The Metareferential Turn in Contemporary Arts and Media: Forms, Functions, Attempts at Explanation (Studies in Intermediality, 5)

One possible description of the contemporary medial landscape in Western culture is that it has gone 'meta' to an unprecedented extent, so that a remarkable 'meta-culture' has emerged. Indeed, 'metareference', i.e. self-reflexive comments on, or references to, various kinds of media-related aspects of a given medial artefact or performance, specific media and arts or the media in general is omnipresent and can, nowadays, be encountered in 'high' art and literature as frequently as in their popular counterparts, in the traditional media as well as in new media. From the Simpsons, pop music, children's literature, computer games and pornography to the contemporary visual arts, feature film, postmodern fiction, drama and even architecture - everywhere one can find metareferential explorations, comments on or criticism of representation, medial conventions or modes of production and reception, and related issues. Within individual media and genres, notably in research on postmodernist metafiction, this outspoken tendency towards 'metaization' is known well enough, and various reasons have been given for it. Yet never has there been an attempt to account for what one may aptly term the current 'metareferential turn' on a larger, transmedial scale. This is what The Metareferential Turn in Contemporary Arts and Media: Forms, Functions, Attempts at Explanation undertakes to do as a sequel to its predecessor, the volume Metareference across Media (vol. 4 in the series 'Studies in Intermediality'), which was dedicated to theoretical issues and transhistorical case studies. Coming from diverse disciplinary and methodological backgrounds, the contributors to the present volume propose explanations of impressive subtlety, breadth and depth for the current situation in addition to exploring individual forms and functions of metareference which may be linked with particular explanations. As expected, there is no monocausal reason to be found for the situation under scrutiny, yet the proposals made have in their compination a remarkable explanatory power which contributes to a better understanding of an important facet of current media production and reception. The essays assembled in the volume, which also contains an introduction with a detailed survey over the possibilities of accounting for the metareferential turn, will be relevant to students and scholars from a wide variety of fields: cultural history at large, intermediality and media studies as well as, more particularly, literary studies, music, film and art history. Title Page......Page 4 Copyright Page......Page 5 Table of Contents......Page 6 Preface......Page 9 Introduction......Page 14 Is There a Metareferential Turn, and If So, How Can It Be Explained?......Page 15 Part 1: Literature and Other Media......Page 62 Writing on the Writer’s Block: Metaization and/as Lack of Inspiration......Page 63 Fantasy Fiction in Fantasy Fiction: Metareference in the Otherworld of the Faërie......Page 88 Intermedial Metareference: Index and Icon in William Gass’s Willie Masters’ Lonesome Wife......Page 107 The Quest for Authenticity: Dave Eggers’s A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius between Fiction and Reality......Page 135 Metareference in Marianne Wiggins’s Literary Photo-Text The Shadow Catcher and Other Novels Referring to the Photographic Medium......Page 155 Print Strikes Back: Typographic Experimentation in Contemporary Fiction as a Contribution to the Metareferential Turn......Page 179 The Materiality of Books and TV: House of Leaves and The Sopranos in a World of Formless Content and Media Competition......Page 204 ‘Come on, Tell the Story. Describe his State of Mind’: Metaization in Peter Nichols’s Dramatic and Theatrical Vivisection A Piece of My Mind......Page 225 Part 2: Visual Arts and Related Media......Page 265 Metascenography: On the Metareferential Turn in Scenography......Page 266 On Modern Graffiti and Street Murals: Metareferential Aspects of Writings and Paintings on Walls......Page 285 From Readymade to ‘Meta2’: Metareference in Appropriation Art......Page 310 Part 3: Film and Television......Page 343 Deconstructing Essentialism and Revising Historiography: The Function of Metareference in Black British Filmmaking......Page 344 Metahorror: Sequels, ‘The Rules’, and the Metareferential Turn in Contemporary Horror Cinema......Page 359 Starring Porn: Metareference in Straight Pornographic Feature Films......Page 380 ‘Metatelevision’: The Popularization of Metareferential Strategies in the Context of Italian Television......Page 415 The (Meta-)Metareferential Turn in Animation......Page 445 “The Stuff You May Have Missed”: Art, Film and Metareference in The Simpsons......Page 462 Part 4: Music......Page 490 Metareference in Operatic Performance: The Case of Katharina Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg......Page 491 Making Sense of the Metareferential Momentum in Contemporary Popular Songs......Page 504 Goodbye 20th Century: Sonic Youth, John Cage’s ‘Number Pieces’ and the Long Farewell to the Avant-Garde......Page 522 Part 5: Other Media......Page 545 “This Strip Doesn’t Have a Fourth Wall”: Webcomics and the Metareferential Turn......Page 546 ‘Metadesign’: A ‘Mythological’ Approach to Self-Reference in Consumer Culture......Page 