L’imagerie du corps interne

Abstract

Contemporary imaging technologies, such as ultrasound, endoscopy, MRI, PET or CT scan, transform our ìbody imageî. In this article, this transformation is articulated by means of an analysis of an artwork by Mona Hatoum, entitled Corps Ètranger. This work of art consists of a video projection of endoscopic images of the artistís interior body. It is often claimed that one cannot identify oneself with this kind of images since they are hardly recognizable as parts of oneís own body. As such they do not belong to the narcissistic image of the body. By means of a phenomenological and psychoanalytic analysis, it is here argued, however, that these images provide an affective image of oneís own body in which one can face the strangeness of oneís own body.

Keywords

• bodily identity
• body art
• body image
• mis-recognition
• recognition
• Agamben