Resistance is Futile Debords Society of the Spectacle

Resistance is Futile: Debord’s Society of the Spectacle and Complicity in Art by David Theobald

Driving a Ford Galaxy… …on the New Jersey Turnpike

Why do we care? Paris, May 1968

The Spectacle is …. . . the language of separation. . . social relations mediated by images. . . a visual reflection of the ruling economic order. . . a total colonization of social life by commodities. . . capital accumulated to the point it becomes images. . . alienated production and alienated consumption

The Spectacle is … … everywhere … an estrangement from the acting subject … the flipside of money … is money one can only look at … the acme of ideology … is the sun that never sets over the empire of modern passivity!

The Spectacle is the language of separation The manufacture of alienation

Fabrication of ‘pseudo-needs’ drives economy • Automation drives growth of service industries – Distribute and glorify the latest commodities – Provides employment for consumers More resource needed to sell increasingly unnecessary items

Fetishism: Commodity replaces religion The attribution of mystical qualities to inanimate objects

Statements of definitive perfection pervade

Spectacular Time The image of time as a commodity

Stars become the agents of capitalism • Offer an Illusion of freedom • Inaccessible results of social labour • Spectacular abundance The best a man can get

The Art World as Spectacle Scissor Sisters, German Pavilion Opening Party, Venice Biennale, 2009

In Spectacle, the image… New York Waterfalls (Artist’s Impression), Olafur Eliasson, 2009

…outstrips the reality New York City Waterfalls, Olafur Eliasson, 2009

Complicity in Art Is this just a recognition of the reality?

Detournement CNN Concatenated, Omar Fast, 2002

Architectural Detournement Splitting, Gordon Matta-Clark, 1974

Recuperation by the Spectacle. .

Documentation of the Spectacle Fish Story, Alan Sekula, 1989 -1995

Documentation as Spectacle Manufacturing #18, Cankun Factory, Edward Burtynsky, 2008 (edition of 30)

The ‘Inside job’? Beautiful Inside My head Forever, Damien Hirst, 2008

Flooding Maccy ds … Flooding Mc. Donalds, Superflex, 2009

The Destruction of the Spectacle as Spectacle Deep Impact, Mimi Leder, 1998 Twin Towers, September 11, 2001

Conclusion OR Resistance is futile?