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Rosalind Krauss Reinventing The Medium Pdf 〈Desktop TRUSTED〉

In "Reinventing the Medium" (1999), Rosalind Krauss critiques the "post-medium condition," advocating for a return to "technical support" or specific artistic conventions over the generic, mixed-media approach of contemporary art. Drawing on Walter Benjamin, she argues for the "redemptive obsolescence" of mediums, highlighting artists like James Coleman and William Kentridge who redefine their work through specific, self-imposed rules. Read the full text at Semantic Scholar. Rosalind Krauss: between modernism and post- medium

Rosalind Krauss's 1999 essay "Reinventing the Medium" argues that artists in a "post-medium" era must redefine artistic boundaries by grounding practice in specific "technical supports" rather than traditional material mediums. Krauss contends that when media become obsolete, they can be reinvented, citing artists like James Coleman and William Kentridge who create new frameworks for critical engagement. Access the article through UChicago Journals The University of Chicago Press: Journals

Krauss, Reinventing The Medium (Critical Inquiry 1999) - Scribd

Post Title: Unpacking Rosalind Krauss’s “Reinventing the Medium”: Beyond the Post-Medium Condition

Introduction In her landmark 1999 essay “Reinventing the Medium,” Rosalind Krauss responds to a crisis in contemporary art: the idea that we live in a “post-medium condition,” where artists can use any material or technology freely. While this sounds liberating, Krauss argues it leads to a loss of critical rigor. She offers a powerful defense of the medium—not as a traditional category (like oil painting or bronze sculpture), but as a set of technical conventions and recursive rules that generate meaning.

Key Arguments

  1. Against the “Post-Medium Condition” Krauss directly challenges the influence of critic Clement Greenberg. Greenberg believed modernism meant each medium purifying itself (painting becoming flatness). Krauss argues that after minimalism and conceptual art, the medium didn’t disappear. Instead, it was reinvented as a technical support—a prosthesis for the artist.

  2. The Medium as a Technical Support For Krauss, a medium is not a material (e.g., “video”) but a set of conventions derived from a technical apparatus. She famously analyzes James Coleman’s slide projections and William Kentridge’s animated drawings. These artists don’t just use film or drawing—they build a new medium by establishing recursive rules (e.g., Kentridge’s erasure-and-redrawing process).

  3. Recursiveness and Difference A true medium, in Krauss’s sense, generates meaning through internal difference and repetition. It’s not about expressing an idea through any means available, but about constraining yourself to a set of operations that become the content itself. This is what separates “art” from mere illustration or spectacle.

Why This Matters Today Krauss’s essay is essential reading for anyone working with digital media, installation, or post-internet art. It warns us that without a medium (a structure of repetition and difference), art collapses into “the narcissistic, the formless, or the purely informational.” For example, an Instagram slideshow or a VR experience becomes art only when the artist invents or repurposes a technical logic that structures the viewer’s experience over time.

Discussion Questions

Further Reading (No PDF, but check your library or JSTOR)

Tip for finding the essay legally: If you are a student, check your university library’s online database (JSTOR, Project MUSE, or MIT Press Direct). Many public libraries also offer free access to academic journals through interlibrary loan or digital archives.

Conclusion: Why It Matters

Krauss’s theory of reinventing the medium saved the concept of the medium from the dustbin of history. She transformed it from a rigid container of purity into a fluid space of strategic resistance.

For Krauss, to reinvent the medium is to refuse the amnesia of the "post-medium" age. It is an insistence that art requires a set of constraints—a set of rules to push against. Whether it is the grid of Sol LeWitt or the "deadpan" photography of the Dusseldorf School, the reinvented medium proves that boundaries are not just barriers; they are the very ground upon which art builds its meaning.

4. Case Study: James Coleman’s Slide Projection

To illustrate reinvention, Krauss analyzes Irish artist James Coleman’s Projected Images (slide projections with voiceover). Coleman does not use “film” (traditional medium) or “photography” (also traditional). Instead, he creates a new medium by combining:

This hybrid becomes a medium because it establishes its own internal logic—a set of constraints and affordances that the artist explores systematically. It is not multimedia collage; it is a newly invented, self-consistent artistic support.

The Technical Support: From Medium to Support

In her later expansions of the essay (particularly in A Voyage on the North Sea), Krauss refines the term "medium" into "technical support." She notes that contemporary artists often work with industrial or commercial bases—like cars (for Ed Ruscha), or advertising layouts—that are not traditional artistic mediums.

By shifting the terminology to "technical support," Krauss moves away from the spiritual connotations of "medium" (implying a pure essence) and toward a more grounded, structural understanding. The medium is no longer about purity; it is about a set of technical conditions and rules that the artist adopts as a platform for invention.

The Role of the “Apparatus”

A key term in Krauss’s argument is apparatus (borrowed from Jean-Louis Baudry and other film theorists). An apparatus includes:

Krauss insists that a reinvented medium cannot be reduced to any single element of the apparatus. Instead, it emerges from their interplay – and each new artist working in that medium must re-negotiate the entire apparatus. rosalind krauss reinventing the medium pdf

Summary: The Takeaway

Rosalind Krauss’s "Reinventing the Medium" is a call to move beyond nostalgia. It is a challenge to artists:

  1. Don't just accept the defaults. If you use a camera, understand its history.
  2. Acknowledge the ghosts. Art is always in conversation with what came before.
  3. Use the support. The physical or technical substrate of your art (the screen, the code, the wall) is not just a container—it is the subject.

