30 Years after Les Immatériaux - Art, Science and Theory
Transcript of 30 Years after Les Immatériaux - Art, Science and Theory
BROECKMANN
30 YEARS
IMMATÉRIAUX
LES
ART
SCIENCE
THEORY
HUI
Hui, B
roeckmann
30 Years after Les Imm
atériaux: Art, Science, and Theory
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Contents
Yuk Hui and Andreas Broeckmann: Introduction 9
P A R T I : D O C U M E N T
Jean-François Lyotard: After Six Months of Work… (1984) 29
P A R T I I : A R T
Antony Hudek: From Over- to Sub-Exposure: The Anamnesis of Les Immatériaux 71
Jean-Louis Boissier in conversation with Andreas Broeckmann: The Production of Les Immatériaux 93
Jean-Louis Boissier: The Bus of Les Immatériaux 109
Francesca Gallo: Contemporary Art as “Immatériaux”: Yesterday and Today 119
Thierry Dufrêne: Les Immatériaux: An “Immodern” Project 137
P A R T I I I : T H E O R Y
Bernard Stiegler: The Shadow of the Sublime: On Les Immatériaux 147
Anne Elisabeth Sejten: Exhibiting and Thinking: An Anamnesis of the Postmodern 159
Yuk Hui: Anamnesis and Re-Orientation: A Discourse on Matter and Time 179
Charlie Gere: The Silence of God 203
Robin Mackay: Immaterials, Exhibition, Acceleration 215
Daniel Birnbaum and Sven-Olov Wallenstein: From Immaterials to Resistance: The Other Side of Les Immatériaux 245
Bibliograhpy 269ImageCredits 271Authors 273
Introduction
Yuk Hui and Andreas Broeckmann
The Postmodern in Les ImmatériauxIn1985,theFrenchphilosopherJean-FrançoisLyotard,togetherwiththedesigntheoristThierryChaput,curatedtheexhibitionLes Immatériaux at theCentreGeorgesPompidouinParis.HehadacceptedaninvitationbytheMinister for CultureandtheCenter for Industrial Creation (CCI).SixyearsafterLyotard’sreportonThe Postmodern Condition (1979),1theexhibitiondem-onstratedthehypothesiswhichhehaddescribedinthereport.Theobjectsandartworksshownexpressedhisobservationsofwhatwashappeningindomainssuchasart,scienceandphilosophy,underthenewconditionofcom-municationtechnologies.Lyotard’sreportisconsideredtobearesponsetoanotherreportbySimonNoraandAlainMinc,inthe1970s,whichproposedthe “computerisation of society”2.NoraandMinc’sprojectleadtothedevel-opmentoftheFrenchMinitelsystem.AccordingtoLyotard,thenew“post-modern”conditiondemandedanewsensibility,ashestatedintheprinciplepropositionfortheexhibition:“Theinsecurity,thelossofidentity,thecrisisisnotexpressedonlyineconomyandthesocial,butalsointhedomainsofthesensibility,oftheknowledgeandthepowerofman(futility,life,death),themodesoflife(inrelationtowork,tohabits,tofood,…etc.).”3AconstantreturntothepostmodernconditionbecameageneralmethodofLyotard’sphilosophicalthinkingtogobeyondthemodernimagination,andguidedtheconstructionoftheexhibitionwhichwas,inhisownwords,a“manifestation”,a“non-exhibition”.
1 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,La Condition postmoderne(Paris:ÉditionsdeMinuit,1979).2 CharlieGere,Art, Time and Technology(Oxford:Berg,2006),p.139.3 Les Immatériaux catalogue, Album (Paris:CentrePompidou,1985),p.26.
10 30 Years after Les Immatériaux
ThetitleoftheexhibitionLes Immatériauxdemonstratesaformofresistanceagainstthemodernconceptionofmateriality.TheoriginaltitlefortheprojectthattheCCIhadinitiatedalreadyin1981,beforeLyotardgotinvolvedin1983,was Création et matériaux nouveaux.Thistitlewaschangedseveraltimes:Matériau et création,Matériaux nouveaux et création,La Matière dans tous ses états,beforeitwasfinallyannouncedtothepublicasLes Immatériaux.4 The etymological root mâtreferstomakingbyhand,tomeasure,toconstruct.ThemodernssinceDescartesconceiveadualismandhenceanoppositionbetween the res cogitansandtheres extensa;thethinkingmindbecomesthefoundationofknowledgeandalsothejudgeofwhatisreal.AsLyotardwrote:“Inthetraditionofmodernity,therelationofthehumanwithmaterialsisfixedbytheCartesianprogramme:tobecomemasterandpossessorofnature.Afreewillimposesitsendstothegivensensedatatodivertthemawayfromtheirnaturalsense.Itwilldeterminetheirendwiththehelpoflanguagewhichallowsittoarticulatewhatispossible(aproject)andtoimposeituponwhatisreal(matter).”5
HenceLyotardconsideredthatatitlesuchasmatériaux nouveaux wouldonlyperpetuatethemodernconception,whileusingtheprefixim-couldintroduceamomentofself-reflection:“Theexhibition[manifestation]entitledLes Immatériauxhasthepurposeofpresenting[ faire sentir] how much this relationisalteredbythefactofnewmaterials.Inthisextendedsense,thenewmaterialsarenotonlynewmaterials,theyinterrogateanideaofthehumanwhoworks,whoprojects,whoremembers:ofanauthor.”6 The immaterial is fundamentallymaterial.Thepointwasnottoappreciatethenewmaterialitybroughtbythetelecommunicationtechnologies,butrathertoquestiontherelationbetweenmanandhisdesiretobecomethemasterofmatter.Theaimofcallingit“immaterial”,likethedesignationofthe“postmodern”,wastoliberatemanfromthemodernparadigm,andtoreleasematerialfromtheprisonoftheindustrialrevolution.
Atthetime,LyotardhadjustfinishedwritingLe Differénd,abookdedicatedtothephilosophyofKantandWittgenstein,inwhichLyotardwantedtore-readthehistoryofphilosophyaccordingtowhatwascalledthelinguistic turn.7 The differendreferstoanunresolvedconflictduetothelackofrulesormetanarrativeswhicharecommontotwodifferentsystemsofdiscourse.Weshouldalsorecognisethatlanguagewasalwaysatthecentreofhisthoughts,aswasalreadyevidentsincehisPhDthesis,whichwaslaterpublishedas
4 AntonyHudek,“FromOver-toSub-Exposure:TheAnamnesisofLes Immatériaux”,inthisvolume,p.72.
5 Les Immatériaux catalogue, Album(Paris:CentrePompidou,1985),p.16.6 Ibid.7 Jean-FrançoisLyotard, Le Différend(Paris:Minuit,1983).
Introduction 11
Discours, Figure(1971).8ThequestionoflanguagewashencefundamentaltoLyotard’sconceptualisationofthisexhibition,especiallysincetelecom-municationtechnologyhadcreatedanewmaterialityoflanguagebetweensendersandreceivers;ormorefundamentally,itservedasthebasisofthepostmodernturn.Theconceptionoflanguageasatoolalsocharacterisesmodernity,because“modernitypresupposesthateverythingspeaks,thismeansthatsolongaswecanconnecttoit,captureit,translateitandinter-pretit,thereisnofundamentaldifferencebetweendataandaphrase;thereisnofundamentaldifferencebetweenaphenomenonofdisplacementinanelectromagneticspectrumandalogicalproposition”.9ButitisalsosuchanequivalencethatallowsLyotardtodevelopanontologyofthematerialorimmaterialaccordingtoamodeloftelecommunication:matériau/medium,matériel/receiver(destinataire),maternité/emitter(destinateur),matière/referent,andmatrice/code[Figure1].Thenewmaterialitywasmappedontothemodeloftelecommunication.Theobjectsandartworksintheexhibition,aswellasthe60sitesatwhichtheywerepresented,werealsoclassifiedandorderedaccordingtothesefivecategories.
Art and Science in Question
Lyotardcomparedthedisplacementoftheelectromagneticspectrumandlog-icalpropositions,andcontinued:“giventhisfact,inthisface-to-facerelationtoauniversethatishistodominate–aheroicrelation,Iwouldsay–inordertomakehimselfthemasterofit,manmustbecomesomethingelseentirely:thehumansubjectbecomesnolongerasubjectbut,Iwouldsay,onecaseamongothers,albeitacasewhichretainsthisprivilege,untilprovenotherwise
8 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,Discours, Figure(Paris:Klincksieck,1971),translatedintoEnglishbyAntonyHudekandMaryLydon,MinneapolisMN:UniversityofMinnesotaPress,2011).
9 FromLyotard’sreport,“Aprèssixmoisdetravail”;seethisvolume,p.33.
[Figure1]Communicationdiagram(Source:Petit Journal,28March–15July1985,Paris,p.2.
CentrePompidou,MNAM,BibliothèqueKandinsky).
référent
[referent]
code
[code]
destinataire
[receiver]
destinateur
[sender]
matière
[referent]
message
[message]maternité
[maternity]
matériel
[hardware]
matrice
[matrix]
matériau
[support]
12 30 Years after Les Immatériaux
(whichisextremelyimprobable)”.10 It was clear to the curatorial team that technologywasnotthecauseofarupture,butratherthesignofthedeclineofthefigureofthemodern,andthatatthesametimetechnologymadethismodernprojectreflectuponitself,anddestabiliseitself.11InLyotard’swords,technologyplaceshumanityonceagaininaconditionofchildhood,ofimmaturity.ThisreferencetoimmaturityisindirectcontrasttowhatKantdefinedastheprojectoftheEnlightenment,namelytoovercomethecon-ditionofUnmündigkeit.
Unmündigkeit,however,isnotopposedtomaturity;ratheritisopposedtoauthority,ormoreprecisely,totheauthoritythatlegislatesasthesolevoice.Scientificknowledgehasbeensuchanauthority,whichnotonlydemythologisestheuniverse,butalsohasademoralisingimpactuponwhatLyotardcallstheproblemoflegitimation.12Thepostmodernalsoquestionsacertainhegemonyofauthorityandhenceradicallyopensupthewaythatknowledgeisacquiredandnarrated.Thearrivalofthepostmoderndemandsasensitivitytothematerialconditions,atthesametimeasitgivesusanewsensibilityofliving.Inthe1980sand‘90s,wesawthecelebrationofthepostmodern,asaliberationfromtheshacklesofrules,codes,oppositions,andespeciallyofthemodern;acelebrationwhichwasevidentinalmostalldomainslistedintheexhibition:alimentation,perfume,architecture,urbanism,art,astrophysicsandphysics,biologyandgenetics,writing,habitat,mathematics,money,music,theatre,danceetc.Thesettingoftheexhibitionisprobablythebestillustrationofthis.Itpresentsuswithalabyrinthinwhicheveryobjectisatoncefamiliarandstrange.Envisagingtheconstructionoftheexhibitionspace,LyotardproposedtogobacktoanideaofDenisDiderotwho,whenreviewingthepaintingsofClaudeJosephVernetinthe1767Salon,presentedthemnotaspicturestobeviewedfollowingthetraditionallogicofthedivisionofgalleryspace,butratherdescribedthemasrealsites,intheformofdisorientationsofspace.
Theexhibitionarosefromanefforttomovetheconceptofthepostmodernoutsideofbooksandtofinditssupportinotherobjects,suchasscientific,industrialandartobjects.Thisapproachreflectedaglobalvision,withoutreferringspecificallytosocialandeconomicaspects.13Theexhibitedobjectstendedtobringinnewformsofthinkingthatwouldcallthemodernintoques-
10 Ibid.11 “Deuxièmeétatdesimmatériaux”,ArchiveofCentrePompidou,March1984.12 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,The Postmodern Condition: A Report on Knowledge,trans.Geoff
BenningtonandBrianMassumi(Minneapolis:UniversityofMinnesotaPress,1984),p.6–9.
13 AccordingtothetestimonyofmemberofthecuratorialteamChantelNöel,from“LaRègleduJeu:MatérialiserLes Immatériaux–Entretienavecl’équipeduC.C.I”,inModernes, et après? "Les Immatériaux",ed.ÉlieThéofilakis(Paris:ÉditionAutrement,1985).Thisdistancefromsocialandeconomicaspectswashoweverdisputedbetweentheteammembersintheinterview.
Introduction 13
tion.Inquantummechanics,Heisenberg’suncertaintyprincipleclaimsthatwecannotknowthelocationandspeedofaparticlesimultaneously.Speedandlocationaretwoimportantconceptsinclassicalmechanics,sinceitisthedisplacementoflocationanddurationthatgivesusvelocityandacceleration.Thepresenceofparticlescannowonlybeimaginedintermsofprobabilities.Thisinvolvesbothamathematicalreductionaswellasadematerialisationofobjectsinouruniverse,includingstars,galaxies,bodiesandmind.Forexample,thefirstsecondsofthebirthoftheuniversearerepresentedbymeansofaquantifiablemodelwithwhichwecanexplainthegenesisofthecosmos,asiftherewerehumansubjectswhowitnessedtheprocess.
Wemightsaythatthecosmicmysteryhaschangedthroughthediscoveryofthe“immaterial”.Theuniverseisnolongereitherastablemechanicalmodeloraperfectself-organisingorganism.Wecannotonlyobservethemovementofthestellarbodies,butalsowitnesstheirbirthanddeath.Whatdoessuchachangeinscientificdiscoverymean?Intheminutesofameetingofthecuratorialteamfrom20thMarch1984dedicatedtothistopic14 there is a tes-timonyfromtheastrophysicistMichelCassé,oneoftheparticipantsoftheexhibition:“Whyistheuniversesoequivocal?Whyistherateofexpansionasitis?Ifitwasdifferent,wewouldn’tbehereinterrogatingourselves:auni-versemoredensewouldshutitselfdownbeforeallappearanceoflife.Themiraculouscoincidences,aretheynotinevitableineveryuniversethatshelteraconsciousobserver?”
Theartobjectsintheexhibitionposesimilarquestionsandaffirmtheuncertaintybroughtaboutbynewtechniques.Theseobjectsremain,inacertainsense,instrumentalindemonstratingLyotard’svisionofthepost-modern.Morethananything,Les Immatériauxperformedthedisappearanceofthebody,bothinthepresentationoftheobjectsandintheaudience’sexperience.Thenewbodyandmindmaterialiseintheformofcodes.AttheentrancetherewasanEgyptianbas-reliefsculpture,followedbyalonganddarkcorridor.Visitorshadtowearheadphonesandlistentothesound-track,playingdifferentprogrammesofspokentextsin26differentzonesthroughouttheexhibitionspace.Afterpassingthroughthecorridor,oneenteredthe Théâtre du non-corpsdedicatedtoSamuelBeckett,whichshowedfivedioramasinstalledbyBeckett’ssetdesigner,Jean-ClaudeFall.Therewasnoactor,orrathertherewereactorswithoutbodies:thefirstdirectreflectionuponthemoderngaze.Fromherebeganfivedifferent,intersectingpaths,withmorethan60sites.Forexample,correspondingtothecategoryMatériau,thesiteentitledDeuxième peau showeddifferenttypesofgraftsmadeofporkskins,cultivatedskins,andartificialskins.Anothersite,entitledL’ange,dis-playedalargephotographofAnnegretSoltau’sSchwanger(1978),whichshowstheartist’sbodyindifferentstagesofapregnancy.
14 DocumentfromtheArchiveofCentrePompidou.
14 30 Years after Les Immatériaux
In the category Matrice,thesitecalledJeu d’échecsshowedtheheuristicsofachessgamewithcomputers;codeswereeverywhere,evenmachinesthatcalculatedthestatisticsofvisitors.Throughthelensoftechnicalobjects,vis-itorswouldconfrontthelimitoftheirownbodies,andthecomplexityoftheuniverse.InthecategoryMateriel,forinstance,therewasadocumentaryfilmaboutthebirthanddeathofstarsprojectedonabigscreen.
ForLyotard,themostfundamentalaspectofthetransformationsmappedin Les Immatériauxislanguage.InadocumentaryabouttheexhibitiontitledOctave au pays des immatériaux,Lyotardconcludedthefilmbysayingthat“languageisthemostimmaterialsystemthatmaterialhassucceededinforming”[le langage est le système le plus immatériel que la matière ait réussi à former].Infact,wecanprobablyunderstandthatthecodingofmaterialsbringsthemcloserandclosertotheformofmessages.Henceafterpassingalongthefivecategoriesofobjectsandartworks,theexhibitiondisplaysanothersetofworksinaspaceentitledLabyrinthe du language,dedicatedtoJorgeLuisBorges.Notonlythematerialityofwritinghaschanged,butalsoitsformofpresentation,thewayitiswritten.
ThearthistorianCharlieGerehasobservedthattheartisticprogrammeoftheexhibition“wasnotjustareflectionofLyotard’sowntaste,butanexpressionofhisstronglyheldbeliefthatonlysuchworkcouldproperlyexpressorinvokethesublime.”15Whatwouldbethesublimethatthisexhibitionsoughtafter?Onthispoint,LyotardreturnedtotheaestheticjudgementofKant,especiallythefeelingofthesublime.Kantdefinesthesublimeas“themerecapacityofthinkingwhichevidencesafacultyofmindtranscendingeverystandardofthesenses.”16Likeaestheticjudgement,thesensefeelingisnotsubsumedbyanyconcept;butunlikeaestheticjudgement,itinvolvestheimaginationandreasoninsteadoftheunderstandingandtheimagination.Wecanspeculatethattheexhibitionputthesublimeitselfintoquestion,forthesublimeisnolongeronlyaquestionofaestheticsbutalsoaquestionofpolitics,onethatisdeeplygroundedincultureandhistory.ClementGreenbergsawmodernismasaresponsetowhathecalled“theromanticcrisis“aroundthemid-19thcentury.17Sincethenmodernismhasnotceasedtobeself-critical.Incontrast,thepostmodern–especiallyLyotard’sreadingofKant’sreflectivejudgement–resonateswiththeworkoftheearlyRomanticssuchasFriedrichWilhelmJosephSchelling.Wemaysaythat,forLyotard,whatthepostmodernrespondstoispreciselythebeliefortheillusionofthestableandself-criticalfigureofthehuman.Lyotardmakesastrongdistinctionbetweensituation
15 Gere,Art, Time and Technology,p.147.16 ImmanuelKant,Critique of Judgement,trans.JamesCreedMeredithandNicolasWalker
(OxfordUniversityPress,2007),§25,p.81.17 ClementGreenberg,“ModernandPostmodern”,Arts,54,No.6(February1980),www.
sharecom.ca/greenberg/postmodernism.html.
Introduction 15
andpresentation(Darstellung).18Artaspresentationorasre-presentationisrestricted,forLyotard,totheunderstandingofKant’sfirstCritique.Thesub-limemustmanifestitselfascontradiction,orconflictbetweentheimaginationandreason.Ononehand,theimaginationconfrontsitslimittorepresentthatwhichitcannotpresent;ontheotherhand,reasonhastoviolatetheinterdictthatititselfposesofnotgoingbeyondtheconceptsofsensibleintuition.19 Thesublimeisnotaboutconformity(toconcepts),butrathercontradictionarisesatthemomentofhereandnowasanevent(Ereignis)inthesenseofHeidegger,ormorepreciselyinthequestion:arrive-t-il?20 In relation to this supposition,thefollowingiscrucialforourinquiry:Lyotard’sdiscourseonthesublimedidnotconcernsomuchwhethertechnology-basedartcangiveusthesublimeornot.Instead,weshouldre-situatethewholediscourseofthepostmodernandLyotard’sambivalentfeelingabouttechnologyanditsrelationtopostmodernity.Lyotardposedthequestionoftherelationshipbetweenartandtechnologyattheendofalectureentitled“Something like: communication… without communication”:
Thequestionraisedbythenewtechnologiesinconnectiontotheirrelationtoartisthatofthehere-and-now.Whatdoes“here”meanonthephone,ontelevision,atthereceiverofanelectronictelescope?Andthe“now”?Doesnotthe“tele-”elementnecessarilyobscurethepresence,the“here-and-now”oftheformsandtheir“carnal”reception?Whatisaplace,amoment,notanchoredintheimmediate“suffering”ofwhathappens [arrive].Isacomputerinanywayhereandnow?Cananythinghappen [arriver]withit?Cananythinghappentoit?21
Matter and SentimentHerewecanseedoubtsandquestionsinthefaceofrapidtechnologicaldevel-opmentandindustrialisation.Inthearticle“Logos and Techne, or Telegraphy”, published in the collection L’Inhuman(1988),Lyotardwrote:“Thequestionofahegemonictelecultureonaworldscaleisalreadyposed.”22ThisdoubtofLyotardconcerningtherelationbetweenthepostmodernandtechnologiesalsoresultsinitscritique.Fromthe1990suptotoday,wecanlocatedifferenteffortsthattrytosituatethepostmoderninalargehistoricalperspectiveinordertofindawayoutofthemelancholiaaccompaniedbytheliberation.
18 ÉliseMarrou,“DeLyotardàWittgenstein:undifférend?Anthropocentrismeetacos-misme”,inLyotard à Nanterre (Klincksieck,2010).
19 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,Lessons on the Analytic of the Sublime,trans.ElizabethRottenberg(Stanford:StanfordUniversityPress,1994),p.55.
20 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,“TheSublimeandtheAvant-Garde”,inThe Inhuman: Reflections on Time(Cambridge:PolityPress,1991),p.93.
21 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,“Somethinglike:communication…withoutcommunication”,inThe Inhuman,p.118(translationmodified).
22 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,“LogosandTechne,orTelegraphy”,inThe Inhuman,p.50.
16 30 Years after Les Immatériaux
AccordingtotheanalysisofarthistorianNicolasBourriaud,thepostmodernistheepochofmelancholia.TakingupthetheoryofGermanphilosopherPeterSloterdijk,Bourriaudproposedthatthismelancholiacomesfromdisillusion-mentwiththesuperabundanceofenergyandresourcesandthepowerofconquest,especiallytheenergycrisisin1973andtheendofthe30gloriousyears(1945–75)inFrance.Bourriaudproposedwhathecalls“theAltermodern”asthesuccessortothePostmodern,anepochinwhicheveryoneisuprootedfromtheirpropercultureandbecomesanomad,ahomo viator.23 It seems tousthatthisfigurestillfallssquarelywithinthediscourseofthepost-modern,however.InfactreflectiononthemelancholiaofthepostmodernwasaddressedbyLyotardduringthepreparationofthisexhibition,inadocumententitledDeuxième état des immatériaux,datedMarch1984.Accordingtothisdocument,theexhibitionwantedtoreflectinitsmise en scène the melancholia broughtbythefailureofEurope’sandAmerica’sextensionoftheEnlight-enmentproject.Thisdistancefromanenlightened,brightandtransparentsocietycreatedasorrow(chagrin)amongtheirpeople.24
Withtheprojectofthepresentpublication,30yearsafterLes Immatériauxand35yearsaftertheappearanceoftheLa Condition postmoderne,wewantedtoinvestigatewhathasbeenhappeninginthewakeoftheirepochalhypothesesandobservations;ormoreprecisely,whathasbeenhappeningtotheques-tionofthepostmodern.Nodoubt,manythingshavehappened.Thesocial,economicandpoliticalconditionshavechanged,andsohavethetechnologicalconditions.Digitaltechnologyperpetuatesthemoderndesireforcontrolandmasterythroughnetworks,databases,algorithmsandsimulations.Digitaltechnology,whichwasoncethefigureinsteadoftheground,slowlybecomesthegroundofgovernance,communication,andscientificresearchmethods.Itseemstohavenotonlychallengedtheepistemesofscienceandart,butalsotheirepistemologies.AtthetimeofLes Immatériaux,theWorldWideWebhadnotyetappeared,Minitelswerethemaincomputationaldevicesintheexhibition,andsomeprojectsactuallyfalteredbecausethecuratorialteamhaddifficultiesinfindingasufficientlypowerfulserver.OneofthemostsignificantprojectsintheLabyrinthe du language was Épreuves d’écriture, a col-laborativeonlinewritingprojectwhichresultedinthesecondcatalogueoftheexhibition.Itinvited26writers,includingphilosophersandsocialscientistssuchasJacquesDerrida,BrunoLatour,FrançoisChatelet,ChristineBuci-Glucksmann,PhilippeLacoue-Labarthe,IsabelleStengersandDanSperber,tocontributecommentarieson50keywords[Figure2].Overthecourseoftwomonths,theparticipantswrotesmallentriesforeachkeyword,andatthesametimecriticised,orcommentedupon,theentriesandcommentsofothers.Duringtheexhibition,thevisitorscouldusefiveMinitel terminals
23 NicolasBourriaud,Altermodern(London:TatePublishing,2009).24 “Deuxièmeétatdesimmatériaux”,p.4.
Introduction 17
connectedtoacentralservertoaccesstheentrieseitherbykeywordsorbythenamesoftheauthors.Thiswasprobablyoneoftheearliestcollectiveandnetworkedwritingexperiences,presentedtothepublicwhenthecomputerwasnotyetpopular.
Inart,wehavesincewitnessedtheriseandfallofnewmediaart.Ontheonehandweobservemoreandmoreintensiveinterdisciplinarycollab-orationwithscienceandtechnologies;ontheotherhand,art,designandtechnologyareconvergingundertheforceofthecultureindustry.Inscience,simulationhasoverturnedtheestablishedepistemology,sincescientificexperiments–thefundamentalresearchmethodproposedbyFrancisBacon–nowdemandcollaborationwithcomputersimulations.In2013theNobelprizeforchemistrywenttoMartinKarplus,MichaelLevittandAriehWar-shel,whosincethe1970shavedevotedthemselvestothedevelopmentofmoleculardynamicssimulations.Inthehumanities,wehaveobservedtheriseofanew,heavilyfundeddiscipline–digitalhumanities–coinciding,afterthe concept of the inhumanproposedbyLyotardin1986,withdiscoursesonthepost-human,cyborgs,non-human,object-orientedphilosophy,andsoon.Inlightofthetransformationbroughtbytelecommunicationstechnologies,wewanttorevisitLyotard’shypothesisofthedestabilisationoftheconceptofthemodern.Whereisthisconceptofthehumangoingafterthepost-,thebeyond?Shouldwenotdemandanewwayoforientationaftermasteryand
[Figure2]FrançoisChateletwiththeOlivetticomputerusedfortheÉpreuves d’écriture writing
experiment(Source:CentrePompidou,MNAM,BibliotèqueKandinsky).
18 30 Years after Les Immatériaux
disorientation,perhapsanorientationthatimposesneitherawilltomasterynorthemiseryofturbulence?
Reorientation: 30 Years after Les ImmatériauxIfwecansummarisetheModernasthewilltomastery,andthePostmodernasacelebrationofdisorientation,weproposethatweshouldproceedtoare-orientationwhichavoidsbothmasteryanddisorientation.Orientationisnec-essarilyanamnesis–thatistosay,arecollectionofwhatispast–intheminds,inculturalobjects,andinanewcartography.Theinitiativeofconductingaresearchproject30yearsafterLes Immatériauxisnotonlytopayhomagetoit,andtounderstanditssignificanceinhistoricalperspective(intermsofartandtheory),butalsotoreflectuponthetransformationof“postmodernculture”.
Politics.Asfor“disorientation”,thefirstsenseoftheworddestroysorder,rulesandroots;asecondsenseconcernstheOrientandtheOccident,ageopoliticalandculturaldevelopmentunderglobalisation,supportedbytechnologies.CountriesoutsideEurope,suchasChina,whicharebelievedtohaveneverexperiencedmodernity,suddenlyhadtoadapttothepostmoderndiscourse.Howcouldwereassessthis,30yearslater?Ifweneedtorediscoverthesentiment,thenthe9/11terroristattacksin2001,thewarsinIraqandAfghanistansincelate2001,thecreditcrunchin2008,andtheArab Spring in 2011,havebroughtmelancholiatoanend.InsteadwecanprobablyidentifyanewsentimentinwhatFrancoBerardihasconceptualisedasa“stateofpanic”.Thispaniccomesnotonlyfromsocialandeconomicconditions,butalsofromthenetworksoftransmission:imagesandsoundsofsuicideattacksdirectlyreachoureyesthroughfibrecables;thefiguresofstockexchangeratesareinstantlyupdatedonthescreensofoursmartphones,tablets,andcomputers;moreover,wearefacedwiththenationalsurveillanceschemesontelecom-municationchannels,andtheproliferationofcyber-attacks.Re-orientationdemandsanewvisionoftheconflictsbetweenvaluesandcultures,aswellasanewgeopoliticalorder,whichinturncallsforanewformoflegitimacy.
Aesthetics.Weobservethatsocial,economicandpoliticalconditionshavereversedthepromiseofthepostmodern.Think,forexample,ofHenryLefebvre’spostmodernistcritiqueofLeCorbusier’sfunctionalismandthedesiretocontrolinarchitecturalandurbanforms:“ThestreetcontainsfunctionsthatwereoverlookedbyLeCorbusier:theinformativefunction,thesymbolicfunction,theludicfunction.Thestreetisaplacetoplayandlearn.Thestreetisdisorder.”25Todaythedisorderofthestreetbecomes
25 HenriLefebvre,The Urban Revolution(Minneapolis:UniversityofMinnesotaPress,2003),p.18.
Introduction 19
whatRichardFloridapinpointsasthe“creativecity”.26Thus,thepostmoderncritiquebecomesatoolofneoliberaldiscourse.AccordingtoFredricJameson,thepostmodernfollowsthelogicoflatecapitalism,inacontinuationofthecultureindustrycritiquedbyAdornoandHorkheimer.27Thedisorientationoncecelebratedasliberationcannowbeconceivedasasourceofsorrow.Thelong-lastingpost-comesandmustcometoitsend.
