CoursesIn French Theory, chapter 13, “Worldwide Theory: A Global Legacy,” Francois Cusset discusses a new kind of mix “unhindered by borders.” Quoting the final sentences: “…a zone formed completely of interstices, within which, far from the guardians of the Work, texts themselves will be put to work. They will embed themselves along various paths, will tattoo the body, will invest practices, and will bring together new communities. It is within such an interval that the invention of French theory began to play out in the United States around the beginning of the 1980s; this interval is still open, and in this open space it has kept its strength intact.” (Cusset p338)
Posts Tagged ‘François Cusset’
Mid-Atlantic Ridge
Posted on: March 15th, 2009 by mar
Continuing the found book on French theory in America
Posted on: February 10th, 2009 by mar
“…whereas, in the manner of a détournement, the tactics of ‘ransacking’ texts and the inversion of symbols became a generalized approach. The pages are invaded by fake advertisements… and by an ingenious archival arsenal (blurry photos and ‘detourned’ or freely appropriated comic strips), all part of a deliberate scrambling of codes…” (François Cusset, p72-73) Look up: interview with Deleuze and Foucault (1972) “Intellectuals and Power” (FT p33)
Things I don’t so much like about my work habits: When I write I tend to collect a lot of quotes etc. and let them speak for me instead of having a voice. I painted again yesterday. This is ultimately meaningless but also momentous and earth-shattering since I wasn’t sure I would ever touch a brush again. I worked on the table and used a lot of arm muscle. I don’t care about anything except that each one should have its idiocy progressively diminished through my hand, i.e. I look at the group and pick the stupidest one first and hide its stupidity with white.. or with some color. Sometimes the color is amazing – like the yellow yesterday and the dark blues. Then I leave it alone again to look at on the wall and move on to the next most stupid one.