Wees on Ahwesh

From: Bernard Roddy (email suppressed)
Date: Wed Jan 23 2008 - 11:58:19 PST


The essay by William Wees in the collection edited by
Robin Blaetz focuses on several works by Peggy Ahwesh.
 I would have liked to have seen more reflection on
what constitutes the postmodern in these works. Why
is Ahwesh reading Bataille, for example? She Puppet
seems to have a wonderful approach to the scripting of
work that resembles postmodern theatrical productions
and that . . um . . evacuates the subject. The
writing of the essay itself strikes me as something
that attempts to contain the refusals. Compare it,
for example, with Baudrillard on Warhol in THE
CONSPIRACY OF ART. It's as if the text on Ahwesh is
intended for a certain kind of teaching. Another
issue of interest is what constitutes postfeminism.
Doesn't this idea introduce doubts about a feminist
"cause" and the interests that defend it, adopting
irony toward the reflexivity of critique itself? Not
to be reactionary, but then how to go forward? I am
very happy to be reading this kind of criticism but I
was also looking for discussion of the performative,
or performativity, in Martina's Playhouse. These are
all details . .

Bernie

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