Knowledge:Thetelecommunicationstechnologiesembodyamodelofcom-municationwhichismoreinteractivethanever.Withinthisnewconfiguration,thelegitimacyofknowledgeisfirstlychallengedbytop-downauthoritarianlegislation.Thedevelopmentofthedigitalhaspervadedeveryaspectofourdailylife,yesterday’sMinitelshavebeenreplacedbypersonalcomputers,padsandsmartphones.Theorisation,astheeditoroftheWired Magazine ChrisAndersonprovocativelyclaimed,iscomingtoanend,sincebigdatawillmakeit“obsolete”.Whatisrenderedobsolete,however,isnotonlyanykindofnarrative–whether“grandnarratives”or“micro-narratives”–butalsoanyattemptatsettinguphypotheses,constructingmodelsandcon-ductingproofs,astheyhadbeenpractisedbysciencesincethetimeofFrancisBacon.28
InrecentyearswehaveseennewtitlessuchasHypermodern,SupermodernandAltermodern,whichtrytoaddressthenewconditionafterthepost-modern.Incontrast,webelievethat,inordertoarticulatethisnewphase,amorehistoricalandgeopoliticaldimensionofthemodernmustbetackled,andthatanewimaginationisrequired.Inautumn2013theCentrePompidouhosted–onits5thfloor,whereLes Immatèriauxhadalsobeenheld–anexhibitionentitledPlural Modernities 1905–1970.Thishistoricalrecognitionof Plural Modernities,thoughitaffirmedculturalheterogeneity,seemedindifferenttotheconceptofthemodernitself,andtowhathappenedafterthepost-modern;tothesensibilityproducedbythematerialconditions,whichnotonlyaffectthewaywelookatthepresent,butalsothepast–i.e.,worldhistory.Thepastlosesitspowerwhenitcannolongercontributetothehereandnow;hencewefeeltheneedtocarryoutananamnesisofLes Immatériaux.
26 RichardFlorida,The Rise of the Creative Class: And How It ’s Transforming. Work, Leisure, Community, and Everyday Life (NewYork:BasicBooks,2002).
27 SeeFredricJameson,Postmodernism, or, The Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism(London:Verso,1991),andTheodorW.AdornoandMaxHorkheimer,Dialectics of the Enlightenment (London:Verso,1979).
28 ChrisAnderson,“TheEndofTheory:TheDataDelugeMakestheScientificMethodObsolete”;online:archive.wired.com/science/discoveries/magazine/16-07/pb_theory.
20 30 Years after Les Immatériaux
Structure of the BookThisbookisdividedintothreeparts.Thefirstpart,“Document”,offersthefirstpublicationofthetranscriptofareportwhichLyotardaddressed–probablytohiscolleagues–inthespringof1984.Thetextdoesnothaveanoriginaltitle,whichiswhyitisreferredtoaccordingtoitsfirstwords,“Aftersixmonthsofwork”(Après six mois de travail).Inthistext,Lyotardspeaksaboutconceptual,theoreticalandpracticalconsiderationsregardingthepreparationsfortheexhibition.ItnotonlyoffersinterestinginsightsintotheevolutionoftheguidingconceptualprinciplesofLes Immatériaux, which were subsequentlytranslatedintocuratorialandscenographicdecisions,butalsohighlightstheneedtohistoricisetheexhibitionanditspreparatoryphase,whichhadalreadybegunin1981withextensiveresearchbyChaputandhisteam.ThispreparatoryphaseincludedafirstconceptualsketchprovidedbyLyotardinAugust1983,whichwasthenpinpointedbythereportfirsttrans-latedintoEnglishhere–areportwhoseopeningwordsalreadypointustothetransitory,evolutionaryworkthatwouldeventuallyleadtotheexhibition.
ThesecondpartofthebookfocusesontheartisticprogrammeofLes ImmatériauxandcontainstextsbyarthistoriansandartistswhodiscussvariousaspectsofthehistoricalsignificanceofLes Immatériaux.Inthe2000s,threearthistoriansconductedextensiveresearchintothebackgroundandcontextoftheexhibition:FrancescaGallo,AntonyHudek,andAntoniaWunderlich.WehaveincludedatextbyHudekhere,whichoffersadetailedanalysisofthemainparametersoftheexhibition,andhomesinontherelationshipofitsartisticandphilosophicalprogrammes.Hudekalsocon-textualisesLes Immatériaux inrelationtocontemporaneousdevelopmentsinconceptualandpostmodernart.
FrancescaGallohascontributedanewtextinwhichshehighlightstheselectionofsomecontemporaryartistsfortheexhibition,especiallysomefemaleartistsinwhoseworkthenotionof“theimmaterial” features in a particularlypertinentmanner.Galloalsosuggeststhatmorerecentinternet-basedartworkscontinuethelineofquestioningcommunicationandmateri-alityfirstproposedintheexhibition.29
29 WehadoriginallyalsoplannedtoincludeachapterfromGermanarthistorianAntoniaWunderlich’sbookaboutLes Immatériaux entitled Der Philosoph im Museum (Bielefeld:TranscriptVerlag,2008),inwhichshedescribesthe“Phénoménologiedelavisite”ingreatdetail,offeringamostcomprehensiveaccountofwhatcouldactuallybeseenandexperiencedintheexhibition.Wunderlichputstogetherasite-by-sitedescriptionoftheexhibition,drawingonthecataloguesaswellasreviews,interviewsandotherstatementsbymembersoftheaudience,journalistsandteammembers.Regrettably,thetranslationandreprintofthis150-pagetext,whichiscurrentlyonlyavailableinGerman,wereimpossibletorealiseforthepresentvolume;itwill,however,nodoubtbean important source for any future research on Les Immatériaux.
Introduction 21
TheFrencharthistorianThierryDufrênecontributesthehypothesisthat,byanalogy with the conception of the “immaterial”,theexhibitionalsoimplicitlyproposedaconceptofthe“immodern”,whichwouldnotbethenegationbutratheraspecificinflectionofthemodern.Dufrênesituatestheimmodernastheontologyofinteraction,juxtaposingthemodern(subject)andpostmodern(crisis).
TheartistJean-LouisBoissierhascontributedtwotexts.OneisaninterviewconductedbyAndreasBroeckmanninwhichBoissierspeaksaboutthehis-toricalcontextinwhichLes Immatériauxwasrealised.Importantly,heprovidesinsightsintothecuratorialandproductionprocesswhichdonotbelittleLyotard’sroleandimpactontheproject,yetwhichunderscoretheimportanceofthecontributionsofThierryChaput,PhilippeDélis,theteamoftheCCI,aswellasthedozensofothercooperationpartnersandparticipants.
TheimpressionthatitishistoricallyuntenabletospeakofLes Immatériaux as“Lyotard’sexhibition”wasconfirmedbyLyotardhimselfwhen,inthe1984reportincludedinthisvolume,herepeatedlyspokeabouttheteamandtheconsensualwayofworking.Evenintheopeningsentenceofthereport,Lyotardrefersto“thequestionofinstallationaswehavecollectivelythoughtitthrough”.Withregardtothecatalogueandwhatwouldbecomethe“Album”,documentingthepreparationsofLes Immatériaux,Lyotardacknowledgedthatthisvolumewouldalso“includetheteam’sworkingtextsspanningalmosttwoyears”,thusgoingbacklongbeforehehimselfjoinedtheproject.Lyotardrecountsthatwhenhesuggestedsomechangestothespatiallayoutoftheexhibition,“thispropositionwasrejectedunanimouslybytheteamalmostwithoutdiscussion,withoutanyargument–fundamentallyrejected,asiftheteamunderstoodthatwecouldnotgettotherootofthisproblemofpost-modernspacethrougharapid,controlledspatiallayoutofaplanfortheexhibition.”30Elsewhereinthereport,speakingabouttheadaptationoftheconceptofthepostmoderntotheexhibitionspace,Lyotardpointedtotheconsensuswithintheplanningteam:“IfnowItakethisbarelysketched-outmodelandtransportittothecaseoftheexhibition,askingmyself,there-fore,whatapostmodernexhibitioncorrespondingtothemetropolisortothenebulaofconurbationcouldbe,thenIamindeedobliged–and this is what we have all concluded–weareobligedtorefusethetraditionaldispositif of the galleryandthesalon–thatistosay,thedispositif whichopposes,forexample,roomsandthecorrespondingcorridors,habitatsandlinesofcirculation.”31 Inthispassage,Lyotardexpandstheauthorialsubjectoftheexhibitionby
30 Lyotard1984,inthisvolume,p.29,63,and55,respectively.31 Inthisvolume,p.58(emphasisadded).
22 30 Years after Les Immatériaux
pointingtotheorganisingteam,indicatingthattheexhibitionasawholewassuchacollectiveeffort.32
Boissier’ssecondcontributionisacasestudyontheinteractiveinstallationLe Bus,whichheandhisstudentsattheUniversityParis8producedforLes Immatériaux.Thetextisnotonlyadetailedaccountoftheprojectandoftheconditionsunderwhichitcameabout,butitalsoexemplifieshowtheitemsandartworksondisplayintheexhibitioneachhadahistorybeforeandafterLes Immatériaux.Thetextindicateshowadetailedhistoricalaccountoftheexhibitionprojectasawholewillhavetoplaceafocusonmany,ifnoteachoftheindividualobjectsandtheirproducers,andtheresearchthatwentintothem,inordertoprovideafullpictureofwhatLes Immatériaux meant in the broadercontextofart,scienceandtheory,andthecorrespondencesbetweenthem.
Thethirdpartofthebookcontainssixreflectionsonthephilosophicalques-tionsposedbyLyotardandpresentintheexhibition,especiallywithregardtotheconceptofanamnesis.TwoformerstudentsofLyotard’s,BernardStieglerandAnne-ElisabethSetjen,providebothananamnesisofLyotard’sexhibitionandoftheirpersonalexchangeswithhim.Inhercontribution,Setjenexploresthe relation between Les ImmatériauxandLyotard’sreadingofKant’sCritique of the Power of Judgement.Les ImmatériauxdemonstratesKant’sconceptofreflectivejudgement,notonlyintheexhibitionitself,butalsoforitsstudents,visitors,etc.Itisinlightofthedifférendthatthereflectivejudgementbecomesautonomous in search of the sensus communis,orwhatsherefersasthetran-scendentaux.Thepostmodern,Sejtenshows,canbereadasthereincarnationofKant’ssublime,aswellasanactofresistanceagainstthe“toohuman”modern.
Incontrast,BernardStieglercriticisesLyotardforhavingignoredtheshadowofthesublime.AccordingtoStiegler,Lyotarddidn’tseetherelationbetweentechnéandthesublime(theproductoftheimaginationandreason)inaprofoundway,andhenceignoredapoliticaleconomyoftheimmaterialwhichhasbecomemoreandmoredeterminedbyindustry.StieglergoesbacktohisearlyworkTechnics and Time 3,inwhichhedevelopedtheconceptofthefourthsynthesisoftheunderstanding,asacritiqueofKant’sthreesyntheses:namely,apprehensioninintuition,reproductionintheimagination,andrecognitioninaconcept.Thefourthsynthesisistheexteriorisedmemoryorthetertiaryretention,whichconditionstheotherthree.IfonefollowsKantinsayingthatthefacultiesoftheunderstanding,judgementandreasonarebuiltupononeanother,thenthereisalsoarelationbetweenthesublime
32 Inafuture,moreextensiveresearcheffort,thecontributionsoftheparticipatingindividualsandgroups,andthechronologyoftheirinteractions,willhavetobeetchedintorelief.
Introduction 23
andtechné.StieglershowsthatLyotard’sinterpretationofKantlacksthepharmacologicalcritiquewhichbecomesurgentinourtime.
YuiHui’sandCharlieGere’stextsoffertwodifferentreadingsofanamnesisinrelationtotheexhibition.SituatingthequestionoftheOtherinLyotard’swritingsbeforeandaftertheexhibition–The Differend(1983)andThe Inhuman(1988)–Hui’stextposesthequestion:IsthepostmodernmerelyaEuropeanproject?Theexhibition,forLyotard,wasanoccasiontoreflectonanewmetaphysics,onethatdistancesitselffromthemodern.Duringthepreparationoftheexhibition,LyotardsawthepossibilityoflocatingsuchametaphysicsinSpinozaorintheJapaneseZenBuddhistDôgen.Lyotardposedtheintriguingquestionofwhetherthenewtechnologiesmightgiverisetothepossibilityofachievingaformofanamnesiswhichhecalled“passage”.LyotardelaboratedonhisconceptwithreferencetoFreud’sconceptofDurcharbeiten,aswellastoDôgen’sconceptof“theclearmirror”.Hui’stextaddressesLyotard’squestionbyreflectingonthedifferencesbetweentheconceptionsof technéandanamnesisinthephilosophicalWestandEast,andsuggestspushingLyotard’squestioninthedirectionofaprogrammeofre-orientationintheglobalcontext.
Gere’stextproposestounderstandtheexhibition,andespeciallytheuseoftheheadphonesandtheirsoundtrack,asananamnesisoftheHolocaust.ReflectingonLyotard’swritingonthehyphenintheexpression“Judeo-Christian”,andonGeorgioAgamben’scritiqueofDerrida’sprojectofdecon-structionasa“thwartedmessianism“of“infinitedeferment“,GereproposesthatwritinghassublatedthedifferencebetweenJudaismandChristianity,andhencenecessitatestherepressionandforgettingoftheformerbythelatter.GerepointsoutthereferencestoAuschwitzinLes ImmatériauxandsuggeststhattheuseofthesoundtrackandheadphonescanbeinterpretedasananamnesisofthelostvoiceofGodinphilosophyas“gramma“.
Intheirtexts,RobinMackay,andDanielBirnbaumandSven-OlovWallen-stein,explorethepoliticaldimensionofLes Immatériauxasresistance.MackayprovidesarichcontextualisationoftheexhibitionwithinthepoliticsoftheCentreGeorgesPompidou,aswelltheroleoftheCentrePompidouinthedevelopmentofthecultureindustryinFrance.Healsooffersanaccel-erationistreadingofLyotard’sexhibitionasacritiqueofNickSrnicekandAlexWilliams’s2013Manifesto for an Accelerationist Politics,whichsuggeststhattheaccelerationofcapitalandtechnologieswillspeedupcapitalism,aswellasleadtoitsself-destruction.MackayproposesthatLyotardrecognisedthedoubleeffectofsuchacceleration.Itintensifiestheinquietudeofthehumansubjectinlosingitsroleasmasterinthepostmodernepoch(thefirstsenseoftheinhuman),butalsoleadstoitshyper-exploitation(thesecondsenseoftheinhuman)withoutemancipation.Instead,MackayconsidersLes Immatériaux as alaboratoryforathirdwayout.
24 30 Years after Les Immatériaux
BirnbaumandWallensteinprovideanotherreadingoftheresistanceofLes ImmatériauxbyofferingspeculationsaboutasequelexhibitionthatLyotardmentionedinhisseminars(provisionallyentitledRésistances),whichwasneverrealisedbutwhichwouldsupposedlyhaveconceivedresistanceintermsof“noise,distortion,andthedimensionofexperiencethatresistsbothcon-sciousnessandlanguage”.BirnbaumandWallenstein’stextaimstorecon-structthisnotionofresistancebygoingbacktoLyotard’searlierwritingsonconceptssuchastouching,eventandpassibility.BirnbaumandWallensteinalsolocatetheconceptofresistanceinLyotard’swritingsonaesthetics,andinhisinterpretationsoftheworkofKarelAppel,SamFrancisandothers.TheirtextresonateswiththoseofHuiandSejtenonLyotard’ssearchforaconceptofanamnesisthatwouldbreakfromthetraditionalconceptionoftherelationbetweentechnologyandmemory.
Thisbookderivesfromaresearchprojectthatbeganinthesummerof2013attheLeuphanaUniversityofLüneburg.Theaimoftheprojecthasfromitsoutsetbeentoprovideanhistoricalaccountofboththeartandtheoryofthismysteriousexhibition,Les Immatériaux, 30yearsafteritsoccurrence.GiventhesignificanceofLes Immatériaux,thispublicationisonlythebeginningofareconstructionoftheepochaltransformationofthesepastdecades.WewouldliketothankLeuphanaUniversityandourcolleaguesattheCentreforDigitalCulturesfortheopportunitytoworkonthisimportantproject,especiallyClausPias,TimonBeyes,TinaEbner,MathiasFuchs,ErichHörlandAndreasBernard,whohaveprovidedvaluablesupportthroughoutthelasttwoyears.ThefundingofourworkwasprovidedthroughtheHybrid Pub-lishing LabandtheresearchgrouponArt and Civic Media in the EU Innovation IncubatorprojectofLeuphanaUniversity.InParis,ourresearchhasbeenmadepossiblebytheCentrePompidouanditsstaff,whereNicolasRoche,DidierSchulmann,JeanCharlierandJean-PhilippeBonilliweremorethanhelpfulingivingusaccesstotheresourcesintheArchives.WearealsogratefulforinstructiveconversationswithJean-LouisBoissier,ThierryDufrêne,Anne-MarieDuguetandBernardStiegler.AtMesonPress,MercedesBunz,MarcusBurckhardtandAndreasKirchnerhavemadethepublicationpossible.WewouldliketoextendspecialthankstoMadameDoloresLyotardforgenerouslygrantingusthecopyrightsoftheuneditedtextofJean-FrançoisLyotard,andtoRobinMackayforthetranslationsfromtheFrench.WealsowouldliketothankDamianVealandThomasMunzfortheirdiligenceincorrectingandcleaningupthemanuscript.Lastbutnotleast,wewouldliketothanktheauthorsfortheircontributionsanddiscussions.Together,wewilltakeitfromhere.
After Six Months of Work… (1984)
Jean-François Lyotard
AftersixmonthsofworkinpartnershipwiththeteamattheCentredeCréationIndustrielle(CCI),andwithoneyeartogobeforetheopeningoftheexhibitionentitledLes Immatériaux,Iwouldliketotakestock,firstlybymakingafewclarificationsconcerningtheconceptionofthisexhibition,thenbysettingoutthequestionofinstallationaswehavecollectivelythoughtitthrough,andreportingonourintendedresponsestothequestionofinstallation,oratleasttheirgeneraldirection.ThosearetheprincipalpointsthatIwouldliketocoverhere.
Theinitialtitleoftheexhibition,asstatedintheplanoftheCentreGeorgesPompidou,wasLes nouveaux matériaux et la creation[NewMaterialsandCreation].Suchatitleobviouslybringswithitawholewayofthinking,awholehorizonofthinkingwhichwemightsetoutasfollows:inmakingaveryfine-grainedanalysisofnaturalgivens,intelligencearrivesatcertainelements;itsynthesisestheseelements,itreorganisesthem,aidedbythecreativeimagination,andinthiswayengendershithertounknownobjects.Andthephilosopher,whenhescansthishorizon,recognisesthefigureofmodernity,whichisperpetuatedintheformofasubjectthatisintelligent,imaginative,andvoluntary,asubjectthattakesholdofaworldofgivenobjectsandanalysesthem–thatistosay,asubjectthatreducesthemtotheirfinest,mostimperceptibleelements,andproveshismasteryofthesegivensbycreatingfromtheseelementscompletelynewtools,newmaterials,newmatter,even.
BycallingtheexhibitionImmatériaux,wehad,ifImaysayso,anumberofclaimsinmind.Firstly,wemustunderstandmaterialsinabroadsense,aswehavealreadywritten,extendingthemeaningofthewordmaterial[matériau] toalsocoverreferents[matières],hardware[matériels],matrices[matrices],
30 30 Years after Les Immatériaux
andevenmaternity[maternité].Tracingthecommonoriginofthesetermstothe sense of the root mât,whichmeansbothmeasurementandconstruction,wetriedtorethinkeverythingthatthemodernproject,theprojectofthefigureofthesubjectIjustmentioned,tendstotreatasasortofpassivitytobeconquered,asdatatobeanalysed.ThatistosaythatIwouldlikepersonally,inmycapacityasaphilosopher,togivetheword“material”aphilosophicalpertinencethatnecessarilyexceedsthesenseofthewordasitisused,forexample,bythearchitectorthepainter.Ifinsaying“material”Ialsounder-standsomethingasmaternity–thatistosay,asorigin–thenobviouslyIamposingaproblem,thatofauthentication–aproblemofauthority,aproblemofbeginnings;andfromthatpointofview,theterm“material”immediatelyraisesaquestionthatisgenerallynotconsideredinrelationtothefigureofmodernity–preciselythatoftheintelligent,imaginative,andvoluntaryoriginwhichexertsitsdomination,itshegemony,itsmastery,overwhatisgiven.Thatisthefirstpoint.Ofcourse,bydistinguishingbetweencontent[matière],hardware[matériel],matrix[matrice],maternity[maternité],andsupport[matériau],weseektoredistributetheterm“material”,whichasatermremainsrathervaguewithregardtocertainextremelypreciseandspecificfunctionsthataregenerallydistinctforthecommunicationsengineer,forexample,butalsoforthelinguistand,probably,forthephilosopher.Thisiswhy,inthefirstprojectplanconnectedwiththisexhibition,wetookasareference-pointthemodelofthestructureofcommunicationthatdis-tinguishesbetweenthesenderandtherecipientofamessage–whichalreadygivesustwoinstances–butalsothecodeinwhichthismessageiswritten–athirdinstance–thesupportuponwhichitiswritten–afourthinstance–andthereferentofthemessage–afifthinstance.Itseemedtousthatwecoulddistributethedifferentrootsofmâtinaccordancewiththisstructureofcommunicationinawaythatisnecessarilyarbitraryyetconvenient,onethatwouldgiveusasortingmechanismfortheenormousamountofthingsthatthesubjectdemandedwedealwith.Thuswedecidedthatthesenseof maternityobviouslybelongedtotheroleofthesender,thesenderbeingthefatherormother,asyouwish,ofthemessage.Asforthewordcontent [matière],ontheotherhand,ifwefollowtheusagethatiscommoninhighschools,colleges,teachingestablishments,andlibraries,whenwespeakofcontentwemeanwhatthemessageisabout,thematterofwhichitspeaks–thatistosay,thereferent;thuscontentbecomesreferent,contentcomesunderthepoleofthereferent–whenwespeakofcontentinthecom-municationalstructure,itisthereferentpolewearediscussing.Similarly,matrix [matrice] canbeidentified,alittlearbitrarily,yetnotinsignificantly,withthecodeinwhichthemessageiswritten,andhardware[matériels] are the meansoftransmissionofthemessage;thehardwareisthewayinwhichthemessageiscarried,transportedfromsendertorecipient;thesetwoarethere-foredevicesforthetransmissionandcaptureofmessages,whatevertheymay
After Six Months of Work... (1984) 31
be.Andthenthesupport [matériau]propercanbeidentifiedwiththematerialmediumofthemessage–thatofwhichthemessageismade.Distributingthedifferentsensesofthewordmâtinaccordancewiththestructureofcom-municationinthisway,wehaveatourdisposalawayoffilteringoutwhatwillinterestusintheexhibition,ofchoosingwhatwillbepertinentinrelationtoourproblem.
Wemustofcourseemphasisethefactthat,intakingthiscommunicationalstructureasaparadigmandatthesametimeasafilteringmechanismforwhatwewanttoshow,wehaveacceptedthehypothesisthatbelongsspecificallytomodernity,namelythateverygivenisamessage.WhatImeanisthatif,forexample,wetakethecaseofarchitecture,andthinkaboutitintermsofthisstructureofcommunication,wearesayingthat,forexample,thebuilding,orthisroom,isitselfamessage,thatthismessagehasasender,thatistosaythatitisengenderedbyamaternity[maternité],thatithasanauthorwhoauthenticatesit;thatitaimsatarecipientandthereforethatitcanbegraspedinspecificwaysbyspecifichardware[matériel];thatitisinsomewayinscribedinasupportmedium[matériau]accordingtoacodethatisitsmatrix[matrice];andfinallythatthisbuildinghasareferent[matière] –thatis,it“speaks”ofsomething.Thesamewouldapplyifitwereaques-tionofapainting(tostaywithinthedomainofthearts),butalsoifitwereaquestionofalightsignalemanatingfromasunmanymillionsoflight-yearsaway;anditwouldbethesameifitwereaquestionofmutantbacteriainabiochemicallaboratory–these,also,wouldbetreatedasamessage.Thisisanideathathasbecomecommonplace.Itiscloselylinkedtotheveryideaofmodernity,foritisevidentlyonlyatthecostofmakingeverygivenamessagethatthehegemonyoftheintelligence,will,andimaginationofthesubjectcanbeappliedtoagiven,forthisapplicationmeansverysimplythatthegivenmustbeunderstoodasasign,andthusasreferring,andasbeingimmediatelyintegrableintolanguage.Basicallyitwillalwaysbeaquestionofasking:Whatdoesitspeakof?Howdoesitspeak?Whatdoesitspeakwith?Whatspeaksandwhatdoesitspeakto?Presupposedintheveryideaofmodernityistheideathateverythingspeaks,andthatitisenough,inshort,tofindtheconstit-uentelementsofthemessage,sinceitistheseelementsthataregivenbythestructureofcommunicationitself.Themessageiscontrolledandcontrollableoncealloftheseinstanceshavebeendefined.Inthissense,then,thereisnothingnewhereinrelationtothemodernproject,butaratherprecisewayofstretchingthemeaningoftheword“material”,likeasortoffabric,inordertodrawit,tostretchitoverthestructureofcommunicationwhichis,tomyeyes–andIbelievethatweallagreeonthisnow–theveryfigureofmodernityinitstreatmentofwhatisgiven.
Butasyouhaveobviouslynoticed,wedonotsay“material”,wesay“immaterial”.Andwhenwesayimmaterial,weobviouslymeansomething
32 30 Years after Les Immatériaux
extremelyprecise:thatthecontemporarysituation–whichofcourseremainstobedescribed–thisprojectofmodernitywhichextendsitscommunicationalweb to the totality of all possible givens so as to be able to control them by wayoftranslation;inshort–sinceitisaquestionoftranslation,aquestionofthemessage–thatthisprojectisrealisedfullyinthecontemporaneityinwhichwefindourselvestoday,andwhichIcharacteriseessentiallyontheonehandastechnoscientific,andontheotherashistorical–thoughwemaycomebacktothesetwopoints;thatthisproject,then,linkedtothesestructures,isfullyrealised;butthatatthesametimethisveryrealisation,thiscompletionofmodernity,destabilisesthefigureofmodernityandthat,bydintofitsveryperfection,itarousesdisquiet.Inparticular,thenegationim- in “immaterials” indicatesthesituationofaface-to-face,aconfrontationthatopposesthesubject,thesubjectofwill,ofspirit,ofthegaze,tothatwhichisnothim,andwhichfallsunderthegeneraldenominationmât.Thisface-to-facesitu-ation,then,isunderminedtoday.Itisunderminednotonly,asIhavesaid,bytechnoscience;itisunderminedbywhatIjustnowcalledhistory–thatistosay,byasortofchagrinwhich,inthetwentiethcentury,hasreplacedthehopethathadbeenopenedupbymodernityinthestrictsenseattheendoftheeighteenthcentury,twocenturiesago.ThischagriniswhatIwouldcallthecontemporaryhistoricalsentiment,insofaras,certainly,mostofthehopesoftheEnlightenmentera–whichwerenotsolelytechnoscientific,butalsopolitical–are,Iwouldnotsaythwarted,butinanycaseunfinished–thisistheobjectofadiscussionwithJürgenHabermasconcerningthecompletionorotherwiseofthisprojectofmodernity.WhatIwanttosayisthat,preciselybecauseitresultsfromthisproject,inasensenotonlydoestechnoscienceupsetandunderminethatproject,butthatintheorderofglobalpoliticsforthelasttwocenturies,theideaofanenlightened,luminoussociety,asocietytransparenttoitself,whetherwecallitasocialistorliberalsociety,itdoesn’treallymatter,hasrecededconsiderablyforustoday–andthisiswhatIcallchagrin.Andinthissense,bycallingthisexhibitionLes Immatériaux,wemean,amongotherthings,thatitisaquestionofcontributingtoasortofworkofmourningformodernity.Wemustmournformodernity,oratleastcertainaspectsofmodernitythattodayseemillusoryordangerous;andwemustproposethispreciselyontheoccasionofareflectiononthestructureofcommunicationandonitspertinencetothecontemporarycontext.Iwouldsay,tojumpaheadalittle,thatwhatisstrikinginthiscompletionofthemodernproject,thishegemonyoverobjects,whichatthesametimeisadestabilisationofthemodernproject–whatisstrikingisthat,onthetechnos-cientificlevel,weseeasortofreinforcement,anexaggerationalmost,oftheintimacybetweenthemindandthings.Forexample,thesoftwarethatiscomingintogeneraluseonallscalesismindincorporatedintomatter;syntheticproducts,polymersforexample,andallsuchchemicalderivatives,aremattersthatarearesultofknowledge–theyareinstigatedbythemind.
