Stripping Sight Bare : Alison Jones’ ‘Portraits by Proxy’

In this paper I analyse UK artist Alison Jones’ sonic interventions Portrait of the Artist by Proxy (2008), Voyeurism by Proxy (2008) and Art, Lies and Audio Tapes (2009). In Portrait of the Artist by Proxy, Jones – who, due to deteriorating vision, has not seen her reflection in a mirror in years – asks and trusts participants to audio-describe her own image back to her. In Voyeurism by Proxy, Jones asks participants to audio-describe erotic drawings by Gustav Klimt. In Art, Lies and Audio Tapes, Jones asks participants to audio-describe other artworks, such as W.F. Yeames’ And When Did You Last see Your Father?. In these portraits by proxy, Jones opens her image, and other images, to interpretation. In doing so, Jones draws attention to the way sight is privileged as a mode of access to fixed, fundamental truths in Western culture – a mode assumed to be untainted by filters that skew perception of the object. “In a culture where vision is by far the dominant sense,” Jones says, “and as a visual artist with a visual impairment, I am reliant on audio-description …Inevitably, there are limitations imposed by language, time and the interpreter’s background knowledge of the subject viewed, as well as their personal bias of what is deemed important to impart in their description” . In these works, Jones strips these background knowledges, biases and assumptions bare. She reveals different perceptions, as well as tendencies or censor, edit or exaggerate descriptions. In this paper, I investigate how, by revealing unconscious biases, Jones’ works renders herself and her participants vulnerable to a change of perception. I also examine how Jones’ later editing of the audio-descriptions allows her to show the instabilities of sight, and, in Portrait of the Artist by Proxy, to reclaim authorship of her own image.

Outdoor portrait of Jenny Gutman (left) and Erna Strasburger with unidentified young boy Portraits Groups

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Unidentified nurses and injured World War I soldiers celebrating with champagne and flowers Portraits Groups

Handwritten correspondence on verso covered over with pasted black paper

Studio portrait of Frau Muelde Portraits Women

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Studio portrait of Werner and Hans Rath; Mannheim Portraits Family

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Henny? Beitman with a bicycle; Dielkirchen, Falkenstein, Germany Portraits Women

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Studio portrait of Uncle Loeb Portraits Men

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Portrait of young Hans Frankenbach seated at a desk Portraits Men

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Portrait of Surgeon Major Dr. Meyer of Dueren (Rhineland) in military uniform Portraits Men

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Portrait of Surgeon Major Dr. Bing of Nuernberg in his military uniform Portraits Men

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Studio portrait of Henny Meyerstein nee Rosenbaum and Harry Meyerstein Portraits Couples

Handwritten postcard from Henny and Harry Meyerstein to Hans Frankenbach

Family portrait including Elsa Fleissig nee Loewenthal, August Fleissig, Lena Loewenthal, Hans Frankenbach and Justin Loewenthal Portraits Family

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Walther Simon of Hamburg with his wife and daughter Ursula outdoors; Schenectady, New York Portraits Family

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Judge Max Frankenbach of Berlin hiking with his wife Grete Frankenbach nee Bernstein; Sassal-Massone Portraits Couples

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