which I am going to tackle in this paper. First, I will consider what we call "relational" practices - which include socially engaged art, community art, dialogic art, participatory art, interventionist art... - as the dominant format from the nggos onwards, reading Bourriaud alongside the London critic Claire Bishop, who identified the key sites of 'deficiencies' or 'weaknesses' of the discourse surrounding relational practices, which could be painted as a transfer of the placement of critique into the ethical register. Furthermore, I will offer a renewed reading of the transcript of Walter Benjamin's lecture entitled "The Author as Producer", as a possible course of meditation on contemporary artistic practices and their emancipatory potential. I will apply all of this as an analytical grid for the analysis of Andreja Kuluncic's work. In the final step, instead of a conclusion, I will pose the question of the artist's function in contemporary industrial relations, using the examples of multidisciplinary collaborations in the artistic practices of Andreja Kuluncic and with the aid of Virno's thesis on "virtuosity". 02 Nicolas Bourriau, Relational Aesthetics (Dijon: Les presses du reel, 2002), p. 113. 03 Nicolas Bourriau, Relational Aesthetics, (Dijon: Les presses du reel, 2002), p. 113. I. In an attempt to categorise the artistic practices of the nggos, Nicolas Bourriaud introduces the term "relational art" and defines it as "a set of artistic practices which take as their theoretical and practical point of departure the whole of human relations and their social context, rather than an independent and private space" 02 . The main problem which preoccupies Bourriaud is how to approach the contemporary artistic practices, processual practices of open forms, and it is for that reason that he says his relational aesthetics "does not represent a theory of art, but a theory of form". 03 The form of a contemporary work of art surpasses its material form, it is no longer a space that needs to be taken in by our gaze, but a duration within which the spectator includes far more than a mere physical presence - their attitudes, their experiences - and that kind of work is evaluated according to human relations that it stands for, produces or encourages. The main critique of Bourriaud's attempt at identifying the tendencies in contemporary art claims that he forges the way for commodification of non-object art since he includes both artistic processes and events in the art market, which is in its basis a direct response to replacing the economy of goods with the economy of services. Brian Holmes explains this challenge of relational aesthetics through "there being a need to find a use value of the commercial image as a response to the Situationist critique of the Production of Relations as an Art Medium Vesna Vukovic Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 103 contemporary alienation conducted by the media. Above the passivity of the spectacle there would exist a society of active 'extras' in which everyone included would create a network of relations with the aid of symbolic materials available through the culture industry. The role of the artist would be producing the models of free and 'interactive' behaviour within the commercial and media society." 04 The London critic Claire Bishop, in her "Antagonism and Relational Aesthetics", pounces upon Bourriaud's key criterion, the "criterion of co¬ existence", according to which the form itself makes relational works democratic since it is precisely through mediation of form before the spectator that the questions, which do not assume any sort of a priori reality, are posed, and she notes how, in theory, such questions could be posed by a spectator situated in front of any piece of art. Openness as a new paradigm was elaborated on by Umberto Eco in The Open Work (1962), discussing in particular the works of art open in their "tangibility", manifestation, hence, their form, and not only in the metaphorical sense. However, Bourriaud applies his great influence in a distorted manner. That is to say Eco forged the way for the matters of reception, whereas Bourriaud brings them back to the artistic rationality. The question of participation nowadays, when it is even used by business in order to improve its effectiveness, and when it is present in the mass media ( reality show), is becoming increasingly inseparable from the question of political affiliation. Bishop argues that there is no privileged medium for a work of art and that the mere fact the work is participatory, collaborative, or interactive, does not determine its significance. What is crucial here, and what is being persistently ignored by relational aesthetics, is what kind of relations are being produced by contemporary art, for whom and why. The works of Andreja Kuluncic most definitely fall within the category of "relational art" since they function as meeting places, because they establish a relationship of "closeness" with the spectator, because they include "duration". Let us have a look at what kind of relations they produce, for whom and why. Her 2008 work entitled iCHF = lVOICE, which the artist calls a political art intervention, "a tool for illegalised persons", is concerned with the position of illegalised 05 immigrants in Switzerland. The work functions through three formats: the first is a media campaign (flyers, newspaper ads, a billboard at the railway station in Zurich), which urges the Swiss Sans-Papiers to donate one franc for the renovation of the Swiss Parliament; the second is a website where it is possible to track the donation status; and the third is a realisation of the donation - a "real" (monetary) donation by nonexistent people. These, on the symbolic level, invisible people "maintain" Swiss society from the bottom, they clean, babysit, and nurse the elderly, they serve... and on the everyday level they are more than visible, although they still cannot very well take to the streets saying: "We demand our rights". With the decisive gesture of attaining visibility for this invisible class of 300,000 people, through a seemingly placating gesture of "donation" to the Swiss Parliament, the artist puts the critique of their position in Swiss society into the limelight: the fact that they are excluded, reduced to a hush, withdrawn from the public. To that extent, the metaphor in the title 7CHF = lVOICE does not only refer to the right to vote in the parliamentary election, but the public voice as well. To use Ranciere's terms, the terms of radical universal equality which sees the equality of one being with the gift of speech to any other being as a fundamental assumption of democracy, we could say that the aforementioned equality is not merely abstract anymore, but becomes visible not only in the eyes of the public, but also in the physical space (posters, flyers, billboard as an installation). A claim which rearranges 04 Brian Holmes, Reflecting Museums. Art in the mirror of Political Economy, in: Hieroglyphs of the Future (Zagreb: What, How and for Whom/WHW and ARKzin communications, 2002), P- 74 - os I am using the term "illegalised immigrants" because the artist insists on it. 104 Production of Relations as an Art Medium Vesna Vukovic Frakcija #58/59 to be moved things anew since it is not based on anything aside from this equality in accordance with the rights of any other group. To get back to the questions posed in the introduction of this analysis: we have the answers to "for whom" and "why" the relations are created in the analysed work of art, the remaining question is "what kind" of relations are being created. The criterion for evaluation of socially engaged art is related to its relationship to social change. For whom and why is clear in this work, but what makes it aesthetically interesting, and this is where I choose to embrace Ranciere's definition of art as "the ability to think contradiction", is a certain contradiction which is created through "how". The participation of illegalised immigrants in the work still remains invisible since the artist does not exhibit pictures of the people involved, but - paradoxically retaining her authorial position - she remains the one to "give" them a voice, and through whose work they speak. That choice to represent, measured by ethical standards, does not correspond well with the politics of inclusion; on the one hand it criticises the position of illegalised immigrants within the society and on the other hand the ambivalence of art in relation to social change. One of the earliest works of Andreja Kuluncic, at least in the category of those that take on the form of an advertising campaign, and which is a tactic the artist uses in her work rather often (Austrians Only, Bosnians out, Teenage Pregnancy...), Nama - igo8 employees, 15 department stores (2000), represents a kind of turning point, not for her artistic practices, no matter how defining for her future course, but above all for the field of local artistic production. Its pioneering role is contained in the fact that it problematises transition from an economic perspective, after years of having dealt with nationalisms and cultural identities, that it opens space for discussing the "grey areas" related to changes in the social system, installation of the capitalist order and the resulting rapid segregation of society. It is precisely from here that we should observe the artist's decision not to show pictures of abject poverty, not to disclose personal stories, and to, in every way possible, escape the potential empathy and lowering the level of the issue from the structural to the plane of personal misfortune. It is not irrelevant to mention how, in preparation for her work, she spent several months in discussions with the workers and unionists, and how she collected quite a number of personal stories during that period. The "cold" indifferent design of the posters does not betray the fact, and the female workers, who were made-up and spruced up by professional make-up artists, look positively glamorous in the pictures. This discrepancy between their impoverished and disempowered reality, and ironed and made-up presentation on the posters opens up a critical distance for the perception of their position in the wider social structure (content) and the observation of the "artistic" medium (form). II. It is precisely this opposition, the old and sterile debate on the relationship of form and content, that Walter Benjamin addresses in the text of his 1934 lecture entitled "The Author as Producer", setting both of these factors in a live social environment. Benjamin replaces the old materialistic question, of relation of a piece of art towards social relations of production of its time, with the question of its position within the social relations of its time, which aims for the function that a piece of art has within the artistic relations of production, i.e., its technique. The long discussion, of the relationship between quality on the one Production of Relations as an Art Medium Vesna Vukovic Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 105 hand and political tendencies of a piece of art on the other, was bridged by Benjamin with a formula that clarified the relationship between these two factors: "the correct political tendency of a work includes its literary quality because it includes its literary tendency" 06 . He finds the latter in the progress or regress of literary technique, where his key references are Brecht's epic theatre and Sergei Tretyakov's engagement which serves as an illustration of what he refers to as "the operating writer". Benjamin derives the portrait of the author as producer from the newspaper, noting how it is precisely the newspaper that forces us to question the division between the author and the reader. A renewed reading of Benjamin's text raises the question of today's aesthetics of production, or to borrow Benjamin's terms: what is the position of art in the production relations of our times? However, Benjamin's text should be immediately placed within its historical reality of Russia after the October Revolution, a time of cultural and artistic experimentation, a time of rather strong international political movement, a time of the powerful Soviet state with its social organisation and institutions. Therefore, when raising Benjamin's question today, we have to bear in mind an entirely altered historical context, and that is a time of globalised economy and the global marketplace, a time of weakened state, a time of commercialisation of artistic production, a time of precariousness of work, which includes artistic work. It is not difficult, nor is it productive, to notice how these kinds of relational practices in contemporary art (especially in the prevailing formats of biennale, triennale, documenta, manifest...) are often instrumentalised as a means of reconciliation and encryption of social antagonisms. To that extent, this argument of Benjamin's, about the importance of the position of a piece of art within the production relations of its time, could be made meaningful once more if we were to look for new questions it could answer. In her work Artist from..., executed in the form of a poster campaign at Manifesto 4 in 2002 - no different posters which, alongside photographs of artists, participants of Manifesto 4, displayed the following information: country of the artist's origin, average annual wage in the aforementioned country for the year 2001, and the artist's wages for the same year - Andreja Kuluncic confronts us with the position of an artist in the labour market. However, in order to get deeper into the aforementioned questions, I will turn to a more recent work from 2008, On the State of the Nation. The work, first as a year-long research and collaboration with experts from different fields, then as a media intervention, and finally as an exhibition and a series of workshops and public discussions, dealt with the presence and construction of the Other in mainstream media. The media intervention consisted in launching viral news, not extraordinary in any way, except for the fact that the protagonists were all members of minority groups: homosexuals, Chinese, Roma... The whole of the documentation was exhibited in a gallery that, for the duration of the exhibition, served as a meeting place, a place of production (mini interview¬ recording studio), as a workshop and a place of discourse. If a "subversive" message can be launched into media space, and this work has shown that possible, and so "spread" among the general public, the question of its reception, which is quite essential due to the openness of its form, remains problematic. The frame of reference of mainstream publications sets too many rules. Thus, the artistic intervention that stepped outside the gallery and "into the world", returns to the gallery which is the only place that allows for pause, reflection and discussion. How do we articulate the question of engagement here, or Benjamin's question of the position of artistic work in the production conditions of its time? Perhaps, indeed, as on one occasion Russian artist and 06 Walter Benjamin, "The Author as Producer”, New Left Review 1.62 Production of Relations as an Art Medium Frakcija #58/59 Vesna Vukovic to be moved activist Dmitry Vilensky put it, today is not the time to mix art and informati¬ veness. Furthermore, the economic aspect, which is almost always emphasised by the artist, is unfortunately absent from this work. Unfortunately, because the question of Otherness is not just a question of race or gender, i.e. that of identity, but is always a class issue at the same time. Although the title On the State of the Nation invokes political vernacular and reports by the ruling "curators of souls", Andreja Kuluncic here, as in her other works, speaks up about the crisis of community. Paradoxically, since the collapse of communism and the abandonment of the idea of society as a project, which is usually illustrated by Margaret Thatcher's performative, "There is no such thing as society", 07 we have been witnessing an increase in participatory practices as a process that runs parallel to the process of decreasing social participation, and thus serves as a kind of "mask" for that process (the privatisation of healthcare, education, social services...). The works of Andrea Kuluncic, stubbornly and over again, ask the question of society as a whole, at a time when, to borrow Boris Buden, "we fall from the illusion of a society with no classes into the reality of a class with no society". III. By means of introduction, we have affirmed that the division of labour in the art system has been profoundly altered and that nowadays it is hard to separate the functions of artists, curators, and, increasingly, spectators. This distribution, however, does not stop in the field of art, but rather it has to do with the relations of production in general. In his A Grammar of the Multitude, Paolo Virno talks about the crisis of the division of human experience into labour, action and intellect (the division of poiesis, praxis and intellect was established by Aristotle and elaborated on by Hannah Arendt). Today, the boundaries between these areas are loosened, in the modern world we have a fusion of work and politics, which is reflected in "exhibiting the work to the gaze of others", thus the work has taken on some traits of political action: "...[the] post-Fordist labour, the productive labour of surplus, subordinate labour, brings into play the talents and the qualifications which, according to a secular tradition, had more to do with political action" 08 . These inclusions of the public in the work process Virno explains through the category of virtuosity, as "...an activity which finds its own fulfillment (that is, its own purpose) in itself, without objectifying itself into an end product, without settling into a 'finished product', or into an object which would survive the performance. Secondly, it is an activity which requires the presence of others, which exists only in the presence of an audience" 09 . Considering the lack of an "end product" and the need for the presence of others, every political action is a virtuoso-action, but the opposite is also true: all of virtuosity is in itself political. Seeing as every work of art requires the presence of others, it is necessarily a political action. However, as we have stated previously, there is no privileged medium for a work of art, and the fact that the work is participatory, or collaborative, or interactive, does not determine its political significance. Furthermore, the reception of art, once vita contemplativa, today through interaction, collaboration, co-creation, takes on the features of work and action. In her works, Andreja Kuluncic generally resorts to cooperation in a collective process, regularly supplementing the artistic skills with complementary skills from other areas (from philosophy and sociology, to biology, design and marketing). This methodology, also present in her other 07 Margaret Thatcher, in an interview for Women's Own magazine, 1987. 08 Paolo Virno, A Grammar of the Multitude (Cambridge: MIT Press, 2004), p. 51. 09 Paolo Virno, A Grammar of the Multitude (Cambridge: MIT Press, 2004), p. 52. Production of Relations as an Art Medium Vesna Vukovic Frakcija #58/59 to be moved works, is best manifested in multidisciplinary collaborative projects, such as 10 Distributive Justice and Closed Reality - Embryo. These are her earlier works, and it is possible to establish that in some way they have given direction or shape to her artistic position; both are mostly executed through the medium of the Internet, both projects (the artist herself calls them projects instead of works) portray "heavy" topics: genetic engineering and its ethical implications, and the distribution of social, common goods, with the participation of experts 10 . In doing so, the artist controls the process, communicates with her colleagues and facilitates communication between these disparate disciplines; on the one hand, her activity is exhausted in communication, in organisation of the public space around a specific topic of social significance (in this sense, her work is that of virtuosity, and is akin to the actions of politicians), on the other hand, her work is realised precisely through communication. In this way, communication is both the central manufacturing activity and the product itself. This activity was realised through gallery exhibitions (both projects were exhibited internationally and on multiple occasions), in the form of installation, as a form suitable for this lengthy and complicated process that involves research, discussion and analysis. On the other hand, it is precisely installation that is considered to be the key form which has allowed the artists to democratise their art, through permitting the spectators to physically enter the space of the work of art and, in doing so, open an otherwise closed space to n democratic practices, transform the space devoted to the work of art into a space of public discussion, communication, education and networking. However, as Boris Croys has argued in his essay entitled "Politics of 12 Installation" 11 , the analysis continuously overlooks an important act that precedes the opening of the installation space to the community of visitors, and that is a symbolic act of privatisation of an otherwise public exhibition space. That is to say, the exhibition space symbolically belongs to the public, to which the curator is obliged to justify his choices, and which remains on its territory during a visit to a traditional exhibition. In contrast, the space of art installation is always in symbolic ownership of the artist, who, unlike the curator, is not obliged to justify his choices to the public, and entering the installation space the visitor steps into someone else's terrain and submits to the authoritarian rule of the artist. The sovereign character of the installation practices thus reveals a hidden dimension of the democratic order: the violent act of its introduction, and a deeply ambivalent concept of the freedom of choice. The challenge facing relational art is how to produce models of "free" and "interactive" behaviour. Paolo Virno proposes a return to the original meaning of the Latin term res, which aside from signifying a thing, indicates a fact, an event, a visible reaction, or an action. In this light, "reification" would be an attempt at making something visible and conspicuous in the material world. To this positive meaning of reification Virno opposes, as a negative pole, the term "alienation", which signifies privation, dispossession. To this extent, reification (the fact that "the life of the mind" becomes fact or perceivable action), as proposed by Virno, could be used as a weapon in the struggle against post- Fordist alienation. "All contemporary communication is a battleground between a suitable reification and a dreadful alienation" 12 . 107 In her project Embryo these are: Andreja Kuluncic (visual artist and head of the project), Trudy Lane (designer), Cabrijela Sabol (sociologist), Matija Puzar (programmer), Ivo Martinovic (producer) as authors and Lidija Vukovic M. Sc. (molecular biologist), Tomislav Janovic M. Sc. (philosopher and coordinator of the scientific part of the project), Romana Rozic (video documentation director) and Momo Kuzmanovic (catalogue editor); In her project Distributive Justice: Andreja Kuluncic (visual artist and head of the project), Tomislav Janovic (philosopher), Neven Petrovic (philosopher), Cabrijela Sabol (sociologist), Ivo Martinovic (photo & video), Matija Puzar (programmer), Dejan Jankovic (designer) and Trudy Lane (designer). Boris Croys, "Politics of Installation", in: Going Public (Berlin: Sternberg Press, 2010). Branden W. Joseph, "Interview with Paolo Virno", Grey Room 21 (Fall 2005), 33. Kritike i pogledi Frakcija # 58/59 to be moved Reviews Frakcija # 58/59 to be moved 109 110 Letters to —: On the Construction and Sharing of Effective Means Frakcija #58/59 to be moved Dear-, This is expressed in a very awkward way, unfortunately. What I would like to stress is that our main objective cannot be to act upon people's consciousness so as to change it. There is an illusion in propaganda, whether it is made by texts or by deeds. We do not ‘convince’ anyone. We can only express what is going on. We cannot create a movement in society. We can only act within a movement to which we ourselves belong. The unity of the totality to be altered is everywhere and nowhere, so don’t worry all that much about centrality, just start here and now.* We are all in love. Love, * Gilles Dauve, Letter on the Use of Violence (1973). Letters to —: On the Construction and Sharing of Effective Means Frakcija #58/59 to be moved Dear-, Consciousness of desire and the desire for consciousness together and indissolubly constitute that project which in its negative form has as its goal the abolition of classes and the direct possession by the workers of every aspect of their activity.* Build me a paper plane from butcher paper. Love, * Guy Debord, The Society of the Spectacle (1967). 