After Six Months of Work... (1984) 33
Biochemical,ormoreprecisely,biogeneticmanipulations,genetics,showthattheminditself,initsmostintimatepropertiesandcharacteristics,canbetreatedasmatter,becauseitismatter.Whenmodernitypresupposesthateverythingspeaks,thismeansthatsolongaswecanconnecttoit,captureit,translateitandinterpretit,thereisnofundamentaldifferencebetweendataandaphrase;thereisnofundamentaldifferencebetweenaphenomenonofdisplacementinanelectromagneticspectrumandalogicalproposition,andgiventhisfact,inthisface-to-facerelationtoauniversethatishistodominate–aheroicrelation,Iwouldsay–inordertomakehimselfthemasterofit,manmustbecomesomethingelseentirely:thehumansubjectbecomesnolongerasubjectbut,Iwouldsay,onecaseamongothers,albeitacasewhichretainsthisprivilege,untilprovenotherwise(whichisextremelyimprobable):thatwecanwellimaginethatthereisnosimilarcaseinthewholeuniverse,subjecttoacompleteinventorybeingmade.Yetitisjustonecaseamongthemanymultipleinteractionsthatconstitutetheuniverse.Youseethat,fromthis“immaterials”pointofview,wehaveemphasised–andthisisapartoftheworkofmourning–akindofcounter-figurethattakesshapewithinthefigureofmodernity,acounter-figurewithinwhichmandoesnotplaytheroleofthemaster.Onemightcallthisfigurepostmodern,insofarasithasalwaysbeenpresentinmodernity,butitmightbetheverycompletionofthetechnoscientificprojectofmodernity.Andasthisprojectisdestabilised,itallowsthiscounter-figuretoappearmoreclearlythanbefore.Iwouldsaythatwecouldcallitpostmoderninsofarasthiscounter-figurebringswithitasortofdisappointmentinregardtotheprojectofdomination,andthatitcon-sistsinmourningit;butIwouldsaythatthismakesthefigurerathercheerfulbecause,oncemourningisover,thenhappinesscomes.Butofcoursethiscounter-figureisuncertain.Andaboveall,Iwouldsaythatwhatthisexhibitionisinterestedin–probablythemostimportantthing–isthatweknowverywellthattherewasametaphysicscorrespondingtothetechnoscienceofdomination,whichwasthemetaphysicsofthesubject,themetaphysicsofDescartesandofallthinkingofthesubjectuptoandincludingthetwentiethcentury;butthatwearenotsurewhatkindofmetaphysicscouldbeappropriatetothetechnoscienceofinteraction.Notonlywhatmetaphysics,whatthought,butalsowhatpolitics,sinceitiseasytoseewhatthepoliticsofthesubjectcorrespondingtothetechnoscienceofdominationwas:preciselythepoliticsofstatepower,Iwouldsay.Ifnotthatofthetotalitarianstatetheninanycasethatofthehegemonicstate–astatethat,moreover,allows,beforeitsveryeyes,thedevelopmentofcapitalasthetruthofthemetaphysicsofwillanddomination.Butthismetaphysicsisbecominglessandlesspertinent–Ithinkmanyscientistsareawareofthis–forcontemporarytechnosciencesandcontemporarypoliticsalike.Idon’tmeantosaythatthehegemonyofthestateandofcapitalhasdisappeared–farfromit,alas–butthatinacertainsenseitwasalreadydestroyed,thatwenolongerexpectanygood,anyjustice,
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fromthesefigures,andthat,consequently,itfallstoustofindathoughtandapracticewithintheframeworkofthetechnoscienceofinteraction–onewhich,inshort,wouldbreakfromthethoughtandthepracticeofscience,oftechnology,andofdomination.Andinacertainsense,itisthisformidableproblem that Les Immatériaux triestopose.Moreformidableyetwouldbetheclaimthat,inthisexhibition,wehavetoposetheproblemthatislinkedtopostmodernity–thatistosay,thequestionofwhatkindofpoliticalpoweriscompatiblewithageneralisedfigureofinteraction.
Followingthesefewclarificationsconcerningtheprojectplan,andbeforetacklingthequestionofitsactualspatiallayout[mise en espace],Iwouldliketoturntosomeassociationssurroundingtheterm“immaterials”–andtheseareassociationsratherthananalyses.Forme,theword“immaterial”isassociatedprimarilywiththeword“immature”,whichisanEnglishword,butonethatisincreasinglyusedinFrench.ByimmatureImeanthat,withthistechnoscience,aswiththisnewpoliticsinwaiting,thereissomethingchildlikeinourcon-temporarysituation.Withinthefigureofmodernity,childhoodwasasituationinwhichthatwhichbelongstonatureandthatwhichbelongstoculture–orrather,Iwouldsay,thatwhichbelongstomatterandthatwhichbelongstolanguage–isnotyetdissociated,isindiscernible,indiscerniblycombined,mixed.Thereisasortofadmixtureofnatureincultureandofcultureinnaturethatischaracteristicofchildhood.Now,ifthereisindeed,asIsaid,suchanintimacyofthemindandofmatterinthenewtechnology,thenonemightcharacterisethelatterasplacinghumanityinasituationofchildhood.Totakeanexamplefromarchitecture,intheDiscourse on Method a whole page–morethanoneinfact–isdedicatedtoacomparisonbetweentheconstructionofarationalmethodandtheorganisationandconstructionofacity.Descartescomplains–oratleastpretendstocomplain–thatthesecitieswerenotconstructedrationallybutweremadebitbybit,neighbourhoodbyneighbourhood,accordingtoneeds,accordingtodemographics,invasions,therequirementsofnewtrades,populationgrowthordecline;andthatallofthisobviouslyleadstogreatdisorder,whereasifacitycouldbeconstructed,aswewouldsaytoday,toplan–thatistosayfirstofallonpaper–thenwewouldseeclearlyinthiscity,wewouldbeabletoorientourselvesinitveryeasily;themethodbeing,atleastinthistext,inDescartes’seyes(atleastthisparticularDescartes)somethinglikeaplanofdominationspecifyingtheprocedurestobeemployedinordertomasteranobjectofknowledge.Well,intoday’ssituation,whatiscalledthecrisisofarchitecturepreciselytendstowardakindofturningawayfromthisidea,whichwasstillthatofthemodernmovementinarchitecture–thatofanentirelyprogrammed,entirelypredictableorganisationofarchitecturalandurbanspace.Onthecontrary,thiscrisisconsistsinperceivingthatthecharm,whatIwouldcallthealmostontologicalbeautyandvalueofItaliancities,comesfromthefactthattheywereinfactconstructedexactlyinthewaythatDescartescomplainsof–in
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anon-dominatedway,alwaysincloseproximitytotheevent,aneventthatcouldbeeitherthetakingpossessionofthecitybysomeprinceofanothercity,ortheaccessiontopowerwithinthecityitselfofasuddenlyrichfamily,or else the necessity of opening a new space for popular representation –allofthismeansthattheclasses,forexample,andtheroutesonefindsthroughtheseItaliancitiesdonotatallresembletheurbanidealprojectedbytheKingofFranceontothePlaceRoyaleinNancyorCharleville,orthePlacedesVosges.Thereisthusareturntoatypeofarchitectureandanurbanismthatisclosetotheevent,whichforustodayseemslikeasortoflostideal,alostmodel.Allthingsbeingequal,itisagainstthesameDes-carteswhoisstartledatthefactthatonewasachildbeforebeingaman,andwhocouldnotmanagetothinkchildhood,andwhowishedtoovercomethischildhoodatthearchitecturalandurbanlevelthroughacompleteplanningofstreets,ofplaces,ofdwellings–itisagainsthim,inacertainway,thattoday’sarchitecturetriestothinkwhenittriestothink,Iwouldsay,achildcity,acityinwhichthe“birthing”ofthedwellingisincomplete,andcontinuestobeincomplete.Itisnotmadeonceandforall,anditisnotaquestionofrespectingaplanthathasalreadybeenmade.Onthecontrary,itisaquestionofallowingtohappenwhatmusthappen–whateverhappens–andofmakingaplaceforitwithinaspacethatisnecessarilyfluctuating.Iamnotsayingthatthisisanidealofthepostmodernarchitecturethatcallsitself“postmodern”,andwhichisinfinitelymoresuspect;butinanycase,Iseeverywellhowthereissomethingfartoomatureinthearchitecturalmodelsof…[wordmissinginmanuscript]orofLeCorbusier,andhow,onthecontrary,whatweneedtodayisachildcity,achildhabitatinthesensethatIjustdescribed,andinthesensethat,forexample,WalterBenjamindescribesinhisBerlin Childhood.Sothatisafirstmeaningassociatedwith“immaterials”.
NextIwouldliketoassociateasecondtermwiththisword“immaterial”,thetermoftheincreate[incréer],or,ifyouprefer,thetransitive.Letmeremindyouthattheinitialplanfortheexhibitiongaveitthetitle“NewMaterialsandCreation”,butthatwerealisedthat,whenwespeakofcreation,creativity,thecreativesociety(asIhavereadrecently,ratherthanconsumersociety),creator,andevenCAD–computer-aideddesign,butwemightalsosaycomputer-aidedcreation–weinterpretthetechnologicalmutationwithwhichweareconcerned(andalsothehistoricalchange–wemustnotforgetthathere)asbeingstill,andonly,modern;thatistosaythatbasicallywethinkthat,ontheoccasionofthisparticulartechnologicalmutation,mancontinuestoaimatthemasteryoftheworld–andofhimselfofcourse–andthat,havingmadeonemorestepforwardinthemeansofthismastery,thiscontrol,heeffectivelyapproachestheidealofthecreator.ThatthisisatheologicalwordonlyreinforceswhatIsay,forifitistruethatmodernitystartswithSaintAugustine,itisalsotruethatitcontinueswithDescartes.Thedifferencebetweenthetwoisvastandyetslight,vanishing,sinceitgoeswithoutsaying
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thatbothofthemimplyacreativeorigin–amaternity,tousethewordIusedbefore.Thefactthatthisoriginiscalled“God”inSaintAugustineand“ego”inDescartesisofnogreatimportance,forinbothcasesweremainwithinthefieldofathinkingofamodernitywhichisthatofasubjectwhocreateshisworld,fortheendsofthearrangementofthisworldandtheenjoymentofthisworld,theenjoymentofknowing,ofpower;andthat,fundamentally,ifwethinkthenewtechnologiesunderthecategoryofcreation,ifwecontinuetomaintainthisideaasifallthenewtechnologiesdidwastofulfilthisdesire,thisinfinityofmodernwillthatiscalledcreation,thenIbelievewemisssomethingthatisveryimportantinthistechnologicalmutation,inthisthirdtechnologicalrevolution,asitisknown–namely,Iwouldsay,theprospectoftheendofanthropocentrism.Inanycase,this,tomyeyes,istheprospectthatwemaylooktowardsontheoccasionofthistransformation,thisgreaterintimacyofintelligenceandtheworld,oflanguageandofthingsthatthetechnologiesinquestionyield:thatthecounter-figureinscribedinmodernity–themoderncounter-figureofmodernity,thatwhichpreciselydoesnotwishtofollowtheparanoiaofthesubjectdominatingthetotalityofthemât – mayemerge.Ifyousaycreation,thatmeansthatyouprohibittheothermetaphysicsthatIevokedearlier:ametaphysicsinwhich,precisely,manisnotasubjectfacingtheworldofobjects,butonly–andthis“only”seemstometobeveryimportant–onlyasortofsynapse,asortofinteractiveclickingtogetherofthecomplicatedinter-facebetweenfieldswhereinparticleelementsflowviachannelsofwaves;andthatifthereissomegreatnessinman,itisonlyinsofarasheis–asfarasweknow–oneofthemostsophisticated,mostcomplicated,mostunpredictable,andmostimprobableinterfaces.YouseethatwhatIamindicatinghereis,perhapsonlyformyself–andIapologisetomycollaboratorsifso–thatontheoccasionofthesenewtechnologies,perhapsthereisadeclineofhumanism,oftheself-satisfactionofmanwithintheworld,ofnarcissismoranthropocentrism,andthatanendofhumanismmayemerge.AndImustsaythatformeitwouldbeagreathappinessinmylatteryearstoobservethedeclineofthismostmiserableaspectofmiserablemodernity;notonlybecause,asIhavealreadysaid,thisaspecthasanextraordinarilyhighcost,inblood,inviolence,interroranddeath;butalsobecause,philosophically,itismostimpoverished.Andifwereallyhavetonamenames,thenIwouldsay that the metaphysics that may emerge through these new technologies wouldnotbethatofDescartes,butratherthatofsomeonelikeSpinoza;orifyouprefer,ametaphysicsthatwouldbemorealongthelinesofZen–nottheCalifornianbrandofZen,butthatofthegreatZentraditionthatis,forme,incarnatedinthatgreatJapanesephilosopher,livinginChina,calledEheiDôgen.ThisiswhatImeanwhenIsay“interaction”.WhenIspeakofinter-actionIdon’twanttorehashthatpettyideologythatattemptstomakeupfortheinabilityofcurrentmediatoallowtherecipienttointerveneinwhatheseesorhears,andwhichthenheraldsinteractionasagreattriumphin
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thereinstatementofdialoguebetweentransmitterandreceiver,whichIfindratherconceited–Ihavelittlefaithindialogue,forit,also,mustbecritiquedinrelationtoitsveryPlatonicorigins.WhenIsayinteraction,whatIamthinkingofisratherasortofontologyoftheendlesstransmissionofmessageswhicharetranslatedbyeachother,forbetterorworse,asmuchaspossible,andwheremanhimselfisnottheoriginofmessages,butsometimesthereceiver,sometimesthereferent,sometimesacode,sometimesasupportforthemessage;andwheresometimeshehimselfisthemessage.Thisplasticityofhumansmeansthatthisstructureofcommunicationtodayseemslikesomethinguponwhichidentitiescannolongerbefixed:wecannolongersaythatinthestructureofcommunicationmanis,forexample,intheroleofthesenderanymorethanthatofthereceiver.Withtheadvanceofscientificresearch–butalsoliterary,philosophical,andartisticresearch–itseemsthathemayoccupymanyplacesinthisstructure;sothisiswhatImeanby“interaction”.
Iwouldnowliketomoveontoanewgroupofassociationsaroundthethemeoftime.Thequestionoftimewillplayaconsiderableroleintheexhibition,asIshallexplainlateron.AndthegroupofassociationsthatIhaveinmindultimatelycomprises,tosimplifysomewhat,twomaintendencieswhichareperfectlycontradictory.Ononehandweareconcernedwiththesenewtechnologies,butalsowiththeso-calledpostmodernsociety,inwhichwemaintainarelationtotimethatcomesfrommodernity,andwhichistheextensionofthemodernprojectofdomination.Contemporarytechnologiesandthecontemporarywayoflifeaimtoexertman’smasteryovertimeinthesamewaythatthemodernprojectaimed,andstillaims,toexertman’smasteryoverspace.Iwouldassociatetheimmaterialwiththeimmediate, in thesensethatmasteryovertimeimpliestheabolitionofanydelay,andthecapacitytointervenehereandnow.Theothertendency(Ishallcomebacktothispointinafewmoments),whichisinperfectcontradictiontothefirstone–andtomymindthiscontradictionillustratesveryspecificallythecon-tradictionofpostmodernityitself,whichatoncecompletesmodernity,oratleastextendsit,yetontheotherhandcontradictsandoverturnsit–theothertendencyintherelationofmantotimetodayisthat,preciselybecauseoftheimportanceaccordedtodominationovertime,andthevalueofimmediacy,manencountersprobablymorethaneverhisincapacitytodominatetimepreciselyinsofarastimeisnotamaterial.Itisdifficulttoconceiveofspacewithoutthebodiesthatoccupyspace,whereastime,onthecontrary,cannotonlybeconceivedofbutevenexperiencedwithoutanybodyoccupyingtime;whatoccupiestimeisnotbodies,andthus,inthissense,timeistheform(tospeaklikeKant) par excellence–orthemedium,ifyouprefer–ofimmateriality.Inphilosophyitusedtobecalled“innersense”,butobviouslythisisatermthatwecannolongerusetoday.Iwillreturntothesetwoassociations–theassociationofimmaterialitywithimmediacy,andthecounter-associationof
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immaterialitywithunmasterability.Afirstpoint:tomastertheobject–whatIhavecalled“mât” – themindtranslatesthepropertiesofthatobject,oratleastthosethatareconsideredtobeexploitable,andthisiswhattheterm“project”means:thattheobjectisaddressedinviewofexploitation,thatistosayinviewofdominationandusage.Thereforethemindtranslatesthepropertiesjudgedtobeexploitableinlanguage,algebraiclanguageforexample,andretranslatestheequationsobtainedintogeometricalproperties–atleastthiswasthewayinwhichthemodernprojectproceeded.Thusspace–whichisgivenspontaneously,naturally,throughsightforexample,butalsothroughhearing–spacereceivedinthiswaybythecorporealhumansubjectisreplacedbyacontrolledspace,onethatiscontrolledviathisprocedureofanalysis,aprocedureoftranslationintomathematicallanguage,andaprocedureofsynthesisthatpermitsthere-translationofequationsbackintolinesandbodies,aprocedureforpassingfromarithmeticandalgebrabackintogeometryandmechanics–thisisaprocedurealreadyelaboratedbyGalileoandDescartes.Ifwefollowthelineofthisprocedure,theidealpursuedbythisprojectofcontrolandmasteryinrelationtotimeisthecapacitytointerveneinstantaneouslyintheobject’sbehaviour.Wewillbeabletosaythatthemasteryoftheobjectiscompleteif,asitevolvesindepen-dently,theobserverortheworkercaninterveneimmediatelyinitsbehaviour,andinterveneinsuchawayastoimmediatelycarryoutthetaskthattheobserverortheworkerjudgesappropriate.Thismeansthattheanalysisofthebehaviouroftheobject,includingunpredictablebehaviour,andthesyn-thesisoforderstoaddressthisobject,mustoccupytheleastpossibleamountoftime.Itisclearthatcyberneticsdependsuponthisprinciple,andthatthisiswhytelematicsandinformaticscounttimeinnanosecondstoday,andwillsooncountinpicoseconds–10–12seconds–whichonthehumanscaleiscloseenoughtowhatwecallimmediacy.Machinesthatworkonsuchtime-scalesobviouslymakepossibleinteractionsinwhatwecall“realtime”;thisisthecase,forexample,withtheSogitec4XmachineinventedatIRCAM,whichallowsacomposertointerveneintheproductionofsynthesisedmusicasitislistenedto.Iwouldsaythatthiskindofprocedure–oneofimmediateinter-vention–fullycompletestheprogrammeofmodernmetaphysics,whichisalsotheprogrammeofcapitalism–namely,togaintime,toloseaslittletimeaspossible.Thismeansthattheexhibitionwillhavetoshowthisconquestoftime,aswesay,andwillhavetodothisacrossagreatmanyapparentlyheterogeneousdomains.Forexample,Ithinkthatwemustusemusicasaguidingthreadhere,forreasonsthatareeasytounderstand,becauseitisanartoftime,anditisthereforeinmusicthat,asifbyaccident,immaterialshavedevelopedmostrapidly.ButIwouldverymuchlike,forexample,tocomparethismusicalresearchtofinancialresearchconcerningthedemateri-alisationofmoneyandthepossibilityofcarryingouttransactionsthatarealmostimmediate,transactionsthatcompletelydoawaywiththeusual
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delaysinrealisation.Thisideaofimmediateinterventioniscloselytied,asIhavesaid,totheveryprojectofexchangeingeneral–theideaofabridgingasfaraspossiblethedistancebetweenthepurchaseofsomegoodsandtheremittanceofthecorrespondingsum.Idon’twanttodevelopthataspecthere;Ijustwanttosaythatfundamentallytheconquestofnow–thecon-questoftheinstant,ofthestraightaway–realisesamodelofimmediacythatwefindinwhatlinguistscallperformativity.Theclassicexampleofaperfor-mativephraseisthatofthechairmanofameetingwhenhesays“Ideclarethemeetingopen”.Itisenoughforhimtosay“Ideclarethemeetingopen”inorderforthemeetingtobeopen;thatistosaythatherewehaveaneffective-nessthatisimmediateinthesensethatthephraseitselfis theeffectiveness:itseemstodescribeasituationbutinrealityitbringsitabout;itbringsitaboutwithnofurthermediation–withoutsomeoneelseneedingtocarryouttheorder,forexample.Whenwemakeapromise,itisthephraseitselfthatperformsitsmeaning,andthuswecansaythatwiththeperformativewefindourselvesinimmediacypar excellence.Iwouldsaythatthemodernproject–andinparticularthecapitalistproject,insofarasitis,obviously,linkedtothemodelofexchange–isaprojectoftheperformative.Itisaprojectofatimethatisentirelyatthedisposalofhewhospeaks,andwhoisinapositiontoensuretheimmediateeffectivenessofthatwhichisenunciated.Theclas-sicalthinkers,intheancientdiscussion,the“quarreloftheAncientsandtheModerns”,reflectedonthebiblicalphrase“lettherebelight,andtherewaslight”,regardingthisasanentirelysublimecaseofimmediacy.Itseemstomethatthisispreciselytheproject–orrather,thedream–ofmodernity;adreamwhich,moreover,iscloselylinkedtothatofsublimity:itsdreamwouldbetosay“lettherebethecar,andtherewasthecar;lettherebepetrol,andtherewaspetrol”.This,Ithink,istheideathatgoesbythenameofcreation.
Thismodelofperformativity,whichcorrespondsinacertainwaytotheconquestofthenow,impliesasortofpriorityoflanguage,orinanycaseahegemonicpredominanceoforallanguageoverwrittenlanguage:“Ideclarethemeetingopen”isonlyperformativeatthemomentandintheplacewhereitoperates,inactualandpunctualfashion;whenyoureadintheminutesofsomemeeting,orinanovel,thatthechairmanhassaid“Ideclarethemeetingopen”,itdoesnotfollowthatinyourspace-timeasthereader,somemeetingisnowopen.Theperformativeisalwayslinked,obviously,toaparticularspace-time,toahereandnowwhicharethoseoftheperformativephraseitself,andwhoseeffectivenessisthuslinkedtotheactualenunciation.Whencetheimportanceaccordedinthecurrentproblematictoorality;notonlyintheproblematic,but,Iwouldsay,firstandforemostineverydaylife:theimportancegiventothevoiceoverwrittenlanguageiswellknowntoteachersandpedagogues;effectsofneo-alphabetisation,ofdyslexia,areproducedbythepredominantuseofthetelephone,oftelevision,ofsoundfilm(Iwouldalsoincludetaperecorders)–thatistosay,materialsthat
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transmitthevoiceinitsorality,andwhichhaverealtimeeffects.Film-makersspeakoftherealityeffect;onemightspeakofarealityeffectoftimethroughorallanguagewhich,obviously,writtenlanguage,languagewritteninabook,doesnothave;forthereisnoeffectofperformativityuponthereaderwhenhereads“Ideclarethismeetingopen”,whereasontheotherhand,ifhehearsit,heaskshimselfimmediatelywhatmeetinghasbeenopened.Perhapsthesevoice-transmittingmaterials,thisprecipitationthatIhavesupposedtobetakingplace,withoutbeingabletoattesttoitmyself,alsoaccountforcertainchangesinlanguagethroughthelossorwithdrawalofthewrittenlinguisticreferentthatmightslowdownimportantdisplacementsinlanguageuse.Thus,fromthisperformativemodel,thispredominanceofarticulatedlanguage,therefollowsasortofpredominanceofthegeneralattitudeofreading.ByreadingImeannotthedeciphermentofatextinthespacethatwecallthepage,butsomethingalittledifferent:when,forexample,wequeryaserver,onMinitelforexample–let’stakethesimplestpossibleexample–theserversendspagestothescreenwhichwereadandinwhichweseektheinformationwe’reafter.Thisisanexerciseinreading,wereadpageafterpage;butthisreading,precisely,isnotproperlyspeakingavision,notifwetakevisioninastrongsense.Itisratheroftheorderofhearing;andasproof,Iwoulddrawyourattentiontothefactthatanaturalvoiceorasyntheticvoicecouldverywelltransmitthisreadablemessagewerewenotabletoreadit.Ofcoursethismeansthatthetextwouldbeinterpretedbyanactor,byareader–potentiallybyarobotreader–thusitisverymuchanart,butitisanartoftime,ofthesameorderasthatofmusic.If,ratherthanatext,onthescreenpageoronanysurfacewhatsoever,youhaveanimage–thisiswhatIcallvisible–itgivesrisetoavision;andwithsomethinglikethatthevoice–whetherroboticorhuman–cannotreinstatetheimageforyou;byreinstateImeanthatwhenyouseetheimage,youdonotreadit,youdonothearit.Ofcoursethevoicecanspeaktoyouoftheimage,butitcannotspeaktheimageasitspeaksatext.Inthissense,thetraitsthatformthesyntheticlettersofoursystemofwritingareincomparablewiththetraitsthatformimages,eventhoseofso-calledideographiclanguages.Andinthissense,Iwouldopposevisionandhearingasimageandlanguage,andofcourseasspaceandtime.Infrontoftheirscreens,humans–contrarytowhatwemightthink–ceasetobelookersandbecomereaders–thatistosay,essentially,listeners.Inthisway,wefindourselvesconfrontingtheoppositionbetweentheartsoftimeandtheartsofspace,Iwouldsayapracticeoftimeandapracticeofspace–between,letussay,musicandpainting,inshort.WhenIsaybetweenmusicandpainting,Imeanthatvoiced,articulatedlanguageandmusicandcinemaareanartoftime,andthatwhenwepassfromthepenandpenciltothekeyboardforreading/writing,passingbywayoftheword-processorkeyboard,whichhadalreadybegunthismutation,wegofromamodethatspatialisesinscription–asisalwaysthecaseinpainting,andthefirstwritingisavariety
After Six Months of Work... (1984) 41
ofpainting–towardamodethattemporalisesinscription.Thismeansthatthesignifierinthissecondmodalityisorganisedinachainallofwhoseelementsarenotactualisableatonce–intheblinkofaneye,aswesay–asisthecaseforanimage,butonlysuccessively–or,aslinguistssay,diachronically.Thescreenpagesthemselvesscroll,andwhenawriterworksonawordprocessor–somethingthatwearealsoincludinginthisexhibition–theimportantthing,especiallyifheisusedtoworkingwithapen,isthatthiswriterloseshismanuscriptpage,helosesallthepreparatoryworkwhereadditionsareinscribed;theemendations,erasures,andmistakeswhicharetheretogetherinthepreparatorytextalldisappearandgivewaytoatextthatitselfmayalsobepreparatory,butwhichispotential–Imeanthatitisnottheretohand,youcan’tputalltheeditedpagesnexttoeachothertogetaviewofthewhole;youhavetobringuponebyonethisorthatpastpagewhichhasbeenmemorisedinyourmachine.Insteadofapreparatorytextitisapotentialtext,atextthatisafuturetextbecauseitisintheprocessoffabrication,butonewhich,ontheotherhand,ismorepastthanthemanuscriptis,becauseyoucanonlyrecallitpagebypage,toreviseandcorrectit.Youcannothaveithere,now,en bloc;itisneverthere,anymorethanafilmiseverthereasawhole.Thisalsomeansthat,atthekeyboardandbeforethescreen,wehaveanexperienceoftimeratherthanofspace.Bizarrely,thispredominanceoftimesignifiesasortofpreeminenceofmovementoverrest.Spaceasthesiteofinscription– aboveallthespaceofpaintingorofhieroglyphics,hierographicsingeneral–islinkedtorest,timeislinkedtomovement.Theparadoxesoftimeareparadoxesofmovement,andinahegemonyofreading,likethatwhichIhavejustdescribedveryclumsily,wemightsaythatspaceisitselfbutaparticularcaseoftime,thatistosaythatrest–thesimultaneousgraspingofavisualwholebytheeye(arelativerest,sinceweallknowthattheeyeisinfactveryactiveandisitselfalwaysinmovement,butthemovementisnotintheobject,themovementisintheeye)–thisrestitselfisaparticularcaseofmovement.Youcanstopyourscreen-pagetoregisteritinamorestable,slowerway,forexample,tochangespeedsasonedoeswiththeprocessionofframesatthecinema;butregardless,theframeitselfcanonlybetakenasanextremecaseofnon-movement,theonlyuniversalcasebeingmovement(bymovement,Irepeat,Iunderstandthemovementoftheobject,byvirtueofthesameprincipleasinmusic,whereitgoeswithoutsayingthatitisthemovementofvibrationsthatconstitutetheobjecttobeunderstood).Now,ifthereisnosuchresttobegraspedinthesetechnologies–if,onthecontrary,thesetechnologiesatonceconstantlyrecordandutilisemovement,andonlymovement–thenitfollowsthatinacertainsensenothingcanbegraspedinonego,nothingcantakeplaceatthesametime.Visioncangraspanactualwholeatthesametime–atleastthisisaprejudicewehavealwayshad–whereaslisteningneverhappensatthesametime:listeningtoapieceofmusic,evenashortphrase,cannottakeplaceallinonego.Thephraseisnot
42 30 Years after Les Immatériaux
presentallatonce.Theverynotionofthe“blow”,inthisregard–asintheexpression“atoneblow”–mustbere-examined,sincewhatwecallthe“blow”–ifwewishtothinkithereasittakesplace,forexample,inreflectionsoninternaltime-consciousness–the“blow”ofthearrivalofamusicalnoteforexample,isanevent,atemporalevent:somethinghappens.Whatisthissomethingthathappens?Itarrivestoosoonandtoolate,meaningthat,insofarasitisnotthere,itisnotthere,andassoonasitisthere,itisnolongerthereasevent,itisthereasmemory,immediatememory.OnemightsayinrelationtotheeventwhatFreudsaidaboutthetraumaticevent:atraumaticeventisoneinwhichouraffectivityisstruckandmarkedbycertaindis-positions–neuroticdispositions,forexample,orcertainphantasms–and,asFreudsays,thisrequirestwoblows,notjustone.Ittakesafirstblowinwhichtheeventisimpressedwithoutbeingrecorded,wemightsay,bytheuncon-scious;andthenasecondblowinwhich,onthecontrary,ananalogueofthetraumatisingeventmakesitselfknownastraumatisingwhenitisnotsoinitself,butonlybyanalogywiththefirstblow.Inthisdoublingoftheblowliesthewholesecretofthefactthattimeescapesus,thatthetimeofaneventitselfescapesus,thatweareimmanenttothistimethatwecannotmaster,andthat,inthissense,immaterialsareboththreateningasimminences,andatthe same time are unnmasterable.
