Inventing Cinema: Machines, Gestures and Media History

Format: Hardback
Length: 268 pages
Publication date: 17 October 2019
Publisher: Amsterdam University Press

In a world where machines have become the intermediaries of our cultural practices and innovations, the dynamics of obsolescence and revivals have continuously reshaped our relationship with images and sounds. The media landscape appears more unstable than ever, with the constant flux of technological advancements and shifting cultural trends. However, the question of whether there has ever been a "stable moment" in media history remains intriguing.

Inventing Cinema aims to explore this question by delving into an archaeology and epistemology of media machines. Through an archaeological lens, these machines are examined as repositories of users' gestures and modes of perception. The epistemology reconstructs the challenges that the designers and users of these machines have aimed to address, as well as the conceptual networks they have developed to comprehend these challenges. By drawing upon the philosophy of technology and anthropology, Inventing Cinema posits that networks of gestures, problems, perception, and concepts are inherent in vision machines, spanning from the camera obscura to the stereoscope, the Cinématographe, and digital cinema.

The invention of cinema, therefore, cannot be reduced to a singular moment in history but rather represents an ongoing and irreducible process. It is a testament to the dynamic interplay between technology, culture, and human perception that has shaped the media landscape throughout its evolution. As we navigate the ever-changing terrain of media, it is crucial to acknowledge the profound impact that machines have had on our cultural practices and to remain mindful of the continuous transformations that lie ahead.

Weight: 562g
Dimension: 162 x 272 x 17 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9789463724623
Edition number: 0