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RhizomesIssue23(2012)MichaelKramp

UnburdeningLife,ortheDeleuzianPotentialofPhotography
MichaelKramp LehighUniversity dmk209@lehigh.edu
[1]EtienneLouisBoule'sInteriorofaLibrary (c.1798)detailshisplanfortransforming"a...courtyard...intoan immense[amphitheatrelike]basilicalightedfromabove...[with]attendantsspreadaboutsotheycouldpassthebooks" fromtiertotier.Boule'svisionforalibraryofextensivelyarchivedmaterialservesasanemblemoftheEnlightenment modelofknowledgethatisatonceauthorizedandaccessible.Theroomisimmenseandefficientitisaremarkablywell organizedspaceinwhichallvolumesareneatlycategorized,properlyretrieved,andmeticulouslyreshelved.Inaddition, informationisneitherrestrictednoroccludedrather,itisexposed,madevisible,andtheimmensedepthoffieldin Boule'sdrawinginvitesustospeculatehowthelibrarymayverywellcontinue,orreceiveanadditioninthefutureas moreknowledgebecomeslegitimatedandcollected.Bouleenvisionshowtheopenexchangeofideasmightreplacethe darkcovesofprivatepremodernlibraries,andheimaginesaspaceinwhichthecommonpursuerofwisdommighttake theplaceoftheelitegentlemanscholar.ButBoule'svisionis,ofcourse,futuristic,andhiswikepediaesqueidealis unattainablewithoutthetechnological,political,scientific,andepistemologicaldevelopmentsofthenineteenthcentury, includingtheannouncementofphotographictechnologiesin1839,whichquicklybecameindispensabletothehopeof makingBoule'sdreamamaterialreality.Photographyprovidedthecapacitytorecorddetailedinformationaccuratelyand reproducecountlesscopiestoensurethatknowledgewasbothwidelydisseminatedandneverlostorperverted.In addition,theproliferationofphotographictechnologiesthroughoutthenineteenthcenturyenabledordinaryindividualsto createtheirownvisualrecordsandcontributetoestablishedcollections.Mostimportantly,perhaps,photographyoffered apresumedobjectivity.Inshort,itcouldensurethatBoule'sEnlightenmentprojectoffixed,common,andauthoritative knowledgebecameapragmaticcomponentofeverydaylife.

Boull?e,EtienneLouis,17281799.InteriorofaLibrary. ThawCollection,ThePierpontMorganLibrary,NewYork.

[2]Numerousscholarshavecompletedimpressivecriticalstudiesdetailingtheculturalimpactoftheriseofphotography onmodernsystemsofknowledgesuchasarchives,museums,andlibraries,butforreasonsthatarequitesound,we havenotyetseenanabundanceofDeleuziantreatmentsofphotography,itshistory,oritsaestheticpotential.[1] Deleuze'srelativelysparsecommentsonphotographysuggestneitherhisphilosophicalinterestintheartformnorhis confidenceinitspotentialtocreatenewconceptsorrelationships.Instead,likemanyscholars,heoftendiscusses photographyasanimportantinstrumentoftheEnlightenmentsystemofknowledge.AlanSekulaprovidesanexampleof thisnowstandardcriticalreadingoftheartinhiscanonicalessay,"TheBodyandtheArchive"hecogentlyexplainshow "photographydoublyfulfilledtheEnlightenmentdreamofauniversallanguage:theuniversalmimeticlanguageofthe camerayieldedupahigher,morecerebraltruth,atruththatcouldbeutteredintheuniversalabstractlanguageof mathematics....Photographypromisedmorethanawealthofdetailitpromisedtoreducenaturetoitsgeometric essence"(17).Deleuzeisnotonlyacriticofthispromiseoffixityhefundamentallydisputesitsreality,encouragesusto

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resistitsorganizingeffects,andidentifiesvariouscreativestrategiesforthedisruptionofitsmechanization.Creativeartis undoubtedlyavitalDeleuziantacticforsuchendeavors,andhewritesextensivelyonthepotencyofmusic,literature,the cinema,andmodernpainting.Hespecificallypointstoart'sperpetuallygenerativecapacity.Indeed,hefamously concludes,"Whattheartistis,iscreatoroftruth,becausetruthisnottobeachieved,formed,orreproducedithastobe created.ThereisnoothertruththanthecreationoftheNew:creativity,emergence"( Cinema2146).[2]ADeleuzian aesthetics,then,mustforegroundnotsimplythemakingofnewtruths,realities,orideas,buttheircontinualandimmanent recreation.Ineffect,Deleuze'snotionofartdirectlycontradictsBoule'svisionforsecureandcertifiedknowledge.For Deleuze,artrepeatedlyquestions"official"datahepresentscreativeworksaschallengestodatedempiricalencounters thathavebeentransformedandorganizedintoarchivedauthorities.[3]CulturalscholarsincludingDeleuzehave somewhatroutinelyassessedphotographyasanaidofthisEnlightenmentambitiontocollectandarrangeknowledgeof humanexperience,butthisspecialissueofRhizomes invitesustoconsidertheDeleuzianpotentialoftheart,itsspecific formalfeatures,anditsquotidiantechnologyandpracticetocreateanewtoestablishnewtruths,newkindsof relationships,andnewsensations.Inshort,thisissuewillreadDeleuzeagainstDeleuzetoreconsiderphotography's artisticcapacitytoengagewithandgeneratenewexperiencesofreality.