Iwouldnowliketoassociatethetermimmaterialwithanotherneighbouringterm,thatoftheunsexuated or transsexuated;bythisImeanthat,inthecon-tradictorynotionoftheimmaterial,thereisnotonlytheattempttoshowthat,inthesetechnologiesandinthispostmodernhistory,thevoluntaristandperfectlymaterialistprojectofmodernityturnsbackinasortofdispossessionofwillandadematerialisationoftheobject;butalsothatasortofecho,asortofconsonanceisproducedinthisreversalofthesituationwhich,itseemstome,isspecificallypostmodern:transsexualism.insofarastranssexualsareinarelationtothatreferent[matière]thatissex.Byreferent[matière] I mean that obligatoryreferenceofthemessagethatisourbody,abovealloursocialisedbody,inthesensethatthebodyqua message teaches us something about sex,teachesussomethingaboutwhatsexweare,andwhereunfortunatelyonedoesnothaveanychoicebeyondthatofbeingamanorawoman.Now,thephenomenonoftranssexuality–whichhasofcoursedevelopedthankstotheprogressofmedicine,whichhasdevelopedonasuperficiallevelinsofaraswenowseeittakingplace,butwhichcertainlyexpressesadesirethatisveryoldandveryprofound,adream–thisphenomenonoftranssexualismcertainlymanifeststheindecencyofimmaterialitypreciselyinthesensethatitdeniesthealternative“manorwoman”inregardtothesexualsignificanceofthecorporealmessage.Justastechnologyandimmaterialsareincredulousinregardtotheoppositionbetweensubjectandobject,Iwouldsaythattheyalsomakeusincredulousinrelationtosexualdifference.Inanycase,theyallowthisincredulityinregardtosexualdifferencetobecomevisible,beyond
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theequalityofthesexesdemandedbyfeministmovements.Wouldn’tthetrueaimofthesemovements–orinanycasethetruepostmodernaim–ratherbethedisappearanceofthealternative,thetransactionbetweenthetwosexes,theconstitutionofasortofsyntheticproduct?TounderstandwhatIamsayinghereonecoulddonobetterthantoreadapassagefromCatherineMillot’sbookHorsexe: Essays on Transexuality,whichexpresseswhatIwanttosay marvellously:
IshallcallhimGabriel,afterthearchangel,inconformitywithhisdesiretobepurespiritonly.Hewastheonlyonetotaketheinitiativeoftalkingwithme.AwarethatIhadalreadyseenanumberoffemaletranssexuals,hephonedmeonedaytotellmethathewantedtomeetmeinordertogetthetruthabouttranssexualitystraight.Hefearedthattheothershadmisledme,andwishedtoridmeofmyillusions,forhecouldnotbeartheideaofpeople“talkinganyoldrubbishabouttranssexuality”.Hearrivedwearingaman’ssuit(transsexualsgenerallyprefertraditionaldress;moreinformalclothesaresexuallylessmarked),agoateebeard,andwasunquestionablymasculineinhisbearingandhisvoice.Straightawayhedeclared,“Thetruthabouttranssexualityisthat,incontrasttowhattheyclaim–thattheirsoulsareimprisonedinbodiesoftheoppositesex–transsexualsareneithermennorwomen,butsomethingelse”.
ThisisaquotefromGabriel.MillotaddsthatitisthisdifferencethatGabrielwantstobeaccepted,thensheletshimspeak:
Transsexualsaremutants,differentfromwomenwhenoneisallwoman,anddifferentfrommenwhenoneisallman.IfeelandIknowthatIamnotawoman,andIhavetheimpressionthatIamnotamaneither.Theothersareplayingagame,theyareplayingatbeingmen.1
Gabriel,sheadds,hasneverfeltlikesheisaman,butthatitwasbecausehewassureofnotfeelinglikeawomanthathewascalledaman.Theunhappinessoftranssexualsisthatthereisnothirdterm,nothirdsex;andaccordingtohim,societybearsthemainresponsibilityforthisbipolaritywhoseconstraintstranssexualssufferfrom.Iwouldsaythat–orrather,Iwilllet Catherine Millot say it:
Thisaspirationtowardsathirdsexisfarmorecommonthantranssexualstereotypeswouldseemtosuggest.Somefemaletranssexualssticktotheirmanlypretensions,butinmanycasesthisclaimmasksahopeofescapingthedualityofthesexes.Transsexualswanttobelongtothesexofangels.2
1 CatherineMillot,Horsexe: Essays on Transsexuality,trans.KennethHylton(NewYork:Autonomedia,1990),p.129–130.
2 Ibid.,p.126.
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Ifindthisformulaveryinteresting,andIwouldsaythat,inthesemanticfieldontowhichtheterm“immaterial”leadsus,wealsofindthisideaoftranssexu-ality–or,ifyouprefer,angelism.AndhereIwouldnothavetolookfartofindawholemysticaltraditionthat,initsownway,anticipatedthemedicaltraditionofpostmoderntranssexuality.
Iwouldliketoassociateonelastwordwiththatofimmaterials,anditisthewordimmortals,butIdonothavethetimetodevelopthatfullyhere.Iwilljustreadapassagefromthatoldclassic,fundamentaltothehistoryoftechnicsandofreflectionontechnics,Mumford’sTechnics and Civilization,wherehewritesthefollowing–whichhasalreadybeenlargelysurpassedsincethiswaswrittenin1934,exactly50yearsago,butwhichremainsallthemoretrueforthe new technologies:
Whateverthepsychologicalreactionstothecameraandthemovingpictureandthephonographmaybe[thesearethetypesofhardware<matériels>heisthinkingabout–J-FL],thereisnodoubt,Ithink,astotheircontributiontotheeconomicmanagementofthesocialheritage.Beforetheyappeared,soundcouldonlybeimperfectlyrepresentedintheconventionsofwriting[whichbringsustotheproblemsofinscriptioninspaceandtime–J-FL]:itisinterestingtonotethatoneofthebestsystems,Bell’sVisibleSpeech,wasinventedbythefatherofamanwhocreatedthetelephone.Otherthanwrittenandprinteddocumentsandpaintingsonpaper,parchment,andcanvas,nothingsurvivedofacivilisationexceptitsrubbishheapsanditsmonuments,buildings,sculptures,worksofengineering–allbulky,allinterferingmoreorlesswiththefreedevelopmentofadifferentlifeinthesameplace.[Heretheaccentisindeedputonthequestionofspace–J-FL]Bymeansofthenewdevicesthisvastmassofphysicalimpedimentscouldbeturnedintopaperleaves,metallicorrubberdiscs,orcelluloidfilms[wecouldadd,ofcourse,microprocessorsandthechips–J-FL]whichcouldbefarmorecompletelyandfarmoreeconomicallypreserved.Itisnolongernecessarytokeepvastmiddensofmaterialinordertohavecontact,inthemind,withtheformsandexpressionsofthepast.Thesemechanicaldevicesarethusanexcellentallytothatothernewpieceofsocialapparatus which became common in the nineteenth century: the public museum.Theygavemoderncivilisationadirectsenseofthepastandamoreaccurateperceptionofitsmemorialsthananyothercivilisation,inallprobability,had.Notalonedidtheymakethepastmoreimmediate:theymadethepresentmorehistoricbynarrowingthelapseoftimebetweentheactualeventsthemselvesandtheirconcreterecord.Forthefirsttimeonemightcomefacetofacewiththespeakinglikenessesofdeadpeopleandrecallintheirimmediacyforgottenscenesandactions…Thusanewformofimmortalitywaseffected;andalateVictorianwriter,
After Six Months of Work... (1984) 45
SamuelButler,mightwellspeculateuponhowcompletelyamanwasdeadwhenhiswords,hisimage,andhisvoicewerestillcapableofbeingres-urrectedandcouldhaveadirecteffectuponthespectatorandlistener.3
YoucanseeherehowMumford,preciselythroughthemediationoftheimmaterialityofnewmaterials,andontheotherhandtheimmediacyoftransmission,andparticularlythetransmissionofthevoice,rediscoverswhatwehavesaidinregardtotime,withintheperspective–whichwehavenotspokenaboutbutwhichmustbedevelopedfurther–oftherelationbetweenimmaterialityandimmortality.AndIwouldadd,tocompletethisfieldoffreeassociations,thatnodoubtweshouldstraightawayassociateimmortalityandtheangelismofwhichIjustspoke.
NowIwilladdressasecondpartofthisreflectionontheexhibitionLes Immatériaux,dedicatedmoredirectlytotheproblemposedbywhatiscalledthespatiallayout[mise en éspace]ofanexhibition;whatwemightcallitsinstallation.ThecontractIsignedprovidesthatattheendofthismonthIsupplyasynopsis,ifonlyaprovisionalone,oftheexhibition.Synopsis,inGreek,meansthatonehasanoverallviewofwhatoneplanstodo.Withthisprincipleofanoverallviewwhatispresupposedisthatthedesigneroftheexhibitionisinapositiontobringintoviewthetotalityofwhathehascon-ceived,toshowitatoneblow;togiveittobeseenatoneblowtoitsrecip-ients.Wecanseethattheveryconceptofsynopsisposesaproblem,giventhatIhaveassociatedtimeandsuccessionwiththenotionofimmaterialsthatIhavebeenconstructing.Forifitistruethatwhatischaracteristicoftherelationbeingestablishedbetweenthemâtingeneralandthemindisthatwecannotexpecttheself-evidenceofimmediacyatoneblow,whilethesynopsisfallsunderthisdelay,this…Thisissomethingweremarkeduponveryquicklyoncewestartedtoapproachthequestionofrealisation,thepassagefromconceptiontospatialdeployment.Itwasfundamentallyimpossible–thisiswhatwequicklyunderstood–toholdtothetraditionalnature,thatistosaythemodernnature,oftheexhibition.Exhibition[exposition–also“exposure”] ormanifestation[manifestation] are obviously eminently philosophical terms.Theymeanthatthingsarepositedhere,ontheoutside,intheirman-ifestaspect.Andthereisarelationimpliedinthisconceptofexhibition,therelationofasubjectwhovisualisesobjects,works,whoconfrontsthem,wholooksatthemface-to-face,withthisvisualisation–thatofthosewhohaveconceivedtheexhibition–controllingitthroughthespatiallayoutitself.Thusonthepartoftherecipientwhoisthevisitor,thereistheprinciplethatheisforemostamanwholooks,aneye.Whatismore,thisisaneyethatisinmovementoverabody,aneyethatwanders,andthereforeonethatexistsinthegeneralregisterofwhatwerecalledpromenadesintheeighteenth
3 LewisMumford,Technics and Civilization(London:RoutledgeandKeganPaul,1955),p.244,and246.
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andnineteenthcentury–whatwecouldcalltourism,withoutseekingtodistinguishbetweenthetwoatpresent.Sothisiswhatispresupposedonthepartoftherecipientoftheexhibition.Asforthesender,ofwhomisdemandedthesynopsisofthisexhibition,whatisrequiredisultimatelythatheanticipates,onpaperatleast–thatheprojects–thisvisitoftherecip-ient,thusshowingthatitsspatiallayoutwillbemadeinsuchandsuchaway,andthatitcanbeguaranteedthatthevisitorwillconducthimselfinsuchandsuchamanner,andthatthereforetheresultsofthiswandering–ofthispromenadeorthistour–canbeanticipated.Thismeansthatthewanderingeyewillreconstitutethemovementofconceptiononceitisinstalled–thatistosay,laidoutspatially.Youcanseethatthispresupposition,inscribedintheveryterm“synopsis”or“exhibition”,issomethingthatishandeddowntousfrommodernity:thefirstgreatpublicexhibitionstakeplaceattheendoftheeighteenthcentury,andsalonsandgalleriesarethecharacteristicspacesofthesepublicexhibitions,whichwillsubsequentlyproliferateduringthecourseofthenineteenthcentury,withtheRepublic.Whatwehavetoseeisthatthesespacesarecharacteristicofmodernityformanyreasons.
Firstly,theeye,asitisthoughtinthesynopsisorintheexhibitioningeneral,istheeyeofmodernity,asitwasestablishedduringthefifteenthcentury.Itisamatterofrenderingeachobjectvisibletothisvisitor’seyeinawindow–Iwouldevensayas awindow,oratleastaswhatonemightseeinawindoworthroughawindow.Ithusdesignatesomewhatsummarilywhatfifteenth-centuryItalianpainterscalledtheveduta–thatistosay,theviewontothevistaofalandscape.Allthewindowstosee,orthroughwhichtosee,areorganisedintoafaçade,theyarecollectedinafaçade,aninternalfaçadeasinthecaseoftheLouvre’sGalerieduBorddel’Eau.Itisnotthefaçadeofahouse,itistheequivalentofthefaçadeofahousebutinside ahouse.Thatis,thegalleryinitsveryconstructionislikearoadwithinabuilding,withinapalace—aroadwhich,throughtheworksshown,initiallyandessentiallyperspectivistpaintings,opensontoanoutside.Whichmeansthattheeyewandersasinastreet,butwhatitseesthroughthewindowsarenotscenesthatitmightseeinthestreet.Thevisitorisontheinside,heisprotectedfromthestreet–thatistosay,fromwhatwecallreality.Butthisisnodreameither,forinthedreamthereispresumablynowindow,thereisnowindowatall;oneiricspaceisnotfifteenth-century-typevisualspace–notascenicspace,atleast.Anditisnotadreambecause,inprinciple,thespaceofItalianRenaissancepaintingisnottroublinginanyway;onthecontrary,itaimsatafairlyeasyrecognitionofwhatisinquestion,ofthesceneorthecharactersoftheplaceorevenofthemomentconcernedinthispaintedscene.Iwouldsayratherthatthemultiplicityofwindowsconstitutedbypaintingshungonthewallsofthegalleryopensontolandscapes,portraits,situations,objects;andallofthisformsnotrealitybutculture.Basically,allthescenesofculture–orinanycasealargenumberofthem,alargenumberofthese
After Six Months of Work... (1984) 47
scenes–arepresentedthroughthesewindowswhicharepaintings,hollowedoutfictivelyonthewallofthegallery.Andthefunctionofthisexhibition–ofthisexhibitionwhichcontainsinitselftheprincipleofbeingexhaustive,andwhich,also,isanex-hibition[ex-position]becauseitisontheoutsideofthegalleryinthefictivespaceopenedupbytheframes–hasafunctionthatisinversetothatofthedream.Theimagingfunctionoftheexhibition–andthis,moreover,iswhythisspaceisprivileged–istoidentify,topermitthevisitortoidentifyhisbelongingtoaculture,toidentifyobjectsandtopermitidentificationthroughtheidentificationoftheobjectspresented.Iwilladdthat,insofarasitisaquestionofperambulation,itisaquestion,asweshallsee,ofasortofeducationaljourney.Butbeforetalkingaboutthis,Ishouldliketoclarifysomethingelse:whatisvisualised–stayingwiththemodernspaceoftheexhibitionstill–arefragmentsofstoriesthatareidentifiablebecausetheyareapartofculture.Theexhibitionallowsforasortofapprenticeshipofrecognition,ofcharacters,ofplaces,ofartists,ofthatwhichispresentedandofthevisitor;anapprenticeshipincultureforthevisitorintheexhibition.AndIwouldsaythatthismodel,thistypeofauto-identificatoryvisualmachinethatistheexhibition,findsitscomplementoritsreciprocalinverseinthemodernstreet,whichisalsoconceivedasagallery–unlikewhatisthecaseinavillage,forexample.Thestreetisconceivedasagallery,theshopwindowsofthemodernstreetarelikepictureframeswhichintheirturngiveontoland-scapes,portraits–sceneswhich,whatismore,justlikeinthegallery,permitidentification.Alittlesurprise,alittleidentification;aquicksurprise,obviouslyelicitedwithacommercialaiminmind–whichisnotexactlythecaseinthegallery–oratleastnotalways.Intothiskindofurbanity,whichisanurbanismofthefaçade,onecan,quiteobviously,introduceanaestheticofshock,oftheshocking–somethingthattendstowardsurpriseanddestabilisation.Fromonevitrinetoanothertherearegoingtobeshockingthings,andplacingthingsintovitrinescanitselfmakeforacertainsurrealism.AndhereIwouldsaythat,forexample,whenwesay“shock”,wecannotbutthinkofWalterBenjamin’soutlineofanaestheticsofshockformodernity,followingBaudelaire.Incertainregardswecouldspecifyhow,presumablyalongwithpostmodernity,thisaestheticofshock,thisaestheticofsublimitythroughshock,whichiskeptintactinsurrealism…butthatisanotherquestion.
Icannowcomebacktothesecondaspectofthistypeofclassicalschema,whichisinfactamodernschema,oftheexhibition–theschema-typeofthemodernexhibition:perambulation.Ihavesaidthatthereisaneye,aneyeinmovement,aneyethatwalks.Thisperambulationisveryimportantbecausefundamentallyitobligesthedesigner–theonewhoisgoingtomakeasynopsis–toaskhimselfthequestion:Whatisittowalkinanexhibition?Whereisonegoing?Oneisgoingtowardtheexit,okay,butcanonegetthereinvariousways,orviaonesinglepath;andwhatdoestheexitmean?Thisisaratherimportantdifferencefromthestreet,wheretheanalogymust
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end,forthestreetonlyeveropensontoanotherstreet.Therewillprobablycomeamomentwhen,fromthestreet,onepassesintothecountryside–anextraordinarilyinterestingandbizarremoment,infact;butonethatisincreasinglypostponedandwhich,moreover,incontemporarycitiesandmetropolises,isprobablyevadedratherthanpostponed.Whichiswhystreetsincities,andinthesuburbsofmetropolisesconstructedinthe‘30sand‘60s,resemblegalleriesratherthantowns.Inthemoderncity,thestreetleadstothestreet;inthegallery,walkingleadstotheexit;oneexitsthegallerywhenoneentersthestreet.Onegoesfromthestreettothegallery,fromthegallerytothestreet;onegoesfromone’shometothestreetandfromthestreettoone’shomeortoanotherhome.Thusthequestionofknowingwhatonedoeswhenonewalksthroughthegalleryis,ofcourse,averyworryingquestionforsomeonewhohasresponsibilityforpresentingasynopsis.Onemightbetemptedtosay–takingupagaintheanalogyoftheroadandthegallery(despitethedifferencesIhavejustmentioned)–thatthegalleryislikearationalstreet,autopicstreet.Itisastreetinsofarasitisaseriesoffaçadesontheleftandrightofthevisitor,withopeningsontofictivespaceswhicharebothculturalandidentificatoryspaces;butitisastreetordered,forexample,accordingtoahistoricalorder,asisthecaseinmuseums,oraccordingtoapedagogicalorder,asisthecaseinexhibitions–andveryoftenbothatonce.Whichmeansthatthevisitor’sbodytraversesthespacesandsituationsthatareshown;heproceedsthroughthem–or,ultimately,hiseyeproceedsthroughthem–asoneproceedsthroughacourseofstudy.Thistraversalislikeacourse,akindofprogrammeofeducation.IngeneralIbelievethatthecommissionersanddirectorsoftheexhibition,whetherconsciouslyornot,takeastheiraimtheeducationofthevisitor;andthatinthissense,thegalleryis a teaching establishment that one goes through faster than a teaching establishment;itissomethinglikeatrainingfilm,exceptthattheobjectsaregenerallyimmobileanditistheviewerwhomoves.Butifthisisthecase,ifitisindeedamodelstreet,astreetthatleadsnottowardthecountrysidebuttowardtheheartofculture,astreetthatgoestowards“downtown”,towardthecentre,thenthisisalsocharacteristicofmodernityinsofarasthistraversal,whichmaybelong,winding,andevenlabyrinthine,constitutesasortofmodelofmodernityitself.Thisisalreadythecaseinthepicaresque(especiallySpanish)novel,andofcourseintheroman de formationattheendoftheeighteenthandduringthenineteenthcentury,andthemodernepicingeneral–andalso,ofcourse,theBildungsroman,thenovelofculture,thenovelofadventure,thetravelnovel,whichdevelopsinthesixteenthcentury,whichisentirelymarkedbymodernity,andwhichfullyflourishesinEngland,inGermany,inFranceintheeighteenthandnineteenthcenturies.Thisnovelistypicalofmodernity:asubjectgoesthroughanexperience,andiseducatedingoingthroughthisexperience;heiseducatedbywhatheexperiences,byhisexperiencingofthesituationshegoesthroughandbywhathehas
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experienced.The“formativeexperience”isafundamentalformoftheexpres-sionoftheprojectofmodernity.
HereIwouldliketoopenupasortofparenthesiswhichwillmakeforatransitiontowardwhatIwanttosayinregardtothespatiallayoutofourexhibition,Les Immatériaux,havingsetout,ratherabruptlyandinsufficiently,thissortofmodelofthemodernexhibition.Iwouldthusliketotakeadetour,toopen,inshort,adigression,tomakealittledetourtowardsomeonewho,inhisdescriptionofexhibitions,contributedpowerfullytoundoingtheircontrolledspaceofmodernity,ofthedominatinggazeandtheedifyingorganisation.IamthinkingofDiderot’sSalon, andinparticulartheGrand Salon of1765and1767.WhatIwouldliketoretainfromthesesalons,aboveallthatof1767,isamostsignificantturninwhichIbelievethemodernspaceofthegalleryorthesalonortheexhibitionismeticulouslyandsecretlyattacked.Itistheturnwhereby,whenhedescribesawholeseriesofpaintingsbyVernetin1767,Diderotrepresentsthemasiftheywererealsites.Hecallsthemsites,notpaintings,exceptforthelastone,foraveryprecisereason–justasiftheywererealsitesinwhichhewaswalking.Sothat,inprinciple,wearestillinthesalonthatDiderotdescribes,beforethepaintings,butthewriter’sexpres-sionissuchthatitseemsthatwearetakingasortofpromenade,ajourney,atourwhichDiderottakeswithacharacter,anAbbé,andhistwostudents,inrealplaces;sothatVernet’slandscapesaredescribedasrealities.Diderottriestoshowthatpreciselynopainter,includingVernet–atleastthisistheAbbé’sobjection–couldequalthebeautyofthereallandscapesofthesesites.Sowefindourselvesbeforethedematerialisationofthepainting,ofVernet’spaintings,andtherealisationofwhattheyrepresent,thatistosaythesitesthattheymakeussee,asifthesesiteswerereal.Andultimatelyweobserveanexchangeofrolesbetweennatureandpainting.ItisnaturethatistheauthorofthesitesthatDiderotandhisfriendtheAbbévisit,whereasweknowthatitisthepainterVernetwhoistheauthorofthesesites,intheformofthepaintingsthatDiderotvisitsintheexhibition.Diderotbeginsthispassageasfollows:
Vernet:I’dinscribedthisartist’snameattheheadofmypageandwasabouttoreviewhisworkswithyou,whenIleftforacountryclosetotheseaandcelebratedforthebeautyofitssites.There,whilesomespenttheday’smostbeautifulhours,themostbeautifuldays,theirmoney,andtheirgaietyongreenlawns,andothers,shotgunsovertheirshoulders,overcametheirexhaustiontopursuetheirdogsthroughthefields,andothersstillwanderedaimlesslythroughtheremotecornersofaparkwhosetrees,happilyfortheiryoungconsortsindelusion,aremodelsofdiscretion;whileafewseriouspeople,aslateasseveno’clockintheevening,stillmadethediningroomresoundwiththeirtumultuousdis-cussionofthenewprinciplesoftheeconomists,theutilityoruselessness
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ofphilosophy,religion,morals,actors,actresses,government,therel-ativemeritsofthetwokindsofmusic,thefinearts,literature,andotherimportantquestions,thesolutionstowhichtheysoughtatthebottomofbottles,andreturned,staggeringandhoarse,totheirrooms,whosedoorstheyfoundonlywithdifficulty,and,havingrelaxedinanarmchair,begantorecoverfromtheintensityandzealwithwhichthey’dsacrificedtheirlungs,theirstomachs,andtheirreasoninthehopeofintroducingthegreatestpossibleorderintoallbranchesofadministration;thereIwent,accompaniedbythetutorofthechildrenofthehouseholdandhistwocharges,mycaneandwritingpadinhand,tovisitthemostbeautifulsitesintheworld.Myintentionistodescribethemtoyou,andIhopethatthesedescriptionswillproveworththetrouble.Mycompanionforthesewalks[thatis,theAbbé]wasthoroughlyfamiliarwiththelieoftheland,andknewthebesttimetotakeineachrusticscene,andtheplacesbestviewedinthemorninghours,whichweremostcharmingandinterestingatsunriseandwhichatsunset,aswellasthecoolest,shadiestareasinwhichtoseekrefugefromtheburningmiddaysun.Hewastheciceroneofthisregion;hedidthehonoursfornewcomers,andnooneknewbetterthanhehowtomaximisetheimpactofthespectator’sfirstglance.Wewereoff,andwechattedaswewalked.Iwasmovingalongwithmyheadlowered,asismycustom,whenIfeltmymovementsuddenlycheckedandwasconfrontedwiththefollowingsite.
First Site:Tomyright,inthedistance,amountainsummitrosetomeetthe clouds.Atthismomentchancehadplacedatravellerthere,upright andserene.Thebaseofthemountainwasobscuredfromusbyan interveningmassofrock;thefootofthisrockstretchedacrossthe view,risingandfalling,suchthatitseveredthescene’sforeground from its background.Tothefarright,onanoutcroppingofrock,I sawtwofigureswhichcouldnothavebeenmoreartfullyplacedto maximisetheireffect;theyweretwofishermen;onewasseated towardsthebottomoftherock,hislegsdangling;theother,his catchslungoverhisback,bentoverthefirstandconversedwith him.Ontheruggedembankmentformedbytheextensionofthe lowerportionoftherock,whereitextendedintothedis-tance,a coveredwagondrivenbyapeasantdescendedtowardsavillage beyondtheembankment:anotherincidentwhichartwouldhave sug-gested.Passingoverthecrestofthisembankment,mygaze encounteredthetopsofthevillagehousesandcontinuedon,plunging intoandlosingitselfinalandscapeprospectthatmergedwith thesky.
HerebeginsDiderot’sdiscussionwiththeAbbé:
Whoamongyourartists,myCiceroneaskedme,wouldhaveimaginedbreakingupthecontinuityofthisruggedembankmentwithaclumpoftrees?—PerhapsVernet.—Right,butwouldyourVernethaveimagined
After Six Months of Work... (1984) 51
sucheleganceandcharm?Wouldhehavebeenabletorendertheintense,livelyeffectoftheplayoflightonthetrunksandtheirbranches?—Whynot?—Depictthevastdistancestakeninbytheeye?—He’sdoneitonoccasioninthepast.Youdon’tknowjusthowconversantthismaniswithnaturalphenomena…Irespondeddistractedly,formyattentionwasfocusedonamassofrockscoveredwithwildshrubswhichnaturehadplacedattheotherendoftheruggedmound.Thismasswasmaskedinturnbyacloserrockthat,separatefromthefirstone,formedachannelthroughwhichflowedatorrentofwaterthat,havingcompleteditsviolentdescent,brokeintofoamamongdetachedrocks…Well!IsaytomyCicerone:GototheSalon,andyou’llseethatafruitfulimagination,aidedbyclosestudyofnature,hasinspiredoneofourartiststopaintpreciselytheserocks,thiswaterfall,andthisbitoflandscape.—Andalso,perhaps,thispieceofroughstone,andtheseatedfishermanpullinginhisnet,andthetoolsofhistradescatteredonthegroundaroundhim,andhiswifestandingwithherbacktous.—Youdon’trealisewhatabadjokeyouaremaking,Abbé…4
Diderot’saccusationagainsttheAbbé,inthisfictivedialoguewhichtakesplacewithinasupposedlandscapewhichinrealityisnoneotherthanthelandscapepaintedbyVernet,theAbbé’s“badjoke”consistsinthefactthattheAbbésuspectsVernetofhavingcopiedindetailanaturallandscapewhichinrealityisnoneotherthanaVernetlandscape.Thushereisanexchangeofrolesbetweenfictionandreality,betweencreationandnature,asIsaidjustnow;butwhatismoreinterestingisthatarotationtakesplacebetweentheinstancesofthestructureofcommunication:theauthorofthetextpassesintothelandscapethatheissupposedtobedescribing,andinthislandscapeheholdsadialoguewhichspeaksofthislandscapeasifitwererealwhenitisfictive;andwhatismore,hisinterlocutortheAbbéspeaksofthisrealland-scapeasamodelabsolutelyinimitablebytheverypainterwhomDiderot–theauthorofthetext–iseulogisingonaccountofoneofhispaintingswhichis thislandscape.It ’sarathersimplethingultimately,andyetitisremarkableinsofarasthespaceofthegalleryandoftheexhibitioningeneralispro-foundlydisruptedbyit.Foritisnolongeraneyethatperambulatesbeforepaintedlandscapes;itisallofasuddenaspeechwhichjumpsintothepaintedlandscape,andwhichabolishesitqua paintedlandscape,foritispurelyandsimplyabolished;andwhich,fromthislandscapetakenasrealinstance,asplace,asrealspace,speaksofthemarvel,thesublimityofthislandscapeasifitwerereal,defyingallpaintingtoequalthissublimity.Thusherethereisasortoftransferfromthefunctionofthegazetothefunctionofspeech.Theexhibitionisexploded,becausethewindowsceasetobewindows.Diderot
4 DenisDiderot,“TheSalonof1767”,inDiderot on Art, vol. II: The Salon of 1767,trans.JohnGoodman(NewHaven,CT:YaleUniversityPress,1995),p.86–88(translationmodified).
