The Performative Force of Photography / Levin, Laura

Levin, Laura, «The Performative Force of Photography». Photography and Culture, 2,  3, (2009), pp. 327-336

Abstract
This review essay critically reflects upon recent contributions that have been made by scholars to a growing body of research on photography, performativity, and affect. Focusing on recent work by Diana Taylor, Susan Ash, and Ariella Azoulay, this paper explores how affect can be understood in performative terms and suggests the problems and possibilities of using this kind of performance analysis to read affect in photography. This review includes a consideration of some of the central themes in performance studies research: the photograph as speech act, the intersubjective exchange between subject and viewer, and the use of photography as a form of participatory citizenship. In the process, it illustrates how the idea of performativity can reframe current discussions about the role that photos play in the production of civic responsibility and public action.

Other data

ISSN: 1751-4517, 1751-4525
DOI: 10.2752/175145109X12532077132473
URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.2752/175145109X12532077132473
Language: EN
key: 8HEIIGWJ