A Review of "Techniques of the Observer"

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses and reviews Jonathan Crary's book, "Techniques of the Observer," which discusses the complex nature of observing and representing art. The paper first describes the opinions of the author and his style of presentation. The paper then provides the writer's opinion of the book - its organization, structure and theories.

From the Paper:

"One of the ideas that Crary introduces is that the camera obscura and photography belong to two different fields of observing and representing, which goes against the more general idea that photography was actually a result of the technological evolution of the camera obscura. In a way Crary shows how this XV-th century invention, the camera obscura solves the problem of the mixture of senses in perceiving, by allowing a more direct and objective sensory perception. Thus sight becomes only a simple apparatus that the mind uses to perceive and represent reality. The main statement that the author makes is that the camera obscura defined the position of the observer in the XVIII-th century and that by breaking down this model we have reached a very important stage in his evolution. A new definition for the observer was instated, as he became an active part in the process of perceiving and representing ,also becoming now the one being observed."

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