If you haven't read the full PDF yet, dive in. It is a difficult text, but it provides the vocabulary to understand why modern art looks the way it does—and how artists navigate a world where all the rules have already been broken.

Have you read Krauss’s essay? Do you agree that the concept of a "medium" is still relevant in the age of digital art? Let me know in the comments.

Beyond the Frame: Decoding Rosalind Krauss’s "Reinventing the Medium"

In the landscape of late 20th-century art theory, few texts have sparked as much debate as Rosalind Krauss’s seminal essay, Reinventing the Medium (1999). For students and theorists seeking the Rosalind Krauss Reinventing the Medium PDF

, this work represents a critical pivot point where Krauss—one of the foundational voices of postmodernism—returns to the concept of "medium" to save art from what she calls the "deadening generality" of installation art. 1. The Post-Medium Condition: Art in Crisis

Krauss identifies a specific historical moment she calls the "post-medium condition"

. By the 1960s and 70s, traditional boundaries between painting, sculpture, and photography had "exploded". The Problem

: When anything can be art (from a pile of trash to a social interaction), Krauss argues that art loses its critical edge and risks falling into

: Photography, once a tool for documentation, became a "theoretical object"—a way to deconstruct art's traditional focus on manual skill and the "original". 2. What Does "Reinventing" Mean?

Krauss doesn't suggest returning to oil on canvas. Instead, she argues that artists must find a new "technical support"

—a rule-governed system that replaces the traditional medium. Redeeming Obsolescence

: Drawing on Walter Benjamin, Krauss suggests that when a technology becomes obsolete (like slide projectors or manual film), it is "redeemed" for art because it is no longer a tool of mass consumption. Case Studies in Reinvention James Coleman

: Uses the slide projector and advertising formats as a reinvented medium. William Kentridge

: Uses the stop-frame animation and erasure as a technical support for drawing.

: Uses the automobile and the layout of the "book" as his underlying medium. 3. Why This Text Matters Today The essay is a defense of specificity

. Krauss argues that for art to be meaningful, it must work within a set of constraints—it must have "rules" that the artist can follow or break.

Art in the Age of the Post-Medium Condition, by Joanna Slotkin

Rosalind Krauss’s 1999 essay, "Reinventing the Medium," is a foundational text for understanding contemporary art. In this piece, Krauss explores how the traditional definition of a "medium" (like painting or sculpture) has collapsed and how artists can find new ways to create specific, meaningful work in a "post-medium" age. 🎨 Key Concepts traditional boundaries between painting

The Post-Medium Condition: Krauss argues that traditional artistic mediums have been "outmoded" by technology and mass media.

The Problem of "Apparatus": She discusses how photography and film transitioned from artistic tools to mere "appliances," losing their unique aesthetic power.

Reinvention: Instead of abandoning the idea of a medium, Krauss suggests artists must "reinvent" it by creating their own internal sets of rules and structures.

Case Studies: She highlights artists like James Coleman and Marcel Broodthaers as pioneers who used technical supports (like slide projections) to establish a new kind of artistic "specificity." 📖 Summary of the Argument

Krauss critiques the way globalization and the "culture industry" have flattened art into a generic experience. She believes that for art to remain critical and deep, it needs a "technical support"—a physical or conceptual framework that dictates how the work functions. By looking back at "obsolete" technologies, artists can find the friction necessary to resist the slickness of modern digital media. 🔗 How to Find the PDF

Since this is a seminal academic text, it is widely available through various educational platforms. You can typically find it via:

JSTOR: Often titled under "Reinventing the Medium" or found within the journal Critical Inquiry.

University Repositories: Many art history departments host the PDF for syllabus use.

Google Scholar: Searching "Rosalind Krauss Reinventing the Medium 1999 PDF" will usually yield direct links to academic uploads.

Books: It is also a lead essay in her book, A Voyage on the North Sea: Art in the Age of the Post-Medium Condition. 💡 Discussion Starters

If you are reading this for a class or a project, consider these questions:

Does "reinventing the medium" still apply to digital art and NFTs, or has the medium disappeared entirely?

How does Krauss’s view of obsolescence change the way we look at "retro" technology (like vinyl or film)?

Can an artist truly create their own "rules" without the backing of a traditional discipline? To help you get the most out of this text,

Explain the difference between a "medium" and a "technical support"?

Help you summarize a specific section for an essay or presentation?