112 Obustavljen rad izvjesnosti Tomislav Medak Frakcija #58/59 to be moved Obustavljen rad izvjesnosti - jedna gledateljska preferenca uz predstavu Work Every Day Tomislav Medak romanu Toma McCarthyja Ostatak neimenovani protagonist kruzi oko kobnog dogadaja - pada neimeno- vanog predmeta koji mu se iz zra- ka srucio na glavu i ostavio ga bez uspomene na tu nesrecu, ali s pozamasnim finan- cijskim obestecenjem. Ono mu omogucuje da upregne ljude, predmete i zbivanja u megaloman- ski napor stvaranja okolnosti u kojima bi mogao iznova prozivjeti specificno, ali neodredivo na- hodenje prouzroceno tim dogadajem i prisjecaji- ma iz ranijeg zivota. Nesreca prikrivena amnezi- jom tjera ga da kompulzivno inscenira prizoreje- dne zbilje sve dok organizirajuca nacela dozivljaja te nesrece i situacija ne poprime autonomiju i kre- nu generirati slijed dogadaja koji posve gubi vezu s inicijalnom traumom. Od rekonstrukcije jednog deja-vu -a koji je zapoceo s pukotinom u zidu, ne- jasnim sjecanjima najedan stan i miris jetrica iz susjednog stana poduhvat ce eskalirati do pljacke banke i bijega avionom u nepoznato. Traumatska kompulzija, kojaje prema psihoa- nalitickoj ortodoksiji prinudena ponavljati obrazac bolnog dogadaja i time ga potvrdivati kao izvje- stan, kontingencije lisen i identitetski konstituti- van, ovdje dobiva fikcionalizirano razrijesenje u ekonomskoj moci traumatiziranog pojedinca da mobilizira zbilju u cilju proizvodnje konacnog do¬ gadaja koji vise nije upregnut u neizbjeznu nuznost ponavljanja obrasca iz proslosti, vec biva osloboden za apsolutnu kontingenciju novona- stajuce buducnosti. Stosta bi se moglo red o fan- tazmatskom znacaju temeljne fikcije McCarthyje- vog romana - primjerice, da je ekonomska moc ta koja omogucuje inscenacijsko mobiliziranje zbilje u ciiju raskidanja uvjetovanosti prosloscu (bilo da to izlijecenje od traume tumacimo kao zaborav zaborava kroz konzumerizam, kao istinsku moc kapitala da proizvodi drustvenu zbilju ili kao ideo- losku matricu koja reproducira strukturu ekonom- ske dominacije). Za potrebe ovdje posluzit ce, ipak, pripovijedni postupak postupnog ljustenja racio- nalnosti djelovanja, suspenzije dovoljnog razloga (to je naime manevar uvjerenja u aleatornost eko- nomske moci: bogatstvo moze dopasti svakoga, kao predmet iz vedra neba) koja kako protagoni- sta tako i citatelja privodi konacnoj kontigenciji dogadanja - slijed rekonstrukcija i ponavljanja re- zultira dogadajem koji ne slijedi iz pocetnog do¬ gadaja. Postupna suspenzija dovoljnog razloga scen- skog zbivanja i tumacivosti specifican je postupak predstave Work Every Day koreografkinje i autori¬ ce koncepta Marjane Krajac. Od pocetka kroz predstavu pratimo disparatnosti izrazajnih aspe- kata: izmedu posve razlicitih plesnih izricaja cetiri izvodacice, izmedu plesnog pokreta i koreografske organizacije plesnog materijala, izmedu oblikova- nja pozornice, kostima, svjetla ili glazbe i strukture scenskog zbivanja, izmedu parateksta i izvedbe itd. Premda prepoznajemo relativno jasnu struk¬ turu tijeka predstave, niti struktura ne uvjetuje procese i elemente unutar predstave, ona ostaje samo formalno zadanim protijekom. Svi materijal- ni procesi i elementi ustraju (ili prije odustaju, ali o tome za koji trenutak) na svojoj specificnoj, medu- sobno nesvodivoj izricajnosti. Predstava nepresta- no podriva podvrgavanje jednog elementa logici drugog, ne nastoji ih utemeljiti jedan u drugom, niti proizvesti njihovu strukturnu konzistenciju. Nekoherentnost i nekonzekventnost etablira kao dominantno organizirajuce nacelo. Teatar je proces apstrakcije, odmisljanja pri- sutnosti materijalnih nositelja komunikacijskog Obustavljen rad izvjesnosti Tomislav Medak Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 113 procesa koje tvore teatarski aparat. Apstrahiranje prisustva materijalnih elemenata u teatarskom aparatu - izvodaca, scenografije, scenske tehnolo- gije, izvedbenog prostora, zvukova... - preduvjet je uprisutnjenja odsutnih prizora. Historijsku avan- gardu i postavangardu u teatru mozemo sagledati kao povijest pokusaja da se dade scensko prven- stvo i da se dogodi igra te inace odmisljene prisu- tne materijalnosti teatarskog dogadaja. Konvencionalno, medutim, teatarski dogadaj izvedbe diktira znacenjsku strukturu i daje izrazaj- nu konzistenciju procesima, akterima, infrastruk- turama i relacijama koji je nose. Materijalna zbiva- nja na sceni - primjerice, premjestanje scenografi¬ je, paljenje reflektora, igra na prosceniju ili obraca- nje kroz cetvrti zid - citljiva su zajedno iz teatar¬ skog dogadaja. Mogli bismo red da teatarski do¬ gadaj izvedbe nije nista drugo do upravo proizvo- dnja te unutarnje povezanosti materijalnih zbiva- nja na sceni. Proces proizvodnje unutarnje pove¬ zanosti znacenja i izrazajne konzistencije determi- nira svaki od tih elemenata pojedinacno. Nadalje, uz objedinjujuce djelovanje izvedbe, unutar mate- rijalne strukture pojedini elementi znacenjski de- terminiraju druge izrazajne elemente. Tako je kla- sicna teatarska hijerarhija pretpostavljala primat scenskog jedinstva dogadaja i primat dramskog teksta nad ostalim elementima. Brehtijanski epski teatar pak dokida takvu hijerarhiju izrazajnih ele¬ menata teatarskog aparata. I upravo tu logiku de- hijerarhizacije Work Every Day radikalizira izvlaceci materijalne procese, aktere, infrastrukture i relaci- je iz odnosa podredenosti proizvodnje znacenjske strukture predstave. Taj postupak gradi se od vec spomenute pocetne nesvodive razlidtosti plesnih izricaja, preko izostanka njihove koherentnosti s koreografskom organizacijom pokreta, do predza- dnjeg cina komicne koreografije u kojoj se autono- mizira struktura gledateljeve paznje i zadnjeg cina spustanja cugova u kojem naposljetku i nevidljiva materijalna infrastruktura teatra dobiva autono- miju. Predstava kojom dominiraju neodradene ge- ste, polovicne izradenosti i obustavljena proradi- vanja, u naslovu programatski postavlja problem rada. Razvijajuci kroz tijek izvedbe mogucnosti povezanog poimanja rada i produktivnosti, Work Every Day ipak inzistira na kontingentnosti njihove povezivosti - kroz predstavu stalnaje mogucnost da iz rada ne nastaje proizvod ili da proizvod ne nastaje iz rada. Kontingentnost tog odnosa - iz- medu rada predstave i proizvoda predstave - po¬ stupak je kojim Work Every Day zauzima suprotni pol od teatra potvrdivanja i pojasnjavanja da ono sto je posrijedi u drustvu doistajest potvrdivo u teatru. Teatar potvrdivanja i pojasnjavanja, koji eto u posljednje vrijeme na hrvatskim pozornicima prozivljava svoju drugu mladost, nadasve u formi propagandnog kazalista, predmnijeva da moze izvjesno uprizoriti ono sto gledatelj zna i sto masmediji kolportiraju. Medutim, kontingentnost materijalnih nositelja teatarskog dogadaja korum- pira izvjesnosti znanja koje inscenira. Od izvjesno¬ sti ostaje tek izvjesnost neizvjesnosti. Stoga je ovdje naprotiv rijec o teatru oduzimanja: ono s cim smo dosli mozda nije tako, ono s dm smo oti- sli mozda nije tako. Teatar kojeg napustamo uskraceni za ono s cim smo dosli, teatar koji nas osiromasuje namjesto da se upinje da nas obogati. Ovaj clanak ustupljen je pod uvjetima licence Creative Commons Imenovanje-Dijeli pod istim uvjetima 3.0: http://creativecommons.0rg/licenses/by-sa/3.o/hr. 114 Suspended Work of Certainty Tomislav Medak Frakcija #58/59 to be moved Suspended Work of Certainty - A Spectator's Preference Regarding the Performance Work Every Day Tomislav Medak Translated from Croatian by Marina Miladinov n Tom McCarthy's novel The Remainder, an unnamed character is involved in a fateful event - the fall of an unidentified object that fell on his head from the sky and left him without a memory of the accident, yet with a considerable financial compensation. This enables him to harness people, objects, and events in a megalomaniac effort of creating the circumstances in which he could relive the speci¬ fic, yet indefinable disposition caused by the inci¬ dent and by memories of his previous life. The accident concealed by amnesia forces him to compulsively enact the scenes from a reality until the organizing principles of reliving the event acguire autonomy and begin generating a series of events that lose all contact with the initial tra¬ uma. From the reconstruction of a deja-vu that began with a crack in the wall, vague memories of an apartment and the smell of fried liver from the neighbour's, the enterprise will escalate to a bank robbery and an airplane flight into the unknown Traumatic compulsion, which is according to psychoanalytical orthodoxy compelled to repeat the pattern of the painful incident, thus confir¬ ming it as certain, void of contingency, and con¬ stitutive in terms of identity, here reaches a fictio¬ nalized solution in the economic power of a trau¬ matized individual to mobilize the reality with the aim of producing a final event that is no longer harnessed in the inescapable necessity of repea¬ ting the pattern from the past, but is instead libe¬ rated for the absolute contingency of the newly emerging future. Many things could be said about the fantasmatic meaning of this basic fiction in McCarthy's novel - for example, that it is econo¬ mic power that enables the staged mobilization of the reality in order to break with the conditio¬ ning of the past (be it by interpreting the cure of a trauma as forgetting to forget with the help of consumerism as the true power of capital to pro¬ duce the social reality, or as an ideological matrix that reproduces the structure of economic domi¬ nation). Flowever, for our purposes we will use the narrative procedure of gradual peeling of the rati¬ onality of action, suspension of the sufficient rati¬ onale (which is the manoeuvre of belief in the ale- atority of economic power: richness can befall anyone, like an object out of the blue) which brin¬ gs both the protagonist and the reader to the final contingency of happening - the series of recon¬ structions and repeating results in an event that no longer emerges from the original one. Gradual suspension of the sufficient cause of staged actions and interpretability is the specific procedure used in the performance Work Every Day by choreographer and conceptual author Marjana Krajac. From the beginning and throug¬ hout the performance we follow the disparate¬ ness of various aspects of expression: between various dance expressions of the four performers, between dance movement and choreographic or¬ ganization of the dance material, between sha¬ ping the stage, costumes, light or music, and the structure of stage action, between the proto-text Suspended Work of Certainty Tomislav Medak Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 115 and performance, etc. Even though we recognize the relatively clear structure in the course of the show, that structure does not condition the pro¬ cesses and elements within the performance, re¬ maining a merely formally given itinerary. All ma¬ terial processes and elements insist on (or rather desist from, but I will come back to that) their specific, mutually irreducible expressivity. The per¬ formance continuously undermines the subjection of one element to the logic of another, seeking neither to base them on one another nor to pro¬ duce their structural consistency. The incoherence and inconsequentiality is established as the domi¬ nant principle of organization. Theatre is a process of abstraction, of thin¬ king away those material vehicles of the commu¬ nication process that constitute the theatrical apparatus. Abstracting from the presence of ma¬ terial elements in the theatrical apparatus - the performers, the stage set, stage technology, per¬ formance space, sounds, etc. - is a precondition for presenting the absent scenes. The historical avant-garde and post-avant-garde can be viewed as a history of attempts at giving the stage prima¬ cy to and enable the play of that otherwise thou- ght-away, yet present materiality of theatrical ac¬ tion. Conventionally, however, the theatrical action of performance dictates the structure of meaning and gives the consistency of expression to proces¬ ses, agents, infrastructures, and relations that car¬ ry it. The material events on stage - such as dislo¬ cating the stage set, turning on the spotlights, ac¬ tion on the proscenium, or addressing someone through the fourth wall - are to be read together from the theatrical action itself. We might say that the theatrical event of performance is nothing else than precisely the production of that inner coherence of material action on stage. The pro¬ cess of producing that inner coherence of mea¬ ning and the consistency of expression determi¬ nes each and every one of these elements separa¬ tely. Moreover, with the unifying effect of perfor¬ mance, certain elements within the material structure determine other expressive elements as to their meaning. The classical hierarchy of thea¬ tre presupposed the unity of action on stage and the primacy of the dramatic text over other ele¬ ments. However, Brechtian epic theatre abolishes this hierarchy of expressive elements in the thea¬ trical apparatus. It is precisely that logic of de-hie- rarchization that is radicalized in Work Every Day, which extracts the material processes, agents, in¬ frastructures, and relations from the relationship of subjection to the structure of meaning in the performance. The procedure evolves from the abovementioned irreducible diversity of dance expression to the absence of coherence with the choreographic organization of movement and further, to the penultimate act of comic choreo¬ graphy, which autonomizes the structure of at¬ tention of the spectator and the final act of lowe¬ ring the ropes, in which the invisible material in¬ frastructure of theatre eventually gains its auto¬ nomy. Performance dominated by unfinished gestu¬ res, which seems only half-done and suspended in the process, programmatically thematizes work in its very title. Developing the possibilities of the re¬ lated notions of work and productivity through performance, Work Every Day nevertheless insists on the contingency of their relatedness - throughout the show, there is a continuous possi¬ bility of work without creating a product or a pro¬ duct that does not result from work. The contin¬ gency of that relationship - between the work and the product of performance - is a procedure through which Work Every Day occupies the oppo¬ site pole from the theatre of assertion and expla¬ nation that what goes on in the society should be assertible in theatre. The theatre of assertion and explanation, which has been experiencing its se¬ cond youth on the Croatian scene, especially in the form of propaganda theatre, supposes that it can positively present what the spectator knows and what the mass media perpetuate. However, the contingency of the material vehicles of thea¬ trical action corrupts the certainties of knowledge that it enacts. The only certainty left is the certa¬ inty of uncertainty. Therefore, what we have here is the theatre of subtraction: what we have brou¬ ght with us may not be so, and what we take ho¬ me with us may not be so. It is a theatre that we leave deprived of what we have brought with us, a theatre that impoverishes us instead of striving to enrich us. This article has been offered for publication under the conditions defined by the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike licence 3.0: http://creativecommons.0rg/licenses/by-sa/3.o/ 116 Letters to —: On the Construction and Sharing of Effective Means Frakcija #58/59 to be moved Dear-, But the ineffable part of the utopia is that what defies subsumption under identity— the “use value,” in Marxist terminology—is necessary anyway if life is to go on at all, even under the prevailing circumstances of production. The utopia extends to the sworn enemies of its realization. Regarding the concrete utopian possibility, dialectics is the ontology of the wrong state of things. The right state of things would be free of it: neither a system nor a contradiction.* Love, * Theodor Adorno, Negative Dialectics (1966). Letters to — Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 117 On the Construction and Sharing of Effective Means AFTER!AFTER MARX IMAO aprilIjune Dear-, To be intempestive means at once that you do and do not belong to a time, just as to be a-topian means that you do and do not belong to a place. Being intempestive or a-topian communists means being thinkers and actors of the unconditional equality of anybody and everybody, but this can only happen in a world in which communism has no actuality bar the network framed by our communistic thoughts and actions themselves. There is no such thing as an ‘objective’ communism already at work in the forms of capitalist production or able to be anticipated in the logic of capitalism. Capitalism only ever produces capitalism. So, if communism is to mean anything, it must be radically heterogeneous to the logic of capitalism. This type of‘separate’ communism might seem overly restrictive. However, instead of forever predicating communism on the development of capitalism, of basing the eternal actuality of communism on that of capitalism, we ought to reassert the radicality of communism as a power of separation. Whether or not it is overly restrictive, it seems to me crucial that we experiment with its powers.* Love, * Jacques Ranciere, Dissensus: on politics and aesthetics (2010). Audio obscura ili 'Strepnja u palom gradu' Frakcija #58/59 Louise Owen to be moved Audio obscura ili 'Strepnja u palom gradu ' 01 Louise Owen S engleskoga preveo Makso Herman oi Naslovje ujedno i nazivjedne od razina internetske igre Lord of the Rings Online. 02 Lavinia Greenlaw, Introduction: Dark Listening, Audio Obscura (Woodbridge: Full Circle Editions 2on), str. 5. 03 John McAuliffe, Turning for home, [datum pristupa: studeni 2on.] 04 Michael Symmons Roberts, Waiting, [datum pristupa: studeni 2on.] A udio Obscura Lavinije Greenlaw iz 2011. djelo je zvucne umjetnosti i prvi je puta izvedeno na zeljeznickoj sta- nici Piccadilly u Manchesteru u sklo- pu Manchester International Festiva- la, a potom i na londonskom St Pancras Internati- onalu. Predstava svoju publiku stavlja u polozaj dobronamjernih spijuna. Ta pazljiva kompozicija isjecaka i nesretnih prica o neuspjeloj intimnosti, nasilju, frustraciji i mentalnoj bolesti podastire svoj sadrzaj u obliku natruha tajnovitih i neartiku- liranih iskustava koje u svojim glavama nose slu- cajni putnici na zeljeznickoj stanici. Publika Green- lawicinog djela nenametljivo slusa i gleda svoje 'kolege putnike'. Greenlaw je zamislila svoje djelo kao zvucnu varijantu tehnike camera obscura, "nekoc popularnog oblika zabave i umjetnickog sredstva" 02 - u ovom je slucaju otvor slusateljevo uho, a 'zrcala' su rijeci koje su napisali umjetnici i izveli glumci, pa su kasnije pazljivo uredene i ispre- pletene kako bi stvorile gusto zvucno tkanje. Kao sto ova mjesavina metafora daje naslutiti, djelo je kreirano, ali i sluzilo se, reciprocnoscu izmedu onoga sto se osjeca, gleda i slusa. Muskarac za standom na St Pancras Internationalu - blijedo si- va kocka koju je Ingrid Hu dizajnirala u namjeri da je neprimjetno uklopi u okruzje javnog prostora - savjetovao nam je da bismo, dok slusamo djelo, trebali prvo prosetati uokolo pa se onda smjestiti negdje i promatrati druge ljude kako prolaze. Po- lusatnu bi izvedbu tako svaki slusatelj 'iskusio uzi- vo' i to preko slusalica i crnog MP3 playera koji, a to upada u oci, na sebi nema nijednu tipku. Djela poput Audio Obscure, koja teze publiku privremeno uroniti u alternativne svjetove, zahti- jevaju posebnu vrstu kontemplativnog pisma: opi- si koji govore o svakodnevnim lokacijama poput zeljeznicke stanice koja nam se ukazuje kao nova, performativne demonstracije simpatije prema za- okupljenosti nekog djela 'spontanoscu' i 'dogada- jem' kroz uporabu prezenta. U svojoj recenziji mancesterske izvedbe djela, John McAuliffe zapo- cinje pitanjem: "Preuzmemo svoje slusalice na standu i kazu nam da bismo se trebali setati po stanici. Prisluskujemo li ili smo publika, sudionici? Glas nam govori da 'slusamo' i mi to cinimo''.° 3 Slicno tome, prve recenice clanka Michaela Sym- monsa Robertsa bave se 'primjecivanjem': "Pogle- daj zenu u plavom kostimu kako gleda ekran s po- lascima jedva susprezuci uzbudenje. Je li dobila ono promaknuce? Uspjela sklopiti onaj posao? Ku- pila onaj stan? Ne, pogledaj ponovno. Ne gleda odlaske nego dolaske". 04 U svojim se recenzijama Audio Obscure i McAuliffe i Roberts bave dramati- zacijama 'cekanja', 'prijelaznog stanja' i nesigurno- sti svijeta koji je iznenada postao kazalisni - dru- gim rijecima, konstruiranim osjecajem liminalnosti koji ukazuje na 'cinjenicu' daje ljudsko postojanje nestabilno. To je ideja na kojoj djelo inzistira i koju orijentacija teksta prema sadasnjosti (u prezentu) potvrduje. Boreci se u analizi ovog djela s prinudom da sei sama time pozabavim, palo mi je na pamet ka¬ ko uvodne recenice ovih recenzija, kao i drugih nji- ma slicnih, donekle predstavljaju diskurzivne eks- tenzije dramske forme djela. Uz to, ono sto me pogotovo zainteresiralo kod Greenlawicinog ko- mada, kao primjera performativnog djela koje od nas ocekuje da u njega 'uronimo', uprizorenje je 'nestabilnog prezenta' kroz vrlo detaljno kalibrira- nu i kontroliranu dramaturgiju. Na taj se nacin ri- gorozno nastoji proizvesti precizni osjecaj 'nesi- gurnosti' ( precarity ), sto jedan od likova eksplici- tno istice pri kraju: "Ljudi ne vide koliko je sve ne- Audio obscura ili 'Strepnja u palom gradu' Louise Owen Frakcija # 58/59 to be moved 119 05 Lavinia Greenlaw, str. 7. 06 Lavinia Greenlaw, str. 60. 07 Michael Symmons Roberts. 08 Michael Symmons Roberts. 09 Michael Symmons Roberts. sigurno. Za njih je tlo mjesto. Oni su na mjestu". Creenlawova pise sljedece o svom djelu: "Bez ob- zira radi li se o kratkoj uznemirenosti ili polaganoj realizaciji, perturbaciji ili inzistiranju, ono sto se cuje ne smije imati tezinu - mora biti poput laga- no poput misli".° 5 lako se to moze red za tehnicku uredenost narativa o nesretnim likovima kao pro- laznim figurama - preklapaju se, blijede i postaju jasniji, smjesteni su u okruzje zvukova koracanja, plakanja i povremeno suprotstavljeni rezonan- tnom sumu - kontroliranija struktura koja slijedi djelu je podarila formu. Nakon prvog posjeta predstavi i igranja po pravilima, odlucila sam pod i drugi put, no s naka- nom da pravila prekrsim. Kako bih preciznije iden- tificirala nacin na koji funkcionira struktura pred- stave, sjela sam na klupu, izvadila svoj laptop i po- kusala transkribirati sve sto sam cula. Naravno, ovaj put djelo nije uspjelo pretvoriti zeljeznicku postaju St Pancras u kazalisnu predstavu. U prvom je navratu vizualno lijepljenje' govora preko ljudi prisutnih u prostoru kreiralo promjenjivu vrstu estetskog realizma, omogucujud 'ispravne' pove- znice izmedu glasa koji se slusa i tijela koje se pro- matra, dok je cjelokupni efekt zavisio o odredenoj vrsti asocijativnog stereotipiziranja. ("Kako je ja- dan onaj sredovjecni muskarac! Pogrbljen je, neo- brijan i nosi tugu u ocima. Nema nikoga. Nikoga tko bi rekao daje uvijek bio stogod daje bio".). U pokusaju da napisem 'scenarij', postala sam izni- mno svjesna Greenlawicinog majstorskog koreo- grafiranja razlicitih glasova i nemogucnosti da za- biljezim rijeci koje izgovaraju dok nadiru i odlaze. Medutim, strujanja narativa tekla su oko cvrscih isjecaka teksta koje izgovara tekjedan jedini auto- ritativni glas - smirena razmisljanja jedne zene, pazljivo rasporedena izmedu nemirnih meditacija drugih likova i cesto ukotvljena u rezonantnom, zlatnom sumu. Na pocetku nas djela zenski glas upoznaje sa svijetom predstave sljededm upozorenjem: "Po- slusaj - srce svega" - srce koje spominjeje njezna no uznemirujuca kakofonija govora iz koje su po- stepeno nastale pojedinacne price. Glas nas tjesi: "Netko uvijek pada, ne bojte se pasti. / Uvijek ne¬ sto ostavljamo za sobom. Nesto uvijek isklizne, ili izgubi, ili zaboravi i to je u redu. / Zelim da znate daje netko vidio". Nudi nam sveznajucu opserva- ciju: "Prod ce pokraj nje. Uvijek tako biva. Jadan covjek. Jadan covjek. / Ne traze jedno drugo. / On ne govori ono sto zeli red. Kako bi i mogao?". U ovim je primjerima glas poprimio polubozanska obiljezja, slicna onima koja posjeduju andeli iz fil- ma Nebo nad Berlinom (1987) Wima Wendersa. Na primjer, inzistirajuci kako "Tlo nestaje i vi stojite na nekom drugom mjestu", glas je potvrdio osnovnu nestabilnost svijeta u kojem svi mi (tj., likovi i stvarni slusatelji) zivimo. Usred vapaja likova - o brizi, mrtvorodencadi, grozomornoj (zlocinackoj?) izdaji - umirujuci autoritativni glas razvija i osna- zuje osjecaj neminovnoga, mirno prihvacanje ono- ga sto ce se zbiti: "Opusti se. / Moglo bi se dogo- diti. Moglo bi biti prekasno. To nije pitanje odluke". Pri samom kraju djela, jedna od dramatis personae ubrzano sapuce nesto sto bi se najbolje moglo opisati kao molitva (moze je se takoder primijetiti u knjizi koja prati djelo, koja je vise niz dekonte- kstualiziranih fragmenata tekstova i fotografija nego scenarij): Molim vas uzmite ovu ljutnju i bol / i dopusti- te mi da osjetim ljubav koju znam da posje- dujem / i dopustite mi da mogu govoriti o Iju- bavi / i pokazite ljubav i dopustite mi da ho- dam slobodno [...] i dopustite da bude vreme- na i dopustite mi da otvorim svoje srce / i do¬ pustite da se na nadu odgovara s Ijubavlju / i da sva zelja bude jednostavna i dobra i dopu¬ stite mi da budem voljena i dozvolite mi da budem dobra. 06 Zenski glas ubrzo nakon toga izgovara svoje po- sljednje rijeci - "Okrecuci leda domu, napustamo sami sebe. Odlazimo. Sami". - koje su naposljetku prekinute zvukom "korak, korak, korak", odraza- vajuci zadatak koji bi i sama publika ubrzo trebala izvrsiti. Zatim slijedi vracanje MP3 playera na stand i odlazak u buducnost ispunjenu obecanjem tuge. Michael Symmons Roberts bavi se kvazireligi- oznom dimenzijom djela bez da se konkretno po- ziva na njegov sadrzaj. Zeljeznicke postaje uspo- reduje s "hramovima cekanja", 07 cin cekanja naziva kreativno plodnim, ajesen - vrijeme izvedbe djela u Londonu - znakovitom prethodnicom adventa, "doba velikog iscekivanja". 