Deleuze'sCritique,theChallengetoUnburdenLife,andtheDiagram
[3]WeclearlyfaceastiffchallengeinourattempttoprofferDeleuziantreatmentsofphotographyasourcriticalproject brushesupagainstthefactthatDeleuzedoesnotinvestphotographywiththecreativeandrecreativepotentialthathe associateswithbothcinemaandmodernpainting.Inshort,whilehehighlyvaluesothervisualartisticforms,heseemingly presentsphotographictextsasstagnatedocumentsortoolsthatproducecertainty,organizebodiesanddesires,and iteratehackneyedideas.Heevenusesphotographyassomethingofafoiltodemonstratetheinnovationofthecinema andtheoriginalityofmodernpainters.InFrancisBacon:TheLogicofSensation(1981),henoteshow"photographyhas takenovertheillustrativeanddocumentaryrole,sothatmodernpaintingnolongerneedstofulfillthisfunction,whichstill burdenedearlierpainters"(10).Helaterexplainsthat"photographsarewaysofseeing,andassuch,theyareillustrative andnarrativereproductionsorrepresentations....theyarewhatisseen,untilfinallyoneseesnothingelse."Hetreatsthe photoasaninstrumentforreproducingrepresentationsofrealityadevicethatiteratesimagesuntiltheyareossifiedas establishedstories,icons,orevenstagnantperceptions.Indeed,likeBergsonbeforehim,Deleuzecompares photographytowhatheidentifiesasareductionistmodelofperception:"whatwesee,whatweperceive,are photographs"(74).[4]Thephotois,ineffect,analwaysalreadypasssensationalexperiencethatnumbsoursensitivity totheongoingvitalityoflifeandprovidesuswithanefficientunderstandingofthedynamismofourworld.Butitis compellingthatDeleuzetheorizesboththequotidiannatureandtheliberatorypotentialofphotographyhetreatsitasa common,everydayvisualexperiencethat,despiteitsaestheticandtechnologicallimitations,emancipatesthemodern paintertoexplorenewartisticopportunities.ThisspecialissueofRhizomes repeatedlyprovidesartisticexamplesand criticalstrategiesthatinviteustoseephotographyasrepletewiththepowertounburdenandemancipatethatDeleuze associateswithbothfilmandpainting.Indeed,onewaytothinkofthisprojectofreadingDeleuzeagainstDeleuzemight betoask:ifphotographycanfreepaintingandpainterstopursuenovelcreativeopportunities,canitlikewisefreeitself, photographicpractitioners,andevenviewerstocreateandrecreateanew? [4]Toanswerthisquestionanddeveloptheaestheticpossibilitiesitincites,wemustturntonotavoidDeleuze's assessmentoftheformalfeaturesandlimitationsofthephotograph.InCinema1(1983),hemakesausefuldistinction betweenphotographyandfilmthatmaysurprisinglyalludetothecreativepotencyoftheformer.Hewrites: Thedifferencebetweenthecinematographicimageandthephotographicimagefollowsfromthis. Photographyisakindof'moulding':themouldorganizestheinternalforcesofthethinginsuchawaythat theyreachastateofequilibriumatacertaininstant(immobilesection).However,modulationdoesnot stopwhenequilibriumisreached,andconstantlymodifiesthemould,constitutesavariable,continuous, temporalmould.(24) ForDeleuze,photographycraftsandcontainsforcesuntilbalancedandstill,whilefilmcontinuouslyadjuststothe energiesofforcestoportraytemporalcontinuity,thediscordanceoftimeandplace,andtheintegrationofthevirtualand actualimage.Unlikethecinema,thephotographicimage,accordingtoDeleuze,seekstoenclose,surround,oreven controlthedynamismoflife.ItseemsincapableofdefamiliarizingrealitylikeBacon'spainting,andtoodependenton framingorfreezingimagestorepresenttimeormovementintime.WhileDeleuzeoftenspeaksofphotographsasifthey werevolumeswithinBoule'slibraryi.e.staticimagesthatreproduceostensiblyfixedinformationhiscommentsmay ultimatelyunveilthecreativepotentialofthecamera'sstillimage.Photographymaytrytomoldoursensational experiences,butitdoesnotnecessarilysucceedasDeleuzesuggests,"modulationdoesnotstop,"andthephoto's formalattempttoencloseforcesmakesitspecificallysensitivetotheongoingrushofmodificationsandsensations.The photo'sformallimitations,accordingtoDeleuze,revealthemselves,butratherthanviewingthisasadetrimenttotheart,I wanttoupholditasanindicatorofitspoweri.e.itultimatelycannotcontainorrestrictvitalanddynamicforces.In

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addition,evenasittriestodocumentourmaterialencountersasfixedshotsofreality,thephotoleavesitselfvulnerableto creativemanipulations,revisions,editorialcaptions,and,perhapsmostimportantly,aestheticengagements.AndinwhatI believeisatrulyDeleuzianaestheticapproach,Iwanttoinviteusnottothinkoftheontologyofphotographyorindividuals shots,butrathertoexploretheenergiesandpossibilitiesofimages. [5]WhileweoftenassociateDeleuze'saestheticswithhisworksonBacon,Leibniz,andtheCinemabooks,allpublished inthe1980s,hisoeuvreismarkedbythisconcernwiththeneedtocreate,recreate,andavoidthestultifyingeffectsof cataloguesorarchives.Intwoessaysthatbookendhiscareer,"Nietzsche"(1965)and"Immanence:ALife"(1995),we observebothhisenduringcriticalcommitmenttoaestheticsaswellasausefulstrategyfortheorizingandhopefullyre theorizinghisformaltreatmentsoffilmandphotography.Intheseshortpieceswrittenthirtyyearsapart,heclingstothe powerofcreativitywithinthedebilitatingcontextofwhatheterms"thedegenerationofphilosophy"("Nietzsche"68).He notesthatphilosophyonceoperatedasalegislator,asamakerofideas,butgrows"submissive"asWesternthought wrestleswiththeweightofontologicalcertainty.Heexplainshowthephilosopherwasonce"thecriticofestablished values...[and]thecreatorofnewvaluesandnewevaluations,"buts/hehasnowbecome"thepreserverofaccepted values."HespeaksoftheEnlightenmentphilosopherasifs/hewereablasphotograph,merelyreproducingand maintainingalreadyknownandalreadyindexedtruthsandDeleuzeconcludesthattheloverofknowledge,muchlike suchaphoto,"claimstobebeholdentotherequirementsoftruthandreasonbutbeneaththeserequirementsofreason areforcesthataren'tsoreasonableatall:thestate,religion,allthecurrentvalues"("Nietzsche"6869).Theworkof philosophybecomesakintoacensusinwhichpractitionerstrack,record,andultimatelycollectallthereasonsmangives himselftoobey.Philosophy,accordingtoDeleuze,wasoncethecreatorofourveryunderstandingofreality,butWestern paradigmsandspecificallytheEnlightenmentmodelofmetaphysicsthathetracesfromSocratesthroughKanthave relinquishedtheircreativelegacyinfavorofserviceto"thestate,religion,allthecurrentvalues."Thisshifthasbuiltthe kindsoflibrariesandarchivesthatBouleimagined,fueledtheriseoftheorganizingsocialmachines,andregulated rhizomaticcreativity. [6]Deleuze,however,upholdstheenduringpowerofcreativearttoproducenewaesthetic,intellectual,andconceptual possibilitiespossibilitiesthatemancipateknowledgefromefficientarchives,moderndisciplines,orothercodified systemsofthought.WhileBoule'ssketchremindsushowmechanicallyreproducedimagesmightcontributetoand reinforcesuchorganizedcollectionsofinformation,andDeleuzeoftenseemstoassociatetheartformwiththispractice offailedphilosophy,IagainproposetoreadDeleuzeagainstDeleuzetoexplorethecreativepotentialofthephotographic artsandtheirtechnologies.InhisessayonNietzsche,Deleuzeconcludes,"tocreateistolighten,tounburdenlife,to inventnewpossibilitiesoflife.Thecreatorislegislatordancer"(69).Aswealleviatetheweight,pressure,andeventhe senseofresponsibilityfromlifeandart,weexposeittoamultiplicityofsensationsandideas.Thisprocessisperhaps mostchallengingwhenrepresentingordescribinganindividuallifeaphilosophicaldifficultyandartisticexperimentthat Deleuzeaddressesin"Immanence:ALife."Photography,ofcourse,haslongbeeninvolvedindepictingtheindividuallife throughportraiture,albums,andannualcollections,andweoftenunderstandthisartisticworkaspreservingaspecific andparticularconceptionof"alife,"butinthislateessay,Deleuzeurgesustoappreciatethevastcomplexityofour bodiesandexistences.Heasserts,"Alifeiseverywhere,inallthemomentsthatagivenlivingsubjectgoesthroughand thataremeasuredbygivenlivedobjects:animmanentlifecarryingwithittheeventsorsingularitiesthataremerely actualizedinsubjectsandobjects"(29).Hestressestheomnipresenceofalife,remindingusofitsimmanence,its ongoingvitality,anditsresistancetoframingandorganizingstructures. [7]Asartstrugglesto"lighten"and"unburdenlife,"itexposesthediversityandvariousrelationshipsofalifean aestheticcapacitythatDeleuzeassociateswithpostWarcinema.Film,forDeleuze,canproduceimmanencethatthe photoostensiblyrestricts,butaDeleuzianapproachtophotographyallowsustotheorizetheperpetuityofoursensory experiencesthephotomaymomentarilysuspendsuchongoingvitality,butitlikewisepointstonewsensational possibilitiesthatwehavenotyetevenfathomed,orcreatesanexustopastsensationslongdismissed.Thisissueoffers numerouscriticalandartisticrenderingsofsuchimmanencethatencourageandattimescompelustoimagine photographyasonopportunitytocreatenewassemblagesandnewlinesofflight.Latein"Immanence:ALife,"Deleuze addressestheinevitabilityofsensationsyettobeexperiencedheexplains:"Alifecontainsonlyvirtuals.Itismadeupof virtualities,events,singularities.Whatwecallvirtualisnotsomethingthatlacksrealitybutsomethingthatisengagedina processofactualizationfollowingtheplanethatgivesititsparticularreality"(31).WhileBoule'sidealizedsystemhopes toindividualizedatagleanedfromsensoryengagementsoflife,neatlyseparateit,andefficientlyretrieveit,Deleuze highlightsthemessinessandthemodulationsofbothlifeandart.Photographyandcanonicalreadingsofphotography havecertainlycontributedtofulfillingBoule'svision,butthisspecialissueofRhizomes invitesustotheorize photography'screativepowertolegislateanddance,toproduceknowledgesandexperiencethatremaindiverseand allusive,andtoimaginenewkindsofrelationshipsandsensationsthatatoncehaveefficacyandexplosiveuntapped energies. [8]SuchaDeleuziantheoryofphotographyisperhapsbestunderstoodasemergent,andIwanttosuggestaDeleuzian

