#image theory

Abstraction leads to uncertainty about which image (re)presents the world or, rather, the infinite ‘multiple realities’ that encompass all human experience. In current circumstances, the original or ‘authentic’ experience is marginalised and almost non-existent when compared to the media production of war, which is not only limited to mediation but also shapes the practice of war itself. Similarly, the conduct of war cannot be understood without carefully considering the role of media, as media representation must be approached through a critique of a visual paradigm.

The idea of vision and the idea as vision have a long history. Mitchell reminds us that Western culture is guided by a visual paradigm and the concept is supported by Jenks: "the manner in which we have to come to understand the concept of an ‘idea’ is deeply bound up with the issues of ‘appearance’, of picture, and of image" (Jenks 1995, 1). Jenks refers to early Wittgenstein’s formula that, "a picture is a fact" and "a logical picture of facts is a thought" (cited in Jenks 1995). Moreover, according to Jay, the project of Modernity was most effectively achieved through the privileging of "sight" and the modern world is very much a "seen phenomenon". This concept, rooted in scientism, suggests a positivist approach that introduces the idea that "what can be seen can also be believed in," through the highly influential works of Auguste Comte, an ideology of pure, immediate perception. Eventually, Western culture became fixed on the visual as a ‘plain view’ of reality. In the twentieth century with the development of media technologies, public representation such as TV, film, video, photography and advertising appear to provide us with “the most immediate access to ‘other’ through frozen, stored, contrived, and re-presented images” (ibid. 10).

For instance, the marketing and advertising department of drone producer General Atomics purchases the services of illustrators, animation artists and movie directors to visualise and promote its drone range. The advertising does not even attempt to appear realistic; instead, it employs B-movie aesthetics, which completely derealize the operations of drone warfare. Freed from the original context, the image becomes infinitely malleable, leading to uncertainty about which image (re)presents the world or, rather, what comprises the infinite ‘multiple realities’ of all humanity experience. General Atomics’ advertising of the Avenger drone, as many others, renders warfare and the business of high-tech destructive technology as clean, aseptic entertainment without any criticism launched against the military-entertainment complex. However, the proliferation of drones and incorporation of consumer drones in war, challenges the promise of a ‘brave new world’ that is ‘white’, it is ‘clean’ and just ‘better’, because it is created by ‘white’. ‘clean’ and ‘better’ media technologies (Hepp 2019).