Verbatim quote · from the corpus

“I proposed as the best way to think of media as the setting of the scene within which the sign can be issued—in fact, this notion of media was the starting point of the concept of “scenic design practices.” On the originary scene, we must imagine a continuum between scene and sign: if we identify the sign as the gesture of aborted appropriation, then we can bring this to a very fine point in the shaping of that part of the body that most singularly suggests a transformation of the animal grasp into the newly human gesture. The attention of all will be drawn most powerfully to the most evident conversion. But the most evident conversion will be embedded in less completely or obviously transformed postures and reciprocal positioning that allow the sign to be set off; and, beyond that, whatever in the background is set off or employed in such positioning. For example, how far each member is from the central object will be part of the way the sign is received—we can imagine someone having to back up a couple of steps before his iteration of the sign can be “read.” If we think of increasing care being taken to ensure the iterability of the scene by arranging for positioning and posture along with gesture with “props” taken from the natural surroundings and the remains of the central object/meal in the ongoing construction of the ritual scene we have our originary “media.” But this also means that the initial technics will be directed towards media, because the imperative exchanges with the center will first of all be directed towards bringing the entire ritual scene into greater conformity with the increasing complexity of demands taken from the center.”

— Adam Katz, Toward a Unified Idiom · May 09, 2021 · Bouvard Substack