In this essay Ronal Kay describes photography as a cross between time and space. The documentary and testimonial potential that images possess stems from the fact that they emerge at the intersection between temporality and spatiality. Kay claims that photography is comparable to geological strata because of its ability to date the history of the human race. He also points out that the subject of a photograph remains frozen at a temporal point from which it advances in time. Photography also entails a conflict: it is part nature and part history since it embodies the coexistence of purely physical time and what, according to human subjectivity, is historical. In other words, it functions as a symbol to the extent that it must be deciphered. Kay suggests that, unlike language, which determines meaning, photography offers signifiers that can be used to generate other meanings. 

“Addenda” is a short text that appears at the end of the theoretical part of Del espacio de acá (About This Space, 1980), the book by poet and theorist Ronald Kay (194–12017). Cowritten by Eugenio Dittborn (b. 1943), the book is undeniably experimental given its blend of visuality and writing that combines poetic prose with philosophy, history, and criticism. The two authors’ symbiotic relationship influenced the book. As announced therein, the book is composed of texts written—between 1972 and 1979—for different purposes, which is what makes it both heterogeneous and fragmentary. The book addresses three themes: “I. Materiales de construcción” (Construction Materials), which includes images taken from various magazines and files that Dittborn used in his works; “II. Teoría” (Theory), which includes Kay’s texts; and, finally “III. Pintura y gráfica de Eugenio Dittborn” (Painting and Graphic Works by Eugenio Dittborn) followed by “Caja de herramientas” (Toolbox) (doc. no. 732125), a text written by the artist. Five of Kay’s essays were written for the catalogue produced for the exhibition of Dittborn’s works that was to have been presented at the CAyC (Centro de Arte y Comunicación) in Buenos Aires in 1979, which did not take place as planned for political reasons. [To access those texts, see the ICAA Digital Archive: “N.N.: aUTOPsIA (rudimentos teóricos para una visualidad marginal)”  (doc. no.751255)].   

Del espacio de acá focuses mainly on how photography (technical images) constructs a visuality in Latin America (this space) as compared to what happens in Europe (that space) where photography originated. One of Kay’s most important theses is that, whereas in Europe technological advance came about in response to the level of development at that particular time, in the Americas it was introduced—burst upon the scene as it were—in a moment of temporal discontinuity between the camera and the subject it captured. This functioned as a sign and generated a temporal abyss that is described in great detail in “Addenda.” In his work from that period (1979–80) Dittborn used screenprinting to reproduce photographic images (mainly portraits), which took on a distinct materiality thanks to the dots that are part of the screenprinting process. The images, usually taken from magazines and archives, were combined with handwritten and printed texts and marks or blots. His best-know works, the Aeropostales (Airmail Paintings) he created in 1984, retain several of these characteristics, and in addition to their ability to travel, their envelopes and their grids were an integral part of their design. [For more information about these works, see: “Correcaminos” (doc. no. 735214) by Dittborn; “Una política” (doc. no. 735205) by Gonzalo Muñoz; “Por miradas” (doc. no. 735231) by Gonzalo Millán, and “Eugenio Dittborn: Doblemente geográfico. A propósito de la pintura postal” (doc. no. 734740) written by Nelly Richard].