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TatePapersno.18

Index, Diagram, Graphic Trace


Margaret Iversen
TatePapersno.18 Involuntary Drawing

TATEPAPERS
ISSN17539854
TatePapersno.18

Thegraphictraceisahybridtypeofrepresentation:ittakesfromtheindexa
registrationofsomethinguniqueanimpressofanindividualwhileincorporating
thediagramsabstractionfromwhatisimmediatelygiveninperception.Thegraphic
traceinartisexploredhereinrelationtotheindexandthediagramthroughthe
workofseveralmodernandcontemporaryartists.
1

Theindexandthediagramaretwoseeminglyincompatibletypesofsign.Whiletheindexhasaclose,
causalortactileconnectionwiththeobjectitsignifies,thediagramisaformofrepresentationthatoften
involvesstatisticalabstractionfromphenomena,suchastrendsinthestockmarketortheweather.Graphs
anddiagramsconvertstatisticaldataintolines,barsorpiechartsortranslatetemporalrelationsintospatial
relations.Someformsofdiagrammaticrepresentation,however,aregenerateddirectlybytheirobject.For
instance,thecardiographandtheseismographrespondtotherateofonesheartbeatandtheearths
tremors,respectively.Thesebeatsandtremorsareregisteredonagraphshowingvariationsovertimeasa
spikyline.Itisthishybridformofrepresentationthisindexicaldiagramthatwillhenceforthbereferredto
asagraphictrace.Hybrid,becauseittakesfromtheindexaregistrationofsomethinguniquetheimpress
ofanindividualwhileincorporatingthediagramsabstractionfromwhatisimmediatelygiveninperception.

Rilkesprimalsound
2

AnessaybytheGermanpoetRainerMariaRilke,PrimalSound(1919),concernsjustthissortof
conversionoftremorsintowhathecallsanotherfieldofsense. 1 Hebeginsbyrecallingaphysicslessonat
school,shortlyafterthephonographwasinvented,whentheclasswasinstructedtomakeaprimitive
recordingdevicethatcapturedandplayedbackthesoundoftheirownvoices.Thechildrenmadeafunnelof
cardboardthatwasclosedatthesmallendwithsomepaperthroughwhichtheystuckabristlefromabrush.
Thisreceiverwasthenputincontactwithacylindercoveredinwaxthatcouldberotatedwithahandle.They
spokeintothefunnel,causingthepapertovibrateandtheneedletoinciseanirregularfinelineinthe
receptive,rotatingsurfaceofthecylinder.Thiswavymarkinthewaxwasthenfixedwithvarnish,atwhich
pointthestudentswereabletoreversetheprocess,playingbacktherecordingwiththeneedleandlistening
intentlytotheirvoicesthroughthefunnel.Theeffect,wroteRilke,wasstaggering:Wewereconfronting,asit
were,anewandinfinitelydelicatepointinthetextureofreality. 2

Butitwasnottherecordedsound,somuchasthegraphicmarksonthecylinderthatindeliblyimpressed
themselvesonRilkesmemory.Thisbecameapparentyearslaterwhen,asananatomystudentinParis,he
castaglanceatahumanskullbathedincandlelight.Inthathalflight,thecoronalsuturebecamestrikingly
visibleandremindedhimofthewavylinescratchedonthecylinderoftheprimitivephonograph.Hebeganto
wonder:Whatifonechangedtheneedleanddirecteditonitsreturnjourneyalongatracingwhichwasnot
derivedfromthegraphictranslationofsound,butexistedofitselfnaturallyalongthecoronalsuture,for
example. 3 Linesoccurringeverywherecouldbeputundertheneedleandonewouldbeabletohearthe

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soundofanylineasitmadeitselffelt,transformed,inanotherfieldofsense.Thephonograph,forRilke,
wascapableofopeningupanaudibleunconscious,givingaccessforthefirsttimetothemelodyofthings.

Mareysgraphicmethod
4

Thephonographwasbutoneofseveralinventionsof
thenineteenthcenturythatreceivedandrecorded
subtlevibrationsandwavesanotherwasthecamera.
ThephilosopherWalterBenjaminfamouslycredited
photography,andespeciallythechronophotographyof
EadweardMuybridgeandtienneJulesMarey,with
revealinganopticalunconscious,afieldotherwise
unavailabletovisualperception. 4 Thetwopioneersin
thefield,oneofthemEnglish,theotherFrench,are
oftenyokedtogetherindiscussionsof
chronophotographyasiftheyweremoreorless
interchangeable.However,theiraimsandmethods
werequitedifferent.Beforehebecameinterestedin
photography,Mareyspentyearsdevelopingand
improvingreceivingandrecordinginstruments,whichin
aclinicalsettingcouldtracethesmallinvoluntary
motionsofthebody,suchasheartbeats,blood
Fig.1
pressure,respirationratesandsoon.Heinvented,for
example,thesphygmograph,aportablegadgetthatwas Traceofrepeatedmuscularcontractions
FromEtienneJulesMarey,LaMthodegraphiquedanslessciences
attachedtothewristtomeasurethepulse.Themotions exprimentalesetprincipalementenphysiologieetenmdecine,Paris1875,
p.194.
recordedarebarelyperceptible,butthesensitive
recordinginstrumentshedevisedandpromotedcould
pickupminutevibrationsandtransmitthemtoastylusthatwouldmakeacorrespondingmarkonarotating
cylinder(fig.1).Hehailedthesemachinesbecausetheyaremoresensitivethanhumanperceptionand
becausethegraphictraceprovidesadirectlanguageforcommunicatingtheinformationrecorded. 5 Itwasa
fundamentallynewkindofautomaticwritingthatcouldpickup,asthemediatheoristFriedrichKittlerwrites,
themurmuringandwhisperingoftheunconsciousoracles. 6