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contextforstudyingphotographythathighlightsthissenseofemergence,i.e.thediagram.InAThousandPlateaus , DeleuzeandGuattariexplainthat"thediagrammaticorabstractmachinedoesnotfunctiontorepresent,evensomething real,butratherconstructsarealthatisyettocome,anewtypeofreality"(142).Thismodelofcreativeproductionshifts ouraestheticexpectations,discouragingusfromaskingwhatisrepresentedandencouragingustoconsiderhowwe mightrerepresenttheactual.TomConleydefinesDeleuze'snotionofthediagramas"thesumofcreativeactionsthat includemarkinganddrawinglinesbywayofchancethencleaning,sweeping,orwipingareaswithspotsorcolorfinally, applyingpaintfromvariedanglesandatasmanydifferentspeeds"( Logic 144).Conleyadds,"thetermdesignatesa mappingoftheelementsofchance,aselectionanddistributionofclichs,aconditionthatshapescreativeaccident" ( Logic 145).IwanttothinkabouttheabilityofthephotographtofunctionnotasatooloftheEnlightenmentprojectbutasa diagrama"creativeaccident"thatmightunburdentheimmanenceoflife.Indeed,Iwanttoshamelesslyconsiderthe possibilitythatothersmightseetheDeleuzianpotentialinthephotographthatDeleuzehimselfdidnot.Iamexcitedto presentarticlesthatconsiderhowphotographymightaccomplishDeleuziancreativework,whatkindsofphotographic technologiesorinnovationsmightpromotenewconceptsorrelationships,andhowphotographsmightdeterritorializethe organizedsystemofknowledgethatBoule'sdrawingforecasts.

Representation,theClich,andtheFigure
[9]Boule'svisionofmodernitydependsuponanaestheticinvestmentinstableandsecureaccountsofexperiencesthat wehavetraditionallyfoundinphotography,butDeleuzedevelopsanalternativeaesthetictheoryandpracticethatalters bothWesternunderstandingsofrepresentationandthecreativepossibilitiesof/forthephotographicimage.Deleuze relocatestheveryfocusofdiscussionsonartwhenheannounces:"Inart,andinpaintingasinmusic,itisnotamatterof reproducingorinventingforms,butofcapturingforces"( FrancisBacon48).Hedisplacesthequestionofmimesisand accentuatestheissuesofvitalityandlatentenergy.AsDanielW.SmithnotesinhisintroductiontotheEnglisheditionof FrancisBacon,"thequestionDeleuzeposestoanartworkisnot'Whatdoesitmean?'butrather'Howdoesitfunction?'" (xii).Ratherthanobsessingwithwhatisdocumentedordebatinghowaccuratesuchreproductionmightbe,Deleuzeis concernedwiththeoperationor,moreaccurately,theoperationalityofarthowitworks,orevenhowitmightwork,to producesensations,desires,andrelationshipsthatdisrupttheorganizingproceduresofmodernsystemsofknowledge. ThisshiftallowsDeleuzetoreframetheprioritiesofaestheticsheforegroundsthesensationsofart,andtheconditions thatproducesucheffects,ratherthantherepresentationsofartoritscontributiontoculturalinstitutionsoforder.His notionoftheclichiscrucialtobothwhatheidentifiesastheproclivityofarttoreifyestablishedsystemsofknowledge anditscreativepossibilities.InCinema1,Deleuzedefinesclichsas"floatingimages,theseanonymousclichs,which circulateintheexternalworld,butwhichalsopenetrateeachoneofusandconstitutehisinternalworld,sothateveryone possessesonlypsychicclichsbywhichhethinksandfeels,isthoughtandisfelt,beinghimselfaclichamongthe othersintheworldwhichsurroundshim....clichsandpsychicclichsmutuallyfeedoneachother"(2089).Clichs functionasproducingmachinesbothinourmaterialrealityandinourpsychesasalwaysalreadythoughtideas,they secureandstabilizeintellectual,artistic,orcorporealenergies,andalsoservetoinhibitnewcreativerelationshipsor forces. [10]InFrancisBacon,Deleuzespecificallyreferstophotographsasclichsthat"arealreadylodgedonthecanvas beforethepainterevenbeginstowork"(12).Hepresentsphotographyasasourceofhackneyedrepresentationthatart mustworktodisrupt.Butitisimportanttonotethat,forDeleuze,thesuccessfulartistcanneithermerelyavoid,indict,or transformsuchclichs,forashenotes,thesestrategies"[leave]thepainterwithinthemilieuoftheclich,orelse[give] himorhernootherconsolationthanparody"( FrancisBacon72).Instead,tocreateartthatdeterritorializesthe normalizingworkofclichs,artists,accordingtoDeleuze,mustconfrontthemandworkthroughsuchfamiliar representations,specificallythose(re)producedbythephotographiccamera.Notsurprisingly,heupholdsBaconasan artistwhoengagessuchclichsandcreativelyembraceschancetoproducedisruptivesensationsandevenviolent effectsanditisnotacoincidencethatBaconwaslikewisedrawntophotographs.DeleuzeevenpointsouthowBacon's artisticaccomplishment"arisesinrelationtophotography."HenotesthatBacon"istrulyfascinatedbyphotographs(he surroundshimselfwithphotographshepaintshisportraitsfromphotographsofthemodel,whilealsomakinguseof completelydifferentphotographs)"( FrancisBacon74).AlthoughBaconhimself"ascribesnoaestheticvaluetothe photograph,"heworkedwiththemtocreatehisrevolutionarypaintingsherelieduponthecamera'simagetohelphim deterritorializefixedunderstandingsofmaterialreality.NeitherDeleuzenorBaconseemstovaluetheartisticpotentialof thephotograph,buteachrecognizestheroleofthemechanicallyproducedimageinthecreativeprocessandDeleuze's treatmentofBacon'sinterestinphotographyinvitesustoexploreifitcanlikewiseengageclichsevenclichs generatedbyotherphotographstoaccomplishasimilarlydisruptiveaestheticproject. [11]Deleuze'shopeforsuchpotentartbeginswithanacknowledgmentthat"clichsandprobabilitiesareonthecanvas theyfillit,theymustfillit,beforethepainter'sworkbegins,"andheoffersaradicalplanfordisplacingtheseclichs:"the recklessabandoncomesdowntothis:thepainterhimselfmustenterintothecanvasbeforebeginning.Thecanvasis