08 U cudu se pita mogu li izvedbe djela poput Audio Obscura omoguciti publici da ponovno iskusi, kao sto je pjesnik Patrick Kavanagh napisao u svojoj pjesmi Advent, "novinu kojaje bila pri - sutna u svakoj ustajaloj stvari / kada bismoje promatrali kao djeca". Gledajuci tim naocala- ma, vrijeme provedeno na zeljeznickim posta- jama bitno gradi karakter. Oplemenjuje du- su .° 9 Oplemenjivanje duse? Za mene ovo djelo sugerira beznadnu analizu. Njegovo bavljenje tugom i nesi- gurnoscu - i mogucnoscu iskupljenja u buducno- sti - zasnovano je na individualizaciji likova i slu- satelja. To vrijedi i za narativnu razinu i materijali- zaciju djela. Dok sam kruzila po stanici slusajuci djelo po prvi put, odjednom mi je na pamet pala misao: "Sto ako sretnem nekoga s posla kako se vraca kuci? Posto ne mogu zaustaviti snimku, pro- pustit cu dio". Stvarajuci uvjete za kontemplaciju, djelo odbija mogucnost drustvene interakcije. Au¬ dio Obscura dijeli tu orijentaciju s drugim primjeri¬ ma performansa koji od nas ocekuju da u njih Audio obscura ili 'Strepnja u palom gradu' Louise Owen "uronimo", a koje su Sophie Nield i skupina istrazi- vaca prekrasno dekonstruirali time sto su zajedno postali Promatrac (Spectator), ukazavsi na mno- gostruke slojeve drustvenoga koje takve forme iz- vedbe nuznosti odbacuju. Promatrajuci estetski i logicki realizam svijeta djela kazalisnih grupa Coat, Monkey i Punchdrunk, Nieldsova se pita: Ako su njegovi vrijeme i prostor "stvarni", ako je on uronjen u svoju vlastitu koheziju, onda se pitam tko smo mi: duhovi, nekakva prijela- zna bica? Zamisljeni i prije nego sto smo stigli, kako se moze nositi s nasom razlicitoscu? On ne zna tko smo mi. 10 10 Sophie Nield, 'The Rise of the Character Named Spectator', Contemporary Theatre Review, 18.4 (2008): 531-535 (str. 534). 11 Mark Sweney,'T-Mobile flashmob wins TV ad of year: Mobile phone commercial set in London railway station takes accolade at British Television Advertising Awards', The Guardian, 11. ozujak 2010. Audio Obscura nije bila suocena s problemom ukljucivanja publike u vizualno kohezivnu drustve- nu situaciju gdjejedini moguci problem predsta- vljaju slusalice, ionako sasvim uobicajene i svako- dnevne pojave. Njeno 'realno'je drustveni subjekt koji zamislja - usamljena figura, nesposobna vje- rovati bilo kome. Cini se kao da cestita clanu pu¬ blike koji uspije shvatiti "kolikoje zapravo sve ne- sigurno". Ocigledno je da se nalazi u snaznoj su- protnosti s laznim dramatizacijama zajednice po- put flashmobs koje korporacije placaju u svrhu oglasavanja, poput T-Mobileovog nagradivanog masovnog plesa, koji se zbiva u 'stvarnom' okruze- nju zeljeznicke stanice 11 i u kojem se koncepti pro- matranja i iskupljenja takoder sukobljavaju. Frakcija #58/59 to be moved Audio Obscura, or, 'Dread in the Fallen City' Louise Owen Frakcija # 58/59 to be moved 121 Audio Obscura, or, 'Dread in the Fallen City ' 01 Louise Owen oi This title is also the name of a level in the online role-playing game Lord of the Rings Online. 02 Lavinia Greenlaw, 'Introduction: Dark Listening', Audio Obscura (Woodbridge: Full Circle Editions 2011), p. 5. 03 John McAuliffe, 'Turning for home', [accessed November 2on], 04 Michael Symmons Roberts, 'Waiting', [accessed November 2011]. avinia Greenlaw's Audio Obscura (2011), a piece of sound art staged first at Manchester Piccadilly Rail Station as part of the Manchester International _ Festival, and then at London St Pancras International, invited its audience members to ta¬ ke on the character of a benign sort of spy. The work, a careful composition of snatches of unha¬ ppy stories about failed intimacy, violence, fru¬ stration and mental illness, offered the stories up as glimpses of secret, unarticulated worlds of experience carried around in the heads of the tra¬ vellers populating the station. The audience of Greenlaw's piece would listen and watch its 'fel¬ low travellers' unobtrusively. Greenlaw conceived the work as an aural variant of the technology of the camera obscura, "a once popular form of en¬ tertainment and artist's tool, which uses a small aperture and mirrors to project a reflection of the passing world" 02 - the aperture in this case being the listener's ear, and the 'mirrors', the words writ¬ ten by the artist, performed by actors, and then carefully cut, edited, and woven together to crea¬ te a textured aural fabric. As this mix of me¬ taphors suggests, the work produced, and played upon, a certain reciprocity between the felt, the watched and the heard. The steward manning the booth at St Pancras International - a pale grey block artfully designed by Ingrid Hu to harmonise inconspicuously with the surrounding shopping arcade - advised that in listening to the piece, it was best first to walk around, then to settle down somewhere to watch people passing by. The half- hour piece would thus be 'experienced' by each li¬ stener live' with the use of headphones and a black MP3 player conspicuously lacking any con¬ trols. Immersive works like Audio Obscura, which seek to plunge audience members temporarily in¬ to alternative worlds, elicit a particular sort of contemplative writing in response: descriptions that talk of encountering a quotidian venue, such as a train station, afresh, and performative de¬ monstrations of sympathy with a work's engage¬ ment with 'spontaneity' and 'event' through the employment of the present tense. In his review of the work in Manchester, John McAuliffe offers this opening meditation: "We pick up our headphones at a platform and are encouraged to walk around inside a station. Are we eavesdroppers, an audien¬ ce, participants? A voice tells us, 'Listen' and we do''.° 3 Similarly, the first sentences of an article by Michael Symmons Roberts perform a gesture of 'noticing': "That woman in a blue business suit scanning the departure boards with barely contai¬ ned excitement. Has she got that promotion? Ma¬ de that deal? Bought that flat? No. Look again. It's not departures but arrivals that hold her attention". 04 McAuliffe and Roberts each go on to consider Audio Obscura's dramatization of'wai¬ ting', 'inbetween-ness', and the uncertainty of a world suddenly become theatrical - in other words, a constructed sensation of liminality desi¬ gned to point towards the 'fact' of the instability of human existence, an idea upon which the work insists, and which a writerly orientation towards 'the present' corroborates. Having wrestled, in writing this analysis of the work, with a compulsion to do exactly the same, it occurred to me that the opening gestures of the¬ se critiques and others like them in a sense repre¬ sent discursive extensions of the dramatic form of the work. Alongside this, what particularly intere¬ sted me about Greenlaw's piece, as an example of 122 Audio Obscura, or, 'Dread in the Fallen City' Louise Owen Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 05 Lavinia Greenlaw, p. 7. 06 Lavinia Greenlaw, p. 60. 07 Michael Symmons Roberts. 08 Michael Symmons Roberts. 09 Michael Symmons Roberts. immersive performance work, was its staging of the 'unstable present' through a very finely cali¬ brated and controlled dramaturgy. It rigorously contrived to produce a precise sense of 'precarity', named explicitly by one of its characters as the work moved towards a conclusion: 'People don't see how precarious everything is. For them the gro¬ und is in place, they are in place'. Of her work, Greenlaw writes: "Whether a brief agitation or a slow realization, however perturbing or insistent, what is heard should be as weightless as it can be - like thought''. 05 Though certainly true of the piece's technical styling of the narratives of its un¬ happy characters as evanescent - overlapping, fa¬ ding in and out, placed within a surrounding so- undscape of footsteps, crying, and, occasionally, juxtaposed with a resonant humming - a more controlled supervening structure gave it shape. Having attended the performance once, and played the game by its rules, I decided to attend a second time, and to break them. To identify more precisely how its structure worked, I sat down on a bench, got out my laptop, and attempted a live transcription. On this occasion, of course, the pie¬ ce failed to theatricalise St Pancras Station. Befo¬ re, the visual 'wallpapering' of the fictional speech over the people present in the space had produ¬ ced a volatile kind of aesthetic realism, encoura¬ ging 'appropriate' links between the listened-to voice and the watched bodies, dependent for this effect on a mode of associational stereotyping. ('How miserable that middle-aged man must be. He has a stoop, a five o'clock shadow and down¬ cast eyes. 'There's no-one. No-one to say he was al¬ ways whatever".) Instead, in attempting to write the work's 'script', I became acutely aware of Greenlaw's masterful choreographing of the piece's numerous voices, and the impossibility of seizing upon their elusive words as they surged and receded. The streams of narrative, however, flowed around more solid fixtures of speech offe¬ red by a single authoritative voice - the calm re¬ flections of a woman, distributed carefully throu¬ ghout the distressed meditations of the other characters, and often embedded in the resonant, golden hum. At the commencement of the work, the woman's voice introduced us to the world of the performance with the injunction: 'Listen - the he¬ art of it' - the heart in question a gentle yet un¬ settling cacophony of speech from which indivi¬ dual stories gradually emerged. The voice comfor¬ ted us: 'There is always someone falling, do not be afraid to fall.' / 'There is always something left behi¬ nd. Something always slips, or is lost, or forgotten, and it's alright.' / '/ want you to know that someone has seen'. It offered omniscient observation: 'He's going to walk straight past her. He always does. Po¬ or man. Poor man.' / 'They are not looking for each other.' / 'He is not saying what he wants to say. How can he?' In these instances, the voice took on semi-divine attributes, akin to the watching an¬ gels in Wim Wenders' Wings of Desire (1987). In in¬ sisting, for example, that 'The ground falls away and you are standing in a different place', the voice affirmed the essential instability of the world we (that is, the fictional characters and the actual li¬ stener), inhabit. And, in the midst of the charac¬ ters' cries into the void - about anxiety, a still¬ birth, a heinous (criminal?) betrayal - the calming authoritative voice developed and encouraged a sense of the inevitable, a zen acceptance of what will be: 'Let go' / ‘It might happen. It might be too late. It's not a question of deciding'. In the last mo¬ ments of the work, one of the dramatis personae whispered urgently what might best be described as a prayer (also reproduced in the performance's accompanying book, less a script than a series of decontextualised fragments of text and photo¬ graphs): Please take this anger and this pain / and let me feel the love I know I have / and let me be able to speak of love / and show love and let me walk free [...] and let there be time and let me open my heart / and let the hope be met with love / and all the wanting be simple and good and let me be loved and let me be allo¬ wed to be good. 06 The woman's final words closely followed - ‘Tur¬ ning from home, we leave ourselves. We leave. Alo¬ ne.' - which themselves ceded to the sound 'step, step, step', reflecting the actions shortly to be ta¬ ken by audience members themselves, returning the MP3 player to the booth and walking on into a future filled with the promise of sorrow. Michael Symmons Roberts takes up the qua¬ si-religious dimension of the work without speci¬ fically alluding to its content, instead framing rail¬ way stations as "temples to waiting", 07 the act of waiting itself creatively fecund, and the autumn - the moment of the piece's performance in London - the significant precursor to Advent, "the great season of waiting". 08 He wonders, in conclusion, whether performances like Audio Obscura might allow audiences to re-experience, as the poet Patrick Kavanagh put it in his po¬ em 'Advent', 'the newness that was in every stale thing / when we looked at it as children.' See[n] through that lens, time spent waiting in railway stations is more than character-bu¬ ilding. It is soul-building. 09 Soul-building? For me, the work offered a bleak analysis. Its curation of misery and uncertainty - and the possibility of future redemption - is pre¬ dicated on the individualization of character and listener alike. This is the case at the level of the Audio Obscura, or, 'Dread in the Fallen City' Louise Owen Frakcija # 58/59 to be moved 123 narrative and the work's material enactment. As I meandered around the station, listening to the work for the first time, I thought with sudden alarm: 'what if I meet someone I know on their way home from work? I can't stop the recording, and I will miss the performance'. In producing the conditions for contemplation, the work refuses the possibility of social encounter. Audio Obscura shares this orientation with other examples of im¬ mersive performance, beautifully deconstructed by Sophie Nield and a group of fellow researchers brought together to become 'Spectator', who draw attention to the multiple layers of the social that such forms of performance of necessity disa¬ vow. Of the aesthetic and logical realism of the world of works by Coat and Monkey and Punc- hdrunk, Nield asks: io Sophie Nield, 'The Rise of the Character Named Spectator, Contemporary Theatre Review, 18, 4 (2008): 531-535 (P- 534 )- n Mark Sweney,'T-Mobile flashmob wins TV ad of year: Mobile phone commercial set in London railway station takes accolade at British Television Advertising Awards', The Guardian, n March 2010. If its time and space are 'real' to it, if it is im¬ mersed in its own cohesion, then who are we; some ghosts, some transient presences? Ima¬ gined before we ever arrived, how else can it cope with our difference? It doesn't know who we are. 10 Audio Obscura was not faced with the difficulty of inserting audience members into a visually cohe¬ sive social situation, the only possible interruption being the headphones, already a common enough sight. Its 'real' is the social subject it imagines - a lonely figure, able to trust no-one. It seems to congratulate the audience member who realizes 'how precarious everything is'. Arguably, it repre¬ sents the opposite number of the corporate flashmob's fake dramatizations of community for the purposes of advertising, likewise staged, like T-Mobile's awarding winning mass dance, in the 'real' environment of the railway station, 11 and in which concepts of surveillance and redemption also collide. 124 Letters to —: On the Construction and Sharing of Effective Means Frakcija #58/59 to be moved • • • - 4 Useful gestures, 126 Useless gestures, 1125-6, 191 • • • • < 1 • • • • • • • • . %>•••• • 1 • • • • 2 • » • ••••«. Urge 38, 129 ;y::S Dear-, But the concept of‘affective labor’ strips the feminist analysis of housework of all its demystifying power. In fact, it brings reproductive work back into the world of mystification, suggesting that reproducing people is just a matter of producing ‘emotions,’ 'feelings.’ It used to be called ‘a labor of love;’ Hardt and Negri instead have discovered ‘affection.’ The feminist analysis of the function of the sexual division of labor, the function of gender hierarchies, the analysis of the way capitalism has used the wage to mobilize women’s work in the reproduction of the labor force—all of this is lost under the label of‘affective labor.’ When we said that housework is actually work for capital, that although it is unpaid work it contributes to the accumulation of capital, we established something extremely important about the nature of capitalism as a system of production. We established that capitalism is built on an immense amount of unpaid labor. Also, when we said that housework is the work that reproduces not just ‘life,’ but ‘labor-power,’ we began to separate two different spheres of our lives and work that seemed inextricably connected. We became able to conceive of a fight against housework now understood as the reproduction of labor-power, the reproduction of the most important commodity capital has: the worker’s ‘capacity to work,’ the worker’s capacity to be exploited. In other words, by recognizing that what we call ‘reproductive labor’ is a terrain of accumulation and therefore a terrain of exploitation, we were able to also see reproduction as a terrain of struggle, and, to conceive of an anti-capitalist struggle against reproductive labor that would not destroy ourselves or our communities.* Love, Silvia Federici, “Precarious labor: A feminist viewpoint” (2006). Letters to — Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 125 On the Construction and Sharing of Effective Means Dear-, You refer to Perret’s unsuccessful attempts to take housing out of the city. But this too is quite understandable. He severed an isolated member from a complex organism. That member inevitably wasted away. We are removing from the city nothing less than the city itself, its entire system of supply and culture. In other words, we are creating a whole new organism. This is quite different from what Perret was trying to do. You write that the peasant does not love flowers and does not hear the song of the skylark. But of course he doesn’t when he is exhausted with backbreaking labor. But we want our peasant to listen to the skylark. And all this will be possible not by smoothing out the contradictions with which the modern capitalist system is riddled, but by creating new forms of human settlement more worthy of the future. We are aware that we have yet to find the solution to this very difficult problem. But we cannot refrain from posing it, we cannot refrain from trying to solve it. That is our duty, the duty of architects who would like to become the architects of socialism.* Love, * Moisei Ginzburg, “Letter to Le Corbusier” (1930). 126 Skice otkopane proslosti Antonija Letinic Frakcija #58/59 to be moved Skice otkopane proslosti Antonija Letinic oi Karl Krauss u "Ekstremist s razlogom: Jos o Karlu Krausu", Boris Buden, Kaptolski kolodvor, (Beograd: Centar za savremenu umetnost, 2001), str. 78. x ozornica u polumraku. U gornjoj trecini slike u pravilnom je ritmu ra- _ y sporedeno pet televizijskih ekrana na kojima se naizmjence ispisuju sudio- nici pojedinih scena, ne osobnim ime- nima vec zbirnim imenicama: mjestani, gradona- celnik, novinari i ostali. Cetvero, u crno odjevenih izvodaca jedva da se razaznaju u prigusenim svje- tlima scene. Iz pozadine, poput jeke, razlijeva se utisan, ravnomjeran, bestjelesan glas koji ponavlja "Cigani, Cigani, Cigani..." Pozornica ce ostati ta- kvom od pocetka do kraja predstave. lako se na sceni ne dogada nista, ilije barem tako naizgled - sve sto je na njoj odsutno vec se odvilo negdje drugdje. I prisutnoje, gotovo sigurno, u svakom trenutku na nekom mjestu, mimo kazalisne po- zornice. Ono sto se dogada na kazalisnoj sceni u predstavi SNC ogoljena je stvarnost tog sveprisu- tnog prizora. Rijec je o predstavi Slovensko naro- dno gledalisce Janeza Janse. Svojedobno znan i kao Emil Hrvatin, umjetnik, redatelj i sociolog, voditelj ljubljanske Maske, na scenu postavlja apstrahira- nu, od mjesta i vremena razdvojenu pricu o obitelji Strojan iz mjesta Ambrus. Predstava reproducira zbivanja koja su se odvijala tijekom listopada 20o6.Tihje dana romska obitelj Strojan, koju cini trideset i jedan clan, izgnana sa svog posjeda te prisilno preseljena u izbjeglicki centar u Postojni. Dva su dana proveli pod opsadom, zarobljeni go- milom sumjestana koji su zahtijevali da napuste mjesto prijeteci im smrcu u suprotnom. Sumjesta- ni su ih optuzivali za ilegalno prisvajanje zemlje, ostavljanje smeca u obliznjem potoku, a situaciju je dodatno uzburkala tuca u kojojje jedan od sudi- onika zavrsio u bolnici u komi. Prica ce dozivjeti svoj vrhunac kada se u nju upletu mediji, organi vlasti pa i sam predsjednik. Clumci na sceni, sa slusalicama na usima, slu- saju televizijske reportaze i materijale snimljene na mjestu dogadanja koje izravno reproduciraju publici. Njihova je korska izvedba lisena bilo kakvih svojstava, kao i koru svojstvenih komentara, te svedena na puko mehanicko ponavljanje onoga sto cuju. Jedinu kulisu, rekvizitu, zvucni i vizualni efekt, scenografiju i kostim cini glas iz pozadine koji se prostorom razlijeze kontinuiranim, mono- tonim i bezizrazajnim tonom ponavljajud rijec "Ci¬ gani, Cigani, Cigani...". Tek na samom kraju pred¬ stave glas ce dobiti i tijelo - ono Janeza Janse. Hr¬ vatin pricu zaokruzuje simbolickim utjelovljenjem glasa iz sjene u liku samoga sebe, odnosno nekoga tko vec nekoliko godina zivi pod novim identite- tom - onim Janeza Janse. Ovo ime na prostorima bivse Jugoslavije primarno se vezuje uz lik politica- ra i predsjednika Slovenske demokratske stranke, koji je u vrijeme dogadaja ozivljenih u predstavi obnasao duznost predsjednika Vlade Republike Slovenije. Zatvarajuci predstavu njegovim likom, Jansa-umjetnik pricu o ksenofobiji, netrpeljivosti spram Drugoga, dize na razinu kojoj ona i pripada - onu citave nacije. Kao sto je Karl Kraus dramom Posljednji dani covjecanstva, sacinjenom od citata iz beckog tiska tijekom Prvog svjetskog rata, u korice smjestio lu- dilo rata, ratnih stradanja i proslave bescutnosti, tako je i Jansa istom tehnikom pod prigusena svje- tla pozornice postavio ksenofobiju. Samje Kraus opisujuci svoju dramu rekao "Najnevjerojatnija djela o kojima se ovdje izvjescuje doista su se do- godila; ja sam naslikao samo ono sto su oni cinili. Najnevjerojatniji razgovori koji su ovdje vodeni, doista su od rijeci do rijeci izgovoreni; najzesce iz- misljotine su citati". I Jansini i Krausovi likovi liseni su osobnosti, svedeni na tipove, a za ovaj ce po- stupak Kraus red: "Ja sam im oduzeo meso! AN sam mislima njihove gluposti, osjecajima njihove zloce, uzasavajucem ritmu njihove nistavnosti dao tijelo i omogucio mu da se krece" 01 . Tesko je bolje docarati ucinak onoga sto Jansa cini u Slovenskom narodnom gledaliscu. Upravo doslovnoscu, zato- mljavanjem vizualnog aspekta predstave, gase- njem zvucnih efekata, uklanjanjem svih pomocnih elemenata koji bi mogli na bilo koji nacin promije- niti dokumentarnost, stvarnost i cistocu slike, u prvi plan stavlja toliko negirano lice zemlje koja si utvara daje oaza mira i prosperiteta pod velom Skice otkopane proslosti Antonija Letinic Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 127 02 Katalog izlozbe Where Everyting is Yet To Happen (Banja Luka: Protok, 2009), str. 127. tempiranog Balkana. Stvarni akteri ovih dogadaja ne zaluju za stradalim sumjestaninom, vec u tra- gicnom incidentu pronalaze priliku da otjeraju ne- mile im sustanare. Njihove pogrde razotkrivaju lice ne samo onih koji sudjeluju u arhiviranim prizori- ma, vec svih onih koji su ih u tome podrzali. U SNC-u nema slike, ostao je jedino ton. Jezik potpu- nom vjernoscu prenosi dogadaje koji su se odigra- li. Mehanicka reprodukcija glumaca lisena je bilo kakve ekspresivnosti kojom su televizijski prilozi kao i dogadaji na lieu mjesta bili protkani, ako ne upravo od nje i sacinjeni. Rijecima izgovorenima bez osobnog naboja, koje robotizirano ponavljaju glumci, oduzeta su bilo kakva retoricka svojstva, emotivni zanos uznemirene gomile iscijeden je, a one su gledatelju dane u svom temeljnom znace- nju, u svoj njihovoj okrutnosti i bescutnosti. I dok se Jansa bavi ksenofobijom kroz recen- tne dogadaje, Yael Bartanajoj se obraca kroz one iz malo dalje proslosti. U poljskoj trilogiji video ra- dova naslovljenoj... and Europe Will Be Stunned, izraelska video umjetnica eksperimentira sa svoje- vrsnom "nacionalnom psihoterapijom" prizivajuci historijske demone kako bismo se s njima suocili. Trilogija koju cine video radovi Mary Koszmary - Nocne more iz 2008, Mur i Weiza - Zid i toranj iz 2009, te Atentat iz 2011, iako istrazuje povijest Askenaza u Europi i usredotocena je na komple- ksnu sliku poljsko-zidovskih odnosa, nudi univer- zalan narativ o spremnosti da prihvatimo Drugog i problemima kulturne integraeije u nestabilnom svijetu satkanom iz politickih tenzija i stalnih naci- onalnih, klasnih, etnickih, identitarnih prijepora. Prvi puta predstavljena u ejelini u Poljskom pavi- Ijonu na Venecijanskom bijenalu 2011., Bartanina trilogija gradi se oko fiktivnog Pokreta zidovske renesanse u Poljskoj (Jewish Renaissance Move¬ ment in Poland). Prvi Zidovi naselili su podrueje danasnje Polj- ske prije vise od tisucu godina i ovaj je prostor stoljecima bio dom najvece i najznacajnije zido¬ vske zajednice u svijetu. U osvit Drugog svjetskog rata, emigraeijom iz sovjetske Rusije i Ukrajine, zi- dovska se populacija u Poljskoj naglo povecava dosezuci broj od 3 300 000. Pitanje tretmana Zi- dova postaje kljucno nakon nacisticke invazije na zapadnu Poljsku koju nastanjuje oko dva milijuna Zidova. U najvecim poljskim gradovima oformlje- na su geta u kojima je stanovalo zidovsko stanov- nistvo u iscekivanju preseljenja u eksterminacijske logore. U Drugom svjetskom ratu stradalo je sest milijuna Poljaka, od cega su tri milijuna bili Zidovi. Zajednica poljskih Zidova danas broji oko 20 000, iakoje stvaran broj onih nevezanih uz neku speci- fienu zidovsku zajednicu ili kulturu, nekoliko puta veci. Prvi film trilogije svojevrsni je manifest tog zamisljenog, utopijskog pokreta koji upucuje poziv Zidovima da se vrate u zemlju svojih predaka. Clavni protagonist video rada je Slawomir Sierako- wski, aktivist i glavni urednik casopisa Krytyka Po- lityczna. Stojeci na praznom, zapustenom varsa- vskom stadionu, Sierakowski upucuje ispriku Zido¬ vima za nedjela pocinjena u ne tako davnoj pro¬ slosti. [...jOvoje poziv, ne mrtvima nego zivima. Mi zelimo da se tri milijuna Zidova vrate u Polj¬ sku, zelimo da opet zivite s nama. Potrebni ste nam! Molimo vas da se vratite! Kad ste otisli, krisom smo se radovali. Covorili smo: "Barem smo svoji na svome." Poljski Poljak u Poljskoj, kojeg nitko ne ometa. No, kako ni ta- da nismo bili sretni, s vremena na vrijeme pronasli bismo nekog Zidova i rekli mu da na- pusti Poljsku. Cak i kada je bilo jasno da vas vise nema, jos uvijekje bilo onih koji su vam govorili da odete. I, sta? Danas nam je dozlogrdilo da gledamo u nasa lica koja sva nalikuju jedna drugima. Na ulica- ma nasih velikih gradova tragamo za stranci- ma i pazljivo slusamo kada progovore. Da! Danas znamo da ne mozemo zivjeti sami. Po- treban nam je netko drugi, a nema blizeg dru- goga od vas! Dodite! Isti, ali drugaeiji. Zivjet cemo zajedno. 