From Carnival to Satire: Photomontage as a Commentary on Photography

Abstract

This article discusses two eras of manipulated photography –that of trick photography before 1914 and that of photomontage of the 1930s. The former had a carnivalesque character, while the latter highlighted political satire. Although profusely discussed in its days, trick photography was largely anonymous. By contrast, the 1930s brought about distinct personalities such as John Heartfield or the Soviet cartoonist Boris Klinch as well as prominent theorists, including Karel Teige or Günther Anders. Despite formal differences the article argues for a continuity of approaches: both periods represent steps that question photography as a medium that claims stable signification.