The Object Stares Back：On the Nature of Seeing

Atfirstitappearsthatnothingcouldbeeasierthanseeing.Wejustfocusoureyesandtakeinwhateveritisbeforeus.Thisabilityseemsdetached,efficient,andrational--asiftheeyeswerecompetentmachinestellinguseverythingabouttheworldwithoutdistortingitinanyway.Usingdrawings,paintings,diagrams,andphotographstoillustratehispoints,Elkinsraisesintriguingquestionsandoffersastonishingperceptionaboutthenatureofvision.

JamesElkinsgrewupinIthaca,NewYork,separatedfromCornellUniversitybyaquarter-mileofwoodsonceownedbythenaturalistLaurencePalmer.HestayedoninIthacalongenoughtogettheBAdegree(inEnglishandArtHistory),withsummerhitchhikingtripstoAlaska,Mexico,Guatemala,theCaribbean,andColumbia.Forthelasttwenty-fiveyearshehaslivedinChicago;hegotagraduatedegreeinpainting,andthenswitchedtoArtHistory,gotanothergraduatedegree,andwentontothePhDinArtHistory,whichhefinishedin1989.(AllfromtheUniversityofChicago.)SincethenhehasbeenteachingattheSchooloftheArtInstituteofChicago.HeiscurrentlyE.C.ChadbourneChairintheDepartmentofArtHistory,Theory,andCriticism.Hiswritingfocusesonthehistoryandtheoryofimagesinart,science,andnature.Someofhisbooksareexclusivelyonfineart(WhatPaintingIs,WhyAreOurPicturesPuzzles?).Othersincludescientificandnon-artimages,writingsystems,andarchaeology(TheDomainofImages,OnPicturesandtheWordsThatFailThem),andsomeareaboutnaturalhistory(HowtoUseYourEyes).CurrentprojectsincludeaseriescalledtheStoneSummerTheoryInstitutes;abookcalledTheProjectofPainting:1900-2000;aseriescalledTheoriesofModernismandPostmodernismintheVisualArt.HemarriedMargaretMacNamidhein1994onInishmore,oneoftheAranIslands,offtheWestcoastofIreland.Margaretisalsoanarthistorian,withaspecialtyinDelacroix.Jim'sinterestsincludemicroscopy(withaZeissNomarskidifferentialinterferencemicroscopeandAnoptralphasecontrast),optics(heownsanophthalmologist’sslit-lampmicroscope),stereophotography(withaRealistcamera),playingpiano,and(wheneverpossible)winteroceandiving.

INTRODUCTION

One    "JUST LOOKING"

Two   THE OBJECT STARES BACK

Three LOOKING AWAY, AND SEEING TOO MUCH

Four   SEEING BODIES

Five   WHAT IS A FACE?

Six    BLINDNESS

ENVOI

FOR FURTHER READING

PHOTO CREDITS

INDEX