Date: Mon, 20 Nov 1995 16:52:46 +0800
Subject: MB: Re: Marker and Blanchot


Hi Dale and blanchot list:

You know, I hadn't really thought of the two, Chris Marker and Maurice
Blanchot, together, but I think your intuition is correct; there are some
interesting correspondences.  High up there among them is the thematic of
memory and forgetting, recollection and oblivion.  Beyond that, it seems to
me there is a personal similarity; both Marker and Blanchot are quite
reclusive about their private lives, both have somehow disappeared into
their work and exist more there than in the space-time continuum of
physicality and biography.  Blanchot admits that his life is "devoted to
literature."  Chris Marker, in _Sans Soleil_, talks about the recording
apparatus taking over his own memory -- he cannot imagine memory outside of
filming and photographing and projects an era of full memory where
everything will be stored on a "magnetic bible."  There is another
perspective, too.  In Blanchot, we witness a fundamental pushing of the
envelope in regards to genre; his texts are both philosophical and
fictional, and at times, with certain philosophical dialogues, the fiction
emerges within the cell of the philosophical.  The tendency toward aphorism
also at times conflates the distinction between fiction and non-fiction.
In Marker, the "essay film" emerges out of a documentary impulse.  This too
is a way of erasing the borders of fiction and non-fiction.  Marker becomes
a viewing eye behind the camera, but effaces himself from the frame.  His
films can be considered self-portraits in the spirit of Montaigne (cf.
Michel Beaujour, _Miroirs d'encre_) but always through the filter of
events, countries, travels, externalities.  Both artists, Blanchot and
Marker, gain an almost mythic stature by keeping their personal lives
shrouded in mystery, and by devoting themselves to their inscriptions.
When asked for a photo of himself, Marker often sends pictures or drawings
of cats (if you can find Wim Wenders' "Tokyo Ga," there is a fine moment
where Marker, having been tracked down by Wenders, appears on camera but he
holds a sheet of paper with images of cats over his face, shielding himself
>from the camera, which he is more comfortable behind...).  Finally, there
is a reflection on the relation of images and words.  Blanchot, as someone
noted recently, includes in _L'entretiens infini_ an important reflection
on "Parler, ce n'est pas voir."  Marker pursues the film-form of the
commentary, and says:  "Je reve d'un monde ou tout image porte sa propre
legende."  (I dream of a world where every image carries its own
caption/legend/commentary).

Thanks for writing! and good luck with your work (let me know what else you
come up with).

[Since I saw your inquiry on the blanchot list too, I'm posting this there
as well...]

 -- daniel


>Dear Mr. Potter,
>
>  My name is Dale Hannnon. I'm a graduate student at OSU and I'm
>currently working on an analysis of Sans Soleil. As I try to follow the
>threads of Marker's thought in this film I find myself thinking of the
>work of Maurice Blanchot. Unfortunately, I'm a bit of a neophyte to the
>study of both Marker and Blanchot, so I was wondering if you could
>confirm my suspicions with any information you may have regarding the
>possible intersection of these two figures.
>  If you do have information in this regard, and have the time to reply,
>my e-mail address is hannon.14-AT-magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu.
>
>  Thanks,
>  Dale Hannon