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jumpsthroughthewindow,installshimselfinthefictivespacerepresentedbythepainter,andindoingsodefiesallpossiblepainting.Thatistosaythatthetruthisthat,throughtheworkofwritingitself,Diderotnolongerseekssimplytodescribewhatthepainterhaspainted,sincehejudgesthatintheendwritingwillneverbeabletoequalnatureatthelevelofdescription,thatwritingisanartoftimeandpaintingisanartofspace,andthatthetwoofthemareincommensurable.Onthecontrary,Diderot,inhisworkofwriting,triestogetacrosstohisreader–forwearereadingthis–whatthepowerofsublimityofVernet’spaintingscouldbefortheviewer.Thusherewehaveapassagefromthegaze–Iwouldsayanartofseeingandthusofspace–totheearandtoanartoftime;wehave,fundamentally,thepassagefromVernet’spaintingstoDiderot’swriting,which,inacertainway,breaksopenthespaceofthegalleryoftheexhibition,becausethispassagegivesanewhegemonytotheartofspeech,ofwriting,whichisanartoftime.Sothat–ascriticswhospecialiseinDiderothaveexplainedverywell–thissalonof1767,andbeforeitthatof1765,arealreadyoccasionsforDiderottoexperimentwithwritingasanartoftimeandthusasmusic.Fundamentally,DiderotthinksthatonecanequaltheplasticpowerofVernetonlythroughapower,notatallofanequiv-alentframeworkofreference,butthroughapowerofevocation,apowerofexpressionthatisequivalentinitsorder–anditsorderistheorderoftime,thatistosay,themusicalorder.Iwouldsaythatthisrupture,whichIcannotmakeafundamentalanalysisofhere,thisruptureofthespaceofthemodernexhibitioninfavourofsomethingthatwillcontainmoreofmusicthanofthegaze,inacertainwaynotonlyannouncesDiderot’smostpostmoderntexts,such as Rameau’s NephewandThe Paradox of the Actor or Jacques the Fatalist,butalsoannouncessomethingthatwilldestroy,withinthecityitself,theprojectofdominantmodernity.InthiswritingexperimentofDiderot’sthereissomethingthattendstowardthedestructionofaspaceoffaçadesofmas-tery,oforder:thereisasortofdisorderhere.Literarycriticsveryoftenspeakofthispassageandofequivalentpassagesintermsofdigression.Thereisthereforeasortofdigressionwhichisinrealityawholemotif,awholemusicalwork,andasortofhysteriaoflanguagewhichtriedtoprovide,withinitsownorder,anequivalenttotheplasticpowerofthevisualwork.AndIwouldaddonemorething,whichisthatitisactedout,ofcourse,andthusitimpliesasortofcoldness,foronecanonlydowhatDiderotdoesifoneknowsverywellhowtowrite,andthusifoneisnotoneselfthevictimofablindpropulsion.Thisispreciselyhowtheparadoxoftheactorisannounced,sincetheactorhastofeelallpassions,butatthesametimehastofeelnoneofthem,inordertobeabletoreproducethosethatheissupposedtoactout.WhichmeansthatwhatbecomesimportantforDiderotiscirculation,exchangeability,thepossibilityofexitingfromtherectilinear,orthogonalmodernspace,ofleapinglaterallyintodigressivespaces,andthisatspeed,asweshallsee,forexample,intheveryconstitutionofthetextcalledJacques the Fatalist.Theruptures,I
After Six Months of Work... (1984) 53
wouldsaythemontages,betweenastoryoradescription,betweenasalonthattakesplaceonthefloorofthegalleryandthestoryorthedescriptionthattakesplaceinthefictivedigressivespaceofthepainting,thismontagetakesplacewithoutanywarning,withoutanyannouncement,andthus,asfilm-makerssaytoday,thereisacutandacrossfade.Itispreciselyherethatwemeetthethemeofshockoncemore;butitisnotshockinthesamespaceandinthesametime,butashockthathastakenplacebetweenonespace-time–forexample,thatofthegallery–andanotherspace-time–forexample,thatofVernet’spaintedsite,inwhichDiderotandtheAbbésuddenlybegintheirdiscussion.Ithinkthatherewefindtheembryo,thesketch,alreadyextraordinarilywelldeveloped,perhapsunsurpassable,ofanaestheticswhichisnolongertheaestheticsofmodernity,whichis,tomyeyes,apostmodernaestheticsinsofarasitimpliesthedisappearanceofacommonreferent,ofasharedspace-timeand,onthecontrary,suggestsasortofheterogeneityorincommensurabilitybetweensituationsandthusbetweensubjects.Becausewhatinterestsmeisthathereitisnotsomuchamatterofformativeexperience,andonedoesnotgainsomuchinexperiencingit;insteaditisamatterofrenderingoneselfsufficientlymobile–thegodthatDiderotcon-stantlyinvokesisVertumnus,who,asweknow,ischaracteristicallyunstable–itisamatterofrenderingoneselfsufficientlyflexibleandsuppletobeabletoleapfromonespace-timetoanother.Iamsayingthatherethisspeed–whichisathemethatwillbereprisedbyStendahland,ofcourse,today,inthecommentaryofsomeonelikePaulVirilio,butalsobyourverypracticeoftimeincontemporarycapitalistandtechnologicalsociety–thisspeedisalreadysomethingwhich,beyondmodernity,announcespostmodernity.
Wemustnowdescribe,followingtheworkofcertainsociologists,thispost-modernspace-time,particularly–Iwouldsayessentially–inwhattodaywestillcallthecity.HereIfollowthebrilliantanalysesmadebyPaulVirilioandGiairoDaghini,publishedinChange Internationalno.1(December1983).Iwillletthemspeakforthemselves,soastomakeitunderstoodinwhatspiritwesettothinkingthroughthespatiallayout,orratherthespace-time,oftheexhibitionLes Immatériaux. Daghini writes:
[T]hecityasformofdevelopmentplaysafundamentalrolewithinwhatwillcometobedefinedastheprojectofmodernity–namely,theideasetforthbymodernsciencesofanindefiniteprogressionofknowledge,theaimaffirmedinthegrowthofcapitalismofalimitlessaccumulationofriches,therevolutionaryprojectortheideaofaprogressivesocialandmoralamelioration,asdefendedbysocialistandcommunistmovementsfromthelastcenturyonward.Itiswiththisintentthatthemodernimaginary,whatwemightcallthemodernspirit,detachesandfreesitselffromformerconstraints,andfromthatpositiveideaofprogressofwhichthecityisthesite.Thiscity,infact,initselfisoneofthe
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fundamentalobjectsofproduction,throughacceleratedurbanisationandindustrialisation.
Howelsecanweexplaintheenormousexpansion,startingintheindus-trialrevolution,ofaprocessofurbanisationwhichholdsitselftobeuni-versal,theburgeoningofthecityintotheGrossstadt,theinflationofthelatterintotheglobalcity,andfinallytheappearance,analysedbyPatrickGuetzalreadyattheturnofthecentury,ofurbanconcentrationnolongerhavingtheformofthecity,butthatofconurbations?
Thesegiganticurbanagglomerationswhichbringtogethermanycities,andforwhicheventheterm“metropolis”seemsinadequate,consistofnumerouscomplexentities,andonlyappearasthehighestpoint,oratleastasthesiteofthegestationoftheunfinishedprojectofmodernity,throughanillusoryeffect.Inreality,thecontinualmutationoftheirforms,theinextricableramificationofdiversespeedsandorientationsofdevelopment,theinternationalisationofformsofcentralandcentredpowerconstantlymodifytheveryparadigmofmodernityandcallitintoquestion.5
Andonthesubjectofthisparadigm,Dhaginisaysthefollowing:
Itisnotonlytheformofthecitythatislostduringthechallengewhich,inthe‘80s,becomesalongcrisis;whatalsodisappearsisamodeofproduction,sinceamechanical-industrialparadigmisonthewaytopassingintoanelectronic-nuclearparadigm.
Withinthisnewparadigmtheevermorefrequentapplicationofinfor-maticprocedurestotheactivitiesoflabourleadstowhatwemightdefineasasemiotisationoflabour,thatistosayalabourthatisappliedtoandthroughsignsratherthanbywayoftheworker’sdirectmanipulationsofthemachine.Tosemiotisethuscomesdowntocoding,andcodingmeansmanaging:thepost-industrialmetropolisofthe‘80sisthuspresentedto us by institutional theorists as one within which all activities are resolvedintomanagement.Simultaneouslythenewformsoftreatmentofspacebymeansofthecombinedtechniquesofinformaticsandtele-communicationsallowtheabsorptionofthe“old”metropolitanconcen-tration-standardisations;theyauthorisethedecentringoftheproductionintonewestablishments,new“cities”.Still,theinvisiblenetworksoftheinformaticmetropoliswhichdecentreorcentrebythrustingitsterminalseverywhere,donotatallendupinconstellationsofnewpolises,anymorethan they constitute new Siedlungen.Soitmakessensetoask:Whatisthisnewspacethatisbeingconstitutedtodaythroughthese“invisible
5 GiairoDaghini,“Babel-Métropole”,Change International,no.1(December1983).
After Six Months of Work... (1984) 55
networks”,whatarethesocietiesthatinhabitit,andtheurbanformsthatrepresentit?6
Thislastquestionis,ifwemightsayso,theveryquestionthatweaskourselvesinregardtothespaceoftheexhibitionLes Immatériaux:Whatisthenewspacethatisconstitutedtodaythroughtheseinvisiblenetworks?Dhaginiconcludedhisarticlebysaying:
onethingiscertain:oncethesystemhaschanged,thereisnopointinmakingdirectionalandcoherentanalyseswiththelogicofthissystemorwiththelogicoftheprojectdefinedasthatofmodernity.Ontheotherhand,wewillhavetoworkpatientlyandatlengthsoastograspandtopracticethecharacteristiclogicsofthesystemsinwhichweareimmersed.
InacertainwaythispatienceofwhichDaghinispeaksissomethingthatweasdesignersofanexhibitionmustalsopractise,insofaraswecannotrespondtoofasttothedemandforaplanorforaprojectconcerningthisspaceofimmaterials.Irememberthat,havinghadtobeawayfromtheteamforafewmonthslastautumn,Iwasovercomebyasortofanxiety,thinkingthatweoughtatleasttomakesomeindicationastothespatiallayout,soastosatisfythedemandsoftheproject.Thispropositionwasrejectedunanimouslybytheteamalmostwithoutdiscussion,withoutanyargument–fundamentallyrejected,asiftheteamunderstoodthatwecouldnotgettotherootofthisproblemofpostmodernspacethrougharapid,controlledspatiallayoutofaplanfortheexhibition.Inhistext,Virilio,forhispart,extendsDhagini’squestion,orperhapscontributesanelementofaresponsetohim,youcouldseeiteitherway:whatweareseeing,hesays,isaparadoxicalphenomenonwherebytheopacityoftheconstructionmaterialsisbeingreducedtonothing;thus,Virilioreflectsheremorepreciselyontheverynotionofexhibition[exposition],sincethetitleofhisarticleis“TheOverexposedCity”.IwouldbepleasediftheexhibitionLes Immatériauxcouldbecalledasurexhibition [surexposition].Viriliosays:
Withtheemergenceofportativestructures,curtainwallsmadeoflightandtransparentmaterials(glass,plastics)arereplacingthestonefaçadeatthesametimethatthetracingpaper,acetateandplexiglasusedinprojectstudiesarereplacingtheopacityofpaper.
Ontheotherhand,withthescreeninterface(computers,television,teleconferencing)thesurfaceofinscription–untilnowdevoidofdepth–comesintoexistenceas“distance,”asadepthoffieldofanewrep-resentation,avisibilitywithoutdirectconfrontation,withoutaface-to-face,inwhichtheoldvis-à-visofstreetsandavenuesiseffaced
6 Ibid.
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anddisappears.Thus,differencesbetweenpositionsblur,resultinginunavoidablefusionandconfusion.
Andheemphasiseswhatfollowsfromthis:
Deprivedofobjectivelimits,thearchitectonicelementbeginstodrift,tofloatinanelectronicetherdevoidofspatialdimensionsyetinscribedinthesingletemporalityofaninstantaneousdiffusion.7
ThisIthinkspeaksforitself,withoutanyneedforfurthercommentfromme.Furtheron,headdsthefollowing:
Solidsubstancenolongerexists;instead,alimitlessexpanseisrevealedinthefalseperspectiveoftheapparatuses’luminousemission.Con-structedspacenowoccurswithinanelectronictopology,wheretheframingofthepointofviewandthescanlinesofnumericalimagesgivenewformtothepracticeofurbanmapping.Replacingtheolddistinctionsbetweenpublicandprivateand“habitation”and“circulation”isanover-exposureinwhichthegapbetween“near”and“far”ceasestoexist,inthesamewaythatthegapbetween“micro”and“macro”disappearsthroughelectronicmicroscopescanning.8
Virilioconcludesthispassageasfollows:
Therepresentationofthecontemporarycityisthusnolongerdeterminedbyaceremonialopeningofgates,byaritualofprocessionsandparades,norbyasuccessionofstreetsandavenues.Fromnowon,urbanarchitecturemustdealwiththeadventofa“technologicalspace-time.”Theaccessprotocoloftelematicsreplacesthatofthedoorway.Therevolvingdoorissucceededby“databanks,”bynewritesofpassageofatechnicalculturemaskedbytheimmaterialityofitscomponents:itsnetworks,highwaysystemsanddiversereticulationswhosethreadsarenolongerwovenintothespaceofaconstructedfabricbutintothesequencesofanimperceptibleplanningoftimeinwhichtheinterfaceman/machinereplacesthefaçadesofbuildingsandthesurfacesofgroundonwhichtheystand.9
Asforthesurface,inthesametextalittlefurtheronwefindthefollowingdef-inition:“Everysurfaceisaninterfacebetweentwomilieusinwhichaconstantactivityprevails,takingtheformofanexchangebetweentwosubstancesplacedincontactwithoneanother.”10
7 PaulVirilio,“Une villesurexposée”,Change International,no.1(December1983),p.19–22; “TheOverexposedCity”,trans.AstridHustvedt,inZone 1–2(NewYork:Urzone,1986),p.540–550:544.
8 Ibid.9 Ibid.10 Ibid.,p.545.
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Withthesefewremarkswehave,bywayofurbansociology,anapproachtowhatisnecessarilyinquestionforusinsofarasweconfrontthequestionofthe spatial layout of Les Immatériaux.Itisveryclearthattheexhibitionmusttakeuponitselfortakeupforitselfthisspace-time,aspace-timewithoutfaçadebutwithaninterface,wheresurfacesareonlyinterfaces–andVirilioandDaghinishowustheextenttowhichtheseinterfacesareessentialtothenewhabitat.
Theproposedmodelhereisthatoftheconurbation,whichtheurbanisedknowverywell,andwhichischaracteristicofthegreatinhabitedzones,forexample,oftheSouthCaliforniancoast,whichextendsfromtheMexicanbordertothenorthofSantaBarbara.Theconurbationisneitherthecitynorthecountryside;itexcludestheoppositionbetweendowntown,citycentre,andperipheryorsuburb;itcompriseshabitatzonesanduninhabitedzones–notonlyvagueterrainswithinthecity,asseenintheUSandprettymucheverywhere,butalsohillyregionsinwhichonethinksforamomentthatoneisinthecountryside–desertedhills–whenoneisactuallystillinthecity.Thisregion,whichinitselfdestroystheoppositionscorrespondingtothedivisionbetweencountrysideandcityand,atthelimit,betweennatureandculture,suggeststheanalogyofanebula,intheastrophysicalsense–amassofdust,afocusofenergyformingmatter,onethatexcludesthesimpleoppositionbetweeninteriorscenes,likelivingrooms,andmodesofcirculation,likelinesofattractionbringingbodiestogether.Thisrepresentation,whichisthatofclassicalmodernity,willundergoanentirelyradicalcritique–firstly,ofcourse,withthetheoryofrelativity,andthenwiththeidea,theprinciplethatmatterisenergy,andthattheoppositionbetweenbodyandlinesofforce,forexample,cannotbemaintained.Thesamegoes–orinanycasethisisanideathatshouldbedeveloped–concerningthemetropolisthatIamtryingtodescribe.Therealsotheoppositionbetweenthestable–whatIwouldcallhardwarehabitats[habitats matériels]–andmodesofcirculation–fluidities,liketheflowofvehicles,forexample–disappears,sincethehabitatsareultimatelyonlythenodesofcirculationofthemessage,oftheelectronicmessage,ofphotonicmessagesandsonicmessages,whichthemselves,moreover,arenowalsotransmittedelectronically–andofcoursethesemessagesarefarmoreelaboratethanlinguisticmessagesingeneralandaffectivemessages,whichremaintobeelaboratedatthelevelofthecosmicorcosmologicalmetaphorIamtryingtodevelophere.Sothesehabitatsare,asViriliohasjustsaid,farmoreinterestingqua verycomplexinterfacethanqua interiors heldwithinfaçades.Thishasalreadylongbeenreflected,inparticular,intheCalifornianarchitecturethatFrankLloydWrightandhisschoolimplantedinthisregion.Thisisalreadynothingnew,itisinscribedstillunderthesignoftheprojectofmodernity,butnevertheless,thedecisionpreciselynolongertoopposematerialsupport[matériau]andornament,tonolongercon-servetheoppositionbetweeninsideandoutside,butonthecontrary,by
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meansoflightingandtransparentsurfaces,toplacetheinterioroutsideandtheexteriorinside,theprofoundreflectionofshadowandlight–allofthisalreadyanticipatedsomethingthatisattainednotsomuchbymeansofamateriologicalresearchbutfromthesolefactofthepredominanceofnewtechnologiesinthehabitat,inarchitectureandinurbanism.Iwouldsaythatcertainlargemetropolises–abovealliftheyarenotlimitedintheirexpansionbythestructureofthemoderncityofyore,withitscitycentre,commercial,administrative,politicalcentre,andthenthevariouspatchesofthesuburbs–thisfreedomwhichholdsforthelargeSouthernCalifornianmetropoliswhichIalreadyreferredto,canfundamentallybethoughtfarmoreeasilyintermsofthecosmicorcosmologicalmodel;butalsointermsofamicrocosmicmodel,thatofafieldofelementaryparticleswhichformacontent[matière],whichformanodeatcertainplacesofencounter,onewhich,moreover,isextraordinarilydifficulttolocalisepreciselybecauseoftherelationsofuncertainty–thatistosaythateachtimetheobservertriestodefinetheplacesofencounteroftheseparticles,itisdisplaced.
IfnowItakethisbarelysketched-outmodelandtransportittothecaseoftheexhibition,askingmyself,therefore,whatapostmodernexhibitioncor-respondingtothemetropolisortothenebulaofconurbationcouldbe,thenIamindeedobliged–andthisiswhatwehaveallconcluded–weareobligedtorefusethetraditionaldispositif ofthegalleryandthesalon–thatistosay,thedispositif whichopposes,forexample,roomsandthecorrespondingcorridors,habitatsandlinesofcirculation.Torefusetheoppositionbetweenthecentralpoint,thepreeminentpointoftheexhibitionandtheperipheryoftheregions,themostimportantzone,themostimportantroom,andthentheoutlyingrooms,justastheoppositionbetweenadowntownmetropolisandthesuburbshasdisappeared.Wemustevenquestiontherelationbetweenentranceandexitbyvirtueofthesameprinciple,sinceitisverydifficult,inalargenebulalikethatofSouthCalifornia,tosayatwhatmomentwehaveenteredthecityorleftit.Andwemustalsocallintoquestionandprobablyabandontheprinciplethatthereisadirectiontothevisit,thatistosaythatinitthereisapolarisationofspaceandoftimewhichmeansthatoneeithergoestowardthesecretchamberofthetemplewhereknowledgewillbecompleted,oronetraversesalloftheroomsbymeansofthemodeofcirculationtowardtheexit,theexitbeingtheendoftheapprenticeshipandtheaccomplishmentoftheinitiation.Allofthesespatiotemporalarrangements,whicharepowerfullysignificantfortheprojectofmodernity,andwhichorganisethespaceofthegallery,mustbereconsideredifwedonotwantourexhibitionLes Immatériauxtobecontradictoryand,Iwouldsay,incontraventionoftheverynameofimmaterialsandwiththeveryprojectofexposingsomeaspectofpostmodernity.Itmustbenotanexhibition[exposition],butasurexhibition[surexposition],totakeupthetermViriliousesinrelationtothecity;itmustbeanoverexposedexhibition.Sotheseareafew
After Six Months of Work... (1984) 59
reflectionsonthespatiotemporalproblematicthathaspreoccupiedus,andwhichwillhavetobereconciledwithacertainnumberofconstraints,becausewearenotputtingonthisexhibitiononvirginsoil,withinanuntouchedspace-time.ThefifthflooroftheCentreisasurfaceof4000squaremetres,2700squaremetresofusablespaceifwediscounttheentrancesandexits.Itisaspacewithoutanypartitions,whichisagreatadvantage;butmoreimportantlyitisaspacethatcannotbemadecompletelydark–thisshouldbeemphasisedinsofarasitispreciselyaquestionofthatstillmodernbutalreadypostmodernarchitectureoftransparency,giventhatinteriorandexteriordonotconstituteapertinentoppositionhere.Ontheotherhand,thisspaceissituatedwithintheCentrePompidou,intheverycentreofParis,amodern(Iwouldsayclassical-modern)city,inaneighbourhoodwhich,especiallysincethebuildingofLesHalles,drawsacrowdofvisitors,particularlyattheweekend,acrowdofpeoplewhocomefromthesuburbs;thisstructureandthissituationthemselvesconstituteconstraints.Ontheotherhand,theexhibitionisnotamuseum;itisanorganisationofspacewhichistemporary,notpermanent;andwemustincludethedurationoftheexhibition–notonlytheentireperiodoftheexhibition,butthedurationofthevisititself–withintheconstraintsbearingontheorganisationofthefifthfloor.Iwillleaveasidequestionsofbudget,whicheveryonecaneasilyimagine,notbecauseIdon’twanttotalkaboutthembutbecauseinthecaseofLes Immatériaux we might thinkthatwhatisnewinthewaythequestionofthebudgetisposedisthat,firstly,thebudgetwillbehigherthanusualforexhibitionsonthefifthfloor,becauseoftheverynatureofwhatwillbepresented–thatistosay,technologicallycomplexmachines;andontheotherhand,thattheevaluationofcostissometimesimpossibleinsofaraswearedealingwiththecreationoforiginalproducts.Iwouldaddthattheverytermthatdesignatesthisspaceonthefifthfloor,theverynameofthisspaceisthe“GrandeGalerie”.Iamnotsayingthattheseconstraintsmakethethingimpossible–farfromit.Onthecontrary,ifwecomparethisrelativelyfreespaceinrelationtootherspaces,theexhibitioncanonlybenefitfrombeingthere.Nevertheless,theImmatériauxprojectisrenderedparadoxicalbythefactofthecentralpositionofthesite–thatistosaythatittakesplaceinacentre,theCentreGeorgesPompidou,theestablishmentofwhichwasindeeddisputedatatimewhendecentralisationwastheorderoftheday;thatthesupervisingbodyoftheexhibitionisalsoacentre,theCentre de Création Industrielle(CCI),acentreofcreationindeed;andthat,ontheotherhand,thething–thatistosay,theexhibition–isrenderedperilousbythefactthatitsphilosophicalnature,whichisinanycasereflexive,andtheteam’sambitionastowhatneedstobegotacrosstothevisitor,isnotexactlytailor-madetomaximisefootfall.Thatistosay,theproblemoftheattendanceofanexhibitionthatpreciselywillnotbemadetoteach,noreventoshowsomething,sinceitwillnotbeafaçade,andwhichisalsonotaboutmarvels,inthesensethatonemightmarvelatnew
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technologies,butwhoseaim,fortheteaminanycase,istoquestion,andIwouldevensaytodisquiet,theideaofthewillandintelligenceofanall-powerfulsubject,inordertoproduceinsteadasortofeffectofmodestyintheanthropologicalatmosphereinwhichwelive–theproblemisthatiteffectivelyrisksendingupinfailure.IthinkthewholeteamisperfectlyawareoftheriskwearerunningintreatingthequestioninthespiritthatIhavetriedtodescribe.Thissaid,itisnowtime,nottospecifytheresponsesthatwewilltrytogive,ononehand,tothisquestioningofthemodernproject,andontheother,totheconstraintsofthisspace,buttosketchoutcertainresponsesthathavecomeupalongthewayduringthisveryabsorbingwork,inwhichthewholeteamisverymuchinvested,becauseitisverydisquieting–inanycase,somelocalresponses.Hereishowwehavedecidedtoproceed:weadoptedthecommunicationalstructure,andwedecidedtoextendthesenseoftheimmaterialaccordingtotherootmâtandtodistributethedifferentsensesassociatedwiththisroot,referent[matière],hardware[matériel],support[matériau],matrix[matrice],maternity[maternité],onthedifferentaxesofthiscommunicationalstructure.Withtheuseoftheterm“material”andthemediativeprefix,wearenotsuggestingthatthereisnolongeranymaterialsupport[matériau],butwethinkthatweareinagreementinquestioningthesedifferentsenses:Istherestillincontemporarytechnologiesandinhistoryaplaceforsomethinglikeamaternity,asifsomeone–nature,theworld,God,theGreatMother,wereaddressingmessagestowehumans,recipientsofthesemessages?Aretherestillmedia[matériaux]whichareonlymedia–thatistosay,relativelyindifferentsupportsthataremadeuseofaccordingtoanindependentproject,like,forexample,“brickarchitecture,”touseatermborrowedfromourcolleague[Alain]Guiheux?Aretherematrices,thatistosaycodeswhichencodemessagesthatwecandecode?Isthehardware[matériels] forthetransitandcaptureofmessagesitselfstable?Istheverycontent[matière]ofmessages,thatistosaytheirreferent,thatofwhichtheyspeak,independentofthesemessages?Youcanseethatherethereareaseriesofquestionswhichdemandthatwegrouptheobjectstobeshownnotintoseparatedomains–thatistosaybygenre,asonedistinguishesbiologyfromcookery,painting,andindustry–butonthecontrarythatweplacetheseobjects,thatwegroupthembyzone.Eachofthesezoneswillfallundertheregimeofaquestionofthetype:Whataboutthereferent[matière]?Insuchandsuchadomain,whetheritisastrophysics,biology,architecture,whataboutthesupport[matériau]?Insuchandsuchadomain,theatre,painting,orindustry,whataboutmatrices,whatabouthardware[matériels]?Thuswehavebeenguidedbythisideathatwhatispertinentarethezonescorrespondingtodifferentquestionsbearingonthedifferentsensesoftherootmât.Wehavebeenledalreadytothisfirstimplicitorganisation,apriororganisationofthespace,whichwouldbeanorganisationbyzone,groupingsitesbelongingtodomainsofdifferent,heterogeneousgenres,andwhosehomogeneitywewill
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demonstratepreciselythroughthesimplefactthattheywillbeinterrogatedinthesamemanner,onthebasisoftherootmât.Asecondideaisthatwedonotwishtohave,andwecannothave,anoverallviewofthewholeofthisspace.Thismeansnotonlythatthevisitorhimselfwillhavenooverallview,andthatshewillcirculateimmanentlyinthisspace,withoutbeingabletograsp,atleastnotimmediately,itsoveralleconomy;butthatevenwe,whoaresup-posedlythedesignersorthecreatorsofthisspace,wedonotproceedviaapriordivisionofthisspace.Thatistosaythatwewillnotplanoutthisexhibitionandthencarryouttheplannedproject,butrathersetoutfromthesequestions,interrogatethedifferentdomainsonthebasisofthesequestions,andsituateonebyoneeachofthesitesthatseemnecessarytous,thosethataremostpertinentinrelationtothesequestions,inwhich,inthisorthatdomain,theprojectofmodernitymaybedisquietinginsomeway–ontheaxisofreferents[matières],ontheaxisofmatrices[matrices],orontheaxisofmaternities[maternités],andsoon.Andultimately,indelayingthemomentwhenallofthesites,groupedbyzones,willcometocoverthefifthflooroftheBeaubourg.Athirdprincipleisthat,ifwewanttobefaithfultothespiritofimmateriality,itisimportanttoaccordaconsiderableplacetothatwhichrelatestotimeratherthanthatwhichrelatestospace;andthat,inparticular,wemustnot–andweseemanyadvantagesinnotdoingthis–wemustnotissuethevisitorwithinstructions,whetheraninstructionmanualoraninstructivepamphlet,thatis,informationbooklets.Weshoulduseasfewtextpanelsaspossible,sincethesearestilloftheorderofinscription–asIhaveexplainedbefore,theinscriptionofthespace–andinsteadshouldusethemediumofspeech,ofsound,whichbelongstotheartoftime.Wehavetakenthedecisiontouseanaudioprogrammetocovereachofthezonesgroupingtogethersitesinvolvedindifferentdomainsbutbelongingtothesameproblematic.Foreachzonetherewillthereforebeatransmitter,whichwillbelocatedinthespaceoftheexhibitionitself,andattheentranceeachvisitorwillpickupalittlereceiverthathewillwearoverhisearssothat,passingfromonezonetoanother,thevisitorwillpassfromonetransmittertoanother,andwillthusreceiveanaudioinstructionthatwillbesenttohimbythetransmitterinquestion.Throughthetransmitterweplantoplayataperecordingrelatingtotheproblemsthatgovernallofthesitesplacedwithinthezone;inotherwords,theinstructionwillbeoral,andthisallowsustoavoidhavingtoomanypanelstoread.Itwillalsoallowusconsiderablelatitudeinthenatureofmessagesconcerningthezonesandthesites,becausebyusingoralspeechwecanavoidthemonotonyofwrittenexplanation,whichgenerallyisoftheorderofinstruction;wecanenvisageusingcitations,ortextualcreations,fromcompletelydifferentgenres.Wecanwellimaginepoems,fragmentsofliteraryprose,instructionsintheimperativemode,questions,exclamations,allofthisbeing–atleastthisisourplan–readbyagood,well-knownreader,andthusmakinguseofthespecificpowerofspeech.
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Ofcoursethesesamereceiverscouldreceivemusicalsignals,whetherthesesignalsaremixedwithtext,orwhetheronthecontrarythereisanentirelymusicalzone,asIRCAMhavesuggested.Oncemore,theartsoftime,oralspeechandmusic,withalltheintermediariesbetweenthetwo,includingnoises,aremuchsuperiortoreading.Iwouldaddthattheinterestofproceedinginthiswayisthat–theexhibitionspacemustbekeptcompletelysilent–eachvisitorwillbeisolatedinasingularrelationtothetransmitters.So,tocomebacktothesites,thesesiteswillbeplacedinzoneswhicharetransgeneric,trans-domain,thesesiteswillbesometimessingular,sometimescomparative–thatistosay,comparinganewindustrialtechnology,forexample,withanewartistictechnologysothatthevisitorswillbeledtoquestionwhatissupposedlyfunctionandwhatissupposedlyexpression.Otherswillbeanamnesiac,thatistosaythatinthedomainitselftheywillcomparetwostates,forexampleofthequestionofreferent[matière]andsupport[matériau].
Andfinally,thewayinwhichthesitesarelinkedtoeachother,asIhavesaid,willbethroughthecommonproblematicofreferent[matériel],sup-port[matériau],andsoon.Andthewayinwhichthezonesthatcovereachoftheseproblematicswillbelinkedtoeachotherwillremain–wearedis-cussingthisnow–probablyrelativelyloose,whichleadsustothinkthattheperambulationwithinthesezoneswillbeatleastpartlyfree,sothateachvisitorwillhave–Iwouldnotsaythechoiceofroute,theterm“choice”isnotsatisfactory–butinanycasewillhavethefreedomtogohereandthere,alittleaccordingtochance,orhistastesorhismomentaryinclinations.Itisnot,properlyspeaking,aquestionofalabyrinth,sinceusuallyalabyrinthhasbutonethread,andisperfectlyconstraining.Insteaditisaquestion–aswehavebeensayingintheteam–ofasortofdesertinthemiddleofwhichthesesiteshavebeendropped,withthevisitorgoingfromonezonetoanotherwithherheadphonesonherears.Perhaps,enteringintoazoneinthemiddleoftherecording,shemaywaituntilthetapegoesbacktothebeginninginordertobeabletolistentowhatthespaceisabout,theregionwheresheis,andwillvisitthezoneinquestionwiththisrecording,thistext,playinginherears.