TheimagethatMareyproducedinthiswaywasasinglegraphicfieldonwhichvariationsovertimewere
displayed.When,in1878,MareysawMuybridgesphotographicstudiesofhumanandanimallocomotion,
herecognisedphotographyspotentialfortrackinglargebodilymovements,butalsoitsdisadvantages.
Muybridgetookstillphotographsinquicksuccessionofafigureinmotion.Thesecouldbedisplayedasa
seriesofstillsorprojectedasashortfilm.Muybridgesexperimentsledinthedirectionofrealisticmoving
pictures,thatis,anillusionofmovementthatmimicswhatisavailabletothesenses.Mareyssensibility,
however,wasmorediagrammatic.Hewantedtocapturethetrajectoryofthemovingbodyonasinglefield
andtriedtodosousingacamera.However,thecumulativeeffectofoverlappingphotographicexposures
tendedtoobscurethepicture.Toremedythisproblem,Mareydevisedwaysofblindingthecameratoallbut
themostessentialmovements:hedressedhismodelinblackvelvetclothandattachedsilverbuttonsand
metallicstripstothejointsandlimbsandhadhissubjectmoveinfrontofablackwall.Hereferredtothis
figureasunhommeskelette,askeletonman.AsfilmtheoristMaryAnnDoanenotes,Mareymovedfrom
graphicmethodtophotographicmethodonlytodefamiliarize,derealize,evendeiconizethe
photographic. 7 Byfilteringoutexcessinformation,Mareywasabletoproduceacleangraphictrajectoryof
anaction.Theresultwas,likehisgraphictracesofinnerbodilyperturbations,somethingbetweenanindex
andadiagram.Itwasalsoastartlinglybeautifulnewkindofpicture. 8

Althoughhewasnotaimingatartisticinnovation,Mareysblindingofthecameraandhisspinningdisk
shutter,whichsampledphenomenaatregularintervals,allowingvariationsovertimetoregisteronasingle
lightsensitiveplate,brokeupthetemporalunityofthepictorialfield.AstheauthorsofTheCultureofthe
Diagramhaveputit,hedeconstructedthetableaumaking,perspectiveviewofthecamera,whichwasleft
9

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untouchedbyMuybridge. 9 Somepeoplehavearguedthatthissetaprecedentforcubism. 10 Itcertainlydid


fortheItalianfuturistsandforMarcelDuchampsexplicitadaptationofMareysgeometric
chronophotographyinhis1912paintingNudeDescendingaStaircase(PhiladelphiaMuseumofArt). 11 In
thatwork,itisthecascadingsuperimpositionsofaskeletalfigure,registeredattemporalintervals,but
representedinthesamefield,thatiscaptured.Thefigureisabridestrippedbareofeverythingbutasortof
armatureandagraphictrace:unefemmeskelette.Equallysignificantisthewaysurrealiststookupthe
graphictrace.AndrBretonmayhaveactuallyusedoneofMareysapparatusesinamedicalcapacity
duringthewar.Forartistsandwritersassociatedwiththesurrealistmovement,theimpersonalautomatism
servedasamodeltobeimitated.ThismomenthasbeendocumentedindetailbyarthistorianDavidLomas
inanimportantarticlecalledModestRecordingInstruments:Science,SurrealismandVisuality. 12 Lomas
tookthephraseinquotationmarksfromthe1924ManifestoofSurrealism,theessaythatformallyfounded
thegroup,inwhich,inadiscussionofthesuccessesandfailuresofattemptsatautomaticwriting,Breton
complainedthatmostwritersweretoofullofpride:
Butwe,whohavemadenoefforttofilter,whoinourworkshavemadeourselvesintosimple
receptaclesofsomanyechoes,modestrecordinginstrumentswhoarenotmesmerizedbythe
drawingswearemaking,perhapsweserveanevennoblercause. 13

Peirceontheindex
7

Oneofthetermsusedinthisaccountofthegraphictrace,theindex,wasdevelopedbytheAmerican
philosopherCharlesSandersPeirce.Aspartofahighlycomplextheoryofsignsystems,Peirceintroduced
thetripartitedivisionofsignstheicon,thesymbol,andtheindexbasedontheirdifferingmeansof
signification:broadly,theicondependsonsimilarity,thesymbolonconventionandtheindexonsome
physicalorexistentialconnection.However,hemadecleartheviewthatalltypesofsignsinvolvea
combinationofthesethreemajortypes. 14 Indeed,asfilmtheoristPeterWollenpointsout,forPeirce,the
perfectsignisnotpurebutanequallybalancedhybridofallthreetypes. 15 Peircehadabackground,notin
theoreticallinguistics,butinchemistryandphysicsand,asaconsequence,histheoryofsignswasnot
limitedtosystemsofcommunication,butincludedallkindsofmanifestationthatcouldbetakenforsigns,
includingmedicalsymptoms,shadows,sunflowers,oxidationandanyinvoluntarytraceofanactionor
condition.Hedescribedtheindexasthemostforcefultypeofsign,inthatitestablishesanexistentialor
causallinktoitsreferent,directing,focusingandheighteningattention.Apointingfingerandthe
demonstrativepronounthisareindicesofthiskind.ForPeirce,everyindexcarrieswithitashocksince,by
directingattention,itchangesperceptionandthisisalwaystosomeextentshocking.Whileapointingfinger
orashadowaresimultaneouswithandnormallyadjacenttotheirobjects,mostindexicalmarksaretracesof
somethingthatwaspresentinthepast.

