Class Looking at the Other: Photography and Anthropology

This course challenges us to think about the relationship between anthropology and photography, linking theory and practice, past and present. We start from the parallel histories of both disciplines, associated with the implementation of colonialism and capitalism since the 19th century, to launch a critical programme based on post-colonial and decolonial theories that make it possible to identify the visual forms of this coloniality and the mechanisms of its contemporary reproduction. We will also understand how anthropology has influenced the studies and practices of photography throughout its two parallel histories in the field of authorial expression. The aim is to launch a critical programme that links each topic with the activity of contemporary artists who work specifically on post-colonial themes and use photographic or videographic expression in their work. We will pay particular attention to the Portuguese context. The course proposes personal and critical practical work.

Not applicable

Theoretical module  Introduction: Photography and anthropology: What links? Research methodologies in photography and anthropology Je est un autre: Languages and devices I and the OTHER(S): (re)considering photographic categories as personal, social and power relations. Characterisation of the field of Visual Culture (differences from Visual Anthropology) Photography and post-coloniality in contemporary art The ethnographic aspect of contemporary art (Hal Foster) Presentation and discussion of works by contemporary artists on post-colonial themes and questions of identity. Historical aspects of colonial photography and anthropology Portuguese missions of geography and anthropology Photography in Portuguese Colonialism Museums and archives: exhibition policies and decolonial museological practices. Practical module Practice-based research and artistic research on the U.C.'s themes.

We used practice-based research, comparing each individual proposal with the proposals of each member of the class, working as a small community for discussion and analysis. This methodology combines theoretical research and personal experimentation, incorporated into the students' actions and thoughts, towards questioning images and their forms of exhibition and circulation.

AA.VV. (n.d.). As lições de Jill Dias. Antropologia, História, África, Academia. (M. Cardeira da Silva & C. Saraiva, Eds.). Lisboa: CRIA- Centro em Rede de Investigação em Antropologia. Barthes, R. (2008). A Câmara Clara. Nota sobre fotografia. (tradução de M. Torres) (13a). Lisboa: Edições 70. Edwards, E. (2015). Anthropology and Photography: A long history of knowledge and affect. Photographies, 8(3), 235–252. http://doi.org/10.1080/17540763.2015.1103088 Fanon, F. (2017). Pele negra, máscaras brancas (A. Pomar (Trans.)). Letra Livre. Mendes Flores, T. (2016). As fotografias da expedição portuguesa ao Muatiânvuo 1884-1888. Revista de Comunicação e Linguagens, (47), 53–77. Pinney, C. (2011). Photography and Anthropology. London: Reaktion Books. Vicente, F.L. (edição)  (2014). O Império da Visão. Fotografia em contexto colonial 1860-1960. Lisboa: Edições 70.