The Decision Between Us combines an inventive reading of Jean-Luc Nancy with queer theoretical concerns to argue that while scenes of intimacy are spaces of sharing; they are also spaces of separation. John Paul Ricco shows that this tension informs our efforts to coexist ethically and politically; an experience of sharing and separation that informs any decision. Using this incongruous relation of intimate separation; Ricco goes on to propose that ldquo;decisionrdquo; is as much an aesthetic as it is an ethical construct; and one that is always defined in terms of our relations to loss; absence; departure; and death. Laying out this theory of ldquo;unbecoming communityrdquo; in modern and contemporary art; literature; and philosophy; and calling our attention to such things as blank sheets of paper; images of unmade beds; and the spaces around bodies; The Decision Between Us opens in 1953; when Robert Rauschenberg famously erased a drawing by Willem de Kooning; and Roland Barthes published Writing Degree Zero; then moves to 1980 and the ldquo;neutral mourningrdquo; of Barthesrsquo; Camera Lucida; and ends in the early 1990s with installations by Felix Gonzalez-Torres. Offering surprising new considerations of these and other seminal works of art and theory by Jean Genet; Marguerite Duras; and Catherine Breillat; The Decision Between Us is a highly original and unusually imaginative exploration of the spaces between us; arousing and evoking an infinite and profound sense of sharing in scenes of passionate; erotic pleasure as well as deep loss and mourning.
#2680623 in eBooks 2014-02-04 2014-02-04File Name: B00IOPY478
Review
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Outstanding and educational bookBy Michelle DunnI am an artist that paints nature; animals; flowers and landscapes. I am trying to steer my art int he direction of having some meaning rather than just being a pretty picture. I thought this book would be a good place to start for inspiration. I was not disappointed; this book is perfect for what I needed. Conservation photography explains how to take the best pictures to really capture nature; an animal or plant life in its natural habitat while showing the effects of pollution; climate change; or how people affect their habitats. The book also goes into great detail about cameras; which lenses are best for different types of photos; lighting; and so much more. There are also some very good interviews with photographers who practice conservation photography. Very interesting and helpful book with beautiful photos.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Interesting; entertaining; and inspirationalBy Anne PendletonI canrsquo;t praise this book enough. If you are interested in nature photography; and in preserving the places and the wildlife that you photograph; you couldnrsquo;t find a better book than this. It combines inspirational stories with detailed information about how to get the best shots and how to tell your own conservation story; as well as a wealth of information about how to save your own corner of the world. Itrsquo;s illustrated throughout with magnificent photos taken by the author and other conservation photographers - the book is worth the price just for those alone. The text is witty and concise and his down to earth style of writing makes it both easy and entertaining to read. The best part of this book; though; is the overall message; which is both energising and positive: we can all use our cameras not only to record the world; but to protect it as well. It gave me a whole new insight into photography as a tool for change; and I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in conservation or photography or both.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Great Book - a call to action!By B. MayI love this book. Ive bought and read many how to photography books and after a while they all seem the same. But this one is not one of those. Its a call to action and urges photographers to use their talents to save some of our disappearing wild lands and wild life. The author has been doing just that for over 40 years - very impressive. He is an excellent writer very engaging and conversational. After reading this I felt like rushing out and photographing some of the environmental probelms around here. What I really like about the book is his advice about how to use your photos to effect changes. I guess he used these methods himself to save threatened places. If you care about nature and our wild places get this book!
