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Book Synopsis
According to Walter Benjamin, the past that is not recognized by the present threatens to disappear irretrievably. As a consequence, photographs cannot save the moment from oblivion by pure depiction alone, but only by keeping the depicted moment actual at every present moment. Instead of counting on the documentary quality of photography that speaks in the past tense of "what has been", Silke Helmerdig suggests a different approach to photography: an extension of a future subjunctive (photographic) tense speaking of "what could be, if", allowing one to think possible futures instead of harking back to the past.

Fragments, Futures, Absence and the Past: A New

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    A Paperback / softback by Silke Helmerdig

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      Book details

      Publisher Transcript Verlag
      Published 15 September 2016
      ISBN-13 9783837636246
      978-3837636246
      ISBN-10 3837636240
      Also in:
      The arts: general topics Communication studies Popular culture

      Description

      Book Synopsis
      According to Walter Benjamin, the past that is not recognized by the present threatens to disappear irretrievably. As a consequence, photographs cannot save the moment from oblivion by pure depiction alone, but only by keeping the depicted moment actual at every present moment. Instead of counting on the documentary quality of photography that speaks in the past tense of "what has been", Silke Helmerdig suggests a different approach to photography: an extension of a future subjunctive (photographic) tense speaking of "what could be, if", allowing one to think possible futures instead of harking back to the past.

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