For a theoretical review of photomontage: forms, references and digital drifts

Abstract

The objective of this work is to understand the photomontage phenomenon throughout its history. To do this, we will review this phenomenon from a diachronic and critical perspective that tries to combine the contributions of several theoretical disciplines, within the framework of a research project focused on the visual representation of the subject and its relationship with new technologies, since we understand that it is a usual practice in the field of photographic production that involves adapting old creative strategies to the new demands and possibilities of the digital environment. It is interesting to review the concept of photomontage to define its scope and study its applications in the digital context, taking into account its involvement in the processes of visual representation, either individually or collectively. We propose to think photomontage as the result of a writing process submitted to the need to interrogate the nature and structure of the image, which unfolds in the area of ​​intersection of shapes and signs, of visual configurations and meanings, without forgetting that every practice is subject to an intentionality, more or less explicit, that determines its function and meaning. The theoretical review will be accompanied by the synthetic study of some cases and a proposal to reflect on new digital modalities available to Internet users.