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alreadysofullthatthepaintermustenterintothecanvas.Inthisway,heentersintotheclich,andintotheprobability." Asartistsstruggletoproducedynamicsensations,theymustembracethecanvasanditsterritorializingclichs.To escapetheseorganizingformulas,Deleuzeencouragesustorelishthecreativeopportunitiesoutsideoftherealmof probability,namelythepossiblehewrites,"itisthechancemanualmarksthatwillgivehimachance,thoughnota certitude"( FrancisBacon78).Thecameraissurprisinglywellsuitedtoproducesuchenergies,showrandommoments oftimeandspace,andframearbitraryenergies.WemaynotprivilegeorevenrecognizethisDeleuzianpotentialofthe photographicdevice,butitstechnologyisdesignedtogeneratesuchsingularmomentsofaestheticengagementits imagesarefundamentallyofamoment,andalthoughsuchimagescanclearlydevelopintoclichs,Iwanttomaintainthat theyarealsoopentotheunpredictable,impulsive,orevenviolentmarksofcreativeart.Photosmayclearlybedeployed toestablishobjectivecertitude,butthisEnlightenmentgoalismostassuredlynotintrinsictotheirmaterialproductionor theirartisticformphotographicimagescanbecomeclichs,buttheycanlikewisemanipulatesuchclichstobecome disruptiveartthatcreatesnewpossibilitiesforsensationswithinasingularmoment. [12]Sincemanyofourvisualclichsareattributedtophotography,itis,asanartform,keenlyattunetohackneyed illustrations.Challenging,destabilizing,orredeployingsuchillustrationsrequiresanaestheticselfconsciousnessthat empowersustoidentifythealwaysalreadyseenacriticalandcreativeskillthatDeleuzehighlightsinhistreatmentof modernpainting.Heexplainshow"thepainterdoesnothavetocoverablanksurfacebutratherwouldhavetoemptyit out,clearit,cleanit."Artistsmustrealizethattheycreate"onimagesthatarealreadythere,inordertoproduceacanvas whosefunctioningwillreversetherelationsbetweenmodelandcopy"( FrancisBacon71).TofunctionasDeleuzianart, photography,likewise,mustunabashedlyrecognize,accept,andincorporatethe"alreadythere"toexplorenewimages andrandomsensationsthatcoulddisplacethenormalizingoperationsoftheregurgitatedclich.Deleuzediscussesthis processthroughhisassessmentofthefigureandtheorganizingregulationoffiguration.Smithoffersahelpfulworking definitionofthesetermshewrites:"whereas'figuration'referstoaformthatisrelatedtoanobjectitissupposedto represent,the'Figure'istheformthatisconnectedtoasensation,andthatconveystheviolenceofthissensationdirectly tothenervoussystem"(xiii).Figurationdenotesouraestheticexpectationtheanticipatedresolutionandarrangementof clichsthatcontributestoourmodernclassificationofideasandrealities.TheFigure,however,isimmediatelyand intimatelytiedtosensationitcausesanintensesensualexperiencethatbecomesdisruptive,excessive,oreven decadent.Deleuzequitebluntlyinstructs:"paintinghastoextracttheFigurefromthefigurative,"andheagainidentifies Baconasasuccessfulpractitionerofthistechnique( FrancisBacon10).Bacon,accordingtoDeleuze,producesartin which"theFigureitselfisisolated."Thisstrategyeffectively"avoid[s]thefigurative,illustrative,andnarrativecharacterthe Figurewouldnecessarilyhaveifitwerenotisolated"( FrancisBacon6).Bacon,ineffect,exploitsthefigurativeclichto exposethelatentcreativeenergyoftheFigure. [13]BydetachingtheFigure(i.e.theform,thebody,oreventheexperiencethatproducessensation),Bacon'simages bothuseandresisttheterritorializingeffectsofpreordainedstories,rehashedrepresentations,andstockcharacters. Andagain,Deleuzeidentifiestheroleofphotographyandothervisualtechnologiesinthiscreativeprocess.Heexplains: "Figurationexists,itisafact,anditisevenaprerequisiteofpainting.Wearebesiegedbyphotographsthatare illustrations,bynewspapersthatarenarrations,bycinemaimagesbytelevisionimages"( FrancisBacon71).Deleuze urgesustounderstandthebreadthanddepthofvisualfigurationwearefloodedwithreproducedandreproducible imagesthatinhibitourcreativeingenuities.Baconemployssuchinstrumentsoffigurationtohelphimisolatethefigure,its sensations,anditsforces,andthisissueillustrateshowphotographyislikewiseaestheticallyandtechnologicallycapable ofengagingfiguration.Itcanusevariousartisticstrategies,includingcreativeframing,digitalmanipulation,andperhaps mostimportantlythewillingacceptanceofspontaneousforcesandvitalenergiestoviolentlydislocatethefigurefromits territorializingfiguration.Weoftenusethephotographtosuspendspecificpointsoftime,memorializeanindividualperson, orrecordaparticularplace,andeachofthesetechniquescanrepeatclichs,restrict"alife,"andcontributetofiguration buteachofthesetechniquescanalsocaptureandisolatecreativeenergiesifweremainopentotheviolenceand dynamismofthesensationsofamoment,aperson,oranexperience.Thiswillingnesstoembracethechaotic unpredictabilityofsensation,moreover,empowersustoavoidthestructuringpowersofpreestablishednarratives.

Narrative,PhotographicTime,andtheCrystalImage
[14]Suchamodelofaestheticengagementallowsustoexperiencethespontaneityanddynamismofartisticcreations notasmementoestoberemembered,corrected,orarchived,butasmomentstorelishandsharewiththepastandthe future.Communicatingsuchartisticexperiences,however,engendersadditionaldifficultiesthatthreatentocontainor evendeadentheircreativeefficacy,foraswerelatetheimportanceofart,beauty,orsensationtoothersthroughstories, weoncemorerisknormalizingaestheticexperimentation.Deleuzespecificallyaddressesthechallengeofnarration, whichhetreatsas"thecorrelateofillustration."Heexplainshow"astoryalwaysslipsinto,ortendstoslipinto,thespace betweentwofiguresinordertoanimatetheillustratedwhole."Astory,accordingtoDeleuze,yokessimilar(oreven disparate)forcestogether,fashioningarelationshipandaunityitstrivestocontaintheexplosiveenergyoftheFigure,

