Wk 1 - Anamorphism

SUMMARY

Anamorphosis is a process which allows the exterior world to be viewed from different viewpoints.

Throughout history, different visual models have been used by humanity to produce images. The camera obscura was the prominent visual model used throughout the 1500’s-1700’s. Due to its structural principles and monocular way of viewing the exterior world, the model collapsed in the early 1900’s.

The next visual model proposed around the 1820’s, was that of autonomous vision. This saw the introduction of linear perspective and vanishing points. Autonomous vision brought about new techniques of ‘power’. Due to the different ways of observing the exterior world, the observer could now manipulate and control their object in different ways, creating an accurate image of the ‘seen’.

All readings display a certain visual ‘truth’ regarding the observer and the seen. Due to factors regarding verisimilar perspective and the view of the observer, a ‘correct’ representation of the outside world has been desired throughout history. Visual models have been developed, rejected and embraced by society and today models focus on producing accurate images of the exterior world with the help of linear perspective. This has created a conventional way of viewing which to most of humanity is the ‘normal’ and the sensible way to observe an object.

Anamorphism creates a type of escape from this normality. It occurs when the observer moves positions, not the object, which in turn, removes the observer from the space and reinserts them with a different take upon the exterior world. Due to the morphing of the image, eg on a cylindrical plane, the viewer will only be able to comprehend the image once distorting the body so for the image to become ‘normal’. Anamorphism allows the viewer to see things from another perspective, and to some, another world. This type of removal can be seen in Robert Lazzarini’s skulls, and the experiential explanation Hansen deploys. This rejects the authoritative hold that linear perspective visual techniques have on society. It creates a different space, like a distorted universe for one to experience.