564 Notes on Contributors......Page 574 Index......Page 583 One possible description of the contemporary medial landscape in Western culture is that it has gone 'meta' to an unprecedented extent, so that a remarkable 'meta-culture' has emerged. Indeed, 'metareference', id est self-reflexive comments on, or references to, various kinds of media-related aspects of a given medial artefact or performance, specific media and arts or the media in general is omnipresent and can, nowadays, be encountered in 'high' art and literature as frequently as in their popular counterparts, in the traditional media as well as in new media. From the Simpsons , pop music, children's literature, computer games and pornography to the contemporary visual arts, feature film, postmodern fiction, drama and even architecture - everywhere one can find metareferential explorations, comments on or criticism of representation, medial conventions or modes of production and reception, and related issues. Within individual media and genres, notably in research on postmodernist metafiction, this outspoken tendency towards 'metaization' is known well enough, and various reasons have been given for it. Yet never has there been an attempt to account for what one may aptly term the current 'metareferential turn' on a larger, transmedial scale. This is what The Metareferential Turn in Contemporary Arts and Media: Forms, Functions, Attempts at Explanation undertakes to do as a sequel to its predecessor, the volume Metareference across Media (vol. 4 in the series 'Studies in Intermediality'), which was dedicated to theoretical issues and transhistorical case studies. Coming from diverse disciplinary and methodological backgrounds, the contributors to the present volume propose explanations of impressive subtlety, breadth and depth for the current situation in addition to exploring individual forms and functions of metareference which may be linked with particular explanations. As expected, there is no monocausal reason to be found for the situation under scrutiny, yet the proposals made have in their compination a remarkable explanatory power which contributes to a better understanding of an important facet of current media production and reception. The essays assembled in the volume, which also contains an introduction with a detailed survey over the possibilities of accounting for the metareferential turn, will be relevant to students and scholars from a wide variety of fields: cultural history at large, intermediality and media studies as well as, more particularly, literary studies, music, film and art history One Possible Description Of The Contemporary Medial Landscape In Western Culture Is That It Has Gone Meta To An Unprecedented Extent, So That A Remarkable Meta-culture Has Emerged. Indeed, Metareference, I.e. Self-reflexive Comments On, Or References To, Various Kinds Of Media-related Aspects Of A Given Medial Artefact Or Performance, Specific Media And Arts Or The Media In General Is Omnipresent And Can, Nowadays, Be Encountered In High Art And Literature As Frequently As In Their Popular Counterparts, In The Traditional Media As Well As In New Media. From The Simpsons, Pop Music, Children S Literature, Computer Games And Pornography To The Contemporary Visual Arts, Feature Film, Postmodern Fiction, Drama And Even Architecture Everywhere One Can Find Metareferential Explorations, Comments On Or Criticism Of Representation, Medial Conventions Or Modes Of Production And Reception, And Related Issues. Within Individual Media And Genres, Notably In Research On Postmodernist Metafiction, This Outspoken Tendency Towards Metaization Is Known Well Enough, And Various Reasons Have Been Given For It. Yet Never Has There Been An Attempt To Account For What One May Aptly Term The Current Metareferential Turn On A Larger, Transmedial Scale. This Is What The Metareferential Turn In Contemporary Arts And Media: Forms, Functions, Attempts At Explanation Undertakes To Do As A Sequel To Its Predecessor, The Volume Metareference Across Media (vol. 4 In The Series Studies In Intermediality ), Which Was Dedicated To Theoretical Issues And Transhistorical Case Studies. Coming From Diverse Disciplinary And Methodological Backgrounds, The Contributors To The Present Volume Propose Explanations Of Impressive Subtlety, Breadth And Depth For The Current Situation In Addition To Exploring Individual Forms And Functions Of Metareference Which May Be Linked With Particular Explanations. As Expected, There Is No Monocausal Reason To Be Found For The Situation Under Scrutiny, Yet The Proposals Made Have In Their Compination A Remarkable Explanatory Power Which Contributes To A Better Understanding Of An Important Facet Of Current Media Production And Reception. The Essays Assembled In The Volume, Which Also Contains An Introduction With A Detailed Survey Over The Possibilities Of Accounting For The Metareferential Turn, Will Be Relevant To Students And Scholars From A Wide Variety Of Fields: Cultural History At Large, Intermediality And Media Studies As Well As, More Particularly, Literary Studies, Music, Film And Art History. Pt. 1. Literature And Other Media -- Pt. 2. Visual Arts And Related Media -- Pt. 3. Film And Television -- Pt. 4. Music -- Pt. 5. Other Media. Edited By Werner Wolf ; In Collaboration With Katharina Bantleon And Jeff Thoss. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.