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We live in a time of profound transformation in the field of image and visual culture. Roger Canals redefines visual anthropology from both a theoretical and practical perspective, drawing on numerous examples from everyday life as well as insights from his own films and research. This book explores the relationship between images and anthropology, offering a deeper understanding of how visual culture shapes our world. It addresses how anthropology can help us reflect on the role of images in daily life and reconsider classic anthropological themes—ritual, kinship, and power—through the lens of contemporary visuality.
“This book offers an innovative rethinking of visual anthropology by challenging the epistemological divisions between theory and practice... it is a valuable resource for students, researchers, filmmakers, and artists seeking a deeper understanding of images in contemporary societies.” • Emily Pierini, Sapienza Università di Roma
“An effortless read that remains intellectually engaging… The Image That Never Ends is an evocative exploration of the use of images and visual devices for research in the social sciences. Canals pushes visual anthropology toward urgent contemporary debates. A particularly timely and thought-provoking aspect of the book is its engagement with contemporary visual culture, including his experimentation with AI-generated imagery.” • Michaela Schäuble, Professor of Media Anthropology at the University of Bern (CH) and founding co-director of EMB-Ethnographic Mediaspace Bern
“[This] is the book I have long been waiting for: a work that asks what becomes of anthropology when it is practiced through film, and what becomes of film when it takes on the ambitions of anthropology.” • Mattijs van de Port, University of Amsterdam
Roger Canals is an anthropologist and filmmaker, and a professor at the University of Barcelona. He is the author of several books, including A Goddess in Motion, Visual Creativity in the Cult of María Lionza. (Berghahn Books, 2017). As a filmmaker, he has made several internationally awarded films like A Goddess in Motion (2016) or Chasing Shadows (2019).
List of Figures
Introduction
Chapter 1. The Relational Image
Chapter 2. Looking Is Touching from Afar
Chapter 3. Towards a cinema of the Unexpected
Chapter 4. For an Eclectic Assemblage
Conclusion: In Favor of Images
References
Index