Thinking (with) images. Reparative readings and image-palimpsest in Hito Steyerl's November (2004)

Abstract

From an an interdisciplinary point of view, related to Visual Studies, this paper analyzes the essayistic audiovisual work November (2004), by the German artist, academic and essayist Hito Steyerl. In particular, the reflective and critical character of the work is emphasized in relation to the archival images that are part of it. It also problematizes the role of montage and interruption as the main sense-producing mechanisms in November (2004). Finally, the paper concludes with the idea of the potentiality of audiovisual montage as capable of creating images-palimpsests (Demos, 2008), through which it would be possible to question the hegemonic construction of historical narratives.