02 Sierakowski govori polagano, naglasavajuci svaku rijec, ostavljajuci im prostor da se razlegnu pra- znim amfiteatarskim prostorom stadiona. Kamera usredotocena na govornika zaboravlja ispraznjen prostor stadiona, dok zvuena kulisa oblikovana je- kom, s reminiscencijama na govore karizmatika i velikih voda pred gomilama, gradi monumental- nost i uzvisenost trenutka. Izokrecuci standarde komunikaeije, u ulozi dinamicnog politicara i kori- steci se jezicnim stilom propagande iz Drugog sv¬ jetskog rata, empaticna propovijed Sierakowskog, odjevenog u kozni baloner djelatnika tajnih sluzbi, pracena je snaznom tjelesnom gestikulacijom. [...] Jednim jezikom, ne mozemo govoriti. Jednom religijom, ne mozemo slusati. Jednom bojom, ne mozemo vidjeti. Jednom kulturom, ne mozemo osjecati. Bez vas se cak ne mozemo ni sjecati. Bez vas, ostat cemo zarobljeni u historiji - s vama, za nas ce se otvoriti buduenost. Nema budueno- sti za odabrane narode. Nema buduenosti ni za kakve narode. Kad se pogledamo oci u oci, oklop ce pasti i zajedno cemo ostvariti ono sto filozofi nisu mogli ni sanjati. Zidovi! Sunarodnjaci! Naaaaarode! Ako ne sad, onda kad? Ako ne mi, onda tko? Tko ce izvuci Poljsku iz blata, da ne potone? Ne cekajmo da nas globalno trziste sve ucini slicnima, ne cekajmo na novi uzlet nacionali- zama - tih tumora na tijelu slobodnog trzista - da nas jos jednom pokrenejedne protiv drugih ili protiv drugih drugih. Umjesto iden- 128 Skice otkopane proslosti Antonija Letinic Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 03 Ibid. str. 127-128. 04 Alain Badiou, 'Philosophy as Creative Repetition', http:// www.lacan.com/symptom8 articles/badioui8.html [20. listopad 2on.] 05 Frederic Jameson, Singular Modernity (London: Verso, 2005), str. 26 ticni, postanimo jedno. Vise nikada necemo izrabljivati jedni druge, ponizavati jedni druge, krasti jedni drugima plodove njihova rada. Uz groblja cemo sagraditi skole i bolnice. Zasadit cemo drveca i sagraditi puteve. Ako zelite, otputovat cemo na Mjesec zajedno. Vratite se danas i Poljska ce se promijeniti, Evropa ce se promijeniti, svijet ce se promije¬ niti. I vi cete postati drugaciji. Vratite se, ne kao sjene proslosti nego kao nada za bu¬ ducnost. 03 U drugom dijelu govora, propovijed izlazi iz pro¬ slosti, napusta prostor krivnje i isprike te se zagle- dava u sadasnji trenutak i buducnost kakvu nam sadasnjost daje naslutiti. lako se obraca izravno Zidovima, otvaranjem pitanja o odabranom naro- du, osvrtanjem na sadasnjost, umjetnica izdize pricu iznad individualne kompleksnosti odnosa Poljaka i Zidova, krivca i zrtve, te klizeci u prostor ambivalentnosti napusta crno-bijelu tehniku i uz- dizeje na univerzalnu razinu, mozda se obracajuci i izraelsko-palestinskim nesuglasicama. Dok Sierakowski drzi svoj govor, na igralistu stadiona grupa mladih tinejdzera ispisuje bijelim prahom poziv bivsim sugradanima. Mladi prota- gonisti simboliziraju sokratovsku krivnju "kvarenja mladih" zbog cegaje osuden na smrt. Ista ce sud- bina zadesiti i Sierakowskog u trecem dijelu trilo- gije, Atentatu, posvecenom njegovu smaknucu, odnosno posljednjem ispracaju. No Bartana ga ko- risti u badjuovskoj interpretaciji kvarenja. "Ovdje "kvariti" znaci nauciti nekog mogucnosti da odbije bilo kakvo slijepo podredivanje ustanovljenim mi- sljenjima. Kvariti znaci dati mladima alate da pro- mijene svoje videnje svih socijalnih normi; kvariti znaci nadomjestiti imitaciju raspravom i racional- nom kritikom, pa cak i, ako su principi u pitanju, nadomjestiti poslusnost pobunom.” 04 Oba rada usredotocena su na verbalni komu- nikacijski aspekt ostavljajuci rijecima da ostvare svoju punu tezinu.Jansa svoju kompoziciju gradi iskljucivo zvucnim alatima kroz zvucni aspekt rije- ci, uronjen u sadasnjost, gleda iza ograde politicke korektnosti, u mrznju prema drugom i drugacijem. Njegova je buducnost ogradena bodljikavom zi- com prigusene netrpeljivosti koja strpljivo ceka ra- tni zov. Bartanine pak rijeci svoje puno ostvarenje nalaze u slici, u gesti protagonista koja prati zvuc- nu kulisu. lako filmski, njezin se rad priblizava site- specific izvedbenom, teatarskom komadu.Jansa se koristi kazalistem samo kako bi prokazao sto je u stvari Slovensko narodno gledalisce - ne kazali- sna pozornica, vec svakodnevni performativ za- plotne malogradanstine i malodusnosti. Bartana svoju utopiju gradi na slikama cije su asocijativne poveznice uoblicene u proslosti i na njima crpi nadu u svoju utopijsku buducnost. Ona gleda u buducnost iz sadasnjeg trenutka zaodje- venog scenografijom proslog vremena velikih ko- lektiva, vremena izgradnje novog, boljeg svijeta, vremena u kojem se gradila bolja buducnost, vre¬ mena u kojem se vjerovalo u jednakost, bratstvo i jedinstvo . Na tim slikama ona crta vjeru u bolju buducnost. U djelu Singular Modernity Frederic Jameson istice: U iskusenju sam tvrditi da sadasnjost ne mo- ze s punim pravom samu sebe osjecati kao povijesno razdoblje bez tog pogleda iz bu- ducnosti koje je zapecacuje i snazno istjeruje iz vremena koje ce doci kao sto je to moglo ciniti sa svojim izravnim prethodnicima. Ne trebamo pretjerano naglasavati pitanje kriv¬ nje (koje, ipak, s pravom prianja uz svaki oblik prakse) koliko ono odgovornosti koje mozda ne moze biti povrdeno bez sumnje u krivnju: jer odgovornost sadasnjosti je u samoodrede- nju svojih misija koje ce je uciniti punoprav- nim historijskim razdobljem, a to zahtijeva odnos sa buducnoscu onoliko koliko ukljucuje i zauzimanje pozicije prema proslosti. Povi- jest, naravno, cine obje dimenzije. 05 Oba se rada usredotocuju upravo na to, zauzima- njem pozicije u sadasnjosti koja tvori relaciju pre¬ ma proslosti iz pogleda buducnosti. Buducnost gledanu kroz pitanje drugoga i kako cemo mu do- skociti. Zadatak sadasnjosti jest zauzeti aktivnu poziciju, preuzeti odgovornost prema ovom tre- nutku, prema proslosti koje smo nasljednici i iz- graditi prostor za suverenu buducnost. Prihvatiti odgovornost, priznati pogreske, zapamtiti ih kako ih ne bismo ponovili te na tim iskustvima graditi buducnost koja ce se susresti s nekim novim za- prekama, ali nece ponavljati one prosle, zadatak je nase sadasnjosti. Bartana kroz trilogiju gradi dvije buducnosti - u prvom dijelu taje buducnost uto- pijska sljednica vremena nakon oslobodenja, ona- kva kakvom se mozda buducnost varljivo slikala pobjedom nad fasizmom, nacizmom i nepravdom. Buducnost u njezinu trecem filmu, u kojoj je njezin protagonist zrvtovan zbog svojeg uvjerenja - bu¬ ducnost je kakvu ishoduje buducnost one proslo¬ sti iz kojeje njezina utopija izrasla. U tom se smi- slu njezina utopija zaokruzuje u zbilji, kao i Jansina i vraca u sadasnji trenutak u kojem jos uvijek ima- mo prilike zagledati se u varljive prikaze buducno¬ sti iz koje ce nam se sadasnjost ciniti boljom od onoga prema cemu smo hitali. No, proslost nas ipak uci vjerovati u buducnost - cisto mogucno- scu kojaje proslosti oduzeta - mogucnoscu da buducnost ipak bude drugacija. Drafts of the excavated past Antonija Letinic Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 129 Drafts of the excavated past Antonija Letinic Translated from Croatian by Mirna Herman Baletic oi Kark Krauss in "Ekstremist s razlogom: jos o Karlu Krausu", in Boris Buden, Kaptolski kolodvor (Beograd: Centar za savremenu umetnost, 2001), p. 78 he stage is half-lit. The upper third of the scene is composed of five evenly distributed TV screens displaying the protagonists of each scene, not by their individual names, but through group names: the locals, the mayor, the news re¬ porters and others. Four performers dressed in black can be barely seen under the dimmed lights of the stage. Slowly, like an echo, a silent, even, non-physical voice starts to repeat: "Gypsies, gyp¬ sies, gypsies..." The stage remains unchanged du¬ ring the entire performance. Even though nothing is happening on the stage, or so it might seem, - everything that is absent from it has already ha¬ ppened somewhere else. It is present, almost cer¬ tainly, in every moment at some other setting, outside the stage. What does happen on the sce¬ ne of SNC is the revealed reality of this omnipre¬ sent image. This is a short description of Janez Jansa's performance Slovensko narodno gledalisce. Also known as Emil Hrvatin, the artist, director and sociologist, head of the Maska organization from Ljubljana, tells us the abstracted story, con¬ taining no place or time, about the Strojan family from the village of Ambrus. The play reenacts events from October 2006, when 31 members of the Roma family Strojan were evicted from their estate and forced to move to the refugee center in the town of Postojna. For two days, the family was under siege, because a large number of their fellow Ambrus inhabitants surrounded them, threatening to kill them if they did not leave. They accused them of acquiring their land illegally and dumping trash in the nearby stream. The situation got even worse when a fight broke out and one person ended up in the hospital in a coma. The story reached its climax when the media began reporting about it and the authorities, including even the president, got involved. The actors on the scene wear headphones and listen and watch to media reports and TV footage about the event, thus telling the story to the audi¬ ence. Their joint performance is deprived of any features, including commentaries, and reduced to a mere mechanical repetition of what is heard throu¬ gh their headphones. The only setting, prop, audio and visual effect, scenic design and costume is the voice in the background, which steadily, monotono¬ usly and inexpressively repeats the word "Gypsies, gypsies, gypsies..." It is not until the end of the play that the voice is given a body - the body of Janez Jansa. Hrvatin concludes the story with the symbolic embodiment of the voice in the background in the form of his own body, that is, someone who has li¬ ved under a new identity for several years - the identity of Janez Jansa. In the countries of former Yugoslavia, the name Janez Jansa primarily evokes the figure of politician and president of the Sloveni¬ an Democratic Party Jansa, who at the time of the events in question was also the Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia. By concluding the play with Jansa's figure, Jansa the artist raises the story of xenophobia and intolerance to the Other on a be¬ fitting level - the level of the entire nation. As Karl Kraus, in his play The Last Days of Man¬ kind, composed of quotes from the Vienna press during World War I, depicted the insanity of war, destruction caused by war and the celebration of insensitivity, Jansa used the same technique to de¬ pict xenophobia under the dim light of the stage. Kraus himself described his play with the following words: "The most unlikely deeds reported here real¬ ly happened; I just portrayed what they did. The most unlikely conversations held here were literally spoken; the most outrageous inventions are quo¬ tes." Both Jansa's and Kraus' characters are deprived of any personality, reduced to types, and Kraus explains: "I took away their flesh! But I gave a body to the thoughts of their stupidity, the feelings of their malice, the horrifying rhythm of their nothin¬ gness and enabled it to move." 01 There are hardly any better words to illustrate the effect of Jansa's Slovensko narodno gledalisce. It is precisely its litera¬ cy, its suppression of any visual aspect, its restraint to use any audio effect, and its removal of all aiding elements which would in any way change the do- 130 Drafts of the excavated past Antonija Letinic Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 02 Catalogue of the exhibition Where Everything is Yet to Happen (Banja Luka: Protok, 2009). p. 127. cumentary quality, realness and purity of the ima¬ ge, that highlight the overly negated face of the country that flatters itself to be an oasis of peace and prosperity in the tumultuous surroundings of the Balkans. The true protagonists of the event do not feel any grief for their fellow villager who had to be hospitalized, but seek an opportunity to use the tragic incident to forever chase away the object of their hate. Their insults reveal to us not only the faces of those who are shown on the TV footage, but also the faces oflf all those people who supported them in doing so. SNC contains no imagery, there is only the sound. The words fai¬ thfully describe the events that took place. The mechanical performance of the actors is deprived of the expressivity contained in the TV reports. The words are uttered without any emotion; the actors repeat them as if they were robots. They are deprived of any rhetorical features, the emoti¬ onal enthusiasm of the crowd has been drained away and they are given to the viewer in their ba¬ sic meaning, in all their cruelty and meanness. And while Jansa deals with xenophobia throu¬ gh recent events, Yael Bartana tackles it through not so recent events. The Polish trilogy of videos entitled ...and Europe Will Be Stunned, the Israeli video artist experiments with a certain kind of 'national psychotherapy', invoking the demons of history to confront us. The trilogy comprising vi¬ deos Mary Koszmary - Nightmares (2008), Mur and Wieza - Wall and Tower (2009) and Assassina¬ tion (20m), even though exploring the history of Ashkenazi Jews in Europe and focusing on the image of Polish-Jewish relations, offers a universal narrative about the preparedness to accept the Other and the problems of cultural integration in an unstable world made up of political tensions and constant national, class, ethnic and identity disputes. Bartana's trilogy, premiered in its entire¬ ty at the 2on Venice Biennale, revolves around the fictitious Jewish Renaissance Movement in Poland. The first Jewish settlers started coming to the area we now call Poland more than one thousand years ago and since then the area had been home to the largest and most significant Jewish com¬ munity in the world. In the eve of World War II, the Jewish population in Poland increased to 3,300,00 as more and more Jews started to emigrate from Russia and the Ukraine. Their fate came into que¬ stion when the Nazis invaded the western part of Poland, which was inhabited by over 2 million Je¬ ws. The Germans immediately formed ghettos in Poland's largest cities and resettled Jews there be¬ fore transporting them to extermination camps. Six million Poles, including three million Jews, were killed during World War II. The present Jewish po¬ pulation in Poland is 20,000, but the real number of Jews not connected to a specific Jewish com¬ munity or culture is several times greater. The first part of the trilogy is a certain kind of manifest to the imaginary, utopian movement invi¬ ting Jews to return to the land of their forefathers. The main protagonist of the video is Slawomir Siera- kowski, activist and chief editor of the Krytyka Poli- tyczna magazine. Standing on an empty, decrepit Warsaw stadium, Sierakowski apologizes for the evils done to the Jews in a not so distant time. [,..]This is a call, not to the dead, but to the li¬ ving. We want three million Jews to return to Poland. We need you! Please return! When you were gone, we were pleased, we told ourselves: At last, we're alone. But since we still weren't ha¬ ppy, we always found some Jew to get rid of. Even when it was clear that there were no more of you, there were always some who were still trying to get rid of you. And then what happe¬ ned? Today we look tediously at our faces so like one another. In the streets of big cities we seek out strangers and listen intently to their speech. Yes, today we know we cannot live alone. We need others, and there are no others dearer to us than you! Come back! The same but different. We will live together. 02 Sierakowski speaks slowly, stressing every word, lea¬ ving room for them to spread throughout the empty space of the stadium. The camera is focused on him; it forgets the empty space of the stadium, while the sound ambience, formed by echo and reminiscing of speeches from charismatic figures and great leaders, creates monumentality and exaltation. Perverting the standards of communication, playing the role of a dynamic politician and using language characteri¬ stic for WWII propaganda, Sierakowski, dressed in a leather coat like the one members of the secret poli¬ ce use to wear, delivers his empathic speech with powerful body gestures. [,..]With one language, we cannot speak. With one religion, we cannot listen. With one color, we cannot see. With one culture, we cannot feel. Without you we cannot even remember. Wi¬ thout you, we shall remain trapped in history - with you, we will have a future. There is no futu¬ re for chosen peoples. There is no future for any people. When we look into each other's eyes, our masks will come off and together we shall expe¬ rience what philosophers dared not dream. Jews! Compatriots! Peeeeople! If not now, when? If not we, who? Who will take Poland out from the mud, prevent it from sin¬ king? Let us not wait for the global market to make us all similar to one another, let us not wait for another uprising of nationalisms - can¬ cers on the body of the free market - to once more turn us against each other or against other others. Instead of identical, let us become one. Drafts of the excavated past Antonija Letinic Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 131 We shall never more exploit each other, humi¬ liate each other, steal from one another the fruits of our labour. Next to graveyards, we shall build schools and hospitals. We shall plant trees and build paths. If you wish, we shall travel to the Moon together. Come back and Poland will change, Europe will change, the world will change. You too shall become different. Come back, not as shadows of the past, but as hope for the future. 03 03 Ibid. pp. 127-128. 04 Alain Badiou, "Philosophy as Creative Repetition”, http:// www.lacan.com/symptom8_ articles/badioui8.html [accessed 20 October 2011] 05 Frederic Jameson, Singular Modernity (London, Verso, 2005), p. 26. In the second part of the speech, the words exit the past; leave the space inhabited by guilt and apologies and gaze onto the present and the fu¬ ture our present promises to have. Even though he speaks directly to Jews, by opening the questi¬ on of the chosen people and speaking about the present, the artist sets the story above the indivi¬ dual complexity of the relationship between Poles and Jews, the guilty and the victim, and, sliding in the space of ambivalence, it abandons the black and white technique, raising it to an entirely new level, thus maybe even confronting the Israeli-Pa- lestinian conflict. While Sierakowski is holding his speech, a group of young teenagers uses white powder to write out an invitation to their former compatri¬ ots on the field of the stadium. The young prota¬ gonists symbolize Socrates' guilt of "spoiling the youth", for which he was sentenced to death. The same fate befalls Sierakowski in the third part of the trilogy, Assassination, which is dedicated to his execution and ceremony of burial. However, Bar- tana utilizes it in Badiou-styled interpretation of corruption. "Here "to corrupt" means to teach the possibility of refusing any blind submission to established opinions. To corrupt is to give to yo¬ ung people some means of changing their minds about all social norms; to corrupt is to substitute discussion and rational criticism for imitation, and even, if the question is a question of principles, to substitute revolt for obedience." 04 Both works focus on the verbal communicati¬ on aspect, enabling words to achieve their full strength. Jansa builds his composition exclusively with sound tools through the audio aspect of words; immersed in reality, he looks beyond the fence of political correctness, into the hate poin¬ ted toward the other and the different. His future is surrounded with the barbed wire of a muted in¬ tolerance patiently waiting for war to emerge. Bartana's words find their full meaning in imagery, in the protagonist's gesture which follows the so¬ und. Even though filmed, her work is in many ways similar to a site-specific performative, thea¬ tre piece. Jansa uses theatre merely to define exactly what Slovensko narodno gledalisce (Slove¬ nian national theatre) stands for - not a theatre stage, but an everyday performative of foul pro¬ vinciality and dispiritedness. Bartana builds her utopia upon images whose associative links have been formed in the past and on them she draws hope for her utopian future. She looks into the future from the present moment, which is dressed in the scenery of past times of the great collectives, the times when a new and better world was in construction, the time when a better future was built, the time in which people believed in equality, fraternity and unity. It is on these ima¬ ges that she shapes her faith in a better future. In his work Singular Modernity, Frederic Jame¬ son points out: I am tempted to argue that the present cannot feel itself to be a historical period in its own ri¬ ght without this gaze from the future, which seals it off and expels it as powerfully from time to come as it was able to do with its own im¬ mediate precedents. We need not overempha¬ size the matter of guilt (which, however, right¬ fully clings to every form of praxis) so much as that of responsibility which cannot perhaps be affirmed without the suspicion of guilt: for it is the present's responsibility for its own self-defi¬ nition of its own mission that makes it into a historical period in its own right ad that requi¬ res the relationship to the future fully as much as it involves the taking of a position on the past. History is to be sure both dimensions 05 Both works focus precisely on that, by taking up a position in the present which forms a relation to the past from the gaze of future, a future perceived through the question of the other and how to an¬ swer that question. The mission of the present is to take up an active position, assume responsibility for this moment, for the past we inherited and then to build a space for a sovereign future. To assume re¬ sponsibility, admit mistakes, remember them in or¬ der not to repeat them and then build on these experiences a future that will encounter some other obstacles, but will not repeat the ones from the past - that is the mission of our present. In her trilogy, Bartana builds two futures: in the first part that fu¬ ture is the utopian successor of the time following the liberation, similar to the image of the future de¬ ceitfully painted after the defeat of fascism, Nazism and injustice. The future in the third film, in which her protagonist is sacrificed for his beliefs, is the fu¬ ture that results from the past on which her utopia developed. In that sense, her utopia is concluded in the reality, like Jansa's, returning to the present mo¬ ment in which we still have the opportunity to gaze into the deceitful images of the future, from which point our present might seem better than the one we were heading to. However, the past teaches us to believe in the future - purely because of the pos¬ sibility that has been taken away from the past and that is the possibility that the future might some¬ how turn out differently. 132 Letters to —: On the Construction and Sharing of Effective Means Frakcija #58/59 to be moved Dear-, We have see then that the nature of commodity exchange itself imposes no limit to the working day, no limit to surplus labor. The capitalist maintains his rights as a purchaser when he tries to make the working day as long as possible, and, where possible, to make two working days out of one. On the other hand, the peculiar nature of the commodity sold implies a limit to its consumption by the purchaser, and the worker maintains his right as a seller when he wishes to reduce the working day to a particular normal length. There is here therefore an antinomy, of right against right, both equally bearing the seal of the law of exchange. Between equal rights, force decides. Hence, in the history of capitalist production, the establishment of a norm for the working day presents itself as a struggle over the limits of that day, a struggle between collective capital, ie. the class of capitalists, and collective labor, ie. the working class.* Love, * Karl Marx, Capital: A Critique of Political Economy, Vol. I (1867). Letters to — Frakcija #58/59 to be moved On the Construction and Sharing of Effective Means 1 maia Dear-, Zero growth is a necessity and zero growth is incompatible with capitalism. The necessity is, therefore, that we must all become anti-capitalists. Alternative ways to survive and prosper must be found. That is the imperative of our times. This is what we should commit to on this May Day.* Love, * David Harvey, “Nice day for a revolution: Why May Day should be a date to stand up and change the system,” The Independent (2011). 