Couples Discourse [Paperback]

Micaela Amateau Amato (Editor), Joyce Henri Robinson (Editor), Jenny Rogers (Photographer), Sarah K. Rich (Introduction)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 30, 2006

In his book "A Lover's Discourse", Roland Barthes attempted to theorize the language used by lovers to describe each other. It is arguably a text about loneliness, suggesting that even romantic language confesses the distance that always exists between people: if we could achieve perfect unity with others, language would not be necessary. This catalogue documents an exhibition about how "couples" discourse - about the ways in which artists cope with the social connections and practicalities of being artists in a couple. It is about the commonalities as well as the differences, the intimacies as well as the public articulations - in other words, the negotiations that are required in any relationship. It might be a truism to say that the very notion of "the couple" is undergoing significant transformation at the moment. Legal changes now allow many same-sex marriages in the United States, even as increasing numbers of people both gay and straight choose to enjoy unions and family structures beyond such conventional forms. Now is, of course, the perfect time to investigate more carefully the ways in which artists construct and articulate their positions as "couples."

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Joyce Henri Robinson is Curator at the Palmer Museum of Art and Affiliate Associate Professor in the History of Art Department, The Pennsylvania State University. Her numerous publications include Through the Looking Glass (2003), also distributed by Penn State Press.

Product Details

• Paperback: 137 pages
• Publisher: Pennsylvania State Univ Pr (October 30, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0911209654
• ISBN-13: 978-0911209655
• Product Dimensions: 11.5 x 9.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,242,810 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)