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iterateclichs,andcraftneatlyorderedresolutions.Suchconventionalityinhibitsourabilitytorevealpowerfulsensations toothersthatmightbuildnewkindsofrelationshipsandthreatenstorelegatetrulycreativearttoasolipsisticexercise. Deleuzianart,then,muststrivetoavoidthecodifyingeffectsofnarrative,andheadvocates,"isolation[as]...thesimplest means,necessarythoughnotsufficient,tobreakwithrepresentation,todisruptnarration,toescapeillustration,toliberate theFigure:tosticktothefact"( FrancisBacon6).HepointstoBacon'sabilitytodetachtheFigurefromitshackneyed associationsortraditionallegaciesasasuccessfulexampleofisolatingvitalforcesoflifefromtheorderofastory.Bacon violentlyremovesthesensationoftheFigurefromitsterritorializingcontexts,forcingustoseeitsrawenergy, uncontaminatedbyaestheticornarrativeexpectations. [15]Photographictechnologiesarenodoubtvulnerabletothisterritorializingactivityofthenarrative,buttheymayalso haveadistinctaestheticcapacitytodestabilizepredictablestories.Weinevitablyplacephotosinrelationships:to measureageandthepassingoftime,tocomparevariouslocations,andeventodetermineminutedifferencesbetween individuals.Theserelationshipsundoubtedlyexposephotographytonarrativesthataggressivelyoffertocreate hackneyedtransitionsandgeneratemundaneconclusions.Thecamera,however,isalsowellequippedtoisolatethe Figure,confidentlyclingtothefact,andresistcrassconnections.Asanindividuallyframedvisualimage,thephotograph isanisolatingmedium,andwhenphotographerssuccessfullyfreetheforcesofsensationfromthemodernimpulseof orderandstructure,theycandisruptthetotalizingtendenciesofthenarrative.DamianSutton,inhisgroundbreaking studyPhotography,Cinema,Memory:TheCrystalImageofTime(2009),admits"ordinarilyweplacephotographsinto sequencesandcontextsthefamilyalbum,thenewspaper,thefilmstrip,"buthetheorizes,"wheneverthephotographis leftwithoutamotormaterialconnection,eitherthroughdislocationor,alternatively,entanglementandinvolution, significationcanberadicalandrandom"(55).Wemayusephotostoestablishconventionalaccountsornormalizing relationships,butsuchnarrativecontinuityandtemporallinearityisanaestheticstrategyofviewersandnotintegraltothe formofphotography.Rather,thetemporalityofthephotoisalwaysjarring,becauseasanartformitisolatesamomentin spaceandtimebutthelimitationsorrathertheexpectationsofourtheoriesandconceptionsofbeautyoftenprevent usfromappreciatingthisdisruptiveworkandpromptustorebuildtypicalrelationalityorlineardevelopmentthroughstory. Deleuzeis,ofcourse,extremelyexcitedaboutthetemporalpossibilitiesofpostWarcinema,butasSuttonnotes, Deleuze'srevolutionarytheoryofthetimeimageoriginatesfrom"thephotographic"(xi).Suttonexplainshow"cinemaand photographyarebadlyexplainedbythebinaryorganizationthatseesthemasrepresentingmobilityandimmobility,life anddeath,"andconcludes,"tounderstandthephotographicimageistounderstandtheglimpseofimmanenceitsooften affordsus"(xii).ItisinsuchglimpsesofimmanencethatphotographyaccomplishesDeleuzianaestheticworkitcannot showmovementortemporaldisjunctionlikecinema,anditoftenlacksthetactilityofpainting,butitcanisolateFiguresand sensationstoprovideamomentaryvisionofnewpossiblerelationshipsthatresistthetotalizingeffectsofnarrative. [16]Suttonisveryhelpfulintheorizingsuchphotographicpotential,evenasheacknowledgestheaestheticlegacyofthe photograph.Heastutelyobserves,"thereasonwhyDeleuzeneverfullyexploresthephotographastimeimageissimple anddirect:itspartinthesensorymotorschemarendersitantitheticaltoDeleuze'sconceptionofadirectimageoftime" (45).Thephotographhastraditionallybeenviewedandunderstoodasareproductionofoursensoryexperiencesof materialreality.ThisdeeplyentrenchedbeliefmaydatefromWilliamHenryFoxTalbot'sexpressedambition"tocause thesenaturalimagestoimprintthemselvesdurably,andremainfixeduponthepaper!"("ABriefHistoricalSketch"29). Numerousrecentcritics,includingDanielNovakandJenniferTucker,havecalledintoquestionthislegacyof photography'sobjectivefidelitytosensoryexperiencesofnature,[5]butwearestillhauntedbythesupposedauthorityof thephotograph,itsfixity,anditsutilitytomodernsystemsofknowledge.Sutton,however,encouragesustoimagineits potentialtoproducealternativenarrativeandtemporaleffects.Hepointsouthow"theinstantaneousphotographreverses ourrelationshiptoduration....Withaphotographwearepresentedwithanimagethatisstaticbutthatnonethelesscan giveapowerfulsensationoftimepassing"(38).Thephotoisostensiblyafixedimageofisolatedtime,butitlikewise producesasensationnotonlyoftimepast,butoftheperpetuityoftemporalityoftimepassingtimecontinues,andis mostassuredlynotorderedintosafeorstructuredpatternsasitmovesbeyondthebordersoftheframe.Suttonrefersto such"timepassing"asthe"forgottentimeofthephotograph"(39).Deleuzeoftenseemstodemotephotographytoa minorblipintheemergenceofthecinemaandtechnologicalaidtotheinnovationsofmodernpainting,butSutton encouragesustorecognizethetemporalpossibilitiesofthephotoasalatentcreativepotentialcentraltoaDeleuzian theoryofthevisualimage. [17]SuttonevenadaptsDeleuze'snotionofthecrystalimagetohelpusimaginethecapacityofthephotographtodisrupt narrativeexpectationsandtheircorrespondingtemporallinearity.InCinema2,Deleuzeexplains,"thecrystalimageis... thepointofindiscernibilityofthetwodistinctimages,theactualandthevirtual"( Cinema282).Thecrystalimage becomesthemomentwhen"theactualopticalimagecrystallizeswithitsownvirtualimage"( Cinema269).Thisnexusof sensualvisualexperiencewithasyetembryonicvisualpotentialengendersaradicaltemporalexperience.Thedistinction betweenempiricalandpossiblesightsbecomesuncertain,andthislackofcertaintyallowsustoexperienceboththe collapseandthedisjunctionoftimeinspacetime,ineffect,becomesfreedfromitsdependenceonspaceormovement

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inspace.Deleuzeexplains,"whatconstitutesthecrystalimageisthemostfundamentaloperationoftime...timehasto splititselfintwoateachmomentaspresentandpast."Heconcludes,"timeconsistsofthissplit,anditisthis,itistime, thatweseeinthecrystal....Weseeinthecrystaltheperpetualfoundationoftime,nonchronologicaltime"( Cinema2 81).Tobecomeintimatewithbothpastandpresentwithinamomentistoencountertheperpetuityofnonchronological timethatisfoundationaltoDeleuze'streatmentofpostWarcinemawerelinquishourinvestmentinthepastasafixed realitytoberecalledorforgotten,andinsteadproducenew,unwrittenstories,andcreatenewrelationsbetweenpasts, variousactualpresents,andvirtualfutures.Whilefilmoffersapowerfulmediumthroughwhichtoenvisionthesenew relationshipsbetweenthepastandasyetunseenfutures,thephotographhasbeenunderstoodasamererecordofthe past. [18]Thistraditionalapproachtothephotographmayultimatelybeafunctionoftheproduceddesiretomarkfixed momentsofhistoryifwecancraftandsustainastableandsafeconceptionofthepast,itprovidesuswithamodel throughwhichtosecureastaticpresentandanorganizedfuture.Thisconceptionofphotographyisdeeplyrootedinthe EnlightenmentnotionoforganizedknowledgeemblematizedbyBoule'sInteriorofaLibrary itallowsustorelate ostensiblyfixedknowledgesandeventstootherostensiblyfixedknowledgesandevents,ensuringthatourfindings, experiences,andevenourstoriesarealwaysalreadytoldandknown.Sutton,however,promptsustoconsiderhow photosmightavoidsuchnarrativepredeterminationandinsteadgeneratenarrativity,whichheclaimsisproducedwhen "photographsprojectbeyondtheimageintothepastandintothefutureinanasymmetric,heterogeneousaction.The imagesthushaveaqualitywithinthemthatemphasizestheirconnectiontotheviewer'smemories,fantasies,and dreams"(143).ThisaesthetictheoryofthephotographchallengestheassumptionsofEnlightenmentthought,asitallows usto(re)connectimagesnottosupposedlystableideasorfindingsbuttoenduringexperiencesi.e.sensationsthat remainactive,volatile,orsimplyrelevant.Suttonlateradds,"anyphotographthatexpressesadominanceofnarration overnarrative,inwhichtheconstructionofimageismoresignificantthansubjectmatter,lenditselftothestudyof narrativity"(146).Whilethepicturehasbeenroutinelycreditedwitheffectingamultiplicityofstories,thephotoremains regulatedandriddledbyhackneyedtalesandlineartemporalitybutifwecanisolateandprivilegeaphoto'sproductionof sensationsandtheaestheticprocessesofthisproductioninsteadofthesupposedlyfixedcontentitrepresents,we canunburdentheimageofitsdocumentarylegacyandexposeitsDeleuzianpotential.