Inherinsightfulessay,TheIndexicalandtheConceptofMediumSpecificity,MaryAnneDoaneobserves
thatthereisatensioninPeirceswritingontheindexbetween,ontheonehand,thepurestindex,the
demonstrativepronounsthisorthat,whichpickoutaparticularobjecthereandnowwiththehelpofa
pointingfinger,and,ontheotherhand,thenotionoftheindexastrace. 16 Directingattentiontoanobject
happensinthepresentmomentandinthepresenceoftheobject.Theindexastrace,however,isproduced
orcausedbyactualcontactwithanobject(afootprintinthesand,forexample)buttheobjectitselfisabsent.
Inthisinstance,attentionisdirectedtosomethingthatwaspresentinthepast.AsDoaneobserves:The
tracedoesnotevaporateinthemomentofitsproduction,butremainsasthewitnesstoananteriority. 17

ThearthistorianRosalindKraussdiscussesbothsortsofindexinherarticleNotesontheIndex,first
publishedin1977,butsheemphasisesthetracewhensheconsiderstheAmericanphotographerManRay
andhisexperimentswithcameralessphotography.Hisinvention,therayograph,Kraussnotes,isan
exemplarycaseofatypeofphotographythattakesadvantageoftheindexical,morethantheiconic,aspect
ofthemedium.Whileallphotographyisindexical,therayographforcestheissueofthephotographs
existenceasanindex. 18 Shedescribestheimagesresultingfromputtingobjectsdirectlyontolight
sensitivepaperastheghostlytracesofdepartedobjects. 19 ManRayhimselfputitbeautifullywhenhe
calledtherayographaresidueofanexperiencerecallingtheeventmoreorlessclearly,likethe
20

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undisturbedashesofanobjectconsumedbyflames. 20
10

ManyworksbyCubanborn,Americanartist,FelixGonzalezTorres,makeuseofthecharacteroftheindex
astraceorwitnesstoananteriority.Onesuchexample,Untitled1991,consistsofaphotographthatwas
exhibitedonlargebillboardhoardingsaroundNewYorkCity(fig.2).Theimageshowsanunmadedouble
bedwithtwopillowsbearingtheimpressionoftheheadsofthosewhohadrecentlyoccupiedit.Theimageis
strikingbecauseitmakessuchanintimatedomesticscenesopublic.Itisalsoremarkableforitsdoubling
effect,notonlythedoublingofidenticalpillows,butalsothedoublingoftheindexicaltracesonthepillowsby
theindexicalcharacterofthephotograph,makingtheimageatraceofatrace.Theallwhitepictureofrecent
intimacyissoftandinviting,butittakesonadarkershadeonceonerealisesthatthedateofthephotograph,
1991,wastheyearthatGonzalezTorresspartner,RossLaycock,diedofAIDSafteralongillness.The
billboardsfunctioned,then,asmemorialscommemoratingtheirlovingrelationship.Thisgesturewassubtly
transgressiveinthecontextofthehystericalreactiontotheAIDSepidemicintheUnitedStatesand
conservativeattacksonhomosexuality.Althoughtheimpressionsonthepillowsareobviouslynotliteral
indicesoftheloversheads,butastagedstilllife,thisfactdoesnotdiminishthepoweroftheworktodraw
attentiontosomethingthatexistedinthepast.Now,inretrospect,theemptinessofthebedrecallsthatthe
artisthimselfdiedjustfiveyearslater. 21

Fig.2
FelixGonzalezTorres
Untitled1991
Printedbillboard
TheFelixGonzalezTorresFoundation

11

GonzalesTorresusedthepoweroftheindexastracetorefertopastpresenceandpresentabsence.Yetit
isnotthesortofartisticuseoftheindexthatpicksupandrecordsbodilyormentalperturbations.Aworkby
BulgarianartistNedkoSolakov,Fear2002,exemplifiesthiscapacityoftheindex(fig.3).Anextractfrom
Solakovstextthatformspartoftheworkmakesthisclear:
BetweenJuly3rdandSeptember15th,2002,Icarriedsmallballsofclayinmyhandsduringallthe
flightsItooktovariousdestinations.Totransformtheseballsintoworksofartwasveryeasy.Ijust
exploitedmynatural(andacquired)fearofflyingandkeptsqueezingthemallthetimeinmyfists.
Someofthemwereheldforthreehours,someforone.Thesophisticatedmaterialcapturedthe
nervousconvulsionsofmyterrifiedhands,triggeredbyallthatbumping,babiescryingandthe

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momentsofrelativelyquietcruising(whicharetheworstbecauseIexpectsomethingForGods
sakeNo!tohappeneveryminute). 22

Fig.3
NedkoSolakov
Fear20023
Terracotta,Alitalia,AustrianAirlines,andLufthansaboardingpassstubs,ballpointpen
tenpairsofsculptures,someoftheminpiecesdimensionsvariable.
Courtesytheartist
PhotographAngelTzvetanov

12

Thebodilyinvoluntarinessoftheclaysculpturesismatchedbythecomputerisedautomaticityofhisboarding
passesdisplayedalongsidethehandmadepieces.Coincidentally,someofthesculptureslooklikeears
listeninganxiouslyfortheplanesenginestofalter.

Thediagramaticparadigm
13

Peircealsodiscussedthediagram,whichheunderstoodasasubspecieoftheiconbecausethereisa
relationshipofsimilaritybetweenthelogicalortemporalrelationsandspatialrelationsofthediagram.
FollowingPeirce,theRussianbornsemioticianRomanJakobsonexploredtheuseofdiagramsineveryday
language.Forinstance,somesentencescanbeseenasminidiagrams:JuliusCaesarsfamousutterance,
Veni,vidi,vici(Icame,Isaw,Iconquered),displaysinalinearsequencethetemporalorderofhis
deeds. 23 Picturesalsodisplaylogicalrelationsdiagrammatically,aswhenthemostimportantfigureina
compositionisdepictedlargerandpositionedcentrally.Thereis,ofcourse,ameasureofcustomand
conventioninthisarrangement,butitisnotarbitraryrather,ithasanunderlyingdiagrammaticlogic.Theart
historianMeyerSchapirowroteaboutthesepictorialdiagrams,observingthewaythespacearoundfigures
affectonessenseofthem.ReferringtoworkbyEdvardMunch,henotedthatthisisevenmoreevident
whereseveralfiguresarepresented,forthentheintervalsbetweenthemproducearhythmofbodyandvoid
anddetermineeffectsofintimacy,encroachment,andisolation,liketheintervalsofspaceinanactual
humangroup. 24