Thusthelinkageorthesequencingofzonestoeachotherwill,ifpossible,alwaysleaveopenthequestion“Whathappens,whatishappening?”andthusthefeelingofakindofcontingencyandencounter.Iwilladdalastthingasageneralprinciple:sincewecannotmakethefifthfloorentirelydark,asisgenerallythecaseintheBeaubourg,wehavedecidedtotaketheoppositepath–thatistosay,tooverexposethewholeexhibition,touseconstanthalogenlightandtocontrolthislightinrelationtotheexternallightsoastobalanceit.Thuswewillhaveconstantlightingwhateverthetimeofday,whichseemsveryimportanttomesinceitwillbepartoftheextrememodernityorpostmodernitytorenouncenatureinthisway,torenouncetheseasons,day
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andnight.Whatismore,itwillallowus,whenwefeeltheneed,tocreatesitesorevenwholezonesthat,onthecontrary,arecompletelydark,completelyblack,throughasystemoflocalenclosures.Sothisishow,atthemoment,weimaginethewholeoftheexhibition.
Iwouldliketoaddtwothings:ononehand,thatwewouldliketofindadevicethatwouldenableustorecordtheroutetakenbyeachvisitor.Nottorecorditinsomecentralserver,butsuchthatontheobjectthathewillnec-essarilyhavetakenattheentrance–itmaybeacassettecontainingalloftherecordingsproducedbythetransmitterswhichthevisitorcouldbuyinsomeway,oritcouldbeacardthatheswipesinreaders–suchthat,thankstotheseindicationsonecouldobtainondemand,onexit,areportoftheroutethatthevisitorinquestionhastakenthroughthespaceofthisexhibition.Thisdoesn’tseemtobeaseasyaswehadthought,andthedifficultiesmayobligeustochooseasimplersolution,butneverthelessthisaspectisbeinglookedinto.Thismeansthateachvisitorwillinacertainwaytakeawaytheproductofhisownvisit,printingitoutusingaprinterattheexit.AsecondthingthatIwouldliketoemphasiseagainisthat,alongwiththisroute,theworkthatyouseehereisnotexactlyapromenadebutaninvestigation–Iwouldn’tsayanadventure,Idon’tlikethatwordsomuch–butinanycaseanexplorationofthespaceoftheexhibition.Wealsoenvisagecompletelyrevisingtheideaofthecatalogue,becausethecatalogueofanexhibitionisabookthathastheexhibitionasitscontent[matière],thatistosayasitsreferent,andwhichtriestobeascompleteasummaryofitaspossible,intheformof,ononehand,adeclarationofintentinthepreliminaryarticles,inparticularthecommissioner’sstatement,andthenanaccountofalltheobjectstobefoundintheexhibition,theindexoftheseobjectsandtheirauthorsorcreators.Weshouldliketoproceedinthefollowingway:firstly,toseparateitintotwobook-objects.Ononehandwewillhaveasthecatalogueaportfolio,whichwasalreadystartedsixmonthsago,thefirstproofofwhichsomeofyouhavealreadyseen–sowewillcontinuewiththisportfolio,inwhichwewillincludetheteam’sworkingtextsspanningalmosttwoyears;andontheotherhand,obviously,anaccountofalltheobjects,whatevertheirnature,tobeshown[exposé]oroverexposed[surexposé].Itwillbequitealargeportfolio,then,onethatwillcompriseasetofsheetsalongwithtwobooklets,abookletofworkingfilesandabookletthatwillbeakindoflexiconoftheexhibition,withillustrations,allofitinacardboardsleevelikeabox,adoublebox.Youshouldrealisethatthisisnotamatterofmakingsomethingniceandchic–wearenotworkingonthemodelofadeluxebook.Onthecontrarytheaimistomakeanobjectthatisquiteplain,quitesimple,withtheseloose-leafsheets,andusingprintingandduplicationtechniquesthatdonotgobeyondoffsetprinting.Sothatisoneoftwoobjectsthatyouwillbeabletobuyintheexhibition.
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Theotherobjectisentirelydifferent:itisapartoftheexhibitionitself,oneoftheexperimentsthataregoingtotakeplaceinsidetheexhibition.Itwouldbewrongtocallitacatalogue,infact.Itisaquestionofgivingacertainnumberofpeople,whomIhavesomewhatderisivelycalled“authors”,alistofacertainnumberofwords.Thesearewordsthatwemightconsideraskeysinsofarastheywillbeinsertedintoacentralserver,buttheyarenotkeywordsinthestrictphilosophicalsense,ifImightsayso,butwordsthatwehavebuiltuptogetherandwhichweconsidertobeimportantinrelationtotheexhibition.Sowehavegiventheseauthors,foraperiodthatremainstobedetermined–thisisamatterofbothmaterialpossibilityandcost–word-processingmachines.Eachofthemassociateswiththewordsthatinterestthemaroundahundredwords,afewphraseswhichwecallcommentaries.Theymakeafirstcommentaryentirelyfreely–theyareathomewiththeirmachine–andthen,bycallingupthenamesoftheotherauthorsusingacode,theycanlearnwhattheothershaveassociatedwiththesameword,andthenrespondtowhattheothershavedone.Sointhefirstplacetheirowncommentary,thenacom-mentarywhichtheycanmakeontheirowncommentary,andthen,thirdly,acommentaryontheothers’commentaries–allofthisrecordedinthememoryofacentralserver.Youcanseethatthereisnonecessityfortheprocesstobesynchronous,thatistosaytotakeplaceinrealtime.Thesecommentariescanverywellbemadediachronically,oneaftertheother,itdoesnotmattermuch;eachcanseethecommentaryofotherswhenhewishes,inwhatevermedium.Butinrealtime,onecanimagine–evenifitseemsthatherealsothereareconsiderabledifficulties–thedifferentauthorsrespondingtooneanotherontheirword-processingmachines.Thecompanythatisresponsiblefordealingwiththisaspectoftheexhibitionhassuggestedthatwecouldbringabout–andasyoucanimagine,nothingwouldpleasememore–whatwecouldcall“sparringcommentaries”,notusingword-processingmachines,butviaMinitel,thelittledevicethatisalreadyinplaceinParis,andwhichwillbeavailableforalloftelephoneusersin1985,whichisadevicewithakeyboardandascreenusingthetelephonenetwork.Itmaybepossible,then,tomakeinthiswayasortofsparringofcommentarieswhereeachauthorwillbeabletoproduceaphraseandanyoneoftheotherswillbeabletocommentonthisphrase–itisaquestionofabriefphrasethatfitsinonepageonthescreen.Inthatcasewewouldhaveaproductioninrealtime,whichwouldnotbesocostlysinceitwouldusetheMinitelnetwork.Allofthiswouldofcoursebeavailablewithintheexhibition,andweenvisionthatthevisitorsthemselvescouldparticipateinthisexperimentasitcarriesonduringtheexhibition.Thismeansthatalloftheworkdonebytheauthorsonthewordprocessorscouldfinally,afterhavingbeenprinted,beproducedasanexperimentalbookinwhichitwouldbepreciselythequestionoftheauthorthatwouldbeatissue–Whowouldtheauthorofthisbookbe?–andinwhichtheverymultiplicityoftherulesofthegame–theauthorcommentingonhimself,commentingonothers–would
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ultimatelymakethequestionofthebook’smaternityparticularlydisquieting.Ofcourse,thequestionofthesupport[matériau]would,byvirtueofthissimplefact,beposedwithsomeforce,sinceeachoftheauthorsworkingontheword-processingmachinewouldbeinthekeyboard-and-screensituationthatIdescribedearlier.Sothereareafewdifferentaspectstothis.Fornow,wedon’twanttoproceedwiththedescriptionofthesites,althoughwecouldmaybedosoifyoufeeltheneed.
Ishouldliketoaddafewdisorderedremarks.Thisspatiallayoutwhichisintheprocessoftakingshapewillitselfmanifest,withintheexhibition,manyoftheprinciplesthatIhavedescribedalittleabstractly:firstly,thepassagefromonezonetoanothershouldbecomparedtothepassagefromonereceptionzonetoanotherwhenadriverdrivesacrossalargemetropolis.WhenyougofromtheMexicanbordertoSantaBarbarayouhavetoretunetheradiobecauseyouchangetransmitter;speechandmusicfadeoutandbecomenoise,andyouhavetoretuneinordertofindotherspeech,othermusic,youjointheminmid-flow,andtheyareindependentofeachother.ThisnebulousaspectofwhichIspokeearlier,then,wehopetoreproduceitthroughthisdevice.AsecondthingIalsowanttosayisthatthemultiplicityofroutesthroughtheexhibition–aboveallifwemanagetoresolvethetechnicalquestionofbeingabletorecordthematwillattheexit–allowsittotranspirethat,fundamentally,theexhibitioncontainsmanypossibleworlds.Ultimately,aroutedefinesaworld,thatistosaythatitconnectsupaseriesofzones,andanotherrouteassemblestheseriesofzonesintoanotherorder;andinthissense,eachvisitorwillhaveauniverseoftheexhibitionwhichisinscribed,ofwhichheistheauthor,buttheinvoluntaryauthor–andofwhichheisalso,onemightsay,thereceiver,meaningthatherethereisavacillationonthequestionofsenderandreceiver,andaboveallonthequestionofcontent[matière]–becauseitmeansthattheverycontentoftheexhibition,theexhibition quareferentofarouteisposited:thereareultimatelymanyexhibitionsinone,manypossibleexhibitions.Athirdpoint:wecanimagine,thankstotherecording,thankstothefreedomthattherecordinggivesus,someveryinterestingvariationsinthepragmaticsituationofthevisitor,becauseshemaysometimesbethereceiveroftherecording–someoneaddressesherandthissomeone,whatismore,maybeapersonoutofapainting,maybeapieceofamachine,maybethesiteitself,orthezone,oranotherzone–shemaybethereceiver,then.Butshemayalsobeplacedinthepositionofthesender,since,precisely,sheherselfplotshercourse,andinthissensesheistheauthoroftheroute,thesenderofthesequencethatwillberecordedattheend.Shemayherselfbeconsideredasasupport[matériau] insofarassheisplacedinthesituationofatrigger–PierreBoulezenvisagedascenariowhere,throughasimplephotoelectriccellsystem,theverypassageofavisitorwouldtriggerapieceofelectronicmusic–perhapsatthemomentwhenshepassesintooneplace,shetriggersoffacameratorecordherand
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torepresentheronavideoscreenelsewhereintheexhibition.Oragainshemaybetherecipient,inthesensethatsheisactiveinthisorthatsite.Forexample,wecanimagineasitewhereweplantouseasetofsyntheticimages–whichunfortunatelyrisksbeingextremelycostly–wherethevisitorcouldbreatheontoascreenwhichrepresentsthesnowonalandscape,andbyblowingonthescreenshewouldmakethesnowfall.Thus,thevisitorcanplay a great variety of roles within the structure of communication that serves asthegeneraloperator.ItseemstomethatthiscorrespondspreciselytothesatiricalroutetakenbyDiderotthroughVernet’ssites.
TranslatedfromtheFrenchbyRobinMackay.
This text is based on the transcript, in French, of a talk that Jean-François Lyotard gave in spring 1984. The transcript exists in several, slightly different copies which are currently stored in different places in the archives of the Centre Pompidou. Different authors therefore refer to it with different document codes, depending on the copy that they used (No. 94033/666, PCA 1977001/129, Dossier 2009012). The most complete version that we could trace, and that was used as the basis of this first translation into English, can be found at "1994033/666".
From Over- to Sub-Exposure: The Anamnesis of Les Immatériaux
Antony Hudek
Althoughanumberoflatetwentieth-centuryexhibitionshavealreadybeenhailedas“landmarkexhibitions“,onemajorandhighlyinnovativeexhibitionhaseludedtheattentionofscholarsuntilrecently:Les Immatériaux,co-curatedin1985fortheCentreGeorgesPompidouinParisbythephilosopherJean-FrançoisLyotardandthedesignhistorianandtheoristThierryChaput.1 Amongitsmanynovelfeatureswasthefactthatitwasthefirstexhibitioninwhichaphilosopherplayedaleadingrole,openingthedoortomanyotherinstancesinwhichintellectualswouldbecomeadhoccurators.2
Insteadofthestandardsequenceofwhitecubes,LyotardandChaputdividedtheentirefifthflooroftheCentrewithlargesheetsofuncolouredmetalmeshhangingfromtheceiling.Contrarytotheneutrallightingofmostexhibitionenvironments,Les Immatériauxofferedatheatricalsetting–theworkofyoung
1 Onthedebatesurroundingwhatconstitutesa“landmark“inexhibitionhistory,seeLandmark Exhibitions: Contemporary Art Shows Since 1968,aconferenceheldatTateModern,London,on10–11October,2008,andTeresaGleadowe’sreviewofthecon-ference in Art Monthly,no.321,November2008,p.34.Onthecompositionofthecuratorial team of Les ImmatériauxbeforeLyotard’sarrival,see“LaRègledujeu:Matéri-aliser Les Immatériaux,“inÉlieThéofilakis(ed.),Modernes, et après? “Les Immatériaux“ (Paris:EditionsAutrement,1985),p.15et passim;onThierryChaput,seethebiographicalsketchinJohnThackara(ed.),Design After Modernism(London:Thames&Hudson,1988),p.232.
2 SomeofthebestknownareBernardStiegler’sMémoires du futur(Paris:Bibliothèquepubliqued’information,1987),JacquesDerrida’sMémoires d’aveugle(Paris:MuséeduLouvre,1990),JeanStarobinski’sLargesse(Paris:MuséeduLouvre,1994),JuliaKris-teva’sVision capitales(Paris:MuséeduLouvre,1998),PaulVirilio’sCe qui arrive(Paris:FondationCartier,2002),BrunoLatour’sIconoclashandMaking Things Public(Karlsruhe:ZKM,2002,2005),andJean-LucNancy’sLe Plaisir au dessin(Lyon:MuséedesBeaux-Arts,2007).
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stagedesignerFrançoiseMichel–whichplayedwithstarkcontrastsbetweenspotlitexhibitsandareasofneartotaldarkness.3InChaput’swords:“Deckedindemandinggrey,illuminatedbyimprobablelighting,withunpredictableideasallowedtohover,thishour,thisdayinthisyear,suspended,rigorouslyorderedyetwithoutsystem,‘TheImmaterials’exhibitthemselvesbetweenseeing,feelingandhearing.“4
Importantly,Les Immatériauxbroughttogetherastrikingvarietyofobjects,rangingfromthelatestindustrialrobotsandpersonalcomputerstoholograms,interactivesoundinstallations,and3Dcinema,alongwithpaintings,photographsandsculptures(thelatterrangingfromanAncientEgyptianlow-relieftoworksbyDanGraham,JosephKosuthandGiovanniAnselmo).OnereasonfortheheterogeneityofobjectsrepresentedinLes ImmatériauxwasthatmanyoftheexhibitswerechosenbyChaputwellbeforeLyotardwasinvitedtojointheprojectin1983.5Indeed,theCentredeCréationIndustrielle(CCI)–themore“sociological“entitydevotedtoarchitectureanddesignwithintheCentrePompidou,whichinitiatedLes Immatériaux–hadbeenplanninganexhibitiononnewindustrialmaterialssinceatleast1982.6
VariouslyentitledCréation et matériaux nouveaux, Matériau et création, Matériaux nouveaux et création,and,initslastform,La matière dans tous ses états,thisexhibition,firstscheduledtotakeplacein1984,alreadycontainedmanyoftheinnovativefeaturesthatfoundtheirwayintoLes Immatériaux.7
3 SeetheundatedandunsignedlettertoFrançoiseMichelintheCentreGeorgesPompidouarchives,box94033/227.(MaterialfromthePompidouarchiveshenceforthcitedasPCAfollowedbytheboxnumber.)
4 ThierryChaput,“Entréeenmatière“,Petit Journal,28March–15July1985,Paris,p.1.AlthoughThe ImmaterialswastheofficialEnglishtranslationofLes Immatériaux,IusetheFrenchphrasethroughoutinordertoavoidtranslatingmatériau by material,whichinFrenchcouldalsobetranslatedbymatière.MatériauinfactcoversboththeEnglishmatterandmaterial.Inwhatfollows,alltranslationsaremineunlessotherwisenoted.
5 AlthoughthefirstdocumentedcontactsbetweentheCentredeCréationIndustrielle(CCI)andLyotardtookplaceinMay1983,thecontractmakingofficialthelatter’sstatusaschiefcurator(commissaire général)isdated29September1983.SeetheletterfromPaulBlanquart,thendirectoroftheCCI,toLyotard,dated28May1983(PCA1977001/129),andthecontractsignedbyJeanMaheu,PresidentoftheCentrePompidou,dated27January1984(PCA94033/668).(FrançoisBurkhardtsucceededBlanquartasdirectoroftheCCIinJuly1984.BothdirectorsappeartohavebeenverysupportiveofLes Immatériaux.)
6 AnarticlefromLe MondefoundintheCentrePompidouarchives(intheboxlabelled“ImmatériauxArchi-peinturebasrelief“)entitled“LesVerresmétalliquesmatériauxd’avenir“,dated29April1981,suggeststhatdiscussionsaboutthefutureexhibitionbeganin1981.
7 See“LaMatièredanstoussesétats(titreprovisoire)“(PCA94033/237).AtthefirstworkingmeetingbetweenmembersofCCIandLyotard,thelatterarguedagainst“creation“inthetitle,deemingita“theologicalconcept“.By10August1983,Les Immatériaux,followedby“provisionaltitle”,appearedonthecoverofthefirstprojectreportauthoredbyLyotard.InNovember1984,LyotardandChaputrequestedthattheexhibitiontitleberegisteredasatrademark.
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Thesefeaturesincludedanemphasisonlanguageasmatter;theimmaterialityofadvancedtechnologicalmaterials(fromtextilestoplasticsandholography);exhibitsdevotedtorecenttechnologicaldevelopmentsinfood,architecture,musicandvideo;and,crucially,anexperimentalcatalogueproducedsolelybycomputerin(almost)realtime.TheearlierversionsoftheexhibitionalsoinvolvedmanyofthefutureprotagonistsofLes Immatériaux,suchasJean-LouisBoissier(amongseveralotherfacultymembersofUniversitéParisVIII,whereLyotardwasteachingatthetime)andEveRitscher(aLondon-basedconsultantonholography).Furthermore,Les ImmatériauxbenefitedfromprojectspursuedconcurrentlybyothergroupswithinthePompidou,whichjoinedLyotard’sandChaput’sprojectwhenitwasdiscoveredthattheirthemesoverlapped.Thus,anexhibitionprojectonmusicvideosinitiatedbytheMuséeNationald’ArtModernewasincorporatedintoLes Immatériaux, andanotherprojectonelectro-acousticmusicdevelopedbyIRCAM(InstitutdeRechercheetdeCoordinationAcoustique/Musique)alsoseemstohavemergedwiththe1985exhibition.8
Althoughotherinstitutionsexpressedinterestintakingtheshow,Les Immatériauxwastoomuchareflectionoftheunusualmuseographicpracticesoftheplacefromwhichitoriginatedtotranslateintodifferentcontexts,andtheshowdidnottour.9ForLes Immatériaux was much more than an “exhibition“,simplyunderstood.ItdrewuponalltheentitieswithintheCentrePompidou,offeringmusicalperformances(includingtheworldpremiereofKarlheinzStockhausen’sKathinkas Gesang);animpressivefilmprogramme(entitledCiné-Immatériaux,curatedbyClaudineEizykmanandGuyFihman);athree-dayseminarontherelationshipbetweenarchitecture,scienceandphilosophy;aswellasthreerelatedpublications,inadditiontothetwoexhibitioncatalogues.10IndeedLes ImmatériauxwouldbeamongthelastexhibitionsattheCentrePompidoutoembodythelatter’soriginalambition
8 Seethe“Projetd’exposition”,dated10January1983,andthe“Compte-rendudelaréuniondu16Mai1983”(PCA1977001/129and94033/236).
9 TherewereplanstotourpartsofLes ImmatériauxtoAustria(Vienna),Brazil(RiodeJaneiro),Japan(Tsukuba),andFrance(Marseille),thoughnonecametofruition.Seedoc-umentsinPCA94033/667,1977001/130,94033/0234,1977001/130,respectively.
10 AsidefromIRCAMandMuséeNationald’ArtModerne,Les ImmatériauxincorporatedprojectsinitiatedandorganizedbytheBPI(BibliothèquePubliqued’Information),alsolocatedintheCentrePompidoubuilding.AslightlyeditedversionofthefilmprogrammethataccompaniedLes Immatériauxisaccessibleonlineathttp://www.vasulka.org/archive/ExhONE/CentreGeorgesPomp/CGPcat.pdf.Thethreepublicationsare “1984” et les présents de l’univers informationnel (Paris:CentreGeorgesPompidou/CentredeCréationIndustrielle,1985);Modernes et après: Les Immatériaux (Paris:EditionsAutrement,1985);andaspecialissueofTraverses,no.35,September1985.AnotherelementwastobeavideoconferenceviasatellitebetweensitesinTsukuba,Montreal,Milan,BerlinandSanDiego(seethedocumentdated14June1984,PCA94033/0234).Thislastprojectwasfinallyabandonedforbudgetaryreasons.(LetterfromMarcGirardtoFrançoisBurkhardt,dated20September1984[PCA1977001/130].)
74 30 Years after Les Immatériaux
tobeacentreopentoallformsofexpression,fromindustrialdesignandurbanismtopaintingandperformance,insteadofamodernistmuseumbasedontheneatdifferentiationbetweendepartmentsaccordingtomedia.11 Les Immatériauxrepresented,asitwere,ahingeintheCentrePompidou’shis-tory,betweenamoreconventionalfuture(theCCIeffectivelydissolvedafewyearslater,mergingwiththeMuséeNationald’ArtModerne)andacertainpostmodernidealismthattolerated,evenencouraged,theblurringofdis-ciplinesandexhibitionswithanelementofpathosanddrama.12AsChaputexpresseditin1985,Les Immatériauxrepresented“oneofthelast‘romantic’experiences”.13
Astheoriginatoroftheexhibition,anditsmainrepresentativewithintheCentrePompidou,Chaputplayedakeyrole,thoughhewasunderstandablythelessvisibleofthetwoco-curatorsvis-à-visthepublic,andespeciallythemedia.14BernardBlistènewasresponsiblefortheselectionofmostartworksin Les Immatériaux;most,butnotall:theEgyptianlow-reliefwasLyotard’spersonalchoice,andwecanassumethathewasalsoresponsiblefortheinclusionofMarcelDuchamp,DanielBurenandJacquesMonory,sincehehadwrittenextensivelyonthethreeartistspriortohisinvolvementinLes Immatériaux.15AsforLyotardhimself,hewasinstrumentalnotonlyinsecuringcertainloansandtheparticipationofprominentfiguresintheexhibitioncata-logues,butalsoindesigningtheexhibition’soverarchinglinguisticstructure.Asearlyasspring1984LyotardhadsuggestedtheconflationbetweenfiveFrenchwordsderivingfromtheIndo-Europeanrootmât(tomakebyhand,tomeasure,tobuild)andthecommunicationmodelfirstdevelopedbyHaroldLasswell–“Who/SaysWhat/InWhichChannel/ToWhom/WithWhatEffects?”–latertranslatedintoacommunicationdiagrambyClaudeShannonandNorbertWiener,whichRomanJakobsonwouldapplyto,andamendinlightof,linguistics.Lyotard’sconflationofthesecommunicationmodelswith
11 Beaubourg: Les Dix Premières Années du Centre Georges Pompidou,1977–1987(Paris:Beaux-artsmagazine,1987),p.10.
12 “Les Immatériaux…isakindofdramaturgyoftheerabeingborn.“(Pressreleaserecordedonanaudiocassetteanddistributedon8January1985.)ForanoverviewofthehistoryoftheCCI,seeFrançoisBarréandBernadetteDufrêne,“LeCCI,duMuséedesArtsDécoratifsàBeaubourg“,Centre Pompidou, 30 ans d’histoire(Paris:CentreGeorgesPompidou,2007),p.86–91.
13 “LaRègledujeu:Matérialiser Les Immatériaux.Entretienavecl’équipeduC.C.I.”,Modernes et après,p.20.
14 LyotardcreditsChaputwiththeideaofthemetallicmesh.Seep.10oftheundated“Con-férencedeJean-FrançoisLyotard”(PCA1977001/130).InaletterdatedJanuary1985toDominiqueBozo,thendirectoroftheMuséeNationald’ArtModerne,LyotarddefendsChaput’scontributiontoLes Immatériauxas“atleast”onparwithhisown.
15 OnBlistène’srole,seetheletterfromJean-FrançoisLyotardtoPierreGaudibert,dated3September1984(PCA94033/669).
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the etymological group of mat-termswashardlyrigorous.16Whatitproposedwasanepistemologicalshort-circuitbetweenheterogeneousdiscourses–theonepoetic,theotherscientific–toestablishthefollowingequivalences:matériau = support(medium),matériel = destinataire(towhomthemessageisaddressed),maternité = destinateur(themessage’semitter),matière = référent (thereferent),andmatrice = code(thecode)[Figure1].
ThedrawingscollectedintheAlbumsectionoftheexhibitioncatalogueindicatethatthelayoutofLes Immatériauxhadreachedanear-definitivestagebySeptember1984.Oncepasttheinitialcorridor,thevisitorwouldhavetochoosebetweenoneoffivestrands(or“valences“)leadingthroughtheexhibition,eachcorrespondingtooneofthefivemat-strands.Eachmat- strandwouldinturnincorporateanumberof“zones“,witheachzoneunifiedbyacommonsoundtrack,audiblethroughheadphonesdistributedtoeachvisitorbeforeenteringtheexhibition.17(Thesoundtrack,selectedbyLyotard’sthencollaboratorandfuturepartnerDolorèsRogozinski,andengineeredbythePompidoutechnicianGérardChiron,consistedofexcerptsofliteraryandphilosophicaltextsbythelikesofMauriceBlanchotandSamuelBeckett.)
Eachzonesubdividedintoseveral“sites“:thatis,variouslysizedinstallationswith more or less obvious reference to the mat- strandinwhichtheywereincluded.Forexample,theNu vainsitedesignedbyMartineMoinot–anactivefigureinLyotard’ssupportteamattheCentrePompidou–featured“twelveasexualmannequins”with,attheback,“ascreeningofapassagefromJosephLosey’sfilmMonsieurKleinalternatingwithaphotofromaconcentrationcampprisoner”.18Asthevisitorenteredthissite–oneofthreeinthefirstzoneofthe“matériau“strand–sheorhewouldhaveheardthevoiceofthepoetandplaywrightAntoninArtaud(Pour en finir avec le jugement de Dieu,originallyintendedasaradiobroadcastin1948)andRogozinski(The Angel).Thusguided–or,moreaccurately,misguided–throughtheexhibition’sobscuritybythesoundtrack,theisolatedvisitorofLes Immatériauxwoulddriftfromsiteto
16 AtnopointdidLyotardgobeyondquoting“Laswell,Wiener,thenJakobson”whendis-cussingthecommunicationmodelsinformingLes Immatériaux.Notonlydoeshenotprovideanybibliographicreferences,heconsistentlymisspells“Lasswell”withone“s”.Moreover,Lyotardadmittedinaninterviewthatthecommon“mât ” root was essentially fictional.(SeeBernardBlistène,“AConversationwithJean-FrançoisLyotard”inGiancarloPolitiandHelenaKontova(eds),Flash Art: Two Decades of History(Cambridge,Mass.:MITPress,1990),p.31.
17 NathalieHeinichandAntoniaWunderlichcite31zones,thenumberindicatedinPetit Journal.See,respectively,“UnÉvènementculturel,”inChristianCarrier(ed.),Les Immatériaux (au Centre Georges Pompidou en 1985): Étude de l’évènement exposition et de son public(Paris:Expo-Média,1986),p.78,andAntoniaWunderlich:Der Philosoph im Museum: Die Ausstellung Les Immatériaux von Jean-François Lyotard (Bielefeld:transcript,2008),p.36.TheEnglishbrochureoftheexhibitionentitledRoute: Zones & Sitesdescribes26zones,whichisthenumberquotedbyFrancescaGalloinLes Immatériaux: Un Percorso di Jean-François Lyotard nell’arte contemporanea(Rome:Aracne,2008),p.62.
18 Petit Journal,p.4.
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siteandstrandtostrandwith,asonlymarkers,theswitchbetweenvoices,indicatingthepassagefromonezonetoanother.
IfnotwotrajectoriesthroughLes Immatériauxcouldpossiblybealike–giventhefreedomthevisitorhadtochooseherownsequenceofsitesandzones–LyotardandChaputwerecarefultodocumentthevisitors’driftingpatterns,devisingadensenetworkofself-indexingnodesbothinsideandoutsideoftheexhibition.EachvisitortoLes Immatériauxwastoreceiveamagneticcardwithwhichtorecordthesitesshewentthrough:uponleavingtheexhibition,sheshouldhavebeenabletoprintahard-copyrecordofthevisit,thoughthissystemof“miseencarte”doesnotseemtohavebeenimplemented.19 Anotherself-indexingnodeinLes Immatériaux –Les Variables Cachéesinzone12(“matrice“strand)–allowedvisitors,bywayofacomputerterminal,toprovideanswerstoasetofquestions,whichcontributedtostatisticalviewsoftheexhibition’sdemographicsprojectedonascreeninthesamesite.20 Publishedin1986,theexhaustivestudyofLes Immatériaux by the sociologist NathalieHeinichconstitutedanothermeansofmeasuringandarchivingthevisitors’movementsthrough,andreactionsto,theexhibition.21
TheideaofconstitutinganarchiveofthecommunicationgeneratedbyLes Immatériaux,mediatedanalogicallyaswellasdigitally,alsodeterminedtheexhibition’scatalogues.Insteadofthetraditionalsinglevolumeactingasananticipatedrecordofthecompletedevent,twopublicationswereissued,bothofwhichreflectedtheprocessesunderpinningLes Immatériaux.Thefirstisafolderwith,ononeside,“L’Inventaire“–asheafofloosepageseachdescribingoneoftheexhibition’s61sites–and,ontheother,abound“Album“ofnotesandsketches(mostofthesebyPhilippeDélis,thescenographerofLes Immatériaux)documentingtheexhibition’sdevelopmentfromLa matière dans tous ses étatsin1984toasnapshotoftheinstallation,presumablytakeninearly1985.Thesecondpublication,entitledEpreuves d’écriture,isasoftcover-boundvolumecontainingtherecordsofacomputer-mediateddiscussionamong26participants–includingDanielBuren,MichelButor,JacquesDerridaandIsabelleStengers–ofasetof50termsproposedbyLyotard.22Lyotardheldthissecondvolumeinhighesteem:“Itisprobablya‘book’thatelicitsa
19 AlthoughitfeaturesinAlbum(Paris,1985,p.27),andwasannouncedinthedoc-umentationforthepressconferenceon8January1985(PCA,box“1985Expo‘Les Immatériaux’” ).
