Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2006. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Collage, as a verbal and visual medium, epitomises the heterogeneity, indeterminacy and
fragmentation of the postmodern moment. In this thesis I argue that visual collage - in the context
of book illustration - presents an ideal form with which to illustrate the state of contemporary
(postmodern) narrative. Postmodernism, as a term or concept, evades any form of absolute or
definitive account. Hence, in my discussion of the postmodern condition I move towards an
understanding of this complex theoretical and cultural phenomenon. Postmodern cultural artifacts
reflect the state of a modernised, Western-orientated, globalised consciousness, which resists
arborescent structures in past and contemporary texts. In both postmodern narratives and in
literary fictional narratives the condition of artifice is amplified. Thus, this thesis explores various
characteristics evident in postmodern fiction in order to understand and demonstrate the changes
manifest in contemporary narratives in general. Many of the stylistic and figurative devices
employed in the postmodern novel foreground the excessive appropriation and self-reflexive
textualism of contemporary texts - these literary devices often reflect particular collage-like
tendencies or characteristics.
Contemporary literary theory, in addition, provides many useful terms and concepts with which
to describe visual texts and, for the purposes of this discussion, narrative illustration. This thesis
is centred primarily on an analysis of the practical component completed as part of the Master of
Arts degree in Fine Arts. The discussion of the practical work is embedded in the wider fields of
book art - particularly the postmodern artist's book (livre detourne) - and in contentious debates
around the role of visual narrative illustration. In both the thesis and the illustrated book objects, I
challenge the secondary and supplementary position traditionally held by illustration in the
context of the book. I argue for a form of visual narrative that is not required to function as a
mere translation of the primary verbal text. Instead - working within the context of the artist's
book and through the utilisation of collage as a visual (and verbal) medium - I demonstrate that
illustration may complement, supplement or subvert the written text. Furthermore, I show that
illustration may assume the role of the primary text in the context of the codex.
Finally, this study creates a space for a creative and participatory reader who, through the
intertextual processes made evident in the book objects, becomes an active 'reader-writer' of the
visual and verbal narratives under discussion. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Collage, as beide 'n verbale en visuele medium, verpersoonlik die onbesliste, gefragmenteerde,
heterogene moment van postmodemisme. In hierdie tesis voer ek aan dat visuele collage, binne
die konteks van boekillustrasie, 'n ideale vorm van uitbeelding hied om die toestand van
kontemporere (postmodeme) narratief te illustreer. Postmodemisme, as 'n term of konsep,
ontwyk enige volslae of beslissende betekenis. Gevolglik poog ek in my bespreking van die
postmodeme toestand om nader aan 'n begrip van hierdie komplekse teoretiese en kulturele ,
fenoneem te beweeg. Postmodeme kulturele artefakte reflekteer die toestand van 'n
gemodemiseerde, Westers-georienteerde, geglobaliseerde bewustheid wat liniere strukture in
tekste uit die verlede en die hede weerstaan. In beide postmodeme narratiewe en fiktiewe literere
narratiewe word die gesteldheid van kunsskepping toegelig. Dus ondersoek hierdie tesis verskeie
opvallende eienskappe van postmodeme fiksie ten einde die veranderinge wat in die algemeen in
kontemporere narratiewe manifesteer te verstaan en te demonstreer. Vele van die stilistiese en
figuratiewe tegnieke van die postmodemistiese roman plaas die oormatige toe-eining en selfrefleksiewe
tekstualisme van konteporere tekste op die voorgrond; die literere gebruikswyses
reflekteer dikwels bepaalde collage-agtige tendense of eienskappe.
Hierbenewens, bied kontemporere literereteorie vele nuttige terme en konsepte waarmee visuele
tekste sowel as, vir die doe] van hierdie ondersoek, visuele narratiewe, beskryf kan word. Hierdie
tesis is hoofsaaklik gevestig op 'n analise van die praktiese werk wat dee) van die Magister
Artuim-graad in Beeldende Kunste uitmaak. Die bespreking van die praktiese werk is veranker in
die wyer terreine van boekkuns - spesifiek die postmodeme kunstenaarsboek (livre detourne) -
en in kontensieuse debatte oor die rol van visuelenarratief-illustrasie. In beide die tesis en die
gelllustreerde boekobjekte bevraagteken ek die tradisionele siening dat illustrasie binne
boekkontekse 'n sekondere of aanvullende posisie inneem. Ek argumenteer ten gunste van 'n
vorm van visuele narratief waarvan daar nie bloot verwagword om as 'n beskrywing van die
primere verbale teks te funksioneer nie. In plaas daarvan, deur binne die konteks van die
kunstenaarsboek te werk en deur collage as 'n visuele (en verbale) medium te benut, demonstreer
ek dat illustrasie die geskrewe teks kan aanvul, daartoe kan toevoeg of dit kan ondergrawe.
Verder toon ek dat illustrasie die rol van die primere teks in die konteks van die kodeks kan
inneem.
Laastens skep hierdie studie die geleentheid vir 'n kreatiewe en bydraende leser - vanwee 'n
intertekstuele proses wat in die boekobjekte aan die Jig kom - om as 'n aktiewe 'leser-skrywer'
van die visuele en verbale tekste onder bespreking op te tree.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/50609 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Halse, Joanne |
| Contributors | Van Robbroeck, Lize, Dietrich, Keith, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Visual Arts. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 177 pages : colour illustrations |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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