14

Awiderangingaccountofthediagrammaticparadigmasitfiguresinmodernandcontemporaryartcanbe
foundinarthistorianBenjaminBuchlohs2006essay,HessesEndgame:FacingtheDiagram.Duringthe
twentiethcentury,Buchlohargues,oneoftheprincipaldialecticaloppositionsinthemediumofdrawinghas

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beentheauthenticcorporealtraceandtheexternallyestablishedmatrix. 25 Ononeside,drawingasdesire,
ontheother,drawingasselfcriticalsubjectiontopreexistingformulae. 26 BuchlohsinglesoutDuchamps
NetworkofStoppages1914asapivotalworkbecauseDuchampoverlaidagridandadiagrammaticnetwork
oflinesontopofaCzannesquepaintingofnudesoneformofrepresentation,asitwere,displacing
another. 27 Unlikepriormodelsofdrawing,thediagramwouldnottracedesire,callforthcorporalityormake
aliberatorygestureratheritwouldregisterthedisenchantmentoftheworldandthetotalsubjectionofthe
bodyanditsrepresentationtolegalandadministrativecontrol. 28 BuchlohalludesheretoMuybridgeand
Marey,stressingtheadoptionoftheirtechniquesfortimeandmotionstudiesaimedatdisciplininglabour.
Thediagrammaticdrawingis,forhim,thedeliberateevacuationofthebodyandsubjectivity,oratleasttheir
discipliningandcontrol.HeconcludesthatEvaHesseadoptedthediagrammaticandsubverteditslogic,
contradictingtheregulatingpatternofgraphpaper,forexample,byinscribingtinyinkcirclesinthegraph
papersquaresofUntitled1967(privatecollection).AsarthistorianBrionyFerhasobserved,itwasthe
variablepressureofherhandmakinglittlecircularmovementsthatproducedthefigureofacross. 29 In
otherwords,Hesseandotherartistsofthisperiodadoptthediagrammaticmodeinordertoregistertheir
senseoftheimpossibilityofanyspontaneous,unmediatedgesture,whileatthesametimesubtlysubverting
thecoerciveregimesofthediagrammatic.
15

AsimilarstrategycanbefoundinGonzalezTorressuseofthediagram.Infact,hisworkUntitled
(Bloodworks)1989(fig.4)isformallyverymuchindebtedtoHesseaswellastotheworkofRussian
constructivistAlexanderRodchenko. 30 Itshowsascendinganddescendingdiagonallinesonapencilled
grid.Giventheworkstitle,thelineshavebeeninterpretedasregisteringthedailycountoftheimmune
systemsTcellsthattracktheeffectsoftheAIDSvirus.Thusthepairofimagesmightbesaidtorepresent
falsehopeanddespair.ThesespareworksalsobringtomindanillustrationinthephilosopherRoland
BarthessautobiographyRolandBarthesbyRolandBarthes,inwhichamedicalchartofthesortthatis
routinelykeptattheendofapatientshospitalbedservesasakindofnonmimeticportraitoftheyoung
tuberculosissufferer.

Fig.4
FelixGonzalezTorres
Untitled(Bloodworks)1989
Graphite,colouredpencil,andtemperaonpaper
TheFelixGonzalezTorresFoundation

16

AninterestingtakeonthediagrammaticparadigmwasexhibitedattheVeniceBiennalein2011.Aspartof

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herthematicdisplaydevotedtosubtlecoercionsofthe
classroom,theArgentineanartistAmaliaPicashoweda
piececalledVennDiagram(UndertheSpotlight)2011
(fig.5).TheVenndiagramisaparticularkindof
mathematicalgraphthatdisplayslogicalrelationswith
overlappingcircles,thesimplestofwhichhastwo
circles.Forexample,ifonecircledenotescreaturesthat
havetwofeet,andtheotherone,creaturesthatcanfly,
thentheoverlappingareawoulddesignatebirdsand
bats,oranyotheranimalsthatsharethetwocriteria.
Picasworkconsistsoftwospotlights,onewithared
filterandtheotherwithaturquoiseone,whichare
projectedontoawallintheshapeofaVenndiagram,
thecentralportionofwhichiswhite.Thesetup
demonstratesbothasimplelogicalschemaandan
elementaryphysicslessononthephenomenonof
colouredlightsmixingtoformwhitelight.Inthe
accompanyingcaption,Picaoutlinesthediagrams
logicalrelationsofinclusionandexclusionandnotes
thatduringtheperiodofthedictatorshipinthe1970sin
Argentina,anygroupactivitywascloselymonitoredand
Venndiagramswerebannedfromprimaryschool
Fig.5
curriculaastheyweresuspectedofencouraging
AmaliaPica
VennDiagram(UndertheSpotlight)2011
subversivethought.Thelightsareactivatedbymotion
Spotlights,motionsensorsandtext
sensorssothatifjustonepersonisdetectedinthe
CourtesytheartistandMarcFoxxGallery,LosAngeles
room,onlyonelightcomeson.Itrequiresmovementby PhotographKikiTriantafyllou
onepersonoracombinationoftwoormorepeoplein
theroom(atransitorycollective)inordertoseetheintersectionofthetwolights. 31 Thesensorsandthe
subtitleofthework,underthespotlight,refertomonitoringandsurveillanceofpeople. 32 Thepieceisan
illustrationofthekindofparanoidirrationalitycharacteristicofpolicestateswherethecoincidenceoftwoor
morepeopleinaroomconstitutesaconspiracy,andaVenndiagramtakesonasubversive
politicalcolouring.
17

