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返向世界:塔琳.賽蒙的調查改寫 Reconnecting to the World: Taryn Simon’s Approaches to Investigation Rewriting

作者
莊憶萱
Author
Yi-Syuan JHUANG
摘要

塔琳.賽蒙(Taryn Simon)以並置影像與文字敘事的研究作品聞名。在《無辜者》計畫中,藝術家訪問與拍攝那些在警方使用相片造成錯誤的指認下,而遭受司法誤判的冤獄者。她邀請無辜者重回不屬於他們的犯罪現場,拍攝他們諷刺與指控司法的肖像照。此計畫作為賽蒙的創作起點預示她後來在作品不斷批判權力的母題,以及重新以攝影改寫調查的策略。《無辜者》中備受質疑的警方調查使我們不得不重新思考調查的定義。社會學家呂克.博東斯基(Luc Boltanski)認為調查是一種「現實」的秩序,企圖恢復混亂「世界」應有的秩序,換句話說,調查將混亂未知的世界接合到由各種法律、社會與科學規則建構的現實上。不論是以假亂真的無辜者肖像照或是其它的作品,賽蒙改寫調查的目的在於反思調查背後的現實秩序。為了近一步認識賽蒙批判調查的作品,本文將透過互文性相關理論分析她如何藉由轉化與模仿調查,進而反轉調查接合世界到現實的路徑、或是放大調查在現實與世界之間無法接合的縫隙,讓觀眾從她的影像返回我們存活的世界,召喚那些被調查排除的個人經驗與感受。

Synopsis

Taryn Simon (1975-) is an American artist renowned for her artistic research which often incorporates photography and narrative texts. In her project, The Innocents, Simon interviewed and photographed individuals wrongfully convicted due to mistaken identification, specifically based on evidence derived from photographs and lineups. Indeed, photographs can be manipulated in various ways. However, there is a growing emphasis on gathering and analyzing empirical evidence, influenced by the culture of investigation. Sociologist Luc Boltanski argues that the perception of truth in an investigation depends on various frameworks — legal, scientific, and societal norms — which shape our collective understanding and perception of “the reality” within our “world”. Based on how reality is framed, an investigative method will bring order to chaos and foster a more ordered world. Nevertheless, Simon challenges the capacity and power of investigation by placing these innocent individuals in crime scenes, impersonating the real criminals, and prompting viewers to question the hidden influence of images. Illuminating her works from different standpoints, this paper employs intertextual theories to analyze Simon’s artistic approaches, which transform and imitate investigative methods. Through her photography, Simon criticizes and rewrites the concept of investigation. Her work serves as a parody of investigations while also facilitating a reconnection with personal real-life experiences and emotions that are often disregarded in the investigation process. Additionally, Simon’s critique of investigative methods prompts a reconsideration of research-based artworks in contemporary art. Overall, this paper explores how Taryn Simon’s critique of investigation methods offer insights into the nature of truth and the role of art in reshaping our understanding of investigations.