Who Owns Images? A Philosophical Inquiry into Possession and Identity

Philosopher Marie-José Mondzain examines the complex relationship between images, ownership, and identity, arguing that the contemporary obsession with image rights reflects a deeper crisis of self-possession. Drawing on psychoanalysis, theology, and Ethiopian traditions, she contends that images cannot be owned; rather, they possess us. The text explores the historical shift from viewing images as representations to commodities, linking this to a regression in visual culture. Mondzain critiques the market-driven image economy, where consumers become 'possessed' by simulacra. She references Lacan's mirror stage, the Byzantine iconoclastic debates, and the film 'The King and the Mockingbird' by Grimault and Prévert to illustrate how images function in subject formation. The article concludes that true engagement with images requires relinquishing the desire to own them, embracing instead a symbolic exchange that fosters freedom and dignity.