Hessesdrawingsongraphpaper,GonzalesTorressBloodworksseriesandPicasVennDiagramare
examplesofdiagramsthataimtosoftenthediagrammaticparadigmsunyieldingabstractionwithtracesof
thebody.ThisaccordswithwhatarthistorianDavidJoselitarguesaboutDuchamp,whoheclaimsre
investedthedomainofthesignlanguageandthediagrammaticmodewiththecarnalandthetactile.If
Joselitisright,thenDuchampsNetworkofStoppagesrepresents,notareplacementofonemodeby
another,butratherafusionofthediagrammaticandthecorporeal,oflineandflesh.AsJoselitputsit,in
NetworkofStoppages,thebodyissubjectedtoastandardofmeasurement,butonethatcollapsesback
intothecarnal. 33 ThenetworkisbasedonthewavylinesDuchampproducedbydroppingmetrelong
threadsforhis3StandardStoppages191314(fig.6).AccordingtoJoselit,thisworkshouldbeunderstood
asanexperimentingivingalight,unruly,curvaceousbodytoaunitofmeasurement. 34 Itwouldseem,then,
thatthewhitethreadsfixedondarkgroundallude,notjusttotheoperationofchance,buttoMareysgraphic
traceand,assuch,theyrepresenttheembodimentofline.

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Fig.6
MarcelDuchamp
3stoppagestalon(3StandardStoppages)191314,replica1964
SuccessionMarcelDuchamp/ADAGP,ParisandDACS,London2015
Viewthemainpageforthisartwork

Thegraphictrace
18

Thegraphictraceisadiagramactuallygeneratedbythebodyandassuchitcombinesthecarnalandthe
symbolic,thelineandtheflesh,effortlessly,automatically.Therearetwonotableexamplesofartistic
appropriationsofscientificgraphictracesthatdatefromthe1960s,bothunderthespellofDuchamp.These
involvetheappropriationofmedicaltechnologyinordertomakeunconventionalportraits.ThefirstisRobert
Morrisselectroencephalographic(EEG)selfportrait,Untitled(Hook,Track,MemoryDents)1963,which
consistsofeightleadplaquesnamingthedifferentareasofthebrainmonitoredbyelectrodesattachedtothe
artistshead,andtheEEGprintoutsrecordedateachlocation.Morrisdiscussedthepieceinaninterview
conductedbyarthistorianPaulCummingsin1968,notingthatduringtherecordingoftheEEG,hethought
abouthimselfforthetimeittookthegraphiclinetoequalhisheight,therebycompoundingitsreflexivity:
IwenttoN.Y.U.MedicalCenterandIhadtheelectroencephalogrammade.Iwantedtomakeaself
portraitInonesecondtheneedlewilltravelsofar.SoIcalculatedthetimeIwouldhavetothink
aboutmyselffortheneedletotravelthelengthofmyheight.Andthatwasconsideredaselfportrait.
SoIthoughtaboutmyselfforthistimeandusedthatkindofoutputasthedrawing. 35

19

Morrisunderstoodtheworktobeanontraditionalkind
ofdrawing.Ashesayslaterintheinterview,eachone
ofthoseneedlesmakesalittledifferentkindofmark.
Thepaperisveryspecial.Therearemanylines.There
areeightlinesIbelievefromeightpartsofthebrain.For
meitsinterestingtolookat. 36 Itwasshowninthe
GreenGallerytheyearitwasmadealongwitha
numberofotherpiecesthat,asMorriscomments,
relatedtothebody,mybody,recordsofbrainwaves,
photographsofmyself,variousobjectsinvolving

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recordingactionslikeahookdroppedonplatesoflead
anddrawnthroughplaster. 37 Morrisimplicitlymakesa
connectionherebetweenindexicaltracesofthebody
andthematerialtracesofprocessart.
20

Thesecondworkthatmakesuseofascientificgraphic
traceisBrianODohertysPortraitofMarcel
Duchamp1966(fig.7). 38 ODohertygreatlyadmired
Duchampandmadefriendswithhimintheearly1960s.
Hewasprovoked,however,byDuchampspessimistic
attitudetothepossibilityofartsurvivingitsmomentof
creation.Duchampsawthemuseumasagraveyard
andcontendedthat,Whenyouputartonthewallofthe
museum,itbeginstodie. 39 ODoherty,whowas
trainedasadoctorandwasatthattimeinterestedinthe
ethicalissuesandproblemsofidentitythatarosefrom
thepossibilityoftransplantinghearts(achievedin1967)
andotherorgans,thoughtaboutwayshecouldrefute
thisscepticalclaim.Itoccurredtohimthattheperfect
refutationwouldbetocaptureDuchampsbeatingheart
Fig.7
anddisplayitinamuseum.Hemanagedtodothisby
BrianODoherty
gettingDuchamptolieonabedandhaveelectrodes
PortraitofMarcelDuchamp:MountedCardiogram4/4/661966
attachedtohisextremitiesinordertotakereadingswith Electrocardiographictracings,inkandtypewrittentextonpaper
Courtesytheartist
ahiredelectrocardiogram(ECG).Inordertomakethe
cardiogramlive,ODohertydevisedamachinethat
simulatedanoscilloscopeinactionwiththecharacteristictraceofDuchampsendlesslybeating,immortal
heart.AccordingtoODoherty,DuchampsuggestedsigningthepieceBrianODoherty,MD,insinuating
himselfascoauthor.However,ODohertyrealisedthatthepiece,farfrombeingcollaborative,had
undertonesoftheftandfetishism.ODohertyssenseofhavingchallengedDuchampandwonisbest
representedbyDuchampBoxed(fig.8),acylinderwrappedwithastripoftheECGinsertedintoalittleblue
cardboardcasket.

