One of the archaeological sites I visited in Peru featured a number of large stone drawings or engravings. They looked like funny animated figures, the kind we might have found in a cool zine a couple of decades ago, or even in the Village Voice before it became a freebie. Actually, the drawings remind me a bit of those in the strip that featured Jeff and Akbar, but I don't remember who drew it.
Anyway, there is controversy over the drawings: are they of warriors? are the flowing lines in some of them blood or hair? or, are the drawings of medical events and enigmas? if they are of warriors, are they commemorative? or are they supposed to be scary warnings? do they depict battles that could or that did happen? if these are medical events, what do they mean?
I kept thinking of Nietzsche and wondering if the drawings were from a priestly caste trying to cast doubt on the warriors and take power for themselves.
The guide wasn't much help. He said that the pictures were symbolic. But wouldn't say of what. Perhaps that is more helpful. Perhaps he as a kind of Zizekian guide, pointing to symbolization as such. It is important what they mean. Only that they mean.
Anyway, there is controversy over the drawings: are they of warriors? are the flowing lines in some of them blood or hair? or, are the drawings of medical events and enigmas? if they are of warriors, are they commemorative? or are they supposed to be scary warnings? do they depict battles that could or that did happen? if these are medical events, what do they mean?
I kept thinking of Nietzsche and wondering if the drawings were from a priestly caste trying to cast doubt on the warriors and take power for themselves.
The guide wasn't much help. He said that the pictures were symbolic. But wouldn't say of what. Perhaps that is more helpful. Perhaps he as a kind of Zizekian guide, pointing to symbolization as such. It is important what they mean. Only that they mean.
akbar & jeff appear in (simpson/futurama creator) matt groening's 'life in hell'.
on a completely unrelated note, that gory phallic cow tongue pictured below reminds me to ask if you could point me to where (if anywhere) zizek comments on vegetarianism in his writing. i haven't seen the Zizek! film yet, but i was dismayed to hear from a few friends that he calls us meat abstainers "degenerates".
glad to see your trip to south america was safe and thought-provoking.
peace --
Posted by: will | March 27, 2007 at 04:01 AM
It actually sounds more like an Agambenian approach. They communicate communication itself. Perhaps your guide meant to say that they were "gestural."
Posted by: Adam Kotsko | March 27, 2007 at 01:18 PM