7/29/2019 Agamben Nudities

1/3

continent.

CoveringGiorgioAgamben'sNuditiesGregoryKirkMurray

continent.1.2 (2011)145-147

Here I accoutred myself in my new habiliments; and, having em-

ployed the same precautions as before, retired from my lodging

at a time least exposed to observation. It is unnecessary to des-

cribe the particulars of my new equipage; suffice it to say, that

one of my cares was to discolour my complexion, and give it

the dun and sallow hue which is in most instances characteristic

of the tribe to which I assumed to belong; and that when my

metamorphosis was finished, I could not, upon the strictest ex-

amination, conceive that any one could have traced out the per-

sonof Caleb Williams inthis new disguise.WilliamGodwin

CalebWilliams (352).

A. TheProtectiveOvercoat.The most pervasive, resilient, robust, sneaky, and

significant conceptinall of GiorgioAgambens essaysisthatof separation.This is notthe same as alienation.

Separation is morenostalgic, forAgambenvalorizes an

ancientworld inwhichhumansocietyand its beings were

notsubjecttosuchseparation. He implies thatthese

separations are damagingto humanbeings, crippling

themat the verylevel of their identities.

$4.99

B. TheHandsomeGloves.GiorgioAgambensNudities, likeProfanations before it,

employs a widerange of subjectsinorder toestablishseparation as a metaphor, inmuchthe same waythat

interdisciplinaryscholars haveadopted Michel Foucaults

concepts inorder torethink societies and texts. The

longest essayfromProfanations, entitled InPraiseof

Profanation,laments humankinds inabilityto profaneas

the result of whatWalterBenjaminhas called the

capitalistreligion.Likewise, Nudityadopts a

pessimistic stance on the Christian theological traditions

perverseasphyxiationof the unclothed body.

$2.50

ITheaimhereisnotto tapintoanoriginalstateprior tothe separation

buttocomprehendand neutralize the

apparatus thatproduced this separation.

(66)

IIThecontemporaryishe

who firmlyholds his gazeonhis owntimeso as to perceive not its light but ratherits

darkness.

(13)

IIIWecanthereforeonly

experiencenudityas a denudation and a

baring, neveras a formanda stable

possession.

(65)

ISSN: 2159-9920 | This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

7/29/2019 Agamben Nudities

2/3

C. TheHoopEarrings.

Religion separates humans fromthings byprocuring for

itself items as sacred,thus taking themout of common

use.In this state, humanbeings are unableto playwith

them, unable tochange their use-value. Theybecome off-

limits, museified.

$1,499.00D. TheUncomfortableShoes.

Biometrics polices identity, replacing meaningful metrics

of identity.It is a deplorable situation thatleaves human

beings indanger of, and indeed already victims of, mass

persecution.

$111.75

E. ThePrinceAlbert.

Onecould characterizeGiorgio Agambens desireto

catalogue a history of ignoranceas a recognitionthat

humanbeings are separated fromknowledgeby

language. Where then is theprophet,and how shall webe

saved?

$49.50 +tip

F. TheCorset.

FranzKafkas characterof J osephK. has put himselfontrial, asinRomantrials whentheKalumniatorwas marked

withthe letter K. The torture heundergoes is meant to

elicit a confession of the truth.Itis possible thatGiorgio

Agamben perceives his roleasa philosopher tobe

confinedtoself-trial, and thatwith everypassageheflays

the unclothed pagewithprophetic intent.

$27.00

IVJ ustasgeniusandtalent

originallydistinct and evenoppositeare

nevertheless unitedinthe work of the poet,

so the workofcreation and the workof

salvation, inasmuch as theyrepresentthe

twopowers ofa single God, remaininsome

waysecretlyconjoined.

(6)

VInourculture,

the face-bodyrelationship is marked bya

fundamental asymmetry, in thatourfaces

remain forthe most partnaked, whileour

bodies are normallycovered.

(88)

VIEverymaninitiatesa slanderous trial

against himself.

(21)

VIIThegloriousbodyisnot

some otherbody, moreagileand beautiful,

moreluminous and spiritual;itis the body

itself, atthe moment when inoperativityremovesthe spell fromitand opens itup

toa new possiblecommonuse.

(103)

VIIIAsKleistunderstood

so well, therelationship witha zone of

nonknowledgeis a dance.

(114)

GregoryKirkMurray(146)

7/29/2019 Agamben Nudities

3/3

G. TheDerby.

GiorgioAgambenhimself tries tobridgevarious

separations throughexploratoryplay. He is nota

performative writer semantically, buthis exploratory style

is rooted intheplay spirit.His strategyof numbering

points is almostcomical, yetitis not misleading. Itis play,

after all, not ruse. Hedenudes withpecks,likecarrionona

tattered corpse.$11.00

H. TheTrousers.

AlthoughGiorgioAgambenis elsewhereconcernedwith

the profanation of religions apparatuses, inessay ninehe

would liketoconsiderwhatis consumedduringdays of

inoperativity, howreligiongoverns these, and howto

accountforourbinges and purges. Inoperativityis

inextricablybound tofeasting, tothe festival.

$24.50

I. TheStylishBelt.

The onlyessay inNudities tocontain photographs is the

essay entitled,Nudity.All of thesephotographs project

humanbodies.

$.01

IXThedeactivationof this

apparatus retroactively operates, therefore,

as muchonnature as ongrace, as much on

nudity as on clothing, liberatingthemfrom

their theological signature.

(90)

XAtanyrate,

whetherfestiveinoperativityprecedes religion

or results fromthe profanationof its

apparatuses, whatis essential hereis a

dimensionof praxis inwhichsimple, quotidian

humanactivities are neithernegated nor

abolished butsuspended and rendered

inoperativeinordertobeexhibited,as such,

in a festivemanner.

(112)

XI

This is justhowmuch[of]theland[the]surveyor is allowed tocatch

a glimpse.

(36)

GiorgioAgamben.Nudities. Trans. David Kishik and Stefan Pedatella. Stanford:StanfordUniversityPress, 2011.

144 pp. |10illustrations.|ISBN: 9780804769501 |$16.95

WORKS CITEDAgamben, Giorgio.Nudities. Trans. David Kishik and StefanPedatella. Stanford:Stanford UniversityPress, 2011. Print.

Godwin, William.CalebWilliams. London: Colburnand Bentley, 1831. Print.

GregoryKirkMurray(147)