Rosalind Krauss's 1999 essay "Reinventing the Medium" argues that artists can counter the "deadening generality" of postmodernism by engaging in "redemptive obsolescence," utilizing technologically outdated mediums as new "technical supports". By embracing "differential specificity," artists like James Coleman and William Kentridge redefine artistic mediums through recursive, rule-based structures rather than traditional material purity. Read the full article at Critical Inquiry. Reinventing the Medium | Critical Inquiry: Vol 25, No 2

Introduction

Rosalind Krauss is a prominent art critic and theorist known for her influential writings on modern and contemporary art. In her essay "Reinventing the Medium," Krauss explores the changing nature of artistic media and the ways in which artists continually redefine and expand the possibilities of art. once a tool for documentation

The Essay's Main Argument

Published in 1999, "Reinventing the Medium" is a thought-provoking essay that challenges traditional notions of artistic media and the creative process. Krauss argues that the medium of art is not a fixed or stable entity, but rather a dynamic and constantly evolving concept that is subject to reinvention by artists. She contends that the medium is not simply a technical or material support, but a complex system of conventions, norms, and expectations that shape the way artists work and the way we understand art.

Key Points

  1. The Myth of the Medium: Krauss argues that the concept of a medium (e.g., painting, sculpture, photography) is often understood as a natural or essential category, rather than a historical and cultural construct. She claims that this myth of the medium has been perpetuated by art historians and critics, who have tended to view media as fixed and unchanging.
  2. The Expanded Field of Art: Krauss draws on the work of artists such as Robert Smithson, Marcel Duchamp, and Sherrie Levine to illustrate how the medium of art has been continually expanded and redefined over time. She shows how artists have pushed against traditional boundaries and conventions, creating new forms and possibilities for art.
  3. The Importance of the Artist's Gesture: Krauss emphasizes the role of the artist's gesture or intervention in shaping the medium of art. She argues that the artist's actions, decisions, and manipulations of materials and processes are what bring the medium to life and give it meaning.
  4. The Challenge to Traditional Art History: Krauss's essay challenges traditional art historical narratives, which often rely on a linear progression of styles and movements. Instead, she advocates for a more nuanced understanding of art history, one that acknowledges the complex and often contradictory nature of artistic media.

Impact and Influence

"Reinventing the Medium" has had a significant impact on contemporary art discourse, influencing artists, critics, and curators to think more critically about the nature of artistic media. The essay has also contributed to a broader rethinking of art history, encouraging scholars to consider the complex and multifaceted ways in which art has evolved over time.

Conclusion

Rosalind Krauss's essay "Reinventing the Medium" offers a provocative and insightful exploration of the changing nature of artistic media. By challenging traditional notions of the medium and highlighting the dynamic and creative ways in which artists work, Krauss encourages us to think more critically about the possibilities of art and the role of the artist in shaping those possibilities.

References: Krauss, R. (1999). Reinventing the Medium. In R. Krauss, The Optical Unconscious (pp. 277-295). MIT Press.

Rosalind Krauss's 1999 essay "Reinventing the Medium" addresses the "post-medium condition," proposing a shift from traditional material purity to a concept of "technical support" or "differential specificity" in art. The text analyzes how artists like James Coleman and William Kentridge redefine mediums through the use of obsolete technologies and discursive systems. Access the PDF version of the article via the University of Chicago Press. Rosalind Krauss: between modernism and post- medium

Reinventing the Medium" (1999) Rosalind Krauss explores how photography shifted from an aesthetic object to a theoretical one, eventually leading to a "post-medium condition" where artists must invent their own specific "technical supports"

Below is a structured paper summary based on Krauss’s arguments. You can view the original text or related academic discussions on platforms like Semantic Scholar ResearchGate Paper: Rosalind Krauss and the Reinvention of the Medium I. The Obsolescence of Photography

Krauss begins by looking back at the 1960s, a period when photography converged with traditional art forms. Paradoxically, she argues that photography’s triumph as an art form occurred just as it was becoming commercially and technically obsolete due to the rise of digital technology. Theoretical Object:

Rather than being judged for its beauty, photography became a site for exploring concepts like the simulacrum (Baudrillard) and (Barthes). The End of Aura:

Drawing on Walter Benjamin, Krauss notes that mechanical reproduction destroyed traditional notions of artistic unity and authorship. II. From "Medium" to "Technical Support"

To move beyond the "outmoded" and "positivist" definition of a medium (which usually refers only to physical materials like canvas or oil paint), Krauss proposes the term "technical support" Definition:

A technical support is a specific set of rules or conventions an artist adopts to create meaning.

In cinema, the "technical support" might be the synchronized sound or the physical celluloid, which artists like Vertov or Marclay manipulate to reveal the nature of the art itself. III. The Post-Medium Condition

Krauss, Reinventing The Medium (Critical Inquiry 1999) - Scribd

Rosalind Krauss’s 1999 essay "Reinventing the Medium" theorizes the transition from modernist medium-specificity to a "post-medium condition," where artistic practices are defined by "technical supports" rather than material limitations. Drawing on Walter Benjamin, Krauss argues that technologically obsolete mediums can be redeemed and reinvented as new aesthetic possibilities, referencing artists like James Coleman and William Kentridge. Read the full text at The University of Chicago Press: Journals.

Krauss, Reinventing The Medium (Critical Inquiry 1999) - Scribd

This document provides an overview and analysis of Rosalind Krauss's essay "Reinventing the Medium." The summary is as follows: 1) Rosalind Krauss: between modernism and post- medium