The Evolution of Visual Representation of the Body: From Mirrors to Digital Image

Abstract

This paper argues that as the mediums for observing our bodies evolve from mirrors to analog photography and eventually to digital images, the increasing roughness of these mediums and images leads to a shift in the relationship between individuals and their self-images. This relationship moves from identification to gradual separation, ultimately resulting in rupture and unrooting. With the advancement of media technologies, the visual representation of the human body has undergone significant transformations. This study first explores the development from traditional mirrors to digital images, examining how each medium has shaped our self-perception and influenced cultural and social interactions. Historically, mirrors provided the first medium for self-reflection, profoundly impacting self-awareness and societal norms during the Renaissance. The advent of photography in the 19th century added new dimensions to body representation. The shift to digital images in the late 20th century marked a revolutionary change, characterized by pixelation and computational processes, further distancing the representation from physical reality. This paper focuses on "real-time self-captured images of one’s body image" in the digital age, embodying characteristics of both mirrors and digital images. By discussing the medium, image, and body, the study introduces the concept of the "Gray Zone," where boundaries between the body and digital media blur, fostering complex human-machine interactions. Building on Hito Steyerl's "poor image" and "mean image" concepts, this research proposes "Rough Composite Images" to describe modern digital representations' hybrid nature.



Author Information
Yu Shang, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Paper Information
Conference: KAMC2024
Stream: Other

This paper is part of the KAMC2024 Conference Proceedings (View)
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Posted by James Alexander Gordon