20 Seethedocument“LesVariablesCachées:55Réponsespourlapériodedu22.02.85au28.02.85”(PCA94033/229).
21 SeeNathalieHeinich,“Enquêtesur‘Les Immatériaux’:projet15mai1985”(PCA1977001/130)andthepublishedresultsin“Unévènementculturel,”p.25–124.
22 ForEpreuves d’écriture,each“author”(thequotationmarksareLyotard’s)wasgivenanOlivettiM20,connectedtoacentralOlivettiM24basedattheCentrePompidou,whichloggedtheparticipants’contributionsbetweenSeptemberandDecember1984.(SeeLyotardandChaput,“LaRaisondesépreuves”,Epreuves d’écriture,Paris,1985,p.6–7.)Thetechnologythatenabledthecatalogues’productionwasdevelopedbySERPEA
From Over- to Sub-Exposure 77
kindofbeauty,asitwere,verydifferentfromwhatIwasaccustomedto.Formeitisagreatbook.“23
The PostmodernWithitsself-reflexivityandauto-archivingimpulse,Les Immatériauxcouldbeconsideredaself-rememberingexhibition–toparaphraseexhibitionhistorianReesaGreenberg–ontheconditionthatwerecognisethisrememberingasparadoxicalandessentiallyDuchampian.24For,toreferonceagaintothemetaphorofthehinge,Les Immatériauxseemedtopivotundecidedlybetweena“sensibility“lookingbackwards,sotospeak,toanoriginthatneverwas–embodiedbytheEgyptianlow-reliefsculptureandthepseudo-etymologyoftheexhibition’stitle–andanotherlookingbeyond,toatechnoscientificfuturealwaysalmost-here,thatis,toapostmodernismalwaysinneedofexper-imentationandhenceinfinitelydeferred.Inhiswritingsonthepostmodern,Lyotardwouldoftenqualifythiswaveringasan“anamnesis“,apsychoanalyticworking-through(durcharbeiten)inthefutureanterior,“inordertoformulatetherulesofwhatwillhavebeendone”.25WhatDuchampscholarThierrydeDuvewritesofthefeelingelicitedbytheappearanceofDuchamp’sreadymadecouldwellapplytoLes Immatériaux:“theparadoxicalsenseofthefuturethatadeliberativelyretrospectivegazeopensup.“26
Infact,LyotardwasexplicitinplacingLes ImmatériauxunderthesignofDuchamp.Asiteinzone6(inthe“matériau“or“medium“strand)wasnamedInfra-mince,andfeaturedvarioushandwrittennotesandsketchesbyDuchamprelatedtothelatter’snotionof“infra-thin“,aswellasanexcerptofMarcelProust’sRemembrance of Things Pastonthesoundtrack.Inzone20(“matière“or“referent“strand),asiteentitledOdeur PeinteincludedtwoworksbyDuchamp,the1959Torture-MorteandBelle Haleine, Eau de Voilettefrom1921,accompaniedbyareadingofatextbyculturaltheoristandcuratorPaulVirilio.Duchamp,inotherwords,couldbesaidtoplaytheroleofyetanotherdubiouspostmodern“origin“,afterthemâtetymologyandtheEgyptiansculpture,bothfortheCentrePompidouandforLyotard.Indeed,Lyotard’sfirstcontact
(Sociétéd’éditionetderéalisationdepresseécrite,audiovisuelleettélématique),aprivatecompanydirectedbyAlainRey.
23 “ConférencedeJean-FrançoisLyotard”(PCA1977001/130),p.19.24 SeeReesaGreenberg,“RememberingExhibitions:FromPointtoLinetoWeb”inTate
Papers12(2009):http://www.tate.org.uk/download/file/fid/7264.25 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,“Réponseàlaquestion:Qu’est-cequelepostmoderne?,”in Le
postmoderne expliqué aux enfants(Paris:Galilée,1986),p.31.26 ThierrydeDuve,Kant after Duchamp(Cambridge,Mass.,andLondon:MITPress,1996),
p.86.DeDuveacknowledgesLyotard’swritingsinthesamebook(p.40,n.15),whileLyotardreferstodeDuve’swritingsonDuchampin“Réponseàlaquestion:Qu’est-cequelepostmoderne?”,p.20.
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withthePompidoutookplacein1977,whenhecontributedtothecatalogueofitsinauguralexhibition,devotedtoDuchamp.27
Itisperhapsasymptomofboththetransformationofthepostmodernfromatermofhistoricalclassificationintoamoreallegoricalprinciple,andofanincreasingawarenessofthevalueofexhibitionsasperformativesitesforhis-toricalreflection,thatLes Immatériauxisnow,aftermorethantwodecades,enteringphilosophicalandart-historicaldiscourses.However,themainreasonforthelong-standingexclusionofLes ImmatériauxfromthesediscourseswasundoubtedlyLyotard’sownreticencetodiscusshis1985curatorialproject.ShortlyafterhiscollaborationwiththePompidoucametoanend,Lyotardwroteof“lookingforwardtonothavingtothinkabout(tosufferfrom)“Les Immatériauxagain.Hewentontodescribehiscuratorialexperienceashavingpromptedan“anamnesis“,andtheexhibitionitselfashaving“masteredusmuchmorethanwemasteredit”.28
WhywouldLyotardhavejudgedhisworkontheexhibitioninsuchtraumatictermsas“suffering“and“mastery“?Thefactthatthepublicandcriticalresponse to Les Immatériauxwasmostlynegativemayhavebeenafactor.29 “Deckedindemandinggrey“,theexhibitionwasunlikelytohaveeverenjoyedwidespreadpopularappeal,butthe“feelingofaperiodcomingtoanendandtheworriedcuriositythatawakensatthedawnofpostmodernity“–emotionsthatthecuratorssoughttoevoke–wasnodoubtaccentuated,albeitunintentionally,bythenumeroustechnicalfailuresthatplaguedLes Immatériaux.30Theheadsets–aprototypethenbeingtestedbyPhilips–wereparticularlypronetobreakingdown,forcingtheexhibitionatonepointtostayopenonlypart-time[Figure3].31
Theheadsetswererequired,notoptional,andcameatafee,whichprovokedtheireofthosewantingtoseetheexhibitionwithoutitssoundtrack.32 One
27 SeeLyotard,“EtantDonnés:inventaireduderniernu”,inJeanClair(ed.),Abécédaire: Approches critiques, L’Œuvre de Marcel Duchamp,vol.3(Paris:CentreGeorgesPompidou,1977).AsRajchmanwroteinanearly,unpaginateddraftofhisarticle“ThePostmodernMuseum”(nowintheCentrePompidouarchives),Les Immatériaux“maybethefirstDuchampianmuseum.”(Cf.“ThePostmodernMuseum,”Art in America,vol.73,no.10,October1985,p.110–117.)
28 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,“D’untravail”,Les Immatériaux (Au Centre Georges Pompidou en 1985): Étude de l’événement exposition et de son public,p.147–148.
29 Les Immatériauxdoesnotseemtohaveattractedunusuallylargenumbersofvisitors,despiteitsbudget–thelargestatthetimeforanexhibitionattheCentrePompidou.See“BilansimplifiédelamanifestationLes Immatériauxand“LepointsurLes Immatériaux” (respectivelyPCA1977001/130and94033/667).
30 SeetheletterfromtheheadofsecurityoftheCentrePompidou,dated28March1985,whocomplainsofthelowvisibilityintheexhibition,makingitdifficultforvisitorstofindtheexitandthetoilets(PCA1977001/130).
31 UndatedfaxfromChaputtoHavreMarineSystèmes(PCA94033/227).32 DanielBirnbaumandSven-OlovWallensteinwronglyclaimthattheheadsetswere
“recommended”.Seetheir“ThinkingPhilosophy,Spatially:Jean-FrançoisLyotard’sLes
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letteraddressedbyavisitortothePompidoucomplainedthattheexhibitiondiscriminatedagainstthehearing-impaired.33Anotherparticularlyscathingcritique,pennedbyMichelCournotinLe Monde,tooktheexhibitiontotaskforassaultingthevisitorwithincomprehensiblestimuli,fromthemagazinehandedoutbeforeentering–impossibletoreadinthedarkenedexhibitionspace–totheunidentifiedvoicesstreamingthroughtheheadsets.34
Lyotard’srebuketoCournot’scriticism,whichalsoappearedinLe Monde,defendedtheexhibition’stechnologicallet-downs,arguingthatsuchisthepricetopayforexperimentation:“MrCournotwantedtorevelinthejubilationofferedbythenewmasterypromisedbythe‘technologists’,bytheprophetsofa‘postmodern’break?Theexhibitiondeniesit,andthisispreciselyitsgambit–tonotofferanyreassurance,especiallyandaboveallbyprophesyinganewdawn.Tomakeuslookatwhatis‘déjàvu’,asDuchampdidwiththereadymades,andtomakeusunlearnwhatis‘familiar’tous:theseareinsteadtheexhibition’sconcerns.”Lyotardwentontowrite:“Theideaofprogressbequeathedby,amongothers,theEnlightenment,hasfaltered,andwithita
ImmatériauxandthePhilosophyoftheExhibition”,inThinking Worlds: The Moscow Con-ference on Philosophy, Politics, and Art,JosephBackstein,DanielBirnbaumandSven-OlovWallenstein(eds.)(Berlin:SternbergPress,2008),p.142.Togaugetheviolenceofthevis-itors’responsetoLes Immatériaux,seetheexhibition’scommentbook(PCA1977001/130).
33 LetterfromMarinaDevillers,dated29April1985(PCA1977001/130).34 MichelCournot,“Un‘Magasindecuriosités’,naïfetmacabre”,Le Monde,12April1985,p.
21.
[Figure3]Exhibitionvisitor,siteArôme simulé(Source:CentrePompidou,MNAM,Bibliothèque
Kandinsky,photographbyJean-ClaudePlanchet).
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triumphanthumanism.Greatnessofthought–Adorno’sforexample(mustIspellhisnameout?)–istoendurethefrightderivedfromsuchawithdrawalofmeaning,tobearwitnesstoit,toattemptitsanamnesis.”35
Beyonditsnegativereception,IsuggestthatLes ImmatériauxprovedaparticularlydifficultexperienceforLyotardbecauseitrepresentedafailedattemptatrecasting“thepostmodern“,anexpressionhisbookLa Con-dition postmoderne,firstpublishedin1979,helpedtransformintooneofthemorewidelycirculatedtheoreticalcatchphrasesof1980s.WhenaskedwhyhewasinvitedtobecomechiefcuratorofLes Immatériaux,Lyotardconsis-tentlyprofessedtohavenoclue.36Yetthisslim1979volume,whoseinfluenceextendedtobothsidesoftheAtlantic,musthaveplayedamajorroleinLyotard’sdecisiontoleadanexhibitionprojectdevotedto“newmaterials“.
Ofcourse,asLyotardwasthefirsttoacknowledge,theproblemwasthatLa Condition postmodernecouldnotassumetheresponsibilityofhavingthefinalsayon“postmodernism“,giventhecontextofitswriting–acommissionbythestateofQuebecfor“areportonknowledge“.37AsLyotardscholarNielsBrüggehasremarked,iftherenownofLa Condition postmoderneweighedsoheavilyonthephilosopher’ssubsequentwriting,itwasbecausethebookitselfisambivalent,describingthepostmodernatonceasmodalandepochal–thatis,asanarrativeframeworkinwhichcertainfunctionscometothefore(suchasperformativityandparalogyinlanguagegames),andasahistoricalmomentmarkingthedeclineoflegitimatingnarratives(forexample,ofemancipationandenlightenment).38
AfternotingtheabsenceofthepostmoderninLe Différend–thebookpublishedin1983whichLyotardwasfinishingwhenheembarkedonLes Immatériaux–Brüggewritesthatthe“postmoderncontinuedtohauntLyotard’swork“.39Brüggereferstoanessayentitled“Notesurlessensde
35 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,“Quiapeurdes‘Immatériaux’?”,p.3,and5(PCA94033/233).ThearticleappearedinLe Monde,3May1985.
36 “ConférencedeJean-FrançoisLyotard”,p.1,and“Jean-FrançoisLyotarddiscussestheexhibition,theImmaterials,withJudyAnnearandRobertOwen,Paris28March1985”,p.6(PCA94033/667).
37 Lyotardisforthrightaboutthebook’smodestpretensions,statinginitsIntroductionthat“thetextthatfollowsisaproductofcircumstances”.Jean-FrançoisLyotard,La Con-dition postmoderne: rapport sur le savoir(Paris:Minuit,1979),p.9.
38 NielsBrügge,“WhataboutthePostmodern?TheConceptofthePostmodernintheWorkofLyotard”,Yale French Studies,no.99,2001,p.80–82.
39 Brügge,“WhataboutthePostmodern?”,p.90.Brüggealsoacknowledges–uncon-vincingly,tomymind–thepresenceofthepostmoderninLe Différend insofar as the postmodernis“claimedtobeinscribedintheepochalcontextalreadyreferredtoaspostmoderninThe Postmodern Condition”(p.89).RegardingLyotard’scalendaroverlapbetween Le DifférendandLes Immatériaux,itisworthnotingthattheentirescheduleofexhibitionsforthefifthflooroftheCentrePompidouwasreorderedtosuithiscommit-menttofinishingthebook.SeeBlanquart ’s“NoteàMonsieurMaheu”,dated7June1983(PCA94033/669).
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‘post-’”,inwhichLyotardstatesthat“understoodinthisway,the‘post-’of‘postmodern’doesnotmeanamovementofcomeback,offlashback,offeedback,thatis,ofrepetition,butan‘ana-’process,ananalyticalprocess,aprocessofanamnesis,ofanagogyandanamorphosis,whichworksthrough[élabore]an‘initialforgetting’.”Inthisessay,Lyotardcitespaintingasaprimeexampleofpostmodernanamnesis:
Imeanthattoproperlyunderstandtheworkofmodernpainters,sayfromManettoDuchamporBarnettNewman,oneshouldcomparetheirworktoananamnesisintheanalyticsense.Justastheanalysandtriestoworkthrough[élaborer] her or his current problem by freely associating apparentlyinconsistentelementswithpastsituations,allowingherorhimtouncoverhiddenmeaningsinher/hislifeandbehaviour,sowecanunderstandtheworkofCézanne,Picasso,Delaunay,Kandinsky,Klee,Mondrian,MalevichandfinallyDuchampasa“perlaboration“(durcharbeiten)undertakenbymodernityonitsownmeaning.40
Les ImmatériauxofferedLyotardtheopportunitytoworkthroughthehauntingof La Condition postmoderne,theformerprovidinghimwithastageuponwhichtoperformthetransitionfromanepochalormodalpostmodernintoanallegoricaloranamnesicone.WhereasLa Condition postmoderne was sub-titled“ReportonKnowledge“,oneofthesubtitlessuggestedbyLyotardforLes Immatériaux was “L’Esprit du temps“,which,tousethemorecommonGermanexpression,translatesasZeitgeist.41Bysuggestingthissubtitle,Lyotardwouldhavebeenmakingaclearattempttoreclaimthepostmodernfromtheversionofthetermmadefashionablebysuchexhibitionsasthe1982Zeitgeist,whichsoughttoincludethelatestexpressionistformsofpaintinginatwentieth-centuryavant-gardetradition.42Ina1985interviewwithBlistène,Lyotardaccuses the supporters of a “return to painting“ of forgetting “everything thatpeoplehavebeentryingtodoforoveracentury:they’velostallsenseofwhat’sfundamentallyatstakeinpainting.There’savaguereturntoaconcernwiththeenjoymentexperiencedbytheviewer,they’veabandonedthetaskoftheartistasitmighthavebeenperceivedbyaCézanne,aDuchamp.”43
Lyotard’sownversionofapostmodernZeitgeistattheCentrePompidouwasanaffectivehoveringbetweenthe“post“hehadimprudentlyprognosticated
40 Lyotard,“Notesurlessensde‘post-’”,Le Postmoderne expliqué aux enfants,p.119.41 IntheendLes Immatériauxdidnotretainasubtitle.Onthevariousattemptsatfinding
one,seepage2ofadocumentdraftedbyL’AgenceBélier,themarketingagencyhiredtopublicisetheexhibition(PCA1977001/130),andtheunsignedandundateddocumentinthesameboxwhichlistsanothersubtitleproposedbyLyotard:“Entreessoretdéclin,nossavoirs,nospratiques,nossensibilités”(“Betweenexpansionanddecline,ourskills,ourcustoms,oursensibilities”).
42 ZeitgeistwascuratedbyChristosJoachimidesandNormanRosenthalattheMartin-Gropius-BauinBerlin.
43 Blistène,“AConversationwithJean-FrançoisLyotard”,p.131.
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in1979andalostmodernismthatcouldneveragainbebroughtbacktolife.Thisparadoxicaltemporalstasiswouldprovidetheclearestsign,notofthedeclineofthetwentieth-centuryavant-gardeassuch,butoftheendofthepossibilityofrecuperatingittojustifyanincreasinglycomplexandprogres-sivelydehumanisedtechnoscientificenvironment.ForLyotard,thehistoricalbreakinthetellingoftwentieth-centuryhistoryismarked–asitwasformanybeforehim,particularlyAdorno–bythemassmurderoftheJewsduringtheSecondWorldWar:
FollowingTheodorAdorno,Ihaveusedtheterm“Auschwitz“toindicatetheextenttowhichthestuff[matière]ofrecentWesternhistoryappearsinconsistentinlightofthe“modern“projectofemancipatinghumanity.Whatkindofreflectioniscapableof“lifting“,inthesenseofaufheben,“Auschwitz“,byplacingitinageneral,empiricalandevenspeculativeprocessdirectedtowardsuniversalemancipation?Thereisakindofsorrow[chagrin] in the Zeitgeist,whichcanexpressitselfthroughreactive,evenreactionaryattitudes,orthroughutopias,butnotthroughanorientationthatwouldpositivelyopenanewperspective.44
AnamnesisItisstrikingtonotetheextenttowhichthiselementof“chagrin“–“sorrow“inEnglish–particularlyinitsrelationto“Auschwitz“,isoverlookedinthe(stillscant)literatureonLes Immatériaux.45Thisisallthemoreremarkablegiventhatthewordcarries–inFranceatleast–inescapableconnotationsofstalledremembranceofWorldWarTwo,afterMarcelOphüls’swell-knowndoc-umentaryfrom1969Le Chagrin et la pitié (The Sorrow and the Pity),afilmthatgivesequaltimetotestimoniesbyformerFrenchresistantsandcollaborators.
Le Différend–which,asImentioned,LyotardwascompletingwhenhewasapproachedbytheCCItocuratetheexhibition–openswiththepredictionthatinthenextcentury“therewillnolongerbeanybooks“,sincetherewillbenotimetoreadandtheaimofallcommunicationwillbetoabsorb“mes-sages“asefficientlyaspossible.Thus,likeallbookspublishedattheendofthetwentiethcentury,Le Différendstandsattheendoftheline(“appartient … à une fin de série“ ).46Tooppose,oratleastdeferthisdystopianoutcome,Lyotardtheorises“thedifferend“,theirresolvabledifferencebetweenheterogeneousregimesofphrases.“Thedifferend“neverallowsonetoconclude,asittakesthe interrogative form of Arrive-t-il?(“Willitoccur?“or“Isitcoming?“),atemporalindecisionLyotardextendsto“Auschwitz“,aneventhetakesnotonly
44 Lyotard,“Notesurlesensde‘post ’”,Le Postmoderne expliqué aux enfants,p.116–117.45 ParticularlyasAuschwitzwasbroughtupbyLyotardattheveryfirstprojectmeeting
for Les Immatériaux,on23June1983,asanexampleofanhistorical“event”–seetheunsignedhandwrittenminutes(PCA94033/232).
46 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,Le Différend(Paris:Minuit1983),p.13–14.
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asahistoricalbreak(asAdornodid,accordingtoLyotard),butasalinguisticone(hencetheuseofquotationmarks).47
Asanexhibitionratherthanabook,andasadramaturgybeginningwithimagesreferencingtheShoah(throughLosey’s“fictional“cinematicaccount),Les Immatériauxstagedanexperienceof“sorrow“meanttogiverisetoapro-foundlynegativefeeling–afeelingthevisitorcouldnotpossiblyhaveescapedasshewanderedthroughthedarkmazeoftheCentrePompidou,confrontedbytheendlesschoicestodetermineatrajectorywithoutanyidentifiablegoalinsight.AsLyotardputit,“Theexhibitionwillhavetotakeintoconsiderationthisaspectofsorrow[chagrin]andthisformof‘continuation’[poursuite] of technoscientificdevelopment,thisextraordinaryresponsibilityofahundredyearsofcontemporaryoravant-gardeartwhereallthebigquestionswereposed…Thereneedstobethisaspectofsorrowandthisaspectofjubilationthroughproductivequestioning.“48
In Les Immatériauxthisjubilationneverarrives–asLyotardremindedCournotintheirheatedexchangeinLe Monde.Contaminatedbydoubtinstilledfromthe“pessimistic“beginningoftheexhibition,thevisitortoLes Immatériaux couldneverbecertainthatwhatshouldoccurhad,infact,occurred,whetherjubilatoryornot.“Whenyouareneartheendoftheexhibitionmaybethereisasortofoptimism,butmyideaandthatoftheorganisingteamwasnottobeoptimisticorpessimistic:theexhibitionisneutralground“,Lyotardcommented.49Notethe“maybe“,foritsuggestsafundamentalhesitation,acircularityandendlessnessthatcanbetermed“neutral“,butthatcanjustaseasilybeunderstoodasLyotard’sindecisionthatafter“Auschwitz“–thatis,aftercomingtotermswiththetechnosciencesnotastheenemyofart(aspertheFrankfurtSchool)butascomplicitinanincreasingcomplexificationofinteractionateverylevelofhumanlife–somethingmight,indeed,occur.50
AsthevisitorenteredLes Immatériaux,sheencounteredtheAncientEgyptianlow-relief,depictingagoddessofferingthesignoflifetothekindNectaneboII.Lookingatthissculptureintheexhibition’santechamber–“irreplaceablewitnessforusofwhat‘we’areintheprocessoffinallylosing”,wroteLyotard–thevisitorwouldhaveheard,throughtheheadset,thesoundofhumanbreathing.51Thevisitorthenproceededthroughalongdarkcorridor,atthe
47 “The‘Auschwitz’modelwoulddesignatean‘experience’oflanguagethatputsahalttospeculativediscourse”(Le Différend,p.132–133.).Onthetroublingimplicationsofquotationmarksaround“Auschwitz”,seeElisabethdeFonteney,Une Toute autre histoire: Questions à Jean-François Lyotard(Paris:Fayard,2006),p.81et passim.
48 “ConférencedeJean-FrançoisLyotard”,p.9.49 “Jean-FrançoisLyotarddiscussestheexhibition,”p.3.50 OnLyotardandtheFrankfurtSchool,see“GesprächmitJean-FrançoisLyotardvonMarie
LuiseSyringundClemensHärle,”p.3(PCA94033/667).51 ForLyotard’sdescriptionoftheEgyptiansculpture,seehislettertoGaudibertquoted
above.
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endofwhichstoodalarge-scalemirror,whichinturnledtoacircularopen-planspaceentitledThéâtre du non-corps,whereshefacedfiveboxes,onepermat-strandcoursingthroughtheexhibition.EachboxcontainedaminiaturetheatresetinspiredbyBeckett’splays,designedbyBeckett’sstagedesignerJean-ClaudeFallandbyGérardDidier.AntoniaWunderlich,inherimportantmonograph on Les Immatériaux,hasconvincinglyarguedthatthesequenceformedbytheEgyptianlow-relief,thedarkcorridor,themirrorandthecircularamphitheatre-likespacewiththefiveminiaturetheatresetswouldhavesuggestedtothevisitorthattheoriginoftheexhibitionlayinthedis-embodied,objectiveandself-reflexivegazeofmodernity.52ForLyotard,itisthisgazethatallowedthegoddess’ssignoflifetobemeasured“likecattle“bytheNazidoctorpicturedinthefragmentofLosey’sfilmprojectedintheNu Vainsite,andthattheentireexhibitionattemptedtore-stageinthelight–athreatening,uncertainlight–oftechnoscientificpostmodernity.53AttheotherendofLes Immatériaux,thevisitoronceagainencounteredthesameEgyptianlow-relief,thistimepresentedasanimagecutupintoverticalstripsprojectedontoascreen,asiftointimatethatthemythicalimagewouldhavetobethoroughlytransformed,splicedandreassembledbefore“we“couldbegintore-imagineanotherfoundinggesture,anothercommunity.
Itistemptingtoassimilatethisfinalblurredprojectionofasupposedcommonculturalheritagetoasublimationofmodernityintopostmodernity,ortoaformoftranscendence.LyotardhasstatedthatthesublimewasverymuchonhismindwhileworkingonLes Immatériaux,particularlyashewaslecturingon“thequestionofthesublime“attheUniversitéParisVIIIandpublishingwidelyonthesubjectatthetime.54Butwhilehewaspreoccupiedbythesub-lime,andwouldremainsolongafterLes Immatériaux,hisdeclaredareaofresearchin1984was“Philosophyandthenewmedia[les nouveaux supports] –postmodernity.”55OnecouldarguethatLyotardsoughtwithLes Immatériaux todisassociatethepostmodernfromthesublime,ifonlybyexcludingthoseartworkshehadpreviouslyqualifiedassublime,suchasBarnettNewman’spaintings,andbymakingmultiplereferencestoDuchamp,whoseaesthetic,Lyotardpointedout,“hasnothingtodowiththesublime“.56Ratherthansimplyproduceanaestheticexperienceillustrativeofasublimeortechnoscientificfuture,theblurperformedbyLes ImmatériauxmightthenalludetothespaceofMasaccio’sfrescoesandCézanne’slatepaintingsoftheSainte-Victoire
52 Wunderlich,Der Philosoph im Museum,p.107et passim.53 Lyotard,“Quiapeurdes‘Immatériaux’?”,p.5.54 See“GesprächmitJean-FrançoisLyotard”,p.4.55 “Fichederenseignementsàproduireàl’appuid’unedemanded’autorisationdecumul
defonctions”,filledinbyLyotard,dated5January1984,intheCentrePompidouarchives.
56 Blistène,“AConversationwithJean-FrançoisLyotard”,p.129.ForLyotard’sreflectionsonNewman’ssublime,seeinparticular“L’InstantNewman”inL’Inhumain: Causeries sur le temps(Paris:ÉditionsGalilée,1988),p.89–99.
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mountain,inwhichLyotardrecognisedthedeconstructionofrepresentationinordertointimateasenseoftheinevitabledeclinethataccompaniestheexhaustionofmodernity’sclaimtopure,totalandobjectivereason.AsLyotardwrotealreadyin1971,“Thisspace[ofCézanne’slatepaintings]isnotatallrepresentationalanymore.Instead,itembodiesthedeconstructionofthefocalzonebythecurvedareaintheperipheryofthefieldofvision.Itnolongermakesanovertherevisibledaccordingtogeometricaloptics,butmanifestsMountSainte-Victoireintheprocess,asitwere,ofmakingitselfvisible.”57
Inshort,thespaceembodiedatLes Immatériauxisadynamicone,itselfbasedonapictorialone,atemporalexperimentthatmakesmanifest,atoneremove,thespatialexperimentofthepaintermakingmanifesttheobjectofhergazeintheprocessofbecomingvisible.InthedocumentsLyotardandChaputpreparedforthepress,theydefinedLes Immatériauxnotasanexhibitionbutas a “mise en espace-temps“,a“non-exhibition“,a“manifestation“.Byfore-groundingthislastexpression,thetwocuratorssoughtto“questionthetraditionalpresentationofexhibitions,whichareindebtedtothesalonsoftheeighteenthcenturyandtogalleries“.58
“Painting“ForLyotard,oneofthemostsuccessful“postmodern“effortstotranslatethespatialexperienceoftheexhibitionintothetemporalexperienceofaman-ifestationwasthephilosopherandcriticDenisDiderot’sreportsontheParisSalonsofthe1760s,whichreliedonnarrativedevicesthatplayedupon–ordeconstructedtoendlesslyreconstruct–painting’spowertoelicitthesub-lime.InDiderot’sreportontheSalonof1767,fromwhichLyotardquotesinthepreparatorydocumentsforLes Immatériaux,theeighteenth-centurycriticimagineshimselfwanderingthroughalandscapemodelledafterapaintingbyJosephVernet,inthecompanyofafictitiouscharacter(apriest)whoclaimsthatpaintingcouldneverpossiblyreproducethesublimebeautyoftheland-scape–whichis,ofcourse,basedpreciselyonaVernetpainting.Inthisinter-minglingofartandlife,ofrealismandfiction,LyotardseesDiderotperforming“akindofrotation“wherebytheauthor“settlesinafictitiousspacerep-resentedbypaintingandfromtheredefiesallpossiblepainting“.59 This is how thesublimecouldbesaidtore-enterLes Immatériaux,bywayofaderivation
57 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,Discourse, Figure, AntonyHudekandMaryLydon(trans.)(Minneapolis,London:UniversityofMinnesotaPress,2010[1971]),p.197.
58 SeetheunpaginatedpressreleaseforLes Immatériauxdistributedbeforethepressconferenceon8January1985(PCA,boxentitled“1985expo‘Les Immatériaux’” ),andthesecondprojectdescriptionforLes ImmatériauxdatedApril1984(PCA1977001/130).