134 Koreografski odnosi - povezivanje koreografija Stefan Holscher Frakcija #58/59 to be moved Koreografski odnosi - povezivanje koreografija Stefan Holscher Petra Sabisch, Choreographing Relations: Practical Philosophy And Contemporary Choreography (Miinchen: e_podium, 2010), 280 stranica S engleskoga prevela Tijana Gojic oi Andre Lepecki, Exhausting dance (New York i London, Routledge, 2006) to bi se dogodilo kada koreografiju ne bismo promatrali kao nesto sto se sa- stoji od stalnih i nepromjenjivih setova formi koje se upisuju u nasa tijela ili, kao kod Andrea Lepeckog u Exhausting Dance , 01 kao sredstvo preuzimanja kontrole, nego zapoceli potragu sa spinozijanskim pitanjem sto, prema vlastitom koreografskom potencijalu, tijelo moze uciniti? Tada bismo bili manje zabavljeni od- govorima na pitanja sto koreografija u svojoj biti jest, i mogli bismo lakse iskristalizirati njene krea- tivne i generativne aspekte. Tada ne bismo razmi- sljali o njoj u smislu ogranicavajucih pravila koja se nuzno moraju slijediti, ili u smislu jasno definiranih procedura. Sada cemo se ponajvise fokusirati na problem kako izmisliti i aktivno proizvesti uvijek nova pravila. Oho, nasi plesovi ne slijede kulturalni tekst (Susan Foster) nego aktivno sudjeluju u stvaranju koreografije - na sceni, u institucijama i u odnosu na siri socijalni kontekst! U Koreografskim odnosima Petra Sabisch tran- sverzalno slijedi ove ideje i razvijajedan od najdoj- mljivijih koncepata koreografije u posljednje vrije- me. Ona ostavlja za sobom hilomorfne ideje koje uokviruju vec uspostavljen savez koreografije kao forme i plesa kao aktivnosti kojajoj je podredena te vidi i koreografiju i pies kao jednakovrijedne i konstitutivne cimbenike iznimno pragmaticnog i konstruktivistickog procesa nastajanja same kore¬ ografije. U svom istrazivanju ona provocira susret dvaju suvremenika i dva koncepta: Ranciereovu ideju "raspodjele osjetilnog" radikalizira i prebacu- je sa svoje prioritizacije Kantove sheme na stvarnu sintezu, rani Gilles Deleuze i njegova monografija o Flumeovom empirizmu susrece se s produkcio- nistickim esteticarskim shvacanjima Product of Circumstances Xaviera Le Roya, a originalna anali- za Holding Hands Antonie Baehr (o kvalitativnim transformacijama tijela u istoimenom komadu) gotovo je jednako bliska koreografiji slova i rijeci koje izvodi Juan Dominguez u All Good Spies Are My Age i tjelesnim rekonfiguracijama Eszter Sala- mon u What A Body You Have, Honey. Koreografija kao kreativna i transduktivna ge- neza. Koreografija ne kao nesto sto koreografira nesto drugo nego nastanak koreografiranja sa- mog. Kako misliti koreografske odnose? Mogu ii odnosi biti koreografirani? Jesu li oni ti koji koreo- grafiraju? Mogu li odnosi koreografirati druge od¬ nose? Je li koreografija odnos? - Sve do sada, pre- vladavalo je misljenje da uvijek mora postojati ne¬ sto sto koreografira stogod drugo, ono sto koreo¬ grafira i ono sto biva koreografirano. Tijela nasu- prot forme. Forme nasuprot tijela. Sabisch doka- zuje suprotno: predmet interesa bi prvenstveno trebao biti odnos medu stvarima i tijelima - od¬ nos bez termina, organi bez vec konstituirane or- ganizacije tijela. Kad koreografiramo, moramo po- ceti u sredini, negdje izmedu. Samo odande moze- mo postici vise nego smo ikada mislili da mozemo. Postoji jedan vazan uvid (najprije gaje izrazio Flume, da bi ga kasnije razvio Deleuze) koji bi nas trebao natjerati da promjenimo nase jos neade- kvatne ideje o koreografiji: Odnosi su uvijek izvan svojih pojmova. Stoga nam zadanosti nisu dane kao subjekti. Naprotiv, mi kao subjekti zapravo proizlazimo iz zadanosti i iskustva odnosa koje ak¬ tivno stvaramo. U svom pristupu i njegovim impli- kacijama o tome kako valja razmisljati o tijelima i stanju stvari, Sabischeva se ne slaze s dominan- tnim pristupom koreografiji u kulturalnim studiji- ma i teoriji plesa. Zaista nismo, kao stoje Susan Foster jednom ustvrdila, nositelji kuituralnih kri- zaljki koje nam se dodjeljuju. Mi smo ti koji prije Koreografski odnosi - povezivanje koreografija Stefan Holscher Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 135 svega imaju sposobnost da aktivno izgraduju od- nose koji nas se ticu i doticu. Od Sabischeve mo- zemo saznati da mogucnosti ne uvjetuju vec kodi- rane krizaljke i nikakvi sredstva preuzimanja kon- trole, pa cak ni sedimentiranje tjelesnih aktivnosti. Naprotiv, tjelesni potencijal i kapacitet da proizve- demo afekt i toga da dozivimo afekt i sami su ono sto moze generativno proizvesti koreografiju... tijela...i nas. S te pozicije, koreografija kao koreografiranje odnosa i odnosima, ne moze se smatrati u tom smislu vec zadanom formom. Ona se dogada is- pod formi, sama formirajuci i povezujuci tijela po- tpunojednako kao i institucionalne sredine i druge skupove, poput drustvenosti kao procesa. Nista nije podredeno formama. Sve, naprotiv, moze razotkriti svoj vlastiti pocetak. Sabischeva predlaze prizor za ilustraciju ove razlike koji jejednostavan kolikoje i komplicirano objasniti tu razliku. Na 103. stranici knjige nalazi- mo skicu ruke. U sredini, povezujuci podlakticu i nadlakticu, nalazi se lakat. Mogli bismo zauzeti dvije perspektive u odnosu na tu scenu: mozemo li promatrati nadlakticu i podlakticu kao vec kon- stituirane entitete ili kaojos nedefinirane dijelove, odnosno, samo virtualne intenzitete koji se aktua- liziraju kroz generativne momente koji ih povezu- ju? Lakat ili zglob, samo su dva primjera onih po- kretackih sila koje sklapaju tijela, njihove dijelove, sklopove tijela i institucije kao takve. Zglobovi nisu spojeni, oni spajaju. Njihova konstitutivna sila opi- suje se onim sto Sabisch naziva "kontaminacija" (kapacitet da dozivimo afekt) i "artikulacija" (ka¬ pacitet da proizvedemo afekt). I jedno i drugo uvi- jek streme aktivnoj i pragmaticnoj konstrukciji spajanjem i konstrukciji spajanja. Ono sto se njima povezuje su koreografije. Forme koje jos ne posto- je, ali koje se mora izmisliti, kao sto bi Deleuze mozda rekao, inkluzivnim disjunkcijama. I...i...i... stoga plesimo koreografirano! Koreografirajmo! Choreographing Relations - Relating Choreographies Frakcija #58/59 Stefan Holscher to be moved Choreographing Relations - Relating Choreographies Stefan Holscher Petra Sabisch, Choreographing Relations: Practical Philosophy And Contemporary Choreography (Munchen: e_podium, 2010), 280 pages oi Andre Lepecki, Exhausting dance (New York and London, Routledge, 2006) hat if we did not consider cho¬ reography as something consi¬ sting of a fixed set of forms be¬ ing inscribed into bodies or, as Andre Lepecki famously argues in his Exhausting Dance ; 01 as an apparatus of cap¬ ture, but rather start our inquiries with the Spino- zian question of what, according to its own chore- ographical potential, a body can do? We will then be less busy with answers to the question what choreography essentially is, and we will be able to crystalize out more easily its creative and genera¬ tive aspects. We would then not think about it in terms of constraining rules to be followed neces¬ sarily, or in terms of a clearly defined series of pro¬ cedures. To a greater degree we will now be focu¬ sed on the problem of how to invent and actively produce ever new rules. Wow, our dances do not follow a cultural text (Susan Foster) but affective¬ ly participate in the production of choreography - on stage, in institutional environments and in re¬ spect of wider social contexts! In her Choreographing Relations Petra Sabisch transversally moves along these tracks and deve¬ lops one of the most striking concepts of choreo¬ graphy since quite a while. She leaves behind hylomorphic ideas which frame an already consti¬ tuted alliance between choreography as a form and dance as an activity subsumed under it, and thinks both choreography and dance as equal and constituent agents of a deeply pragmatist and constructivist becoming of choreography itself. In the course of her research she provokes encoun¬ ters between various contemporaries and issues: Jacques Ranciere's concept of "the distribution of the sensible" is radicalized and shifted from its pri¬ oritisation of the Kantian scheme to a real synthe¬ sis, an early Gilles Deleuze and his monograph on David Flume's empiricism meet productionist ae¬ sthetic views on Xavier Le Roy's Product of Cir¬ cumstances, and a unique analysis of Holding Han¬ ds by Antonia Baehr (dealing with qualitative transformations of bodies being involved in that piece) shares a resonative vicinity with the chore¬ ography of letters and words performed by Juan Dominguez in All Good Spies Are My Age and Esz- ter Salamon's bodily reconfigurations during What A Body You Have, Honey. Choreography as creative and transductive genesis. Choreography not as something which choreographs something else but as the emer¬ gence of choreographing itself. Flow to think cho¬ reographing relations? Can relations be choreo¬ graphed? Are they the ones choreographing? Can relations choreograph other relations? Is choreo¬ graphy relations? - So far, many have claimed that there always has to be necessarily something that choreographs something else, things choreo¬ graphing and things being choreographed. Bodies versus forms. Forms versus bodies. Sabisch proves the opposite: it is, first of all, the relation between things and bodies we have to deal with - relation without terms, organs without an already consti¬ tuted organization of the body. When choreo¬ graphing, we have to start in the middle, in-betwe¬ en. Only there, can we always do more than we could have imagined before. There is one important insight (firstly expres¬ sed by Flume, later on further developed by Dele¬ uze) that should force us to change our not yet adequate ideas on choreography: Relations are al¬ ways external to their terms. Therefore the given is not given to us as subjects. On the contrary, it is us as subjects - we are actually coming out of the Choreographing Relations - Relating Choreographies Stefan Holscher Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 137 given and the experience of relations which we actively produce. Through her approach and its further implications in regard to the question of how to think about bodies and states of affairs, Sabisch disagrees with a dominant approach to¬ ward choreography in the field of cultural studies and dance scholarship. We are indeed not, as Su¬ san Foster had once proclaimed, subjects of the cultural grids we are ascribed to. Instead we are the ones having, first of all, the capacity to active¬ ly constitute the relations relating us. From Sabi¬ sch we can learn that it is not the already coded grids and no apparatuses of capture which condi¬ tion the possibility of, or even sediment our bodily activities. On the contrary, it is our bodily potenti¬ al and our capacity to affect and to be affected that is capable to generatively produce choreo¬ graphy... and our bodies... and us. Viewed against this background, choreo¬ graphy as the choreographing of and by relations cannot be considered an already given form in that sense. It takes place beneath forms, itself for¬ ming and relating bodies as much as institutional environments and other assemblages such as the social as a process. Nothing is subsumed under forms. Everything is, instead, able to unfold its own becoming. Sabisch proposes an image which is as simple as it is complicated to demonstrate this difference. On the 103 page of the book we find a sketch of an arm. In the middle, connecting upper and lower arm, there is the elbow. One co¬ uld develop two converse perspectives regarding this scene: whether one could imagine upper and lower arm as already constituted entities or as not yet defined parts and as only virtual intensities which are actualized through a generative mo¬ ment relating them. The elbow or the joint, these are just two examples of those driving forces whi¬ ch put together bodies, their parts, assemblages of bodies, and institutions in general. Joints are not jointed but joining. Their constituent power is gi¬ ven through what Sabisch calls "contamination" (our capacity to be affected) and "articulation" (our capacity to affect). They both always move toward an active and pragmatist construction by and of joinings. What is related by them are cho¬ reographies. Forms which do not exist yet, but which have to be invented via, as Deleuze might have put it, inclusive disjunctions. And... And... And... So let's let's dance choreographically! Let's choreograph! 138 Letters to —: On the Construction and Sharing of Effective Means Frakcija #58/59 to be moved Dear-, Gentrification becomes a diagram of the contemporary forms of accumulation. As Carlo Vercellone pointed out, contemporary capitalistic modes of production are better understood in terms of rent extraction, instead of profit production. In an industrial organization the capitalist has to organize production setting up machinery and infrastructures, in order to make labor productive and extract profit from it. On the other hand, rent is a form of value extraction which doesn’t need the organization of the means of production. The owner of a piece of land enjoys a rent just for the fact of possessing it, even if he or she doesn’t produce anything on it. In other words, the production of value occurs somewhere else, without any intervention from the one who finally collects it. As Vercellone argues, ‘rent is the new profit.’ If production becomes social, this doesn’t imply the end of capitalistic exploitation: capital can always capture the value produced in common by setting up technologies of rent extraction.* Love, * Amir Djalali, “Matteo Pasquinelli: On the Ruins of the Postfordist City” (2010). Letters to — Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 139 On the Construction and Sharing of Effective Means Dear-, This is a deep depression. The welfare of the economy, in a moment like this, is in contradiction to our own welfare. Anti-austerity struggles have to become more radical. They have to concentrate on immediate material goods. For example, there are now millions of people who have been thrown out of their houses. There are a lot of empty houses, so we have to begin moving into those houses. There is a lot of food, so we have to take the food. We have this enormous productive apparatus. We have a world full of buildings, offices, schools, factories, farms, and technology. And there is absolutely no reason why we shouldn’t simply take that stuff and start using it. What holds people back is that, on the one hand, it doesn’t occur to them that they can do it and, on the other hand, that the police, the army—an enormous apparatus—prevents them from doing it. The way people are raised makes it very hard for them to think that you can just take this over, that this belongs to you. The problem is that people are so used to the existence of capitalism, they’re so used to the idea that you have to work for somebody else, that they don’t see that they can just take it over. We want food, we want boats to go sailing on the lake.* Love, * Paul Mattick, Jr., "The Economic Crisis in Fact and Fiction" (2011). Tamo gdje nisi - Tom Lubbock i gubitak rijeci Frakcija #58/59 Sarah Wishart to be moved Tamo gdje nisi - Tom Lubbock i gubitak rijeci Sarah Wishart S engleskoga preveo Makso Herman oi Lubbock, Tom, "A memoir of living with a brain tumour," The Observer. Datum objave: 7.11.2010. Datum pristupa: 18.5. 2on. http://www.guardian.co. uk/books/20io/nov/o7/tom- lubbock-brain-tumour-language 02 Lubbock, 2010 03 Barthes, Roland A Lover's Discourse: Fragments (Vintage, London, 2002) str. 59 04 Lubbock, 2010 05 Lubbock, 2010 O d samog pocetka, kakoTomu Lub- bocku stvari klize, odlucan je da opise svima koji ne dijele njegova iskustva, sto se tocno zbiva. Prvi ga puta rijeci doslovno iznevjera- vaju nakon prvog napada. On nas njezno vodi kroz to iskustvo: "Ne mogu vise tecno govoriti. Zabora- vio sam kako se to cini. Ne dolazi mi samo od se- be. Ne cujem izlazi li iz mojih usta ijedna rijec ona- ko kako bi trebala ili ne. Kao daja nisam taj koji govori, nego nekakva vrsta neucinkovite zamjene". 01 Njegovi su opisi procesa gubitka rijeci na putu od uma do usta detaljni u svojoj boli i on nam to iskustvo do kraja rekonstruira, bas kao sto je svaku rijec morao rekonstruirati "do zadnjeg fonema". 02 Njegova su nastojanja da razumije taj proces nalik Barthesovom opisu iskustva zaljublji- vanja po kojem "iznenada uocavajuci ljubavnu epi- zodu kao petlju neobjasnjivih razloga i limitiranih rjesenja, subjekt usklikne 'zelim shvatiti (sto mi se dogada)'".° 3 Osjecam koliko je uznemirujuca nemilosrdna razlika izmedu njegovih kapaciteta baratanja pisa- nom rijeci i sluzenja izgovorenom. Njezno je znati- zeljan; kao da u opisima izgubljene rijeci sam sebe promatra iz vanjske perspektive: "moj govor po- staje ozbiljan problem. Ponekad, nakratko i izne¬ nada, primjecujem da vise ne znam sto govorim, ali svejedno nastavljam i nastavljam govoriti - po- put nadahnute prorocice". 04 Promotrimo li njego- vo pisanje, ono je dobro, unatoc tome sto Lubbock citatelju objasnjava kako nije savrseno. "Poteskoce oko pisanjajos su vece. Odabirem pogresna slova: uvijek promasim prvo slovo u rijeci, a nakon toga, ostala slova izadu krivim redoslijedom, ili zamije- njena drugima pa se neprestano moraju prepravljati". 05 Prvi sam puta citala Lubbockovu ispovijest o iskustvu bolovanja od tumora mozga u zavrsnoj fazi u studenom 2010., samo dva tjedna prije nego sto sam se trebala preseliti. lako sam bila suocena s nevjerojatnom kolicinom kaosa u svojem domu, nisam mogla prestati razmisljati o Lubbockovom clanku iz Observera. Pozeljela sam ga procitati po- novno i uz vise koncentracije pa sam tu stranicu pazljivo presavila, a ostatak novina stavila na stra- nu kako bi mi posluzile za umatanje stvari. Za ocekivati je daje, unatoc svemu sa cime se morao nositi, Lubbock kao novinar bio i vise nego sposoban objasniti proces gubitka vjestine sluze¬ nja jezikom, kao i posljedice koje takav gubitak ostavlja na njega kao autora. Kao pisca, potencijal- ni gubitak mod sluzenja mozgom naprosto me uzasava pa nije ni cudo sto me njegove rijeci pro- badaju, plase i diraju s lakocom. No tu je i nesto drugo - neobicna fasciniranost temom. Ima nesto u nacinu na koji je clanak napisan, kao i u nacinu na koji sam ga procitala i potom ponovno procita- la, a sto me navodi na razmisljanje o poeziji lju- bavne tematike. To je njegova odlucnost da opise suocavanje s gubitkom govora i, kao dijela toga, sa smrcu koja neupitno dolazi. Lubbock se ne uspijeva othrvati smrti; on na- posljetku umire, ostavljajuci za sobom zenu i sina. No narativ pred nama ne bavi se gubicima Lub- bocka kao supruga, jer nema govora o promjena- ma u njegovom obiteljskom zivotu, nego s isku- stvom gubitaka onoga koji pise. U posljednje vrije- me objavljen je zaista veliki broj memoara koji se bave gubitkom voljene osobe; After You britanske giumice Natasche McElhone knjigaje napisana u formi pisama i dnevnika posvecenih njenome mu- zu, koji je neocekivano preminuo samo dan prije njihove desete godisnjice, u trenutku dok je bila Tamo gdje nisi - Tom Lubbock i gubitak rijeci Sarah Wishart Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 141 06 "Matt, Liz and Madeline, life and death all in a 27 hour period". Datum pristupa: 18.5.2011. http://www.mattlogelin.com/ 07 McElhone, Natascha After You, Letters of Love, and Loss, to a Husband and Father (Viking, London, 2010) 08 Bernardo, Melissa Rose "Theatre review: The Year of Magical Thinking, Booth Theatre, New York" The Observer. Datum objave: 1.4.2011. Datum pristupa: 2i.io.2on. http://www.guardian. c0.uk/stage/2007/apr/01/ theatre.broadway 09 Brantley, Ben "The Sound of One Heart Breaking The Year of Magical Thinking: Review - Theater - New York Times". Datum objave: 30.3.2007. Datum pristupa: 21.10.2011. http://theater.nytimes. com/2007/o3/3o/theater/ reviews/3omagi. html?pagewanted=all 10 Exquisite Pain - Forced Entertainment. Datum pristupa: 21.10.2011. http://www. forcedentertainment.com/ page/144/Exquisite-Pain/go 11 Clapham, Rachel Lois "Spill Festival presents Exquisite Pain by Forced Entertainment". Datum objave 4.4.2007. Datum pristupa: 21.10.2011., http:// www.a-n.co.uk/interface/ reviews/single/369717 12 Clapham, Rachel Lois, 2007 13 Etchells, Tim Certain Fragments: Contemporary Performance and Forced Entertainment (London: Routledge, 1999) str. 63 14 Etchells, str.63 15 Krauss, Nicole "Antwerp - Roberto Bolano - review" The Guardian. Datum objave: 29.9.2011. Datum pristupa: 29.9.2011. http://www.guardian. co.uk/books/20n/sep/29/ antwerp-roberto-bolano- review?INTCMP=SRCH trudna s njihovim trecim sinom. Memoari Joyce Carol Oates i Joan Didion jos se nalaze na listama bestselera; Year of Magical Thinking Joan Didion pretvorenaje u kazalisnu predstavu, a Didion su igrale neke od najpoznatijih glumica na svijetu po- put Vanesse Redgrave. Na svim krajevima svijeta ljudi pisu blogove koji se na ovaj ili onaj nacin bave temom gubitka voljene osobe. Na primjer, blog Matt, Liz and Madeline Matta Logelina govori o smrti njegove zene uslijed komplikacija nakon rodenja njihove kceri i kasnijem Logelinovom zivo- tu samohranog roditelja. 06 Logelinovje blog ne- davno privukao podosta medijske paznje, jer ce po njegovim iskustvima iz zivota nakon Lizine izne- nadne smrti uskoro izaci knjiga. Zaista je ogroman broj blogova koje pisu udovci i udovice, bas kao sto je velik broj blogova koji se bave rakom, HIV- om i hepatitisom C. Format bloga kao stalne pra- kse, ili McElhoneicina pisma preminulom suprugu oznacavaju te procese kao redovite aktivnosti: ci- njenica sto se pisu svakodnevno ide ruku pod ruku s idejom da onaj koji pise nema na umu kako to radi za neku siru publiku. Na njih se moze gledati kao na nacin da se prezivi svaki novi dan, da se udalji od vlastite brige ili straha ili da se stvori ko- munikacija s osobom koja vise nije tu, s osobom koja ne odgovara. Cinjenicu da se to djelo moze obracati ne samo onome koga nema, nego i ne- kom buducem nepoznatom citateljstvu, autori ce- sto nemaju u vidu u trenutku njegova stvaranja. McElhone, na primjer, potvrduje da njena pisma suprugu "nikad nisu pisana s mislju da ce ih netko drugi citati" i da ih je objavila za svoju djecu, da bi mogla pristupiti svojem ocu i ljubavi svojih rodite¬ lja u nekom kasnijem trenutku. 07 No njihov je od- nos toliko detaljno preprican da je tesko zamislivo da bi dijete ikada htjelo imati pristupa toj uzasnoj kolicini tuge koju njihova majka nosi u sebi, njenoj zalosti suprotstavljenoj njenim odgovornostima kao trudnice. Razumijem potrebu McElhone, Oa¬ tes i Didion da pisu ovakve tekstove, no nesto je teze razumjeti zasto ih se adaptira za javnost. Go¬ dina magicnog razmisljanja Joan Didion jedanje takav tekst. David Hare gaje pretvorio u kazalisnu predstavu, a Didion je igrala Vanessa Redgrave. Neke od kritika usredotocuju se na ucinak prisu- tnosti glumice poput Redgrave - "Malo je red da je publika zaokupljena glumicom. Gotovo svaki njen pokret nas hipnotizira". 08 No misljenja sam da bi se aspekt duboke intimnosti, neizbjezno prisu- tan pri citanju knjige, izgubio u svom prijelazu na kazalisne daske. Toliko poznata glumica kao Red- graveova samo bi pojacala takav dojam. Kao sto je jedan kriticar istaknuo - Didionicino stavljanje na- glaska na detaljnost traume umanjen je izvedbom Vanesse Redgrave, koja umjesto da inzistira na toj preciznosti, preuzima ulogu junakinje. Kriticarkaje zaokruzila svoju recenziju mislju "da nema sumnje kako je ona velika umjetnica. Kao i Didion. Pro¬ blem The Year of Magical Thinking je sto njihove umjetnicke kvalitete vuku svaka na svoju stranu". 09 Upitno je pomaze li ta razlika artikulaciji ove price. Jedna druga varijacija djela o traumi takoder je pretvorena u kazalisni komad. Nakon trauma- ticnog kraja ljubavne afere, francuska umjetnica Sophie Calle napisala je tekst naslovljen "Exquisite Pain", sacinjen od odgovora koje su njeni prijatelji i kolege dali na pitanje: "Kada ste najvise patili?". Odgovori prate autoricin narativ o kraju njenih ro- manticnih veza. Djelo je evidentno nastalo kako bi joj pomoglo zalijeciti slomljeno srce "dok ne zabo- ravim na svoju bol usporedujuci je s tudom, ili po- trosim vlastitu pricu pukom repeticijom". 10 Ovaj je tekst 2005. posluzio kao osnova za predstavu u iz- vedbi kazalisne druzine Forced Entertainment i to je bio prvi put da je ta druzina izvela tekst kojem sama nije i autor. Izvedbaje opisana kao "bolna dva i pol sata repetitivnog monologa". 11 Rachel Lo¬ is Clapham je za magazin AN napisala kako su, umjesto da pokusaju razotkriti autoricinu bol, For¬ ced Entertainment ustvari postavili djelo s primar- nim naglaskom na izvedbeni aspekt. Clapham tvr- di da "opipljiva bol koja rezultira gledanjem Exqui¬ site pain ima jasnu svrhu: Forced Entertainment izlaze publiku svoj toj boli kako bi postavili pitanja: 'Moze li opetovana repeticija banalne price zainte- resirati gledatelja?', 'Koliko je ponavljanja potrebno da nesto postane zanimljivim?"'. 12 Predstavaje pri- je test izdrzljivosti nego novi nacin dozivljavanja autoricine boli, a iz svega toga publika je potpuno iskljucena. U svojim izvedbama, Forced Entertain¬ ment uglavnom koriste odredene trenutke kako bi publiku ukljucili u predstavu, cak i ona kada od- mah nakon toga forsiraju distancu izmedu gleda¬ telja i izvodaca, emociju i iskustvo kontrasta. U nji- hovoj predstavi Showtime, izvodacicu Cathy Na- den pita se kako bi pocinila samoubojstvo, a Cathy meko i polagano daje detaljni odgovor na to pita¬ nje govoreci pritom u mikrofon. Publici objasnjava i najmanji korak do samoubojstva u kadi. Kada za- vrsi, drugi izvodac, obucen u kartonsko drvo, poju- ri prema publici vicuci: "Koji kurac gledate? Koji je vasjebeni problem? Odjebite! Voajeri! Postoji je- bena granica i vi ste je presli". 