Fig.8

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BrianODoherty
DuchampBoxed1968
Electrocardiographictracing,cardboardbox
CourtesytheartistandGalerieThomasFischer

21

TheBritishartistSusanMorrismakesprintsandtapestriesusingthelatesttechnologiesofthegraphictrace.
Inpreparationforanongoingseriesofworks,Morrisconstantlyworeonherwristadevicecalledan
actiwatch,whichrecordsintensityanddurationofmovement,andisused,forexample,bychronobiologists
totracksleepdisturbances.Theactiwatchsdataisfedintoacomputertocreategraphsthatdisplaythe
subjectsperiodsofwakingandsleeping.Morrisadaptsthesemulticoloureddisplaystoshowperiodsof
beingandfadingovertime(fig.9).

Fig.9
SusanMorris
ThreeDaysinNewcastle2009
Actigraph,archivalinkjetonpaper
SusanMorris

22

Assheremarks,thebrightcoloursarethetraceofmyactivityintheworldandthedarkareas
(theshadows)arewhenImoutofit,sleepingand,quiteprobably,dreaming. 40 Whatemergesfromher
practiceiswhatthewriterMarcelProustcalledtheintermittenceoftheself,itsmemoryblanksand
involuntaryrecollections,itsfluctuatingpresenceandabsence.WhenMorriswasawardedaWellcomeTrust
grantin2010tomakenewworkfortheJohnRadcliffeHospitalinOxford,shedecidedtomakelarge
tapestriesbyinputtingdatafromtheactiwatchthathadtrackedhersleepingandwakingpatternsoverlong
periods.HerchoiceofmediumwaspromptedbyareadingofWalterBenjaminsessayTheImageofProust
(1929),whereBenjaminclaimsthatProustsinvoluntarymemoryactuallyresemblesforgetting.Generalising
fromthis,Benjaminremarksthatwhenweawakeeachmorningweholdinourhands,usuallyweaklyand
loosely,butafewfringesofthetapestryoflivedlife,asloomedforusbyforgetting. 41 Heinvertsthestoryof
patientPenelopewhounravelledbynightthepatternwovenduringtheday.Rather,Benjaminsuggests,itis
ourpurposiveactivityandrememberingthatunravelsthepatternsformedatnight. 42 Thisformulationdraws
onSigmundFreudscontentionthatconsciousnessandmemoryareincompatiblestates. 43

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Fig.10
SusanMorris
SunDial:NightWatch_Sleep/Wake_20102011
Silkandwoolyarntapestry
InstallationviewatJohnRadcliffeHospital,Oxford
SusanMorris

Fig.11
GabrielOrozco
PathofThought1997
Silverdyebleachprint
CourtesytheartistandMarianGoodmanGallery,NewYork

23

TheteamofchronobiologistsattheUniversityofOxford
wholentMorristheactiwatcheshavedescribedsleep

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patternsasbeingakintofingerprints:uniqueand
individual.Itispossible,then,tothinkofthisbodyof
workinrelationtoautomaticwritingordrawingand
toconsiderthegraphsasinvoluntary,diagrammatic,
displacedselfportraits.Thetapestry
SunDial:NightWatch_Sleep/Wake_20102011(fig.10)is
oneofthreepermanentlyinstalledintheJohnRadcliffe
Hospital.Thehorizontalaxisrepresents365days,while
theverticalaxisshowsvariationinactivityoverthe
courseoftheday:eachdayis1440minuteslongand
thereisonethreadperminute.Thiscalculation
determinesthewidthofthetapestry.Whatlookslikea
nightskyorcanyondownthemiddleofthetapestry
representsthelowlevelofactivityatnight. 44 The
tapestryisrigorouslydiagrammatic,yetitisalsomarked
bytheintimacyoftheindex.Totheleft,onecanclearly
makeoutatimeshiftregisteringatriptoNewYorkCity
and,ontheright,athinbluelinecrossingthedark
canyonthatregistersanallnightsessionwritinga
lecture.Morrissworkevokestheungovernablebodyof
thehystericinthenineteenthcenturyclinic,subjectedto
measureandconfinement.Yet,inbothcases,laid
acrossatemporalgrid,thegraphictracerecordsa
waywardbodyor,asMorrissays,onethatgoesitsown
way. 45
24

Rilkespeculatedaboutthesoundthatwouldbeemitted
byplaying,likearecord,thecoronalsutureoftheskull.
Butitwastheskullasprotectiveshieldofthebrainand
theboundlessactivityofthemindthatreallyinterested
him.Theerraticsutureisametaphorfortheinner
workingsofthepsycheandparticularlyfortheimpactof
trauma,describedbyFreudasthelayingdownofan
indelibletrace. 46 InhisEighthDuinoElegy(1923),
Rilkedescribedthefirstpanickyflightofayoungbird:it
jerksthoughtheair,asacrackgoesthroughacup.As
thetrackofabattearsthroughtheporcelainof
evening. 47 Thelineofflighttracesajaggedpath
throughthesky,figuredhereasaceramiccup,
registeringdistressinaformsimilartothecardiograph
orencephalograph.GabrielOrozcomayhavealludedto
thischainofassociationsinhisphotograph,Pathof
Thought1997(fig.11).Forthis,hedrewagraphlike
gridaroundaskulland,usingchiaroscuroeffects,
highlightedthepathofthecoronalsuture.Hemusthave
beenawarethatthisimageresemblesaprintoutfrom
somesensitiverecordinginstrument.HisFingerRuler
II1995(fig.12),whichshowstheregularintrusionofhis
fingertipsintorepeatedruledlines,closelyresemblesa
platefromMareysbookLaMthodegraphique(1878).
InOrozcosdrawingandMareysgraphictrace,bodily
perturbationsareregisteredonagridthatseeksto
measureandfixthem.

