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Photogenie as the duality and mentality of the photographic image: a study based on the theory of Edgar Morin
Cross-Cultural Studies
2014,
34(), pp.71-92
DOI : 10.21049/ccs.2014.34..71
Publisher : Center for Cross Culture Studies
Research Area : Literature
DOI : 10.21049/ccs.2014.34..71
Publisher : Center for Cross Culture Studies
Research Area : Literature
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This article presents a study on the concept of "Photogenie", which refers tothe duality and mentality of the photographic image, with the viewpoint regardingthe photographic image by Edgar Morin. First, we will look at the evolution of the concept of "Photogenie". From thefield of photography, the term "Photogenie" means objects that produce light,enough to impress the photographic plate. But theorists of cinema at the beginningof the 20th century have changed the meaning of the term. For Louis Delluc,the "Photogenie" means the effect of union between the reproduction of real andartistic genius. For Jean Epstein, the "Photogenie" means mental quality, nonmaterialor inderterminable, of the photographic and cinematographic image. ButMorin synthesized the arguements of Delluc and Epstein. For him, the "Photogenie"indicates both a double character of the photographic image and its mental quality. Then, based on this concept of "Photogenie," Morin said on particular aspectsin the photographic image. Considering photography as a double in theanthropological sense, it puts emphasis not only the dual nature of the photographicimage but also mental and spiritual quality. Combining the theory of the mageHenri Bergson and Jean-Paul Sartre, he builds his own theory of the mage thatconcerns both photography and cinema. In short, to Morin, the photographic imageis a place where coexist absence and presence, the real and the imaginary, perceptionand memory, the material and mental, as well that a place of mentality whichappear all our memories, hallucinations, dreams, imagination etc.
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