13 Privuci publiku, a onda je odbiti tako nasilno i naglo moze dovesti do trenutka razmjene; "kao da vas je vasa prisu- tnost na ovom dogadaju morala kostati necega". 14 Mogli bi tvrditi da se ovdje vidi ukljucenost publike na nacin koji se ne manifestira u adaptacijama djela Joan Didion i Sophie Calle. U svjetlu ove, moguce neizbjezne redukcije koja proizlazi iz adaptacije za kazaliste, u jednom novijem clanku objavljenom u Cuardianu, Nicole Krauss opisuje proces pisanja kao "vjecitu ekspanziju". 15 Smatram da se ta ekspanzija zbiva osobito kada je u pitanju autorovo shvacanje smr¬ ti. Ili se citatelju govori o nekoj smrti koja piscu uzrokuje ogromnu kolicinu tuge, ili se najavljuje nadolazeca tragedija kao kod Lubbocka. No una- 142 16 Lubbock, Tom "View of Delft (1660) By Johannes Vermeer - Great Works of Art" The Independent. Datum objave: 10.10.2008. Datum pristupa: 18.5.2011. http://www. independent.co.uk/arts- entertainment/art/great- works/view-of-delft-i66o-by- johannes-vermeer-956444.html 17 Bersani, Leo & Phillips, Adam Intimacies (University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 2008) str. 29 18 Kellaway, Kate, "A Widow's Story: A Memoir by Joyce Carol Oates” The Observer, Datum objave: 6.3.2011. Datum pristupa: 22.4.2011. http://www. guardian.co.uk/books/20n/ mar/o6/widows-story-carol- oates-review 19 Kester, Grant Conversation Pieces: Community and Communication in Modern Art (Berkley: University of California Press, 2004) str. 78 20 Kester, str. 115 21 Bersani, & Phillips, str. 28 Tamo gdje nisi - Tom Lubbock i gubitak rijeci Frakcija #58/59 Sarah Wishart to be moved toe dijagnozi i svim poteskocama, Lubbock nasta- vlja "ekspanziju", on se nastavlja ponasati kao re- cenzent tijekom svoje bolesti. Codine 2008., na- kon prvotne dijagnoze, prve operaeije na mozgu i ciklusa radioterapije, objavljuje recenziju Vermee- rove slike Pogled na Delft. Lubbockova bolest tada jos nije bila poznata siroj javnosti paje citanje te recenzije nakon njegove smrti sasvim drugaeiji dozivljaj za informiranog citatelja. Lubbock se ne usredotocuje na neobican prikaz nalik fotografiji, nego na materijale i ucinak jednog malog dijela slike na promatraca. Koristeci referencu iz U po- trazi za izgubljenim vremenom, gdje pisac romana Bergotte umire fokusirajuci se na maleni komad zutog zida sa Veermerove slike, Lubbock u 630 ri¬ jeci raspravlja o smrtnosti, svijesti i o Vermeerovoj vjestini da prikaze vise od jednog pogleda. 16 Cita- njem o patnji, u tihom dijalogu izmedu citatelja i pisca, empatija dolazi u prvi plan. Smatram da je to proizvod onoga sto Bersani i Phillips nazivaju "radoscu davanja i primanja preko utjelovljenog jezika, svojstva drugih kao subjekta". 17 Kroz raz- mjenu narativa i rijeci daje se i potencijalno prima dar; u takvoj razmjeni postoji moguenost razumi- jevanja drugoga. Pisanje je gotovo uvijek solipsisticka aktiv- nost, a usamljeni karakter te aktivnosti posebnoje naglasen kada se autor pokusava pomiriti s odsu- tnoscu, smrcu ili kada sebe promatra u trenucima koji prethode neuspjehu i propasti. Cakje i nagla- seniji kada napisana rijec toliko izravno usmjerava pojedinca na iznenadnu odsutnost neke osobe. Kate Kellaway u svojoj recenziji A \Nidow's Story autorice Joyce Carol Oates pise: "pisanje ...je sred- stvo kojim sebe cinimo vidljivim samima sebi".’ 8 Ljudi posjecuju blogove poput onog Matta Logeli- na ili citaju tugom ispunjene memoare iz razlicitih razloga, no moramo imati na umu da njihov odgo- vor na procitano moze biti ispunjen iskljucivo bri- gom za vlastitu dobrobit. Kada osjecamo empatiju prema nekoj situaeiji, u opasnosti smo da pocne- mo svoje zelje, koje nastaju procesom suosjecanja s drugom osobom, smatrati empaticnima, iako su one moguci rezultat vlastitih interesa. Grant Ke¬ ster opisuje probleme tog procesa: Empaticna identifikaeija (pogotovo ona vrste 'osjecam tvoju bol') posjeduje manje zdravu stranu: moze djelovati u smjeru nijekanja spe- cificnosti i autonomije drugih, koristenja dru¬ gih za vlastite emocionalne i psiholoske po- trebe ili projiciranja na njih nasih vlastitih imaginarnih karakteristika ili zelja. 19 Kester opisuje pitanja svojstvena empatiji konkre- tno u slucaju posebne vrste dijaloskog stvaranja umjetnosti, no svejednoje bitno promotriti njegov stav kada je u pitanju dinamika izmedu pisca i ci¬ tatelja. Na primjer, citatelj moze biti u potrazi za katarzicnim oslobodenjem tijekom citanja tuzne price ili joj mozda pristupa iz jednog praznovjer- nog kuta; zeli citati o tragediji kako bi bio spreman za slicna iskustva. Iako Grant Kester izbjegava pro- blematiku govorenja u ime drugih, kojaje svoj¬ stvena empatiji, on istice njen kapacitet da nas promijeni. Isticuci kako nam empatija omogucuje da sebe zamislimo u drugaeijim okolnostima, upo- zorava nas da "ta identifikaeija nikada ne moze biti potpuna - nikada ne mozemo ustvrditi da u po- tpunosti zauzimamo tudi polozaj subjekta. No mozemo ga zamisliti, a ta imaginaeija, ta aproksi- maeija, radikalno nam moze promijeniti svijest o tome tko smo zapravo. Ona moze postati osno- vom za komunikaeiju i razumijevanje razlika na- metnutih rasom, spolom, etnicitetom, itd". 2 ° Clanak Toma Lubbocka ne "uvlaci" me na isti nacin kaoformati dnevnika/pisama potresnih me- moara. Lubbockovje rad primjer nesvakidasnjeg iskustva, on je zurnalisticki obiljezen, a poruka mu je istovremeno jednostavna i zamrsena. Isto se moze red i za iskustva Natasche McElhone, no u Lubbockovom radu prisutna je odlucnost da se prikaze ono sto mu se dogada, a ne da se pisanje upotrijebi kao sredstvo premjestanja boli. Postoji distanca, iako Lubbock vrlo zivo opisuje ono sto prolazi. Najiskreniji je u dijelovima gdje ga od stra- hote vlastite bolesti odvraca iznenadno razumije¬ vanje toga do koje mjere kapacitete svog mozga uzimamo zdravo za gotovo. Na primjer, uocava misterij koji je nastao tek nakon stoje obolio Neprestano sam suocen s misterijem o kojem drugi ljudi nemaju ni najmanje poimanje, s misterijem generiranja govora. Ni ujednom trenutku nemam kontrolu, stalno sve nazadu- je. Dok u sreu izrecene rijeci uvijek stoji 'ja', onaj koji generira tu rijec uvijek je u magli. To vrijedi za svakoga, no vecina ljudi uopce ne razmislja o tome. Generiranje rijeci dolazi au- tomatski. Kod mene je taj automatizam pre- kinut. Generiranje rijeci ukljucuje napor, na- gadanje, poteskoce, nepreciznost. Ekspanzija procesa kojim dolazi u stanje u kojem se vise ne moze sluziti jezikom navodi nas na dis- kusiju Bersanija i Phillipsa o analitickoj razmjeni prisutnoj kod govora. Lacan tvrdi nesto doista neobicno: 'sva je Iju- bav zasnovana na odredenoj vrsti odnosa iz¬ medu dvaju nesvjesnih znanja'. Nesvjesno kao znanje, a ne kao zelja. 21 No cak i dok opisuje proces gubitka dara sluzenja jezikom, on nastavlja pisati. Pisaoje recenzije do posljednjeg trenutka. Pisao je za The Independent sve do srpnja 2010. Cak i dok opisuje kako mu sve otkazuje, nastavlja pisati. Opisuje svoj strah od onoga sto mu se dogada, no priznaje daje strah nerazdvojivo povezan s fascinacijom. Objasnjava Tamo gdje nisi - Tom Lubbock i gubitak rijeci Sarah Wishart Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 143 22 Lubbock, 2010 23 Lubbock, 2010 24 Barthes, str. 99 25 Barthes, str.100 kako "pocetni impuls nije strah, nego zaokuplje- nost neobicnoscu i cudovitoscu svega te svim no- vim stvarima koje dolaze". 22 Prisutnaje znatizelja, a u njegovom pokusaju da objasni i opise prisutna je ljubav. Ovdje, u razmjeni izmedu Lubbocka i ci- tatelja, nalazimo spajanje dvaju znanja. Lubbock ne pise o detaljima svog privatnog zivota i mozda se upravo zbog toga ne osjecam poput uljeza, kao da zurim u njegovu obitelj nje- govim ocima, kao da se nalazim u nekom neugo- dnom trenutku voajerizma iz filma Biti John Mal- kovich. No unatoc tome sto mi je ovakvo stivo draze od neugode koju u meni cesto izazivaju tu- gom ispunjeni memoari, u onim (izrazito) rijetkim trenucima kada spominje svoj dom osjecam ogro- mni jaz izmedu govora i pisanja, a unutar te pra- znine stoji bol nastala iz promjena koje ce se zbiti u odnosima s najvaznijim osobama u njegovom zivotu. "Danju nisam sposoban voditi bilo kakav razgovor. Covor mi je iznimno ogranicen i Marion je nesretna". 23 Nesto je nepodnosljivo kadaje u pi- tanju bolest, nesto sto se ne moze staviti na papir, bas kao sto postoji nesto sto se ne moze staviti na papir kadaje rijec o ljubavi. Bukureslijev opisuje is- trazivanje osjecaja zaljubljenosti pisanom rijecju: "pokusati pisati o ljubavi znaci suociti se s nere- dom u jeziku: ona vrsta histerije gdjejejezik isto- vremeno previse i premalo". 24 Pokusati pisati o vo- Ijenoj osobi, prostoru koji pojedinac dijeli s njom, razotkriva suvisnost takvog pokusaja, jer cemo dozivjeti neuspjeh onog trenutka kada to pokusa- mo. Pisanje nikada ne moze biti dovoljno za opisa- ti emocije, zanesenost, voljenu osobu, a nesto slic- no i Barthes kazuje: Znati da jedno ne pise za drugo, znati da sve sto cu napisati nikada nece navesti osobu ko¬ ju ja volim (drugoga) da voli mene, znati da pisanje nije nadomjestak ni za sto drugo, da nista ne sublimira, da se nalazi tocno tamo gdje ti nisi - to je pocetak pisanja. 25 Proces pisanja u prostoru odsutnosti voljene oso- bejest pocetak pokusaja pisanja o ljubavi. U Lub- bockovom slucaju, prostor odsutnosti voljene osobe je sve veca odsutnost samog jezika. 144 Where You Are Not - the Loss of Tom Lubbock's Words Sarah Wishart Frakcija #58/59 to be moved Where You Are Not - the Loss of Tom Lubbock's Words Sarah Wishart oi Lubbock, Tom, 'A memoir of living with a brain tumour,’ The Observer, November 7 http://www.guardian.co.uk/ books/2aio/nov/ 07/tom- lubbock-brain-tumour-language [accessed 18 May 2011] 02 Lubbock, 2010 03 Barthes, Roland A Lover's Discourse: Fragments (Vintage, London, 2002) p. 59 04 Lubbock, 2010 05 Lubbock, 2010 ight from the beginning, as things start to fall away from Tom Lubbock, he is determined to attempt to de¬ scribe to everyone else outside of his experience, what exactly is happe¬ ning. The first time that words literally fail him following his first fit, he follows the experience gently through; 'I'm no longer fluent. I've forgot¬ ten how to do it. I can't do it automatically. I can't hear whether a word I say has come out right or not. It's as if it's not me that's speaking, but some kind of inefficient proxy forming the words'. 01 He painstakingly recreates the experience of losing a word between mind and mouth, reconstructing the experience for us, as he had to reconstruct the word 'phoneme by phoneme'. 02 He wants to un¬ derstand the process of this loss in a way that echoes Barthes description of the experience of falling in love 'suddenly perceiving the amorous episode as a knot of inexplicable reasons and im¬ paired solutions, the subject exclaims 'I want to understand (what is happening to me)'.° 3 I feel how distressing the relentless expansion between his capacity with the written word and his delivery of the spoken word is. There is a gen¬ tle curiosity as if he is watching himself from an external perspective in descriptions of the lost word; 'my speech is now becoming a radical pro¬ blem. Sometimes, for a short period, and sudden¬ ly, I find that I no longer know what I am saying, but I still go on talking and talking sense - like an inspired sibyl'. 04 His writing in comparison works well on the page, even as he tells the reader that it was not perfect in its creation. 'The problems with my writing seem to be worse. The letters come out wrong: I always miss out the first letter of a word; after that, the letters come in the wrong or¬ der, or with replacements, and have to be rewrit¬ ten all the time'. 05 I first read Tom Lubbock's account of the experience of having a terminal brain tumour in November 2010, just a fortnight before I moved house. With so much frenzy in the space beyond the bedroom, I found myself unable to get beyond Lubbock's article in the Observer. I wanted to read it again with a better span of concentration, and so I carefully folded it up, and consigned the rest of the newspaper to the pile for wrapping crocke¬ ry. It is to be expected that despite everything he was facing, as a journalist, Lubbock was well equipped to explain the process of his language skills failing him, as well as what that meant to him as a writer. As a writer myself, the possible deterioration of the brain terrifies me, so it is per¬ haps inevitable that his words puncture, scare, and move me with ease. Yet there is something else - it is not only a grim fascination with the su¬ bject matter. There is something in the way this is written, and also in the way I have read it and re¬ read it, which makes me think about love poetry. His determination to describe the process of fa¬ cing the failure of his language, and within this, death, as it is happening. Inevitably Lubbock does not face down death, Lubbock dies from this disease and his wife and son lose him. Yet the narrative we are given, is not the loss of Lubbock the significant other, as we are not given the narrative of this affect on his family life, but instead we are given the experience of the losses of the one who writes. There have been a raft of memoirs concerned with losing a significant other recently; the British actress Natascha McElhone's After You is a book written as letters Where You Are Not - the Loss of Tom Lubbock's Words Sarah Wishart Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 145 06 'Matt, Liz and Madeline, life and death all in a 27 hour period' http://www.mattlogelin.com/ [accessed 18 May 2011] 07 McElhone, Natascha After You, Letters of Love, and Loss, to a Husband and Father (Viking, London, 2010) 08 Bernardo, Melissa Rose 'Theatre review: The Year of Magical Thinking, Booth Theatre, New York' The Observer, l April 2007, http://www.guardian.co.uk/ stage/2007/apr/oi/theatre. broadway [accessed 21 October 2011] 09 Brantley, Ben 'The Sound of One Heart Breaking The Year of Magical Thinking: Review - Theater - New York Times' March 2007 http://theater.nytimes. com/2007/o3/3o/theater/ reviews/3omagi. html?pagewanted=all [accessed 21 October 2011] 10 Exquisite Pain - Forced Entertainment http://www. forcedentertainment.com/ page/n44/Exquisite-Pain/go [accessed 21 October 2011] n Clapham, Rachel Lois'Spill Festival presents Exquisite Pain by Forced Entertainment, 4 April 2007, http://www.a-n.co.uk/ interface/reviews/single/369717 [accessed 21 October 2011] 12 Clapham, Rachel Lois, 2007 13 Etchells, Tim Certain Fragments: Contemporary Performance and Forced Entertainment (London: Routledge, 1999), p. 63 14 Etchells, p.63 and diary entries to her husband who died unexpectedly a day before their io th anniversary while she was pregnant with their third son. Joyce Carol Oates and Joan Didion's widow's memoirs are still on best-seller lists; Didion's The Year of Ma¬ gical Thinking was adapted for the stage and ac¬ tresses as famous as Vanessa Redgrave played Di- dion in the role. There are countless blogs from all around the world that deal in some way on issues of loss. For example Matt Logelin's blog Matt, Liz and Madeline is the account of the death of his wi¬ fe following complications after the birth of their daughter and his subsequent single parenthood. 06 Logelin's blog has attracted media attention recen¬ tly, as he publishes a book that stems from this ac¬ count of his life following Liz's sudden death. There are countless widow and widower blogs, just as there are countless cancer blogs, HIV blogs, and hepatitis C blogs. The format of blogging as an on¬ going exercise, or in McElhone's letters to her dead husband flags the process as a regular task. That they are something to be written every day assists with the idea that the one that writes does not necessarily have a wider audience in mind. They can be seen as a focus in order to get through the day, to distance one's self from anxiety or fear, or to enable communication to the one who is not there, the one who does not reply. The fact that these tracts might speak, not only to the absent other, but a future unknown readership is often in¬ visible to the writer at the time the writing takes place. McElhone for example confirms that her let¬ ters to her dead husband were 'never written with the intention of anyone else reading them' and that she published them for the sake of her chil¬ dren, so that they'd be able to access their father and their parent's love and relationship at a future point. 07 Yet their relationship is told in such detail that it can be difficult to imagine a child wanting to access this terrible grief that inhabits his mother, her desolation in stark contrast to her re¬ sponsibilities as a pregnant mother. I understand the need for McElhone, Oates and Didion to write these texts, but what is less easy is why they mi¬ ght be adapted into a more public format. Didion's The Year of Magical Thinking is one such text, adap¬ ted for the stage by David Hare, and Didion was played by Vanessa Redgrave. Some reviews focus on the effect of Redgrave's presence 'that the au¬ dience is rapt is an understatement. We are practi¬ cally hypnotised by Redgrave's every movement’. 08 Yet my feeling is that the deeply intimate aspect inherent in reading the book would be lost in this shift to performance. This would be doubly so when the performer is such a well known actress like Redgrave. As one reviewer assesses it - Didion's focus on the detail of the trauma is redu¬ ced by Redgrave's performance on stage which rather than illuminate that detail instead lends it¬ self to a 'heroic scale', the reviewer sums it up when she suggests that, 'there is no doubt that she is a great artist. So is Ms. Didion. The problem with The Year of Magical Thinking is that their arti¬ stry pulls in different directions'. 09 Whether this difference between the two forms expands the telling of this story is questionable. Another variation on the trauma text was al¬ so adapted for stage, following the traumatic end to a love affair, the French artist Sophie Calle wro¬ te a text entitled 'Exquisite Pain' which emerged out of the answers her friends and colleagues pro¬ vided in response to her question: 'When did you most suffer?'. Their responses accompany Calle's narrative on loss of her relationships. This text was ostensibly created to assist her in getting over her heartbreak 'until I had got over my pain by comparing it with other people's, or had worn out my own story through sheer repetition'. 10 This text formed the basis of a performance by Forced Entertainment in 2005 and was the first time the company had used a text that wasn't theirs. The performance was 'an excruciatingly long two and a half hours of repeated monologue'. 11 Rachel Lois Clapham writing in AN magazine suggested that rather than attempt to open up Calle's pain, the company created the work in order to ask particu¬ lar things of performance, she suggests that 'the tangible pain that results from experiencing Exquisite Pain has a clear purpose: Forced Enterta¬ inment subjects its audience to this hurt in order to ask the question 'Can the continual repetition of a banal plot be engaging?' 'How many repetiti¬ ons does it take before something becomes interesting?' 12 It was a test of endurance rather than a new way to experience Calle's pain, and it excluded the audience. In comparison, in their own performances, Forced Entertainment use moments to draw the audience in, even as they immediately then force a distance between audi¬ ence and performer, emotion and contrasting experience. In Showtime, the performer, Cathy Na- den, is asked how she would commit suicide, and Cathy responds softly and slowly into a micropho¬ ne, in great detail. She talks the audience through each and every step that she'd take to commit su¬ icide in a bath. Once she finishes, another perfor¬ mer, dressed as a cardboard tree rushes forward and starts screaming at the audience 'What the fuck are you looking at? What the fuck is your problem? Fuck off! Voyeurs! There's a fucking fine line and you'vejust crossed it'. 13 To pull the audi¬ ence in and then force them away so violently, can effect a moment of exchange; 'like your pre¬ sence at this event had to cost something'. 14 There is arguably an involvement of the audience in a way absent in either of these adaptations of a tra¬ uma text. In comparison to this perhaps unavoidable reduction that adaptation creates, in a recent re¬ view in the Guardian, Nicole Krauss describes the 146 Where You Are Not - the Loss of Tom Lubbock's Words Sarah Wishart Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 15 Krauss, Nicole 'Antwerp - Roberto Bolano - review' The Guardian 29 September 2011, http://www.guardian.co.uk/ books/2on/sep/2g/antwerp- roberto-bolano- review?INTCMP=SRCH [accessed 29 September 2011] 16 Lubbock, Tom 'View of Delft (1660) By Johannes Vermeer - Great Works of Art' The Independent, 10 October 2008 http://www.independent.co.uk/ arts-entertainment/art/great- works/view-of-delft-i66o-by- johannes-vermeer-956444.html [accessed 18 May 2011] 17 Bersani, Leo & Phillips, Adam Intimacies (University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 2008), p. 29 18 Kellaway, Kate, 'A Widow's Story: A Memoir by Joyce Carol Oates' The Observer, 6 March 2011, http://www.guardian.co.uk/ books/2on/mar/o6/widows- story-carol-oates-review [accessed 6 March 2011] 19 Kester, Grant Conversation Pieces: Community and Communication in Modern Art (Berkley: University of California Press, 2004) p. 78 20 Kester, p.ns process of writing as 'always an expansion'. 15 1 ar¬ gue this expansion occurs specifically in relation to the writers understanding of death. Either the reader is being told about a death that devastates the writer, or suspects an impending tragedy as with Lubbock. Yet despite the diagnosis and diffi¬ culties, Lubbock continues with this 'expansion', he continues as a reviewer throughout his illness. In 2008, after his original diagnosis, first brain operation and the first round of radiotherapy, he writes a review on Vermeer's View of Delft. Lubbock's illness had not been made public by this point, so to read it after his death, it takes on a different tone for the informed reader. In it he fo¬ cuses, not on the painting's eerily photographic¬ like rendition, but instead on the materials, and the effect one small part can have on a viewer. Using the reference from A la recherche du temps perdu, where the novelist Bergotte dies focussing on one small patch of yellow wall in the painting, Lubbock discusses mortality, consciousness, and the skill of Vermeer to capture more than simply a view in 630 words. 16 In the act of reading about suffering, empathy is foregrounded in the quiet dialogue between reader and writer. I would argue that this is due to what Bersani and Phillips identi¬ fy as the 'the jouissance of giving and receiving through embodied language, the subjecthood of others'. 17 Through the exchange of narrative and the word, a gift is given and potentially received; there is the prospect of understanding the other in this exchange. Writing is nearly always a solipsistic activity, and the loneliness of the activity is heightened when one is attempting to come to terms with an absence, a death, or when you are watching your¬ self for the moments of failure coming in. This may be even more pronounced when the writing focuses an individual so purely on the sudden ab¬ sence in their lives. As Kate Kellaway muses in her review on Oates' A Widow's Story, 'writing, [..] is a means of making oneself visible to oneself'. 18 Peo¬ ple might seek out blogs like Matt Logelin's or re¬ ad sorrow memoirs for various reasons, but it has to be accepted that their response might be pe¬ ppered with self-concern. When we empathise with a situation, we are in danger, of presuming our own desires, which arise in the process of fee¬ ling sympathetic with someone, are empathetic, when actually they might be formed out of self- interest. Grant Kester describes the problems wi¬ thin this process: 'Empathetic identification (especially of the "I feel your pain' variety") has a less salutary si¬ de: it can function to deny the specificity and autonomy of others, to 'make use' of them for our own emotional or psychic needs, or to project onto them our own imaginary charac¬ teristics or desires'. 19 Kester is describing issues pertaining to empathy specifically in relation to a particular kind of dialo¬ gical art making, but it is still relevant to consider this angle in the case of the reader and writer dynamic. For example, a reader might be seeking out some sort of cathartic release in the process of reading a sad story, or perhaps they have a su¬ perstitious angle, they want to read about this tragedy because they will then ward off similar suffering. Whilst Grant Kester warns of the proble¬ matics of speaking for others inherent in em¬ pathy, he also flags up its capacity to alter us. In suggesting that empathy enables us to imagine a different circumstances for ourselves he warns that 'this identification can never be complete - we can never claim to fully inhabit the other's su¬ bject position; but we can imagine it, and this imagination, this approximation, can radically al¬ ter our sense of who we are. It can become the basis for communication and understanding across differences of race, sexuality, ethnicity and so on'. 