CreativePotentializationandPhotographicBecoming
[19]ThisissueofRhizomes helpsustoimaginehowphotographymightgeneratenewartistic,temporal,andnarrative experiencesthatillustratelatentpossibilitieswithinandthroughactualsensations.AsSuttonintelligentlyremindsus,"art isacreativeprocessfromactualtovirtual,fromrealtopossible,andfromsingularitytomultiplicity,"butheinstructs,"this situationcanonlyoccurwhenorganizationisunforeseeable"(154).Theartisticchallengetoacceptandevenwelcome theunanticipatedisatbestdifficult.Itrequiresustorelinquishcontrolofempiricalexperiencesoftheworldandembrace therhizomaticproductionsofoursensationswithineverydaylifemoreover,asviewersandscholars,wemustremain opentoseeingandappreciatingamatrixoftheactualandthevirtual,andthistooisanenduringaestheticchallengefor thestudyofphotography.Thecamera'sstrongassociationwiththerealmoftheactualmayseemtolimitphotography's susceptibilitytothedomain(s)ofthevirtual,butthisaffinityforfactandthemundanemaylikewisebeakeycomponentof theart'sDeleuzianpotential.Whenweseeandstudyphotographs,weareunderstandablytemptedtorevertto hermeneuticmodelsthatreinforcenarrative,figuration,andthetemporalstasisoftheimage.Toavoidor,perhapsmore accurately,toexploitandcapitalizeuponsuchatemptationwemuststrivetoseethephoto,andnotitsclichsand narrativeswemustcertainlyseetheimageasasourceofcreativepossibility,butwemustalsoremainartisticallyaware andcriticallyselfconsciousofboththeimage'sostensibleobjectivityandtheconventionaltemporalitiesandsignifications thatsurroundandseektoorderit.Thephotohasbeengrantedapowertocaptureandcontrollife,thepureimmanence thatDeleuzianartstrivestounburdenandexposetonewlinesofflight.Ifphotographycanremainopen,andencourage ustoremainopen,tothespontaneousdynamismoflife,itsunplannedenergies,andtheanticipationofthevirtual,ithas thepotentialtouseandrelinquishsuchdocumentarypowertoimageboththephotographicactualandimagine photographicbecoming. [20]Deleuze,ofcourse,highlightsthecreativepowerofbecomingthroughouthiscorpus.NeartheendofCinema2,he writes:"Becomingcaninfactbedefinedasthatwhichtransformsanempiricalsequenceintoaseries:aburstof series"whichhepresentsas"asequenceofimages,whichtendinthemselvesinthedirectionofalimit,whichorients andinspiresthefirstsequence(thebefore),andgiveswaytoanothersequenceorganizedasserieswhichtendsinturn towardsanotherlimit(theafter)."Whenarttransformsourempiricalsenseperceptionsintomomentum,itproduces energy,whatBergsonfamouslytheorizedaslanvital,andDeleuzeconcludesthatwhenthishappens,weexperience"a becomingaspotentialization,asseriesofpowers"( Cinema2275).ItisbecomingaspotentializationtowhichIcontinually returninmyownattemptstowriteabouttheDeleuzianaestheticsofphotography.Photographyistechnologicallyillsuited torepresenttimeinthewaythatDeleuzetheorizesthetimeimageofthepostWarcinemathestillimagedoesnotshow

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Bergsoniandurationorthedirecttimeimage,butithasauniquecapacitytodocumenttheactualwhileframing becoming(s)thatenvisionmomentumandgesturetowardtemporalperpetuity.Photographycanindeedcompelustosee andexperiencethesensationsofthepresent,andwhileitsrepresentationsmaybefixed,theycanalsoanticipate becomingsrepletewithdynamicpotentialization.Suttoneloquentlydiscussesbecomingas"theassemblingand disassemblingofentitiesbywhichweliveourlives"(174).Asweexperiencetheimmanenceoflife,werepeatedlycollect andreleasecreative,energizing,andterritorializingforces,andasSuttonnotes,"thesearewavesofbecomingthat intersecteachotherbut,aboveall,intersecttheculturethatsurroundsus"(175).Becomingisnotmerelyanegotistical processwherebywegrowormatureasindividualsrather,itisthephenomenonbywhichourdynamisminteractswith thepeople,places,andsensationsofourlives.Photographyultimatelyprovidesuswithavaluableinstrumentthrough whichtosee,identify,andappreciatethisdynamismitcanshowusthesensationsofouractualexperiencesbothin thepresentandthepastandinviteustoacceptourongoinginvolvementinthisimmanence.Andwhenaphoto successfullypointsbeyonditsvisualrepresentationtoamomentumofcreativepossibility,itallowsustoembrace becomingasanongoingrealityoftheactualworldinwhichwelive. [21]Deleuzespecificallyinvestsbecomingwithpoliticalefficacytocreatenewkindsofrealites,andinhisstudiesofthe cinema,heusestheconcepttoexplainthedistinctcreativeandpoliticalpowerofpostWarfilm.Despitethedesolation, displacement,anddespairoftheNewCinema,Deleuzeinsiststhatits"becomingisalwaysinnocent,evenincrime,even intheexhaustedlifeinsofarasitisstillabecoming"( Cinema2142).Hedoesnothighlighttheimportanceofthe presenceofaneworrejuvenatedpeopleinthewakeoftheWar,butrathertheabsenceofapeoplethemissingpeople whoarenotrepresentablethroughtraditionalaestheticstrategiesorestablishedmodesoffilmicstorytelling.Heexplains, "themissingpeopleareabecoming,theyinventthemselves,inshantytownsandcamps,oringhettos,innewconditions ofstruggletowhichanecessarilypoliticalartmustcontribute."Theelusivenessof"thepeople"inpostWarfilmis,for Deleuze,anindicationofimmanentbecoming,asiteofpoliticalpotencyinwhichartistsmight"[contribute]totheinvention ofapeople"( Cinema2217).HecreditstheNewCinemawiththepowertocreatenewpeoplesasnewpotential becomings,especiallyinplacesthathavebeendevastatedwhilethefilmsoftenshowdesolationanddisjunctionasan actualreality,theylikewisewelcomethelatentenergyoflife'sdynamiccreativityasvirtualpossibilities.Becomingis integraltotheintegrationoftheactualandthevirtualitallowsartistsandviewersaliketoexperiencethevolatilityofthe sensationswithinthepresentwhilesimultaneouslyembracingtheproclivitiesofthevirtual.ADeleuzianapproachto photographymusttheorizethiscreativepotentialofthestillimage.Photographicbecomingcannotsimplyreferto idiosyncraticinnovationsorsolipsisticartisticexperimentationitmustmaintainpoliticalefficacyinitsdocumentationsof thepast,representationsofthepresent,andvisionsofpossiblefutures. [22]Iwanttoclosethisintroductionbyaffirmingthatthispotentialforbecomingisandhaslongbeenanintegral componentofphotographicwork.Whiletheauthorsinthisissuetreatawidevarietyoftwentiethandtwentyfirstcentury artistswhoproduceandreproduceDeleuzianintensities,Iamascholarofnineteenthcenturyculture,theeraof photography'semergence.Andphotography,asisthecasewithmanyartforms,generatestremendouscreativeand politicalenergyinitsincipience.Talbot'sgroundbreakingwork,ThePencilofNature(184446),forexample,helpedto establishphotographyasanartinnineteenthcenturyGreatBritainthiscollectionofferednumerousexamplesofstriking visualmoments,supposedlycapturedspontaneouslybythephotographerathisancestralhome."ASceneinaLibrary" (1844)isonesuchmomentthatoffersusaseeminglysimpleandlegalisticviewofbooksonshelves.Thetitlesare arrangedforeasyrecognition,andwecanclearlyseparateonebookfromthenext.Thevolumesarecarefullydisplayed, andthetitlesatthefarendoftheupperboardsappeartofunctionasbookends.Wearevisuallyinvitedtoisolateabook, appreciateitsdecorativebinding,andremoveit.Butthisphoto,likesomuchofearlyBritishphotography,ismarkedby aestheticexperimentationthatanticipatesDeleuzianthought.[6]WhilewemayareundoubtedlytemptedtoseeTalbot's imageasanartistic(andevenpolitical)descendantofBoule'sInteriorofaLibrary ,thephotopoignantlymanipulates suchEnlightenmentmodelsoffixedandsecureknowledge.Talbot'sbooksareeasilyseenandaccessed,buthisframing disruptsourexpectationsforengagingandcollectinginformation,asthebooksrestonwhatappeartobefloatingshelves thatdefythelogicofphysics.Therearenovisiblesupportsfortheseboards,andTalbottemptsustoimaginethe continuityindeedtheperpetuityoftheshelvesandthebooks.Thisismerely"ascene"inalibrary,aspecificmoment intimeandspace,butwithinitwefindthepresenceofothermomentspastandfuturepossibilitiesforaestheticand creativeencounterswithknowledgeandsensation.

