The self as a screen: Jean Baudrillard's ‘Ecstasy of Communication’, Susan Hiller's photomat portraits and the videos of Rachel Lowe

Abstract

Baudrillard's 1986 essay, ‘The Ecstasy of Communication’, offers a formulation of the contemporary subject as a kind of ‘screen’, and develops a range of associated analogies characterizing the contemporary individual's total immersion in the ‘network’ of culture. Similar imagery has been used by artist Susan Hiller in her writings, interviews and art works. This article examines the respective approaches of artist and philosopher to the notion of the ‘self-as-a-screen’, and their different conclusions about how the constraints of commodity culture might be negotiated. As well as offering an extended analysis of Baudrillard's essay, the article also examines Susan Hiller's photomat portraits and two video works by artist Rachel Lowe. In particular, the conceptual and visual activity of ‘framing’ proves to be crucial to the theme of the self-as-a-screen, and is discussed in some detail.

KEYWORDS:

• Susan Hiller
• Rachel Lowe
• Jean Baudrillard
• reflection
• screen
• network