Annotation
Iconoclash: chapters from the history and theory of iconoclasm
Since ever was the production of images inseparably connected with it’ destruction. Series of iconoclasms and destructions of images from ancient Egypt to present day allows us to speak about notoriously troublesome relation of the „West“ (broadly understood as a heritage of jewish and hellenistic culture) towards the image.
The old testament ban of images, sculptures of greek gods hidden in the shadow of the temples, Plato's skepticism concerning images, two Byzantine iconoclasms, destruction of gothic statues during Hussite era and empty churches in 16th century Netherlands and Germany caused by European reformation, vandalisms of French and Russian revolutions, iconoclastic tendencies in German idealism, art-destructing tendencies of avant-guards, Charlie Hebdo and the decades lasting image wars since the appearance of the new mass-media just to name the most crucial moments. All those epoch-making events mark a complicated attitude of the western societies towards images and pictures. The main topic of the seminar is to trace the very key moments in the history of western iconoclasms, both in its’ theory and practise, in written sources as well as in images. The goal of the seminar is to examine processes and discourses which enabled the destruction of images. By doing so, so the initial hypothesis of the seminar, to reveal ex negativo the function of the image in our culture. Key questions are: 1) are the iconoclasts more confirmed image-believers than the iconophiles? Who is more convinced of the power of images, those who destroy them or those who ho create and defend them? 2) What are the roles of images beyond the domain of art? 3) What has the destruction of images to do with the production? Structure: reading and discussion of key texts on iconoclasm and related pictures/works of art. Emphasis will be put mainly on original texts (however in english translation) accompanied by a selection of contemporary literature. Output: short essay (5 pages max) on chosen topic (in English, Czech, Spanish, German or Russian) Working language: English (optionally other languages - Czech, Spanish, German or Russian)