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WilliamHenryFoxTalbot,"ASceneinaLibrary"(1844) ReproducedwithpermissionfromtheScienceandSocietyPictureLibrary, theNationalMuseumsofScienceandIndustry,U.K.

[23]Talbot'simageallowsustoimagineandpursuethesenewpossibleexperiencesitinvitesustoseetheprocessof becomingasapartofboththeaestheticandthepoliticalexperienceofphotography.AndasDeleuzeconcludes, "Aestheticscan'tbedivorcedfromthesecomplementaryquestionsofcretenizationandcerebralization.Creatingnew circuitsinartmeanscreatingtheminthebraintoo"("OnTheTimeImage"60).Whenwecreatenewart,accordingto Deleuze,welikewisecreatenewwaysofthinking,newwaysofrelatingwithothers,andnewwaysofencounteringthe world.Talbot'sphotoostensiblyframesthesourcesofinformationcollectedinBoule'slibrary,buthisveryaesthetic strategiesillustratetheongoingdynamismofknowledgeandexperiencethatDeleuzetheorizesthroughouthiswritings. ForDeleuze,wewillandindeedwemustengageandproducenewandchangingsourcesofknowledge,andthisongoing processrequiresustocreateandrecreatesensations,relations,andconceptstoavoidtheroutinizingeffectsofthe laws,thechurch,andthestatethathauntthelegacyofEnlightenmentthought.Thisisanintellectualandpolitical necessityforDeleuze,andphotographyprovidesuswithacreativemeanstoembraceandchallengethefigurative clichs,hackneyednarrations,andorganizingprinciplesofalwaysalreadyknownexperiences.Ultimately,aDeleuzian aestheticsofphotographyisrootednotinthecapacityoftheimagetorecordwhathasbeenknown,seen,or experienced,butinitspoliticalpotentialtoshowuswhatmightbe,whathasbeenforgotten,andwhathasnotyetbeen imagined.WemustreadDeleuzeagainstDeleuzetodevelopthisDeleuzianaestheticsofphotography,andthisprojectis fundamentallyDeleuzianbecauseitoffersusyetanotheropportunitytothinkandcreateanew. [24]InwhatmayappeartobeoneofDeleuze'smostseverecritiquesofphotography,heremindsus:"themost significantthingaboutthephotographisthatitforcesuponusthe'truth'ofimplausibleanddoctoredimages"( Francis Bacon74).Heindictsthemechanicallyproducedimageforbarraginguswithtruthsthatweknowtobemanipulated, perverted,oreventerritorialized,buthiscommentalsosuggestsourrecognitionofthisartificeweknowindeed,we haveknownthatphotoscanbemoldedandmodified,craftedandconstructed,designedanddevelopedtoproduce "truth."Thephotographhasbeendeployedtoaccomplishcertainandspecificends,anditcanlikewiseberedeployedto createalternativepoliticalends.Deleuzeacknowledgestheartisticlegacyofthephotoasanobjectivemarkerandtoolof EnlightenmentsystemsofknowledgeshownbyBoule'sdrawing,andhecertainlycautionsusaboutthedangerof photographicallyfabricatedtruthstruthsthatmightinhibitourexperienceofsensations,deadenoursensitivityto creativeenergies,orevenoverburdenlifewithfiguration,narration,orclichs.ButDeleuze'scommentalsoremindsusof thecapacityofthephotographtoatonceshowthetruthofourempiricalexperiences,revealthefabricatingeffectsof organizingstructures,andgeneratenewpossiblerevisionsorcreativeadaptationsofactualities.Asanartform, photographyisclearlyvulnerabletomanipulation,andwhilethiscandistortthetruthofimmanence,itcanalsoproduce newkindsofsensationsandtruthsstillintheprocessofbecoming.Asaquotidianartform,moreover,photography

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remainssusceptibletomundanerevisionsanddeploymentsbyordinaryindividualsindividualswhocreatenewkindsof knowledges,combinedisparateimages,andusechargedcaptionstogeneratedisruptiveandrandomsignification.The photocanshowsuchvirtualpossibilitiesemergingfromactualmomentsofostensibleobjectivity,pointtothepotentialfor becomings,andimaginenewvirtualitiesthatmightneverbeframedororganized.