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Fig.12
GabrielOrozco
FingerRulerII1995
Drawingongraphpaper
CourtesytheartistandMarianGoodmanGallery,NewYork

Fig.13
AmaliaPica
SpinningTrajectory#22009
Felttipongraphpaper
CourtesytheartistandMarcFoxxGallery,LosAngeles
PhotographRobertWedemeyer

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25

Orozcossimpledrawingencapsulatesthethemeofthisessay:itimpliesthatMareyssignificancehas
nothingtodowiththeimpressionofmovement,butratherwiththeinventionofakindofinvoluntary,bodily
languageofdrawing.Also,whiletheruledlinesallude,asBuchlohwouldsay,tothewaythatlivesare
regulatedorpreprogrammedbyanexternalmatrix,thebumpspointtothebodysinsistentpresenceand
thesubjectsdesiretodeviatefromthestraightline.Althoughthegraphictracewasoriginallyascientific
inventionaimedataccuratelymeasuringandrecordinginnerandouterbodilymotionsandcanserveasa
techniqueofpowerandcontrol,thereisnonethelessaformaltensionbetweenthejagged,irregularityofthe
lineandthegridofthegraphpaperontowhichitisoftendrawn.ThistensionisthethemeofAmaliaPicas
seriesofdrawings,SpinningTrajectories2009,whicharemadeongraphpaperwithafelttippedspinning
top(fig.13).Thetopleaves,notajaggedlineregisteringtrauma,butratheraskidding,twirling,irrepressible,
playfullinerunningacrossthepage.
1. RainerMariaRilke,PrimalSound,inRainerMariaRilke,RodinandOtherProsePieces,trans.byG.
CraigHouston,London1986,p.130.
2. Ibid.,p.128.
3. Ibid.,p.129.
4. WalterBenjamin,TheWorkofartintheAgeofitsTechnologicalReproducibility,inWalterBenjamin,
TheWorkofArtintheAgeofitsTechnologicalReproducibilityandotherWritingsonMedia,eds.Michael
Jennings,BrigidDohertyandThomasLevin,Cambridge,MassachusettsandLondon2008,p.37.
5. tienneJulesMarey,LaMthodegraphiquedanslessciencesexprimentales,etprincipalementen
physiologieetenmedicine,Paris1878.SeealsoFrancoisDagognet,tienneJulesMarey:APassionfor
theTrace,trans.byRobertGaletawithJeanineHerman,NewYork1992,andMartaBraun,Picturing
Time:TheWorkoftienneJulesMarey,ChicagoandLondon1994.
6. FriedrichA.Kittler,Gramophone,Film,Typewriter,trans.byGeoffreyWinthropYoungandMichaelWutz,
Stanford1999.
7. MaryAnnDoane,TheEmergenceofCinematicTime:Modernity,Contingency,theArchive,Cambridge,
Massachusetts2002,p.54.
8. An2011exhibitionattheRoyalAcademyofArtsinLondonrevealedthewayinwhichEdgarDegas,
undertheinfluenceofMarey,becameinterestedinabstractingthefigureinordertobringoutthe
trajectoryofaline.InhisexperimentswithphotographyDegasusedlightinginsuchawaythatit
transformedathreedimensionallikenessintoagraphicline.Hecomparedtheeffecttomoonlight,so
againonecanseehowtherestrictionofthevisiblefieldcanberevelatory.
9. MichaelMarrianandJohnBender,TheCultureoftheDiagram,Stanford2010,p.202.
10. See,forexample,Braun1994,pp.2812.
11. SeeDuchampsremarksonMareyinPierreCabanne,DialogueswithMarcelDuchamp,NewYork1979,
p.34.
12. DavidLomas,ModestRecordingInstruments:Science,SurrealismandVisuality,ArtHistory,vol.27,
no.4,September2004,pp.62751.Lomasdiscussessomeexamplesofthesurrealistsappropriationof
thegraphictrace,includingacollagebyMaxErnstandaSalvadorDaletching.SeealsoDavidLomas,
BecomingMachine:SurrealistAutomatismandSomeContemporaryInstances,TatePapers,issue18,
Autumn2012,http://www.tate.org.uk/research/publications/tatepapers/becomingmachin...,accessed20
November2012.
13. AndrBreton,ManifestoofSurrealism,1924,inManifestoesofSurrealism,trans.byRichardSeaver
andHelenR.Lane,AnnArbor1969,pp.278.
14. CharlesSandersPeirce,Icon,Index,Symbol,inCharlesSandersPeirce,CollectedPapers.Vol.II:
ElementsofLogic,Cambridge,Massachusetts1960,pp.159ffCharlesSandersPeirce,Logicas