20 Tom Lubbock's article does not pull me in, in the same way that the diary/letter format of the sorrow memoir does. Rather Lubbock's work is a rendition of an extraordinary experience, it is jour¬ nalistic, its message simple and complicated by turns. This is true of McElhone's experience as well, but there seems to be a determination in Lubbock's writing to convey what is happening to him, rather than to use the writing as a tool to di¬ splace pain. The writing feels factual rather than in McElhone's case, when the reader instead is a witness to her grieving. There is a distance set up here even as Lubbock describes vividly what this process feels like. This can often be most frank in the areas where he is distracted by the terrible¬ ness of his illness by his sudden understanding of exactly how much we take the brain's capacities for granted. For example, he sees a mystery that has only presented itself in the process of this di¬ sease 'I am faced continually with a mystery that other people have no conception of, the my¬ stery of the generation of speech. There is no command situation, it goes back and back and back. Where the self lies at the heart of the utterance, the speaker generating the word, is always clouded. This is true for eve¬ ryone, but for most people this is not some¬ thing to think about. The generation of words is automatic. For me, that automatic link is broken. Word generation involves strain, gu¬ esswork, difficulty, imprecision'. The expansion of the process of his language fai¬ ling him evokes Bersani and Phillips discussion on the analytical exchange in talk. Where You Are Not - the Loss of Tom Lubbock's Words Sarah Wishart Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 147 21 Bersani, & Phillips, p. 28 22 Lubbock, 2010 23 Lubbock, 2010 24 Barthes, p. 99 25 Barthes, p. loo 'Lacan makes an astonishing claim: "all love is based on a certain relationship between two unconscious knowledges." The unconscious as knowledge rather than desire'. 21 Yet even as he describes this failing process of language in writing, he continues in writing. He was writing reviews for as long as he could. He was still writing reviews for the Independent up until at least July 2010. Even as he describes eve¬ rything failing, he continues. He describes his fear at what is happening to him, but he acknowledges that fear is inextricably bound up with fascination. He explains that 'the impetus at the start is not to fear but, rather, to be taken up by the strangeness and wonder of it and examine all the new things it brings'. 22 There is curiosity here - and in his at¬ tempt to explain and describe, there is love. Here is the coming together of two knowledges, in this exchange between Lubbock and his reader. Lubbock does not detail his intimate home li¬ fe and maybe this is why I do not feel as if I am in¬ truding, staring at his family through his eyes, like some unpleasant moment of 'Being John Malkovi- ch' voyeurism. Yet despite preferring this to the discomfort that the sorrow memoirs often provo¬ ked in me, it is in the (extremely) brief moments when he does reference his home life that I most feel the chasm between speech and writing, and within that gap exists the pain of what this means to his most important relationships. 'In the dayti¬ me, I cannot muster up any conversation. My lan¬ guage is so limited. And it makes such little joy for Marion'. 23 There is something unbearable, un-wri- table about the experience of illness, just as there is always something un-writable about the expe¬ rience of love. As Boucourechliev describes explo¬ ring how one feels when one is in love with the written word; 'to try to write love is to confront the muck of language: that region of hysteria where language is both too much and too little'. 24 To attempt to write about a lover, the space be¬ tween one and a lover uncovers the impossibility of the attempt, because the moment one tries, one fails. Writing can never be enough to describe the emotions, to capture the lover, which is at the heart of what Barthes describes here: To know that one does not write for the other, to know that these things I am going to write will never cause me to be loved by the one I love (the other), to know that wri¬ ting compensates for nothing, sublimates nothing, that it is precisely there where you are not - this is the beginning of writing. 25 The process of writing across the space of the lover's absence is to begin to attempt to write the event of love. In Lubbock's case, the space of love's absence is the increasing absence of langu¬ age itself. 148 Letters to —: On the Construction and Sharing of Effective Means Frakcija #58/59 to be moved Dear-, When I try to think of the idea of intellectual emancipation, there is no distinction between the idea that now we are struggling, now we are constructing, and, now we are preparing the future and the future will be wonderful. The art of emancipation is precisely to get out of this relationship between means and ends, which in the leftist tradition is based on the idea that now we create the conditions for a better future, we are preparing the weapons for the future, which means a certain phase in historical necessity. But what I think is at the heart of emancipation is precisely the idea that time is everyday. This does not mean that you have to be entirely swallowed in the everyday, but that the question of time is not to be thought of in terms of present and future, it has to be related to the partition between here and now.* Love, * Jacques Ranciere, “Interview with Jacques Ranciere,” Kafila (2009). Letters to —: On the Construction and Sharing of Effective Means Frakcija #58/59 to be moved Dear-, While condemning the old schools, while harbouring an absolutely justified and necessary hatred for the old schools, and appreciating the readiness to destroy them, we must realize that we must replace the old system of instruction, the old cramming and the old drill, with an ability to acquire the sum total of human knowledge, and to acquire it in such a way that communism shall not be something to be learned by rote, but something that we ourselves have thought over, something that will embody conclusions inevitable from the standpoint of present-day education. That is the way the main tasks should be presented when we speak of the aim: learn communism.* Love, * Vladimir Lenin, “Speech Delivered At The Third All-Russia Congress of The Russian Young Communist League” (1920). 150 Theatre as the Home of the Affective (Dis)Obedience Lada Cale Feldman, Andrea Zlatar, Natasa Govedic, Katarina Kolega Frakcija # 58/59 to be moved Theatre as the Home of the Affective (Dis)Obedience Natasa Govedic, Emocionalna predanost i politika afekata [Emotional Dedication and Politics of Affects] (Zagreb: Antibarbarus i Hrvatsko drustvo pisaca, 2009), p. 133 Translated from Croatian by Mirna Herman Baletic oi Natasa Govedic, Emocionalna predanost i politika afekata (Zagreb: Antibarbarus i Hrvatsko drustvo pisaca, 2009), p. 34. 02 Ibid., P- 32 . 03 Ibid., P- 32 . 04 Ibid., P 19 - 05 Ibid., P 19 - 06 Ibid., P 19 - 07 Ibid., P- 21 . 00 0 Ibid., p. 91. heatre represents a — master class of affectology" 01 , theatre as a media "is a mul- I I V_, timillenial scene for human intimacy and its affective turmoil". 02 That is "one of the reasons why people come to watch other people performing something on a specially marked space of the stage" 03 . This is the thesis of Emotional Dedication and Politics of Affect, the book written by Natasa Govedic, theatrologists and theatre critic. There are "affects revealed only to myself and that is why we call them feelings " and "there are affects that I want to share with others and that is why I call them emotions ", 04 Natasa Govedic expla¬ ins, underlying that "emotions are the most com¬ plex and subtle combinations of different aspects of affects". 05 "The social aspect of emotions makes them extremely open to mimetic transactions (ac¬ ting, learning, identifying something or somebody, recognizing, presenting, concealing)" 06 but "only when our social behavior gets staged, when we dissect it from the multiplicity of events and place it in a shared and distanced space of the stage, are we willing to witness the losses of the presentati¬ onal and not necessarily our own or performative emotional control", 07 and that very evasion results in a productive uncertainty, creativity and real flow of emotional energies, regardless of whether we are active in theatre, medicine, marketing or so¬ mething else." "...creativity demands particular quality of emotional devotion", 08 and that is the intention of the book entitled Emotional Dedicati¬ on and Politics of Affects, where the author makes a distinction between three levels of emotions, Andrea Zlatar explains. Andrea Zlatar: Natasa also analyses the primary level one often forgets: how does one feel, express and perform emotions, whether in everyday life, whether in theatre and finally, and that is extremely important for the text itself, how does one transcribe, narrate and analyze emotions. I believe that this triple aspect of feeling, performing and reflecting an emotion, intertwined in all sections of the book because the aspects are connected through theatre performances, reveals the totality of Natasa's approach. Natasa's dra¬ maturgy follows a set of very clear positions, and I would not say that it starts from the objective towards the subjective, but from a critical account of a theoretic situation - how does one comprehend feelings, how does one think about them and how does theory treat the emotional space - towards very clear at¬ titudes. Lada Cale Feldman: Chapters are named accor¬ ding to separate auratic, so-called 'simple' words, that lead to diverse theatre strategies used by the author in order to describe and analyze performances that disturb or questi¬ on the pace of emotional inertia. The emotio¬ nal inertia is then repeatedly evoked as the sprout/offspring or effect of a subtle and so¬ metimes even direct socio-cultural repression that the author calls a script, defined scenario of one's emotional responses or a channeled, disciplined, organized and, most importantly, drastically reduced repertoire of pseudo-af¬ fects - a repertoire that can be easily desta¬ bilized by every potential and even minimal emotional explosion on stage, encouraging Theatre as the Home of the Affective (Dis)Obedience Lada Cale Feldman, Andrea Zlatar, Natasa Govedic, Katarina Kolega Frakcija # 58/59 to be moved 151 09 Ibid., p. 22, 23. spectators to explore their own affective mi¬ nes. In this case emotions do not fall under the category of irrational but remain closely related to cognition, evaluation and activism and in that sense the epistemological-ethi- cal-political theatre laboratory proves to be a privileged medium by means of which this triple attribution of emotions and their inter- subjective friction can best be recognized no matter which segment of the performative process the critic intends to underline as the most valuable neuralgic point of such an awareness: directing, text, rehearsals, acting, stage design or the audience and the critic. If we are to look into artistic performan¬ ces, we would be automatically struck by the fact that we are moved by the perfor¬ mances that broaden the radius of allo¬ wed emotional boundaries, or the voca¬ bulary of their expression. When actress Ksenija Marinkovic, in the performance Polet produced by the Zagreb Youth The¬ atre, mockingly screams: "Do you think I was good?", provokingly prolonging the last word and looking at her brother, pla¬ yed by Sreten Mokrovic, placing her arms around her waist, the audience knows that there is no way that the heroine has accepted the model of ''a good girl" expected from her by her petit-bourgeois milieu. On the contrary, Ksenija Marinko¬ vic swings this disciplinary strategy of be¬ ing a good girl and crashes it against the floor so to cancel the self-explanatory character of self-denying female drill. In a single sentence the actress shakes the pillars of emotional acceptance of the po¬ licy according to which little girls are not to get neither parental nor institutional permission to express excessive anger since such an act is not quite in line with the submissive feminine ideal, just as pre¬ school or school boys really should not cry too much in their parents laps if they get emotionally hurt. Such an act of ad¬ mitting vulnerability really does not go hand in hand with the future role of a lea¬ der or a warrior. However, this still does not mean that children of both genders really accept the affective script to which they are exposed. [...] It is interesting to note that playing the emotional conven¬ tion on stage or screen does not imply the imitation of the standardized boule¬ vard topics related to gesture or grimace where one actually witnesses layered summarization of complex emotional co¬ des relevant for different historical and performative contexts, but rather implies a fresh exploration of its instable traces. The performance of a convention by no means implicitly mean the construction of a scheme; on the contrary, any behavi¬ or presented on stage or outside of stage implies repeated active probing of the overall common field of conventionality. 09 Lada Cale Feldman: This book is, therefore, fra¬ med with a conceptual roof intending to at¬ tract our interest for everyday environment in which, as it vividly presents, emotions are on the one side used for extensive manipula¬ tion whereas on the other any direct inclinati¬ on to a personal emotional seismography or direct mention of affection tends to be avoi¬ ded, hidden or intellectually underestimated or trivialized with a stigma of sentimentalism which the author sharply discerns from a pro¬ ductive, disturbing and contradictory nature of our unexplored emotional resources. Such a choice of the two objectionable fellow-tra¬ velers -emotions and theatre- seems brave on many levels and full of latent meanings, yet the bravery of this source is that it sees theatre primarily as an epistemological, ethi¬ cal and political challenge which then relates to the promotion of affects as a key lever of that attractiveness within a culture where af- fectivity tends to be eliminated from the pu¬ blic speech as something fundamentally typi¬ cal for women; therefore it is fundamentally bound to a very concrete feminist policy of Natasa’s narrative that is not afraid to break the rules of the behavioral protocol of the private and public sphere, thus freely invol¬ ving author's personal affective relations with her daughter or lost mother and grandmother into the discussion on professi¬ onal relations that she nourishes with diffe¬ rent people in theatre, from actors to the au¬ dience as a critic, theoretician, writer, drama¬ turge and stage director. The title of the book refers to a hybrid form com¬ bining psychology and political science but in spi¬ te of that, Lada Cale Feldman notes, theatre re¬ mains the focal point of the author's reflection and political involvement. Lada Cale Feldman: But most of all, theatre is the place where the target of the author's long¬ term struggle becomes most acutely appa¬ rent; general indifference as the most power¬ ful weapon/tool of the culture of fear, indiffe¬ rence as a form of emotional deprivation but also citizen and political irresponsibility that poisons theatre regardless whether that poi¬ son comes from the financiers, institutions, performers or the media which covers them. 152 Theatre as the Home of the Affective (Dis)Obedience Lada Cale Feldman, Andrea Zlatar, Natasa Govedic, Katarina Kolega Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 10 Ibid., pp. 96-97. Connecting emotions and theatre is not surprising, Andrea Zlatar says, since theatre is an exemplary place for staging emotions. Andrea Zlatar: I like to watch performances from the dim audience because I do not like other people to see what I am feeling. When a per¬ formance or a film ends, I try very hard to quickly wipe any tears because I am ashamed of crying. The same goes for laughter. When a performance starts everyone looks around to see who will start laughing first and is it a ge¬ nre where one is supposed to laugh. As soon as we are exposed to a collective reception, we tend to dissociate from abandonment. What if something is funny or sad only to us- why we should not have the right to express that feeling? We are forced to accept a form of forced reticence and that is something that Natasa has not only given up but she has completely rejected it; she is also entering her projects by cutting or pushing away bounda¬ ries between the rational and irrational but also between the spiritual and the physical. That is the reason why she finds theatre so interesting since it is an artistic form in which those who perform it participate with their whole bodies. Theatre is a space where the staging of personality becomes most obvio¬ us; we can see the investment of a complete personality whose heart is beating, who swe¬ ats, who might be hot, cold or have this or that feelings. Attending theatre may be defined as a kind of emotional engagement and even dedication to "the civil body of a particu¬ lar society, because it implies that we shall share the psycho-physical space with complete strangers and that we shall remain connected to them after the theatre event through some kind of joint reaction to what we had witnessed." The theatre thus confirms and demonstrates the social aspects of emotions as no other type of art, not because we identify ourselves with the characters or perfor¬ mers, but because we exchange affective work with them intensively and at very different levels of distance and closeness. [...] If we return to the definition of emo¬ tions as complex sets of judgments, we will notice that critique and enthusiasm in processes of creation appear almost as identical twins when it comes to "devoti¬ on" or dedication, precisely because they result from the conventions of "safe dis¬ tance" and "unwanted non-interference". To look at the actors directly in the eyes, just as to look at those persons close to you straight in the eyes, implies a two- way policy of being exposed that is com¬ pletely different from a gaze aimed down at the page of a book or a glance at a re¬ latively speedy search through TV chan¬ nels. Just as an actor or actress, the critic repeatedly performs in an interactional partnership in which production and re¬ ception, as Marco De Marinis points out, are "deeply connected processes", with the added fact that the critic later publis¬ hes his or hers reactions, unlike the ac¬ tors and actresses, who mostly discuss them in a private context. The emotiona¬ lity of this joint performance is one of the reasons why I consider going to theatre and writing about the events on the sce¬ ne as some kind of social passion, i.e. a willing consent to be a "part" of the per¬ formance at any point of its duration. I never find myself surprised when perfor¬ mers approach me with a question direc¬ tly from the stage, nor do I find it possi¬ ble to pretend that I am a mere distanced observer, guest or "judge" of what is ta¬ king place on stage. 10 Andrea Zlatar: The basis for her discourse is criti¬ cal theory and an extremely firm attitude to¬ wards the manner in which emotions are spoken of and in which emotions are presen¬ ted in all the various forms of our culture. Si¬ multaneously, this is a book that makes room for poetics; the type of poetics that is linked precisely to creativity. I did not have any pre¬ sumptions about what would await me in the penultimate chapter entitled "Emotivna pre- danost" (Emotional Dedication). I expected the chapter to perhaps be the one in which the reaction between T and 'you' would once again set into action, however, Natasa dedi¬ cated it to creativity. When a person comple¬ tely gives herself emotionally to a creative re¬ lationship, a theme, a job, he or she forgets about the need to eat, to wash one's hair, to remain within the boundaries of a normal everyday rhythm. It is only in the final chapter that, from this devotion, she once more in¬ scribes the other person in the dedication and truly speaks about the relationship between I and you, about the trust that forms precisely on the fact that a viewer (specifically of Vilim Matula's performance Tocka) bases his or her trust on someone else's devotion. This trust is given in full to the actor in the open space of several minutes when there is no activity that would place us in the middle of everything and instruct us on how to behave. I have alre¬ ady mentioned the feelings in question - fear, shame, guilt and negative feelings of disgust Theatre as the Home of the Affective (Dis)Obedience Lada Cale Feldman, Andrea Zlatar, Natasa Govedic, Katarina Kolega Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 153 n Ibid., p. 107. and hate. It is no wonder that we are discus¬ sing these types of feelings, because they are a very often consequence of modern life in Western cultures. However, Natasa herself does not use the discourse of disgust and ha¬ te; she very rarely even uses irony, the type of irony that engulfs a distance from the object it speaks of. It seems to me that Natasa Go¬ vedic refuses to agree that irony should be the distance that shields us from devoting ourselves to one thing and speaking with the utmost responsibility when speaking publicly. One of the goals of this book is closely related to the attempt to destigmatize the emotional devotion of using an analytical vocabulary so as to create a conceptual context in which we argue that the constant silencing and discipli¬ ning of affects results in a culture of lies in which solace, catharsis and any possi¬ bility of a complex interactional relief are banned forever. The fundamental diffe¬ rence between sentimentality and emo¬ tionality consists of the precise scripture of learned sentiments as opposed to the productive incertitude, and the conflicti- ve quality and the true course of affecti¬ ve energies. The creativity of a powerful emotion stems from its capability to sha¬ ke every little particle of a stale cognitive situation and create new intimate and social "moves". Personally, I am more than certain that our greatest enemy is not the hysterical outburst of "unknown" reactions, moreover, their directness eli¬ cits an equally open and uncensored re¬ sponse, directing the relationship to¬ wards mutual intimacy. Our greatest enemy is the petty, transient, ultimately "justified" and just as cruel indifference, also characteristic for the cynical "eman¬ cipation" from emotions. When we read the sign in the 2005 play Fruit Fly by Swiss director Christoph Marthaler: "What is love but a hormonal addiction, a biochemical process that wears out over time," this pseudoscientific claim does not excuse us from both our own and the collective knowledge about the ancient cognitive quality and durability of emoti¬ ons whose traces (and scars) can by no means be explained through hormonal or instinctive reaction patterns. Quite the opposite, the audience laughs at the very thought that a simplified analysis of the matter is sufficient to comprehend social phenomena, not to mention the general declaration about the death of feelings. That laughter contains a "distance" that definitely speaks of the inquiring and de¬ stabilizing affective effort which is even stronger than the usual identification or understanding from the viewer. Both af¬ fective directions are effective in distor¬ ting the isolation of the demonstrated human experience. 