WorksCited
Bergson,Henri.MatterandMemory .1896.Trans.NancyMargaretPaulandScottPalmer.FifthEdition.NewYork:Zone Books,1996. Boule,EtienneLouis.InteriorofaLibrary .c .1798.TheMorganLibraryandMuseum.NewYork,NY. Conley,Tom."APoliticsofFactandFigure."Deleuze,Gilles.FrancisBacon:TheLogicofSensation.1981.Trans.Daniel W.Smith.Minneapolis:UniversityofMinnesotaPress,2003.13049. Deleuze,Gilles.Cinema1:TheMovementImage.1983.Trans.HughTomlinsonandBarbaraHabberjam.Minneapolis: UniversityofMinnesotaPress,1986. .Cinema2:TheTimeImage.1985.Trans.HughTomlinsonandRobertGaleta.Minneapolis:UniversityofMinnesota Press,1989. .FrancisBacon:TheLogicofSensation.1981.Trans.DanielW.Smith.Minneapolis:UniversityofMinnesotaPress, 2003. ."Immanence:ALife."PureImmanence:EssaysonLife.Trans.AnneBoyman.NewYork:ZoneBooks,2005.2534. ."Nietzsche."PureImmanence:EssaysonLife.Trans.AnneBoyman.NewYork:ZoneBooks,2005.53102. ."OnTheTimeImage."Negotiations:19721990.Trans.MartinJoughin.NewYork:ColumbiaUniversityPress,1990. 5761. Deleuze,GillesandFlixGuattari.AThousandPlateaus:CapitalismandSchizophrenia,Vol.II.1980.Trans.Brian Massumi.Minneapolis:UniversityofMinnesotaPress,1987. Grosz,Elizabeth.Chaos,Territory,Art:DeleuzeandtheFramingoftheEarth.NewYork:ColumbiaUniversityPress, 2008. Kennedy,BarbaraM.DeleuzeandCinema:TheAestheticsofSensation.Edinburgh:EdinburghUniversityPress,2003. Novak,DanielA.Realism,Photography,andNineteenthCenturyFiction.Cambridge:CambridgeUniversityPress,2008. O'Sullivan,Simon.ArtEncountersDeleuzeandGuattari:ThoughtBeyondRepresentation.London:PalgraveMacmillan, 2008. Polan,Dana."FrancisBacon:TheLogicofSensation."GillesDeleuzeandtheTheatreofPhilosophy .Ed.ConstantinV. BoundasandDorotheaOlkowski.NewYork:Routledge,1994.22954. Porter,Robert.DeleuzeandGuattari:AestheticsandPolitics .Cardiff:UniversityofWalesPress,2009. Sekula,Alan."TheBodyandtheArchive."October 3(Winter1996):364. Smith,DanielW."DeleuzeonBacon:ThreeConceptualTrajectoriesinTheLogicofSensation."Deleuze,Gilles.Francis Bacon:TheLogicofSensation.1981.Trans.DanielW.Smith.Minneapolis:UniversityofMinnesotaPress,2003.viixxxiii. Sutton,DamianPhotography,Cinema,Memory:TheCrystalImageofTime.Minneapolis:UniversityofMinnesotaPress, 2009. Sutton,DamianandDavidMartinJones.DeleuzeReframed:InterpretingKeyThinkersfortheArts .London:I.B.Tauris, 2008. Tagg,John.TheBurdenofRepresentation:EssaysonPhotographiesandHistories .Amherst:Universityof MassachusettsPress,1988. Talbot,WilliamHenryFox."ABriefHistoricalSketchoftheInventionoftheArt."184446.ClassicEssayson

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Photography .Ed.AlanTrachtenberg.StonyCreek,CT:Leet'sIslandBooks,1980.2736. .HenryFoxTalbot:SelectedTextsandBibliography .Ed.MikeWeaver.Boston:G.K.Hall&Co.,1993.5963. Tucker,Jennifer.NatureExposed:PhotographyasEyewitnessinVictorianScience.Baltimore:TheJohnsHopkins UniversityPress,2007. Zdebik,Jakub.DeleuzeandtheDiagram:AestheticThreadsinVisualOrganization.NewYork:Continuum,2012. Zepke,Stephen.ArtasAbstractMachine:OntologyandAestheticsinDeleuzeandGuattari.London:Routledge,2005. Zepke,StephenandSimonO'Sullivan.DeleuzeandContemporaryArt.Edinburgh:EdinburghUniversityPress,2010.

Notes
[1]JohnTagg,forexample,explains,"whatgavephotographyitspowertoevokeatruthwasnotonlytheprivilege attachedtomechanicalmeansinindustrialsocieties,butalsoitsmobilizationwithintheemergingapparatusesofanew andmorepenetratingformofthestate"(61).AlanSekulafamouslyidentifiesphotographyas"modernityrunriot,"and arguesthatthecamera"introduce[d]thepanopticprincipleintodailylife"(4,10).DamianSuttonisoneofthefewscholars whotoextensivelyengagetheDeleuzianpotentialofphotography.Inhisengagingstudy,Photography,Cinema,Memory: TheCrystalImageofTime(2009),Suttonexploreshow"theinstantaneousphotographreversesourrelationshipto duration,areversalthatgivesphotographybothasopticsandasimprintitscuriouspower."Headds,"witha photographwearepresentedwithanimagethatisstaticbutthatnonethelesscangiveapowerfulsensationoftime passing"(38). [2]StephenZepkeandSimonO'Sullivan'sDeleuzeandContempoaryArt(Edinburgh:EdinburghUniversityPress,2010) providesnumerouscriticalexaminationsofthisDeleuziannotionofartist. [3]WehaveseenseveralrecentintelligenttreatmentsofDeleuzianaestheticsthatmeritrecognition.WhileBarbaraM. Kennedy'sDeleuzeandCinema:TheAestheticsofSensation(Edinburgh:EdinburghUniversityPress,2003)clearly focusesoncinema,sheprovidesanindispensablecriticalframethroughwhichtoconceptualizeDeleuzeandaesthetics. Inaddition,ElizabethGrosz'sChaos,Territory,Art:DeleuzeandtheFramingoftheEarth(NewYork:Columbia UniversityPress,2008)isavitaltextonthistopic.SeealsoRobertPorter'sDeleuzeandGuattari:AestheticsandPolitics (Cardiff:UniversityofWales,Press,2009),JakubZdebik'sDeleuzeandtheDiagram:AestheticThreadsinVisual Organization(NewYork:Continnum,2012),StephenZepke'sArtasAbstractMachine:OntologyandAestheticsin DeleuzeandGuattari(London:Routledge,2005),andDamianSuttonandDavidMartinJones'shelpfulsourcebook, DeleuzeReframed:InterpretingKeyThinkersfortheArts (London:I.B.Tauris,2008). [4]InMatterandMemory ,Bergsonwrites:"Thewholedifficultyoftheproblemthatoccupiesuscomesfromthefactthat weimagineperceptiontobeakindofphotographicviewofthings,takenfromafixedpointbythatspecialapparatus whichiscalledanorganofperception....Butisitnotobviousthatthephotograph,ifphotographtherebe,isalready taken,alreadydevelopedintheveryheartofthingsandatallthepointsofspace?"(39). [5]See,forexample,DanielNovak'sRealism,Photography,andNineteenthCenturyFiction(Cambridge:Cambridge UniversityPress,2008)andJenniferTucker,NatureExposed(Baltimore:TheJohnsHopkinsUniversityPress,2007). [6]Inhisaccountofthephotograph,Talbotdiscusseswhathetermsa"rathercuriousexperimentorspeculation"( Henry 90).Hedetailshisartisticinterestsinchemicallightrayscapturedbyphotographictechniquesthatremaininvisibleto humanvision,andconcludesbyaddressingafamiliarmetaphor,"theeyeofthecamera,"whichheclaimscould"see plainlywherethehumaneyewouldfindnothingbutdarkness"( Henry91).Talbotimaginesthepowerofthecamerato makevisiblesensationsthatarephysicallyunattainabletothehumaneyehetemptsuswithnewvisionsthatneither EnlightenmentthinkersnorRomanticpoetscouldoffer.Andheconcludes:"Alas!Thatthisspeculationissomewhattoo refinedtobeintroducedwitheffectintoamodernnovelorromanceforwhatadnoumentweshouldhave,ifwecould supposethesecretsofthedarkenedchambertoberevealedbythetestimonyoftheimprintedpaper"( Henry9192).Itis onlyhereinhisfinalcommentthatTalbotreferencesbooksorthepracticeofreadingthatseemfundamentaltotheimage. HealludestothemysteriesandbizarrehappeningsofGothicromances,andnoteshowhisproposedphotographic experimentswithchemicalrayswoulddisruptor"refine"thesensationaleffectsofnovels.Thecamera,accordingto Talbot,hasthepotentialtoshowussightspreviouslyunseenbyhumans,buthealsosuggeststheramificationsofsuch poweritcouldexposeormakevisiblethewonder,beauty,andsublimityofartsuchasGothicliteratureasmerematerial artifice."ASceneinaLibrary"mayserveashisattempttoreconcilethistensionthephotoatoncerevealsitsmaterial fabricationandinvitesustoappreciatethesensationalpossibilitiesofvisionandexperiencesthatwedonotyetsee.

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