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Semiotic:TheTheoryofSigns,inJustusBuchler(ed.)ThePhilosophyofPeirce:SelectedWritings,New
York1940,pp.98119.
15. PeterWollen,SignsandMeaningintheCinema,Bloomington1972,p.123.
16. MaryAnnDoane,TheIndexicalandtheConceptofMediumSpecificity,Differences:AJournalof
FeministCulturalStudies,vol.18,no.1,p.134.SeealsoDoanesintroductiontothevolume.
17. Ibid.,p.136.
18. RosalindKrauss,NotesontheIndex:Part1,1977,inRosalindKrauss,TheOriginalityoftheAvant
GardeandOtherModernistMyths,Cambridge,MassachusettsandLondon1986,p.203.
19. Ibid.,p.203.
20. ManRay,TheAgeofLight,inAlanTrachtenberg(ed.),ClassicEssaysonPhotography,NewHaven
1980,p.167.
21. ForarelevantdiscussionofGonzalezTorres,seeNancySpector,FelixGonzalezTorres,New
York1995.
22. NedkoSolakov,Fear,2003,http://nedkosolakov.net/content/fear/story/index_eng.html,paragraph5,
accessed6October2012.
23. SeeRomanJakobson,QuestfortheEssenceofLanguage,Diogenes,no.13,September1965,p.27.
24. MeyerSchapiro,OnSomeProblemsintheSemioticsofVisualArt:FieldandVehicleinImageSigns,
1969,inMeyerSchapiro,TheoryandPhilosophyofArt:Style,Artist,andSociety,NewYork1994,p.12.
25. BenjaminH.D.Buchloh,HessesEndgame:FacingtheDiagram,inCatherinedeZegher(ed.),Eva
HesseDrawing,exhibitioncatalogue,TheDrawingCenter,NewYork2006,p.117.
26. Ibid.,p.117.
27. MarcelDuchamp,NetworkofStoppages1914(MuseumofModernArt,New
York),http://www.moma.org/collection/object.php?object_id=79600,accessed8November2012
28. Ibid.,119.
29. BrionyFer,TheInfiniteLine:RemakingArtafterModernism,NewHavenandLondon2004,p.124.
30. SeeSpector1995,p.120.Untitled(Bloodworks)1989isaworkonpaperwithgraphite,colouredpencil,
andtempera.Thetemperaisthewhitesquareonthepaperandthegridandwasdrawnbyhand.
AlexanderRodchenkosLineDrawing1921(privatecollection)isadrawingofadiagonallineincrayon
onagraph.
31. AmaliaPica,emailcorrespondencewiththeauthor,16November2011.
32. Ibid.
33. DavidJoselit,InfiniteRegress:MarcelDuchamp,19101941,Cambridge,MassachusettsandLondon
1998,p.61.SeealsoDavidJoselit,DadasDiagrams,inLeahDickermanandMatthewWitkovsky
(eds.),TheDadaSeminars,Washington2005.
34. Joselit1998,p.29.
35. PaulCummings,OralhistoryinterviewwithRobertMorris,1968Mar.10,ArchivesofAmericanArt,
SmithsonianInstitution,http://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/interviews/oralhistoryinterviewrobe...),
accessed6October2012.
36. Ibid.,accessed6October2012.
37. Ibid.,accessed6October2012.
38. FormoreinformationonthesixteencomponentsmakingupODohertys19667PortraitofMarcel
DuchampseePatrickIreland:TheDuchampPortrait,1966/67,exhibitioncatalogue,CorcoranArt
Gallery,WashingtonD.C.1974.On27March2009ODohertygavealecturecalledTakingDuchamps
PortraitattheEdgarP.RichardsonSymposiumonPortraitureheldattheDonaldW.ReynoldsCenter
forAmericanArtandPortraiture,WashingtonD.C.Thesymposiumwasheldinconjunctionwiththe
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openingoftheexhibition,InventingMarcelDuchamp:TheDynamicsofPortraiture,attheSmithsonians
NationalPortraitGallery.IamgratefultoBrianODohertyandtheNationalPortraitGalleryforsending
methetranscript.
39. BrianODoherty,TakingDuchampsPortrait,unpublishedtranscriptoflecturedeliveredattheEdgarP.
RichardsonSymposiumonPortraiture,DonaldW.ReynoldsCenterforAmericanArtandPortraiture,
WashingtonD.C.,27March2009.
40. Ibid.
41. WalterBenjamin,TheImageofProust,WalterBenjamin:SelectedWriting19271934,ed.andtrans.by
MichaelWilliamJennings,MarcusPaulBullock,HowardEiland,GarySmith,RodneyLivingstone,
andE.F.N.Jephcott,vol.2,Cambridge,MassachusettsandLondon1999,p.238.
42. Ibid.,p.238.
43. SigmundFreud,BeyondthePleasurePrinciple,1920,TheStandardEditionoftheComplete
PsychologicalWorksofSigmundFreud,trans.byJamesStrachey,vol.18,London1974,p.25.Foran
accounttotheimpactofFreudsessayonartandtheoryseeMargaretIversen,BeyondPleasure:Freud,
Lacan,Barthes,Pennsylvania2007.
44. ThisinformationcomesfrompostersMorrismadeforthehospitalandfromconversationswiththeartist.
MorrishasproducedabookwithessaysbyBrionyFer,MargaretIversenandEdKrma.SeeDeirdre
ODwyer(ed.),SusanMorris,SontagMontag,London2009.
45. Itisworthmentioningthatthefirstcomputerstookastheirmodelthejacquardloomanditsprogramming
onpunchcards.Morrisstapestriesaremadeonamodern,computerdrivenjacquardloominGhent,
Belgium,thehomeoffinetapestrymakingsincetheRenaissance.
46. ForFreud,memoryinvolvesthepermanenttraceofexcitations:Wedescribeastraumaticexcitations
fromoutsidewhicharepowerfulenoughtobreakthroughtheprotectiveshield.Freud1974,pp.26,29.
47. RainerMariaRilke,DuinoElegies,trans.byC.F.MacIntyre,NewYork2007,p.65.

Acknowledgements
ArticlesrelatingtoInvoluntaryDrawinghavebeenbroughttogetherinTatePapersno.18byMargaret
Iversen,whocoorganisedwithDavidLomasthesymposiumInvoluntaryDrawing:Time,MotionCapture,the
BodythattookplaceattheUniversityofWestminsteron18February2012withthesupportoftheCentrefor
theStudyofSurrealismanditsLegacies.TheeditorialteamisgratefultoProfessorIversenforherskilfulco
ordinationofthisissue.
OtherpapersrelatingtothisthemecanbefoundinTatePapersno.18.
MargaretIversenisProfessorintheSchoolofPhilosophyandArtHistory,UniversityofEssex.
TatePapersAutumn2012MargaretIversen
Howtocite
MargaretIversen,'Index,Diagram,GraphicTrace',TatePapers,no.18,Autumn2012,
http://www.tate.org.uk/research/publications/tatepapers/18/indexdiagramgraphictrace,accessed7
November2015.
TatePapers(ISSN17539854)isapeerreviewedresearchjournalthatpublishesarticlesonBritishand
moderninternationalart,andonmuseumpracticetoday.

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