1 ' Natasa Govedic: I actually wanted to address the area that, for example, exists in the perfor¬ mances of Damir Bartol Indos, Vili Matula, a series of productions on the independent scene, as well as in acting interpretations in the Croatian National Theater, the Zagreb Youth Theatre and the Kerempuh Theatre. No play offers a challenging, emotional and af¬ fective energy without demanding from us a radical response; it's just that we more often than not do not possess the courage and af¬ fective licenses to do so. I have tackled with apathy in my career and written about things I found unbearably difficult. It was interesting to realize that there is an entire series of books and shelves and shelves of literature, called emotional shelves, that deal with self- help and therapy, while books on shelves that are on the opposite side of a bookstore deal with philosophy and respected disciplines. These are all books on ideas. Psychology has for the past fifty years been successfully pro¬ ving that all emotions are cognitive, that the¬ re is no division into the rational and emotio¬ nal, that man's success, far more than acade¬ mic achievements, determines the way in which we feel and enter into interactions wi¬ th other people. Having become aware that we know how to speak of ideas, but do not know how to speak of emotions, I felt moti¬ vated to at least try to write about emotions. As a theater studies scholar, I felt I possessed the qualifications, because emotions are al¬ most always defined as values, beliefs, narra¬ tive patterns and performances. In that sense, I place the largest amount of importance on the actor, i.e. performer, or to be more preci¬ se, the actress as the master of all emotional modulations. Before I started writing this book, I went through the process of rehear¬ sing for a play I had worked on alongside Branka Trlin and Vili Matula, my mentors in many senses of the word and two people who have shown me that I can endure emoti¬ onal intensities. If they can, why couldn't I? Of course, all performers are my mentors in the theatre, that is, those who do not shy away from affective disobedience. It seems to me that the theatre is the home of affective diso¬ bedience and that it enables us everything that is not allowed in soap operas and public discourse, and that it tolerates outbursts whi- 154 Theatre as the Home of the Affective (Dis)Obedience Lada Cale Feldman, Andrea Zlatar, Natasa Govedic, Katarina Kolega Frakcija # 58/59 to be moved ch will not be considered a matter to be di¬ scussed at therapy, nor will they be conside¬ red to be therapy, but something that is in the true sense of the word philosophy, some¬ thing that forms us. My consent to venture into emotional intensities with the actors is equally connected to my profound need to spot certain kinds of links between otherwise forbidden disciplines. I shall continue spotting them, no doubt about it. Lada Cale Feldman: The actor's, as Gavella puts it, undeniable reality, is the backbone of affecti¬ ve contacts and partings between the work and the audience, and therefore it is no won¬ der that the pages which contain the highest amount of intensity in the chapter "Ponavlja- nja" (Repetitions) are dedicated precisely to this, as the author calls it, the gladiator task, regardless of whether it is live choreography and film images from BADco.'s performance i Poor and One o or the durative performance of Miss Julie by Mislav Cavajda and Natasa Dangubic. Subsequent to the already mentio¬ ned presumption about the correlation be¬ tween the actor's and critic's vocation, the detailed diary of personal reactions on the re¬ peated performance of Miss Julie is an especi¬ ally painful witness even to their interactional interference, because the critic, among other things, does not restrain from revealing that the tension and mutual violence from the ac¬ tors had reached a point in which she wanted to end the play, thus raising the awareness of the directors, dramaturges and performers about the one-way freedom of their rules. The idea upon which the play relies, that the actor has the right to put an end to the play when he or she cannot endure it anymore, re¬ lies, in her words, far too much on the viewer's indifference about a viewer leaving, and not trying to intervene himself or herself into the circle that purposely breaks the veil of illusion, penetrating, however, over the thresholds of both the actor's, regardless of how much it is neglected, and the viewer's tolerance. Conversations, within the same play, about its intentional and public repetiti¬ ons, inspire the author, however, to try to make a comparison with theater experiments, which are also famous for outbursts, uncon¬ trolled behavior and impatient behavior: comparisons with the process of preparing a play, rich in opportunities to embellish and polish up details. A word with the process of mutual emotional temptation actualizing it's amplitudes somewhere between rebellion and safety of the isolation from the audience whose presence, on the contrary, makes the actors in Miss Julie naked and vulnerable. The intensity of the spectacle of the actor's mu¬ tual emotional destruction then confronts the silent, but by no means weak, effect of Shadow Caster's performance Ekspozicija, where the relationship between the perfor¬ mers and audience members is so personal that the critic explicitly hesitates about wri¬ ting about it. The relationship is primarily set in the context of the stage set's energy, the abandoned buildings in which it takes place, the emotional cracks of space and tactile contact with his wounds, with his, as Natasa points out, "sick body". Void of any sight, the viewers give in to the actors and allow them to lead them through the dilapidated buil¬ ding, while the fundamental emotion they must form is precisely trust, the word that is present throughout the final chapter of Natasa's book. It is with that exact word that Branko Gavella tried to explain the normative force and authoritativeness of an actor's per¬ formance in front of an audience, fully aware that the actor's trust in himself or herself, and especially in the importance of his or her task, is by no means void of strong social, and per¬ haps political resonances. Natasa Govedic approaches us with a similar kind of trust when, nearing the end of her passionate es¬ say, she reminds us that our creative ideas have a responsibility towards the atmosphere of trust in the society we function in. Let's gi¬ ve her our trust, let's read the book. The abbreviated text from the Croatian Radio program Odeon, aired on l April 2010, edited by Katarina Kolega. The editor of Odeon: Agata Juniku. Letters to — Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 155 On the Construction and Sharing of Effective Means Dear-, A single spark can start a village fire. Love L w 156 Letters to —: On the Construction and Sharing of Effective Means Frakcija #58/59 to be moved rv ! ", V :» f, ? \ i 1 ^ * i I'’ v\ov/*mts STISCUS8' 1MMUUUN1* MtttMK A » A k .*/•; v' Dear-, Let us assume you have found the village. Let us assume it is night, a clear night. Having ascertained how big the village is, where it is located in the countryside, pick a good, fairly large meadow. Start running, slowly at first then quicker and quicker. Run as long as you can, until you have a coppery taste in your mouth, until you feel your lungs are going to burst from coughing because you are a smoker, keep running until you collapse from exhaustion. When you can no longer run, get together with others. Each of you should tell a love story--in great detail, in images.* Love, * Tomislav Gotovac, Group Enjoyment (1972). Letters to — Frakcija #58/59 to be moved 157 On the Construction and Sharing of Effective Means Dear-, If the house is the oikos on which the economy is built, then it is women, historically the house workers and house prisoners, who must take the initiative to reclaim the house as a center of collective life, one traversed by multiple people and forms of cooperation, providing safety without isolation and fixation, allowing for the sharing and circulation of community possessions, and, above all, providing the foundation for collective forms of reproduction. We can draw inspiration for this project from the programs of the nineteenth century materialist feminists who, convinced that the home was an important “spatial component of the oppression of women,” organized communal kitchens, cooperative households calling for workers’ control of reproduction. These objectives are crucial at present. We cannot build an alternative society and a strong self-reproducing movement unless we redefine our reproduction in a more cooperative way and put an end to the separation between the personal and the political, and between political activism and the reproduction of everyday life. It remains to be clarified that assigning women this task of commoning/collectivizing reproduction is not to concede to a naturalistic conception of femininity. The reorganization of reproductive work, and therefore the reorganization of housing and public space, is not a question of identity; it is a question of labor and, we can add, a question of power and safety. Arguing that women should take the lead in the collectivization of reproductive work and housing is not to naturalize housework as a female vocation. It is refusing to obliterate the collective experiences, the knowledge and the struggles that women have accumulated concerning reproductive work, whose history has been an essential part of our resistance to capitalism.* Love, * Silvia Federici, “Feminism And The Politics OfThe Commons” (2010). 158 Biljeske o suradnicima R ic Allsopp je suosnivac i jedan od uxednika Pexfoxmance Reseax- cha, medunaiodnog tromjesecnika o suvxemenoj izvedbi (London i New York: Routledge, Taylox & Fxan- cis). Bio je gostujuci pxofesox (2007.-2011.) na Intex-Univexsity Centxe fox Dance (HZT) pxi Univer- sity of the Axts, u Bexlinu te go¬ stujuci predavac na diplomskom studiju koxeogxafije na AxtEZ-u, Nizozemska (2008.-2011.). Nedavno je uxedio Pexfoxmance Reseaxch pod nazivom 'Paxticipation' sa Kai van Eikels (2011.), 'Txansplantations' (2009.) s Phillipom Waxnellom i 'Choxeogxaphy' (2008) sa Andie Le- peckim. Medu njegovim su istrazi- vackim intexesima suvxemene izved- bene pxakse, poetika i povijest ‘otvoxenog xada', koxeogxafska slika i odnosi izmedu pisanja i pokxeta tijela. Txenutacno je pxo- gxamski voditelj smjexa 'Pies i koxeogxafija' na Sveucilistu u Falmouthu u Velikoj Bxitaniji. M axija Cetinic je postdoktoxski istxazivac na Odsjeku za engle- ski jezik i film pxi Sveucilistu u Alberti, gdje pxedaje kolegije na temu kxize i afekta. Za doktoxsku je disextaciju izxadila kompaia- tivnu studiju tuge kao kaxaktexi- sticnog xaspolozenja u novijoj fikciji Amexike i jugoistocne Eu- xope. Njezin txenutacni pxojekt. Signs of Autumn: The Aesthetics of Satuxation, bavi se konceptom sa- tuxacije i xazvojem njegovih im- plikacija na odnos suvxemene umje- tnosti i estetike te politicke ekonomije. M elissa Gxegg pxedaje na Odsjeku za xodne i kultuxne studije Sveucilista u Sydneyu. Autoxica je Cultuxal Studies' Affective Voices (Palgxave, 2006) i Woxk's Intimacy (Polity, 2011). Zajedno sa Gxegoxyjem Seigwoxthom uxedila je The Affect Theoxy Readex (Duke Univexsity Pxess, 2010). S tefan Holschex pohadao je pxi- mijenjeni studij kazalista na Sveucilistu Justus Liebig u Giefte- nu u Njemackoj od 2001. do 2008. gdje od 2009. xadi kao asistent u okvixu novog diplomskog studija koxeogxafije i pexfoxmansa. Njegov je doktoxski pxojekt naslovljen Potential Bodies: Contempoxaxy Dance between Aesthetics and Bio¬ politics . A ntonija Letinic, zivi i xadi u Zagxebu. Od 2009. xadi u oxganizaciji Kuxziv - Platfoxma za pitanja kultuxe, medija i dxustva kao voditeljica pxojekata i uxednica na poxtalu Kultuipunkt. hi. Od 2004. do 2009. xadila je kao suxadnica i pxoducentica festivala Euxokaz. Suxadivala je s bxojnim oxganizacijama na nezavisnoj kultuxnoj sceni u Zagxebu. Podxucje intexesa su joj suvxemene vizualne i izvedbene umjetnicke pxakse. T omislav Medak je filozof s posebnim intexesom za politicku filozofiju, medijsku teoxiju i estetiku. Kooxdinatox je teoxijskog piogiama i izdavackih aktivnosti u Multimedijalnom institutu u Zagxebu. Zagovoxnik je slobodnog softvexa i slobodne kultuxe. Voditelj je hxvatskog pxojekta lokalizacije Cxeative Commons licenci i clan upxavnog odboxa medunaxodne oxganizacije za digitalna javna dobxa iCommons. Aktivist je inicijative Pxavo na gxad. Clan je kazalisne skupine BADco. L ouise Owen je piedavacica kaza¬ lista i pexfoxmansa na Fakulte- tu Bixkbeck pxi Sveucilistu u Lon- donu. Njezin istxazivacki xad pxe- ispituje odnos izmedu suvxemenog kazalista i pexfoxmansa, politicke ekonomije i nacina upxavljanja. Objavljivala je u casopisima Pex- foxmance Reseaxch, Dxama: the Jo- uxnal fox National Dxama, Contem- poxaxy Theatxe Review i RiDE: The Journal of Applied Theatxe and Pexfoxmance. Txenutacno xadi na monogxafiji koja istiazuje kultu- xalno djelovanje i neolibexaliza- ciju u Velikoj Bxitaniji, kao i na esejima koji se bave pojmom site- specificity i xegenexacijom; post- feminizmom, neizvjesnoscu i pei- foxmansom i altexnativnim kazali- stem u Londonu od 1972. Suoxgani- zatoxica je London Theatxe Semina- xa i godisnje ATHE Pexfoxmance Studies Focus Gxoup Pxe-Confexen- ce. N icholas Ridout je izvanxedni pxofesox kazalisnih i izvedbe- nih studija pxi Sveucilistu Queen Maxy u Londonu. Autox je xadova Stage Flight, Animals and Othex Theatxical Pxoblems (Cambxidge Univexsity Pxess, 2006.) i Theatxe & Ethics (Palgxave, 2009.). Uz Jo- ea Kelleheia, uxedio je knjigu Contempoxaxy Theatxes in Euxope (Routledge, 2006.), a uz Cladiju Castellucci, Romea Castelluccija, Chiaxu Guidi i Joea Kelleheia au- tox je knjige The Theatxe of Soci- etas Raffaello Sanzio (Routledge, 2007.). Takodex je objavljivao eseje u casopisima Axt'O, Cultuxe Teatxali, Contempoxaxy Theatxe Re¬ view, Fxakcija, PAJ, Pexfoxmance Reseaxch, Theatex i Theatxe Rese¬ axch International. D r. Gregory J. Seighworth je pxofesox komunikacijskih studija na Odsjeku za komunikaciju i kazaliste. Objavljivao je u casopisima kao sto su Cultuxal Studies, Axchitectuxal Design, Cultuxe Machine i m/c. Objavio je nekoliko poglavlja u knjigama poput Deleuze: Key Concepts, Animations of Deleuze and Cuattaxi i New Cultuxal Studies. Zajedno s Dx. Melissom Gxegg uxedio je zbixku eseja The Affect Theoxy Readex (Duke Univexsity Pxess, 2010). D axko Suvin je pisac, znanstve- nik, kiiticai i pjesnik. Roden je u Zagxebu, u Jugoslaviji, a pxedavao na sveucilistima u Euxopi i Sjevexnoj Amexici. Bio je pxofe- sox engleskog jezika i kompaxativ- ne knjizevnosti na Sveucilistu Mc¬ Gill, gdje je txenutacno pxofessox emexitus i clan Kxaljevskog dxu- stva Kanade. Bio je uxednik dva znanstvena casopisa, napisao je 18 knjiga i mnostvo clanaka na temu kompaxativne knjizevnosti i dxama- tuxgije, teoxije kultuxe, utopi- sticke i znanstvene fikcije te po¬ liticke epistemologije. Takodex je objavio txi zbixke poezije. Po- sljednje su mu publikacije "Intxo- ductoxy Pointexs towaxd an Econo¬ mics of Physical and Political Ne- gentxopy" (www.iippe.oxg/wiki/ images/e/ee/CONF_ENV_Suvin.pdf) i Pxezivjeti potop - Fantasy, poxo- bljenost i gxanicna spoznaja (Za¬ greb, UBIQ, 2011.). H elene Vostexs je izvodacica, aktivistica i znanstvenica. Txenutacno je na doktorskom studi¬ ju kazalisne teoxije na Sveucili¬ stu u Yorku. Njen se istxazivacki xad usredotocuje na ulogu javnih pxaksi tugovanja u konstrukciji naxativa smrti koji se bave tema- tikom militaxizma i xata. Helene je izvodila Impact Afghanistan Wax, jednogodisnji memorijalni pxojekt, u javnim pxostorima di- ljem Kanade, SAD-a i Europe, iz¬ medu ostalog u Bxisbaneu 2010. i Utxechtu 2011. Svoj novi xad u trajanju (durational work). Unra¬ vel: A meditation on the waxp and weft of militaxism , zapocela je na festivalu Visualeyez 2011. Kao iz¬ vodacica, nastupala je na Rhubarb Festivalu u Toxontu (2011.), na F.O.O.T. 2011. i 2010. (s La Pocha Nostxa), te u San Fxanciscu na Ga¬ rage (2008.), Faultline (2007.) i Intersection fox the Arts (2006.). V esna Vukovic je prevoditeljica, kustosica i istrazivacica, clan zagxebackog kolektiva [BLOK] te povxemena piedavacica na Akademiji likovnih umjetnosti u Zagxebu. Na- pisala je i objavila bxojne xado- ve. Kao kustos, xadila je na pxo- jektima i izlozbama: UxbanFesti- val, godisnja sexija intervencija u javnim pxostorima, Zagreb, 2001- 2009; Milk, komunikacijski pxojekt s Kxistinom Leko (2003.); Recol¬ lecting the City - Recollecting the Time, Galerija Nova, Zagreb (2006.); Ako ih sxetnete na cesti, pxidxuzite im se..., sexija inter- vencija u javnim pxostoxima, Za¬ greb (2008.); NOVAC ITD., Galerija Miroslav Kialjevic, Zagreb (2010.). Kao uxednica, objavila je: Save as...city. doc (Fxakcija 30/31, 2004.); Politics of Space (UxbanFestival, 2006.); Opexation:City - manual fox living in neo-libexal xeality (2008.), How we regret, (UxbanFestival, 2008.), Removed fxom the Cxowd, Unexpected Encountexs I (2011.). S arah Wishart txenutacno pohada doktoxski studij na Sveucilistu u Leedsu i bavi se proucavanjem politicke umjetnosti i publike, usredotocujuci se na The Battle of Oxgxeave Jeremyja Dellexa i Linked Gxaemea Millexa. Uskoxo ce joj bi- ti objavljeni tekstovi "Nick Cave: The Spirit of the Duende and the sound of the rent heart", u zbox- niku The Axt of Nick Cave (uxednik Dx. John Baker, Intellect, 2012.), i Jeremy Dellex 1 s "The Batlle of Oxgxeave - the work of mourning and the recovery of a lost commu¬ nity" u zboxniku Digging the Seam (uxednik Ian McDonald, Cambridge Scholars Press, 2012.). 159 Notes on Contributors D r. Ric Allsopp is a co-founder and joint editor of Performance Research, a quarterly internation¬ al journal of contemporary per¬ formance (London & New York: Routledge, Taylor & Francis). He was a Visiting Professor (2007- 2011) in the new Inter-University Centre for Dance (HZT) at the Uni¬ versity of the Arts, Berlin, and visiting lecturer for the MA in Choreography at ArtEZ, Netherlands (2008-2011). He has recently edit¬ ed issues of Performance Research on 'Participation' (2011) with Kai van Eikels, 'Transplantations' (2009) with Phillip Warnell, and 'On Choreography' (2008) with An¬ dre Lepecki. Research interests include contemporary performance practices, the poetics and histo¬ ries of 'open work', the choreo¬ graphic image, and relations be¬ tween writing and physical move¬ ment. He is currently Programme Leader for Dance & Choreography at University College Falmouth, UK M axija Cetinic is a postdoctoral research fellow in the Depart¬ ment of English and Film Studies at the University of Alberta where she teaches classes on crisis and affect. Her dissertation was a comparative study of sadness as a characteristic mood in recent American and South East European fiction. Signs of Autumn: The Aes¬ thetics of Saturation, her current project, focuses on the concept of saturation, and on developing its implications for the relation of contemporary art and aesthetics to political economy. L ada Cale Feldman is professor at the Department for Compara¬ tive Literature on the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University in Zagreb, where she teaches drama, theatre and per¬ formance studies. As a former re¬ search associate in the Institute of Ethnology and Folklore Re¬ search, her areas of interest in¬ clude also folk theatre and polit¬ ical propaganda, as well as gender studies. Her publications include Bresanov teatar (Bresan's theatre,1989), Teatar u teatru u hrvatskom teatru (Play-within-the- Play in the Croatian Theatre, 1997 ). Euridikini osvrti (Eury- dice's turns, 2001, "Petar Brecic" Award, 2005), Femina ludens and U kanonu (In the canon, co-authored with M. Cale, 2008). She also co¬ edited Fear, Death and Resistance, an Ethnography of War (with I. Prica and R. Senjkovic, 1993) and Etnografija domaceg socijalizma (An ethnography of indigenous so¬ cialism, with I. Prica, 2006). N atasa Govedic (b. 1969) holds a PhD in theatre studies from the University of Zagreb. From 1995 she works as an independent scholar, critic and visiting lecturer for courses in theatre studies at the Centre for Women's Studies, Centre for Peace Studies, at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Zagreb, at the Faculty of Teacher Education and at the Academy of Drama Arts. She is the co-founder and editor of several magazines such as Zarez, the editor-in-chief of feminist journal Treca and regular theatre critic of Rijeka's daily papers Novi list. She is an activist for children's rights and activist pedagogue, and she holds workshops in communal theatre. She is one of the founders and participants in Publika za posebne namjene, and dramaturge in the performances of Vilim Matula, Darko lapelj, Silvija Marchig and Lenka Udovicki. She is the performative collaborator of Selma Banich, Iva Nerina Sibila, Roberta Milevoj and Deana Gobac. She published nine books in theatre studies and one book of fairy tales. S tefan Holschex studied Applied Theatre Studies at lustus Lie¬ big University in Gieften (Germany) from 2001 till 2008. Since 2009 he works there as a Research Associ¬ ate in the frame of the new MA program Choreography and Perform¬ ance. His PhD project is entitled "Potential Bodies: Contemporary Dance between Aesthetics and Bio¬ politics" . K atarina Kolega graduated in Croatian and Comparative literature at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Zagreb. She works for Culture Department of Croatian Radio 1, and also collaborates with Croatian Radio 3, for the programme on theatre Odeon. She publishes theatre reviews in Vijenac, Kazaliste and Kretanja. She is the author of the monograph of Mala Scena theatre (Mala scena - a 20 year yourney ), several radio features, and she also works part-time as a drama pedagogue at the School of Zagreb Youth Theatre. A ntonija Letinic, lives and works in Zagreb. She is a member of NGO Kurziv - Platform for Matters of Culture, Media and Society where she works as project manager and editor on the portal Kulturpunkt.hr since 2009. From 2004 to 2009 she worked as a producer of Eurokaz festival. She collaborated with numerous organisations on the independent cultural scene in Zagreb. Her interests include contemporary visual and performing arts practices. T omislav Medak is a philosopher with interests in constellations of contemporary political philosophy, media theory and aesthetics. He is co¬ ordinating theory program and publishing activities of the Multimedia Institute/MAMA (Zagreb, Croatia). He is a free software and free culture advocate. He is project lead of Croatian Creative Commons team and board member of international commons organization iCommons. He is member of urban activist initiative Right to the City and a member of the Zagreb based theatre company BADco. L ouise Owen is Lecturer in Thea¬ tre and Performance at Birkbeck College, University of London. Her research examines the relation be¬ tween contemporary theatre and performance, political economy and modes of governance. Her writing has been published in Performance Research, Drama: the Journal for National Drama, Contemporary Thea¬ tre Review and RiDE: the Journal of Applied Theatre and Perform¬ ance. She is currently working on a monograph exploring cultural work and neoliberalization in Britain, and essays examining site-specificity and regeneration; 'post-feminism', 'precarity' and performance; and alternative thea¬ tre in London since 1972. She cur¬ rently co-convenes the London The¬ atre Seminar and the annual ATHE Performance Studies Focus Group Pre-Conference. N icholas Ridout is Reader in Theatre and Performance Studies at Queen Mary University of Lon¬ don. He is the author of Stage Fright, Animals and Other Theatri¬ cal Problems (Cambridge University Press, 2006) and of Theatre & Eth¬ ics (Palgrave, 2009). He was the co-editor, with loe Kelleher, of Contemporary Theatres in Europe (Routledge, 2006), and co-author, with Claudia Castellucci, Romeo Castellucci, Chiara Guidi and loe Kelleher, of The Theatre of Socie- tas Raffaello Sanzio (Routledge, 2007). He has also published es¬ says and articles in Art'O, Cul¬ ture Teatrali, Contemporary Thea¬ tre Review, Frakcija, PAJ, Per¬ formance Research, Theater and Theatre Research International. D arko Suvin , writer, scholar, critic and poet, born in Za¬ greb, Yugoslavia, has taught in Europe and North America. He was Professor of English and Compara¬ tive Literature at McGill Univer¬ sity, and is now its Professor Emeritus and Fellow of The Royal Society of Canada. Was editor of two scholarly journals, wrote 18 books and many articles on Compar¬ ative Literature and Dramaturgy, Theory of Culture, Utopian and Science Fiction, and Political Epistemology; published three vol¬ umes of poetry. Latest publica¬ tions "Introductory Pointers to¬ ward an Economics of Physical and Political Negentropy", www.iippe. org/wiki/images/e/ee/CONF_ENV_Su- vin.pdf; Prezivjeti Potop - Fanta¬ sy, po-robljenost i granicna spoznaja. (Surviving the Deluge: fantasy, commodification and limi- nal cognition). Zagreb: UBIQ, 2011. H elene Vosters M.A. , M.F.A. is a performer, activist and schol¬ ar. Currently a PhD candidate in Theatre Studies at York Universi¬ ty, Helene's research focuses on the role of public mourning prac¬ tices in the construction of nar¬ ratives of death related to mili¬ tarism and war. Helene performed Impact Afghanistan War, a year¬ long performance memorial project, in public spaces throughout Cana¬ da, the U.S. and Europe and exhib¬ ited Impact in Brisbane (2010) and Utrecht (2011). She launched her new durational work, Unravel: A meditation on the warp and weft of militarism, at Visualeyez 2011. Helene has performed at Toronto's Rhubarb Festival (2011) and F.O.O.T 2011; with La Pocha Nostra (2010); and at San Francisco ven¬ ues including the Garage (2008), Faultline (2007), and Intersection for the Arts (2006). V esna Vukovic is a translator, curator and researcher, member of Zagreb-based collective [BLOK], associate and periodic lecturer at the Academy of Fine Arts Zagreb. She writes and publishes here and there. Projects and exhibitions, as curator: UrbanFestival, an an¬ nual series of interventions in public spaces, Zagreb, 2001-2009; Milk, communication project with Kristina Leko, 2003; Re-Collecting the City - Re-Collecting the Time, Gallery Nova, Zagreb, 2006; If you meet them on the streets, join..., series of interventions in public spaces, Zagreb, 2008; Money etc, Gallery Miroslav Kraljevic, Za¬ greb, 2010. Publications, as edi¬ tor: Save as...city.doc, Frakcija magazine 30/31, 2004; Politics of Space, UrbanFestival catalogue, 2006; Operation:City - manual for living in neo-liberal reality, 2008, How we regret..., UrbanFes¬ tival catalogue, 2008, Removed from the Crowd. Unexpected Encoun¬ ters I, 2011. S arah Wishart is currently un¬ dertaking a PhD at Leeds Uni¬ versity looking at political art and audience, focussing on leremy Deller's 'The Battle of Orgreave' and Graeme Miller's 'Linked'. Forthcoming publications include "Nick Cave: The spirit of the Duende and the sound of the rent heart" - in The Art of Nick Cave edited by Dr John Baker published by Intellect in 2012 and "leremy Deller's The Battle of Orgreave - the work of mourning and the re¬ covery of a lost community" in the edited collection Digging the Seam edited by Ian McDonald published by Cambridge Scholars Press in 2012. D r. Andrea Zlatar is Professor at the Department for Comparative Literature at the Faculty for Humanities and Social Sciences in Zagreb. She has also been working as a journalist and editor (Omladinski radio, Studentski list, Gordogan, Vijenac, Zarez). She is the author of Istinito, lazno, izmisljeno. Ogledi o fikcionalnosti (1989), Maruliceva "Davidijada" (1991), Veliko spremanje. Dnevnik ucene domacice (1995), Autobiografija u Hrvatskoj (1998), Ispovijest i zivotopis (2000), Tijelo, tekst, trauma (2004), Prostor grada, prostor kulture (2008). 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