59 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,unpublisheddocumententitled“Aprèssixmoisdetravail”,inthisvolume,p.52(PCA1977001/129).
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fromtheillustrationofthesublime(intheworksofNewman,forexample)toanon-representational,second-degreesublimethatcomestotheforeintheactofmanifesting,ortryingtomanifestthesublimeatworkinpainting.60
AsopposedtotheEnlightenmentBildungsromanandthemoderncitythoughwhichtheBaudelairianflâneurorSituationistchroniclerrecordedhisfirst-personimpressions,Les Immatériauxrefusedtograntprimacytothesub-ject’sall-powerfulsubjectiveeye.Haditaspiredtoshowcasethesublime,Les Immatériauxwouldhavetakentheformofthe“blockbuster“display(amongwhich,forexample,onecouldciteOlafurEliasson’sThe Weather Project at Tate Modern,London,in2003).Instead,Lyotard’sandChaput’s“manifestation“wastothe“large-scaleretrospectivewhatJoyce’sUlysses is to the Odyssey”,thatis,anarrativeattempttomaketheprocessofexhibitingmanifest.61 BetweenUlyssesandtheOdyssey,therelationtoaputativeoriginchanges,asdoestheflowofthenarrative:chronologicalandsequentialinthelatter,heterogeneousandnon-linearintheformer.Indescribingtheeffectsoughtby Les Immatériaux,LyotardfrequentlyinvokedVirilio’snotionofsurexposition (“overexposure“or,equally,“overexhibition“),bywhichwasmeantthetransformation of cities into sprawling “conurbations“ where “the opacity of constructionmaterialsisreducedtonothing“andthearchitecture“beginstodrift,tofloatinanelectronicetherdevoidofspatiallimitsyetinscribedinthesingulartemporalityofaninstantaneousbroadcast“.62Whatdistinguishesthissublimecyber-landscapefromLyotard’sandChaput’sstagecraftispreciselytheexhibition’sopacityanddepth–its“difficult“greynessandtheatricalobscurity–whichimpededtheseamlessmobilityandtranslucencyofVirilio’sfuturisticvision.63
Thefactthatthesettingforthisalternatevisionofpostmodernismwasa“manifestation“iscrucial,foritisthroughanexhibitionconceivedasanimmersivetheatricalenvironmentthatthesingularityofthemodernisteyecouldbetranscendedand,atthesametime,thattranscendenceingeneral,in the sense of Aufhebung,couldbeshowntobethoroughlyunpredictable,literallyunforeseeable.64AnditispreciselythisqualitythatunderminestheeffortsofthoseseekingtodiscussLes Immatériaux as a novel treatment of the“exhibitionmedium“.LyotardaimedtochallengeShannonandWiener’s
60 ThistransitionbetweenthetwosublimesisdiscussedbyWillemvanReijenandDickVeermanintheirconversationwithLyotard,“LesLumières,lesublime”,inLes Cahiers de philosophie,no.5,1988,p.78.
61 EarlyprojectdescriptionofLes Immatériaux,p.4(PCA92053/032).62 PaulVirilio,“UneVillesurexposée”,Change International,no.1,1983,p.20(PCA
94033/0234).63 SeetheearlyprojectdescriptionofLes Immatériaux,p.11–12.LyotardcontrastsLes
ImmatériauxwithVirilio’ssurexpositionin“Compte-rendudelaréuniondu19décembre1983”(PCA94033/668).
64 Lyotarddiscusses“manifestation”inrelationtoHegel’sAufhebung in Discours, figure,p.50–51.
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communicationdiagram,inwhich“medium“–onepossibletranslationoftheFrench“support“–isthecentralterm.65FollowingDiderot’sallegoricalfable,Les Immatériauxdoesnotperforma“deconstruction“ofanexhibitionmedium,butratherdrawsattentiontoaspecific“medium“condition–thatofpainting–throughthespecific“exhibitionary“formofaheterogeneous“mise en espace-temps“, inwhichcompetingdiscursivegenrescouldbeplayedout.66
AsIhavementioned,itislikelythattheinclusioninLes Immatériaux of Duchamp,MonoryandBurencanbeattributeddirectlytoLyotard.By1985Lyotardhadpublishedessaysonallthree,andhavingnotedtheconspicuousabsenceatthePompidouof“painterly“painterssuchasNewman–onwhichLyotardhadalsowritten–onecaninferthatwhatthethreeartistshaveincommon,inrelationtoLes Immatériaux,istheircomplexrelationshiptothe“medium“ofpaintinganditsmanifestation.Inparticular,includingthese“painters“wouldhaveallowedLyotardtocountertheAdornianthesisthatthetechnoscienceshadrenderedtheeffortsofmodernistavant-gardesobsolete,andtopresentthreecasestudiesinwhich“painting“defiedtherepeatedlydeclared“end“ofitsmediumcondition.Thisisnottoarguethatthecovertpresence of “painting“ in Les Immatériauxconstitutedproofthatpostmodernheterogeneityeffectivelychallengedthedivisionsmodernismhadupheldbetweenart,scienceandpopularculture.Rather,theincidentalpresenceof “painting“ in Les Immatériauxarticulatedonewayinwhichthemostmodernistmediumcouldrelinquishitsmateriallimitsinordertomanifesttheprocessesbywhichitmakesseeingvisible.HowsuccessfulonejudgedthisdemonstrationtobewouldultimatelydeterminewhetheronefoundLes ImmatériauxtobeadramatisationofthesorrowpromptedbythespectacleofthedeclineofEnlightenmentidealsoroftheuncertainjubilationelicitedbytheunfulfillablepromiseofthepostmodern.
IncontrasttoDuchamp,Monoryappearedinonlyonesite,withalargefour-panelpaintingfrom1973entitledExplosion.67 On each of the panels was thesame“hyper-realist“depictionofacommercialaeroplaneexploding,theimageprogressivelyfadingfromlefttorightastheimagewentfromavividblue-on-whiteinthefirstpanel,toanalmostwhitemonochromeinthelast.Inthefirstpanelontheleft,theartistcopiedtheimagefromaphotograph;inthesecond,onlythelowerleft-handcornerofthepaintingwaspainted“freehand“,whiletherestofthecanvaswascoveredwithlight-sensitiveemulsion
65 Gallo,WunderlichandBirnbaum/Wallensteinallusetheexpression“exhibitionmedium”in reference to Les Immatériaux(see,respectively,Les Immatériaux,p.34,Der Philosoph,p.14et passim,and“ThinkingPhilosophy”,p.143–144).
66 Fortheexpression“miseenespace-temps”,seethesecondpublishedreportonLes Immatériaux(PCA1977001/130).
67 Monory’sExplosionoccupiedthePeintre sans corpssiteinzone9ofthe“matériau”strand.ThesoundtrackforthiszonefeaturedexcerptsfromtextsbyMauriceBlanchot,OctavioPazandHenriMichaux.
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onwhichaslideofthesameimagewasprojectedtoproduceaphotographicimpression;thethirdandfourthcanvaseswereentirely“photographic“,withnotraceoftheartist’shand.Onthecardintheexhibitioncataloguecor-respondingtothesiteofMonory’sExplosion,Lyotardaddsacrypticnote:“Thepainterconfrontsthetwoways.Catastropheofpainting?“AsLyotardspecifiedonthebackofthecard–anexcerptfromhisbookonMonorypublishedayear before Les Immatériaux–thesetwo“ways“arenottobeunderstoodas“CézannecontraNiépce”,thatis,asdifferentmediums,butratherastwodifferenttimesbetweenwhichthepainteroscillates:thetimeofcapitalism(measurable,accountable,predictable)andlibidinaltime(gratuitous,exces-sive,incapableofforesightormemory).68
Thus,itisnotpaintingintheeraofgeneralisedtechnosciencethatsuffersthecatastropheofitsowndemise.Ratheritispaintingthatprovokesachronologicalcatastrophebycloakingitselfinthedandy’smelancholicblue-grey,andbystallingcapitalism’sunshakeablepositivism.AsitwasdisplayedinLes Immatériaux,Monory’spainterlydisappearingactfunctionedasamuseo-graphicrelic,atangibletraceoftwocontradictoryimpulses:ontheonehand,theincreasingdiscrepancybetweentheslownessofthepainter’shandandtheimmediateactofrecordingmass-mediated“historical“events;andontheother,initsverydisappearance,paintingmanifesteditstrans-mediumresilience:forcedtoabandona“sublimeoftranscendence“,itnowengageda“sublimeofimmanence“,asawaytoexposeanewkindofquestionable,technoscientificsublimity,onecapableoftestifyingtotheever-expandinglimitsofexperiencethroughverifiableandaccountablefacts.69Byplacingapaintingonawall,MonoryallowedLyotardtocometheclosesttoaSalon-inspiredhanging.Butthissublimewasonlyskindeep,immanent,andtheclashbetweenpaintingandthe“massmedia“(inthiscase,photography)leftonlyaparadoxicalquasi-monochromeinitswake.Intheend,itiscolourthatappearsmostaptatrecordingthecatastropheofthesublime’s“défaillance“,itsseizureorfailure.70
Colour,inbothMonory’sExplosionandintheoverallscenographyofLes Immatériaux,underscoredthedistancecoveredsincemodernism’s“sublimeoftranscendence“,andtheessentialwitnessfunctionperformedbythe“sub-limeofimmanence“.AccordingtoLyotard,Buren’suseofcolourfulfilsmuchthesamefunctionasMonory’s–thatoftestifyingtoaforeclosedlogicofpresentation,“infavouroftheforbidden‘colour’”.71Thislastquoteisfroman
68 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,“Economielibidinaledudandy”,inL’Assassinat de l’expérience par la peinture, Monory (Paris:LeCastorastral1984),p.48.
69 Lyotard,“Esthétiquesublimedutueuràgages”,inL’Assassinat de l’expérience par la peinture, Monory,p.152–154.
70 Lyotard,“Esthétiquesublimedutueuràgages”,p.143.71 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,Que peindre? Adami Arakawa Buren,vol.1LaVueleTexte(Paris:
EditionsdelaDifférence,1987),p.110.
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essayLyotardpublishedonBurenin1987,inwhichonecannothelpbutnoticeasimilaritybetweenLyotard’sdescriptionsofBuren’sworkandthoseofLes Immatériauxtwoyearsbefore:“ForBuren,thesupport,thesite,ideology,areallthemorenoticeableaspragmaticoperatorswhentheygounnoticed,andthesamegoesfortheirexhibition.Itisnotaquestionofeducating,butratherofrefiningthepragmatictricks[ruses]thatenabletheworkstobeeffective.Butthen,forwhom,ifitgoesunnoticed?Whatisthedestinationofthismeta-destinedwork?Inanycase,ratherasub-exposure(orsub-exhibition).“72
Buren’ssignificanceforLes Immatériauxcouldeasilybeoverlooked,astheartist’sworkdidnotappearatallonthefifthflooroftheCentrePompidou,but only in the Epreuves d’écriture volumeoftheexhibitioncatalogues,whosewhitemonochromecoverwouldprovetheidealfoilforBuren’sinvisible“sub-exposure/-exhibition“.Inconcealingtheworkofapainterknownforhisseeminglyendlessvariationsoncolour,LyotardmayhavehadinmindaprojectBurenmadein1977entitledLes Couleurs: Sculptures.Buren’sproject,producedforthePompidouinitsinauguralyear,consistedinflags,bearinghisfamousmotifofalternatingwhiteandcolouredverticalbands,flyingfromParisrooftops.TheflagsweretobeseenfromthePompidou’sterrace,wheretelescopeswereavailabletohelpvisitorslocatethetiny,oftenscarcelyvisiblespotsofcolouredclothonthehorizon.InhisaccountofLes Couleurs,Lyotardlaysparticularstressonthedifferencebetweenexperiencingtheprojectafterthefact,asdocumentedthroughphotography,andtheactualeffortoftryingtospottheflagsacrossthecityscape.WhileBuren’sownphotographicrecordsof Les Couleursare,Lyotardwrites,“monocular,linear,fixed,definitive“,theprocessofscanningthehorizonfromthemuseumhadtheeffectofproducinga“melodiccurve“capableofdispensing“rhythms“that“disorganiseandorganisevision“,revealingintheprocess“towhatextenttheartgaze[le regard d’art]issubjecttogenerallyunconsciouschronicconditions”.73ByremovingBuren’strademarkstripesfromLes Immatériauxaltogether,Lyotardwasside-steppingthemedium-specificmodernistdistinctionbetweenCézanneandNiépce,focusinginsteadonthefarmorecriticalquestionofhowto“visiblyexposewhatisnotvisibleintheexhibitionitself“.74
ForLyotard,thisquestionwasbestposedbyparadoxicalartistssuchasDuchamp,MonoryandBuren,forwhom“painting“representsaphilosophicalaswellasphenomenologicaltest–andforwhom,moreover,theultimatetestresidesin“painting”’scolour.Justasforthese“painters“colourservesbothtorevealandtodissimulatetheirrespectivemediums–pigmentintheserviceofolfactoryexperienceinDuchamp’sTorture-MorteandEau de voilette, the bleachedcanvasturnedphotographicsupportforMonory,andBuren’selision
72 Lyotard,Que peindre?,p.108.73 Ibid.,p.90,103,and110.74 Ibid.,p.99.
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ofpaintingfromthemuseum–sotheominousanduniform“demanding“greyof Les Immatériauxshroudedvisitorandartworkalikeinadisorientingandunboundmonochromethatsimultaneouslyobscuredthemuseumtobetterexposeitasafundamentallyunmanageable,complextemporalspacesub-jectto“unconsciouschronicconditions“.AsFrançoiseCoblencehasargued,thepresenceofcolourinLyotard’swork“remainsinsistent,asifcomingfromatimethatnothing,nopostmoderncondition,caneraseandwhichtheinsistenceonanamnesiswillbringback”.Coblencegoesontosuggestthat,forLyotard,thephônèofthehumanvoiceistothesilencehiddenwithinlanguagewhatcolouristotheinvisibilityimmanentin“painting“.75
Thisequationbetweentheimmaterialityofcolourorhumanvoiceandtheessential,ineffableelementofwhatconstitutesanartworkseemstolendcredencetoLyotard’sandChaput’sclaimthatLes Immatériaux “merely presentstotheeyesandearssomeoftheeffects[ofanewsensibility],aswouldaworkofart“.76ButtograntLes Immatériauxart-likestatus,anumberofoperationsofworking-through,oranamnesis,mustfirstbeperformed:ofthemoderninthepostmodern;ofthepictorialorfictionalfieldintheexhibitionspace(asDiderotdidinhisreportonthe1767Salon);andofcolour(orvoice)inthepictorial/fictionalfield(asmanifestedinLes Immatériaux,inparticular,throughDuchamp,MonoryandBuren).Thesepermutationsarewhatdestabiliseanyauthorshiptheanthropocentric“I“mayhaveovera“work“–beitofart–andtransformthesingularsubjectintoaparticipantinacollectiveheterologia.77
WemaydebatewhetherLes Immatériauxsuccessfullydramatisedthesereversals;whether,thatis,LyotardandChaputmanaged,asLyotardputit,to“convertanxietyintojoyfulness“and“displacethetragicnatureofwritingintohumour“.78Yetwhatisundeniableisthat,truetoFreud’sdefinitionofanamnesisasafirststepintheanalytictreatment,theworking-throughofLes Immatériauxhasonlyjustbegun–notinsearchofanydefinitiveoriginoranswer,butasapotentiallyendlesschainofphrasesinwhichLyotard’scommitmenttoan“initialforgetting“attheCentrePompidouin1985stillpres-suresustotakepart.79
75 FrançoiseCoblence,“LesPeintresdeJean-FrançoisLyotard”,inCorinneEnaudeauet al. (eds),Les Transformateurs Lyotard(Paris:Sens&Tonka,2008),p.93,and96.
76 Earlypublishedpressrelease(PCA1977001/130).77 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,“LaPhilosophieetlapeintureàl’èredeleurexpérimentation”,
inAnneCazenaveandJean-FrançoisLyotard(eds),L’Art des confins: Mélanges offerts à Maurice de Gandillac(Paris:PressesUniversitairesdeFrance,1985),p.468–469.
78 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,“Post-scriptum”,Epreuves d’écriture,p.262.79 Onan“initialforgetting”seeLyotard,“Notesurlesensde‘post ’”,inLe Postmoderne
expliqué aux enfants,p.119.Foraclinicaldefinitionofanamnesis,refertoSigmundFreud,“TheAetiologyofHysteria”(1896),inStandard Edition,JamesStracheyetal.(eds.),vol.III,(London:HogarthPress,1962),p.191–192.
From Over- to Sub-Exposure 91
This paper is a version of a talk given at the conference LandmarkExhibitions:ContemporaryArtShowsSince1968, a collaboration between Tate Modern and Jan van Eyck Academie with the Royal College of Art and The London Consortium, in October 2008. It appears here in a slightly edited version of the text originally published in Tate Papers 12 (2009): http://www.tate.org.uk/download/file/fid/7267. The paper also appeared in Flemish in De Witte Raaf, no.142, November 2009. For theirs invaluable help, the author would like to thank Gilles Bion, Jean-Philippe Bonilli, Monique Chardet, Jean Charlier, Gérard Chiron, Sara De Bondt, Henry Delangle, Pauline Hudek, Sarah Wilson, and Antonia Wunderlich.
The Production of Les Immatériaux
Jean-Louis Boissier
in conversation with Andreas Broeckmann
AndreasBroeckmann:Jean-LouisBoissier,youwereinvolvedinLes Immatériaux both as an artist who was responsible for one of the installations,Le Bus,andasascientificadvisoronelectronicanddigitalimages.Whilethethreemainpeopleinvolvedintheproject–ThierryChaput,PhilippeDélis,andofcourseJean-FrançoisLyotard–arenolongeralive,severalpeoplewhoworkedonLes Immatériaux,likeyourself,stillkeeptheirmemoriesandpersonalarchives.Thepublisheddoc-umentation of Les Immatériauxhasremained,upuntiltoday,quiteincomplete,andthereseemstohavebeennosystematicdocumentationofthisimportantshow.Thisfactsstandsinastrangecontrasttotheunquestionedhistoricalsignificanceoftheproject–perhapsevenmoresotoday,than30yearsago?Doyouthinktherewasanawarenessoftheimportanceoftheshowatthetime?
Jean-LouisBoissier:Yes,absolutely.Therewasaclearsenseoftheculturalandthephilosophicalimportanceoftheexhibition,symbolisedmostclearlyinthepresenceofJean-FrançoisLyotard.Eventhenhewasoneoftheinternationallymostwell-knownphilosophers,andLes Immatériaux was identifiedas“Lyotard’sexhibition“.
Lyotardframedtheexhibitionwithhistextsandideas,hereorganisedandrenamedmuchofwhatwasalreadythereandintegratedtheelementsoftheexhibition.Infactheprovidedtheoverallnarrativefortheexhibitioninhistextsforthecatalogueandtheexhibitionwalls.Hehimselfsaidthathisonly,butverydecisivescenographic,ordramaturgicidea,wastheuseofthesoundtrackplayedviaheadphones,sothatpeoplewouldwalkthroughtheexhibitionlisteneningtospokentexts,
94 30 Years after Les Immatériaux
differentinthevariouszonesoftheexhibitionspaceonthe5thflooroftheCentrePompidou–sotospeak,“listeningtoLyotard“.
Butitisimportanttorecognisethatthepreparationsforthisexhibitionhadalreadybeenunderwaysince1981,somorethantwoyearsbeforeLyotardcameontothescene.Forinstance,theideaforarrangingthematerialsindifferentsites,organisednotinalinearsequencebutindifferentparalleltracks,theseconceptualideaswerealreadytherewhenLyotardarrived.
Anexhibitionwiththeworkingtitle“Nouveauxmateriauxetcréation“hadfirstbeenconceivedattheinitiativeofJacquesMullender,directoroftheCentredeCréationIndustrielle,CCI,intheearly1980s.MullenderwastheCCI’sdirectorfrom1976to1982,followedbyPaulBlanquartfrom1982to1984.TheexhibitionprojectwasthendecisivelypushedforwardunderthedirectionofFrançoisBurckhardtbetween1984and1990.
TheCCIandtheMuséeNationald’ArtModerne(MNAM),wereseparatedepartmentsoftheCentrePompidouatthetime–theywerefusedonlyin1992–andtheCCIplayedaveryinterestingandimportantrolebeforetheopeningandduringthefirstyearsoftheCentrePompidou.TheCCIhadbeenfoundedbyFrançoisMatheyandFrançoisBarréin1969,anditwasintegratedintothestructureoftheCentrePompidouin1972.BarrélaterbecamethedirectoroftheCentrePompidou,from1993to1996.TheCCIwasmuchclosertosocietaldevelopmentsatthetimethanweretheotherdepartments,theMNAM,thelibrary,BibliothèquePubliqued’Infor-mation,BPI,andthecentreforsoundandmusicresearch,IRCAM.AfterLesImmatériaux,thischanged,therewerefewerexhibitionsdedicatedtodesignandtechnology,andthequarterlyreviewoftheCCI,Traverses,editedsince1975byJeanBaudrillardandMicheldeCerteau,MarcLeBot,PaulVirilio,etc.,wasdiscontinuedin1994.
InordertounderstandtheoriginofLes Immatériaux,itwouldbeinter-estingtolookmorecloselyatthepoliticsandopinionsinFranceingeneralduringthoseyears,andthoseoftheCentrePompidouinparticular,becauseforinstancethechangesinthedirectionofthedepartmentsalsomeantchangesinthethematicemphasisthatthesepeopleplaced.
AB:HowweretheseprocessesrelatedtoLes Immatériaux?
JLB:Les ImmatériauxwasaninitiativeoftheCCI,aprojectinwhichallotherdepartmentsofthePompidouCenteralsohadtoparticipate,notleastforpoliticalreasons.Inasense,itwasabitofanalibiproject,claimingthat,look,wecanallworktogether.Inretrospect,thisexerciseininterdis-ciplinaritymay,ironically,havebeenafactorfortheconsequentreversal
The Production of Les Immatériaux 95
toagreaterseparationofthedepartments,andtheintegrationoftheCCIintotheMuseuminthemid-1990s.Les Immatériaux was probably the last bigexhibitionoftheCCI.
Idon’tthinkthatthisreorientationhappenedbecauseofLesImmatériaux,buttheprojectwastheoccasiononwhichtheseparationhappened.Thiswaspartofabroaderdevelopmentinculturalinstitutionsduringthoseyears,thetailendofchangesthathappenedduringtheMitterandyearsinthe1980s.
AB:WhatwasthesituationwithregardtotheprojectwhenLyotardarrivedinthewinterof1983/84?
JLB:Theprojecthadbeeninitiatedin1981andwasleadbyThierryChaput,acuratorandtheoreticianofdesign.Chaputandateamofseveralpeoplewereresearchingandcollectingmaterialsforanexhibitiononthewayinwhichnewmaterialsandnewtechnologieswerechangingtheconditionsofindustrialandculturalproduction.TheCCIhaddonevariousexhibitionsonnewtechnologies,forinstanceoncomputers,togetherwithAtariin1983.Butheretheywantedtocombineeverything:architecture,biology,design,literature[Figure4].In1982,theywereyetlackingaglobalidea,aguidingthoughtorconcept,butthethematicfieldthattheexhibitionwassupposedtocoverwasmoreorlessclear.
[Figure4]Exhibitionview,siteAuto-engendrement(Source:CentrePompidou,MNAM,Bib-
liotèqueKandinsky).
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However,aroundthespringof1983,theprojectwassupposedtobeabandoned,becausethedirectorsoftheCentrePompidouandoftheCCIdidnotbelievethatitcouldbesuccessfullyrealised.That’swhentheyhadtheideatocallonanexternalcurator.Thereweredifferentnamesinthediscussion.OnewasthatofthecuratorFrankPopper,whoopenedthemajorexhibition“Electra“dealingwiththerelationofartandelectricityinthetwentiethcentury,attheendof1983.Idon’tknowwhothenhadtheideaofaskingLyotard,buttheCCIwasknownatthetimetobeclosetocontemporaryphilosophy,forexamplewithTraverses.
AB:LyotardwascommissionedtowriteatreatmentthatwouldsuggestathematicframeworkalreadyinMay1983,whichhedeliveredtotheCCIinasketch(“Esquisse“)dated10August1983.Thisisadocumentinwhichhecontestedthethreetermsusedintheoriginalworkingtitlefortheexhibition,new(“nouveau“),materials(“matériaux“),andcreation(“création“),andinsteadproposedthetitleLes Immatériaux.
JLB:Thisistrue.However,IbelievethatthistextbyLyotardwaslargelybasedonthevisualandfactualmaterialthatThierryChaputandtheteamoftheCCIhadcollected,hencealsotheirreflectionsonthenewconditionsof“materiality“.IknowforafactthatLyotard’sthoughtsweredirectlyinfluencedbyChaput,whowasconcernedforLyotardtoknowaboutthecontemporarytechnosciences.Lyotardreflectedthis,forinstance,inremarksmadeinhisbookThe Postmodern Explained to Children (1986),whichcontainsa“LettertoThomasChaput“,theyoungchildofThierryChaput,inwhichLyotardpointsoutthetechnoscientificdevelopmentanditsrelationshipwithhumanity.ThesewerethemeswhichwerealsopartofourdiscussionswithChaputatthetime.
IfyoulookatChaput’snotesandsketchesfrom1982and1983,youcanseehowmanyaspectsoftheexhibitionprojectthatthenbecameLes Immatériauxwerealreadyinplace:thespatialstructure,thesites,evensomeofthethemesandtitlesofthesites.Also,PhilippeDélishadbeenselectedastheexhibitionarchitectandscenographerbeforeLyotardjoinedtheproject.AsfarasIknow,nobodyhasreallyanalysedindetailhowmuchoftheexhibitionwaspreconceivedwhenLyotardarrived,butIthinkthatonewillfindthatmanythingswerealreadythere.
AB:HowdidyougetinvolvedinLes Immatériaux?
JLB:IhadbeeninParissince1969/70,basedattheCentreUniversitaireExpér-imentaldeVincennes,aplacethatdeliberatelyoperatedoutsideofthenormsoftheFrenchuniversitysystem,withanartfacultythatincludednotonlyfinearts,music,etc.,butalsofilmandtheatre.
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IhadworkedwithFrankPopper,whowasthedirectoroftheartdepart-mentinVincennes,onthekineticartexhibition,Lumière et Mouvement (Paris,1967),andparticipatedintheexhibitionCinétisme Spectacle Environnement,whichweorganisedtogetherinGrenoblein1968.Ididnotreallykeepworkinginthisfieldofkineticandcinematicartthroughoutthe1970s,intheenvironmentofVincennes,whichwasseenasbothexperimentalandashometoleftistpoliticalgroups.Butitwassortofan“agitprop“contextinwhichIdeveloped,atthetime–ideasforwhatonewouldtodaycallcinematicandnon-linearinstallationswhichimpliedinteractiveaspectsandtheparticipationoftheviewer–andtogiveanotherideologicalmeaningtothenotionofinteractivity,whichoriginallyreferredto“human-machinerelations“.
In1980,theschool,whichwasalsonamed“UniversitéParis-8“,movedfromVincennestoSaint-Denis.WereturnedfromthedogmatismofleftisttheoryandPoppergotinterestedagaininthethemesthathadoccupiedhiminthe1960s.TherewasaninvitationtoPopperandus,hisgroupatSaint-Denis,bytheMuséed’ArtModernedelaVilledeParis,togetherwiththenationalelectricitycompanyEDF,tocreateanexhibition.ThebudgetwasonemillionFrancs–alotofmoneyatthetime.ThisprojectbecametheexhibitionElectrain1983–1984,whichIworkedonasPopper’sassis-tant,andascatalogueeditor.Itbecameamagnificentexhibitionwhichalsothemuseumcuratorsandmanyothercollegueswereinvolvedin–EdmondCouchotespeciallyforthedigitalsection,afirst.
Atonepointin1982,inaconversationatthemuseumwithmembersoftheteam,wediscussedcriticallythatElectralookedonlyattheeffectofelectricityandelectronicsonart,notontheappliedarts,design,architecture,etc.Wewantedtoseewhetherthislackcouldbealleviated,andinordertogetadvice,itseemedanobviouschoiceatthispointtoturntotheCCIattheCentrePompidou.IknewthepeoplethereandwenttospeakwiththemaboutElectra.SoIhadaconversationwithThierryChaput,oneoftheCCI’sprojectleaderswithafocusondesign,andduringthatconversationChaputsaidthattheywerealreadypreparingaprojecton“newmaterialsofcreation“(“nouveauxmateriauxetcréation“).DuringthatconversationIfoundoutabouttheprojectwhichwasalreadyunderway–perhapsChaputhadcometotheCCIinordertoworkonthisproject,Idon’tknow.ChaputwasinterestedinmyresearchbackgroundandweimmediatelyagreedthatIwouldcooperateontheCCI’sexhibitionproject.Chaputwaslookingforconstitutiveelementsforhisprojectwhich,atthattime,healreadyconceivedasindividualsitesthatwouldmakeuptheexhibitionasawhole.
Amongstotherthings,ItalkedtoChaputaboutthemediumofthevideodisc,whichIhaddiscoveredthroughMichaelNaimark’sinteractive
98 30 Years after Les Immatériaux
videoinstallationAspen Moviemap.Ithadbeenshownintheinfluentialexhibition,Cartes et figures de la terre(1980)attheCentrePompidou,alargeexhibitionwithaverygoodcatalogue,abouttheimportantthemeofcartography,withhistorical,contemporaryandalsoartisticitems.Thisexhibitionwasrealised,bytheCCItogetherwiththeBPIandtheMNAM.Forme,thisexhibitionwasimportantbecauseitmadethelinkbetweenartandinformatics,whichwasalsothethemeofaworkinggroupthatwehadhadbeforeinVincennes,theGroupeArtetInformatiquedeVincennes(GAIV)andthatincludedpeoplelikeHervéHuitric,MoniqueNass,MichelBretandothers;MargitRosenhasstudiedtheiractivitiesinthecontextofherresearchontheNewTendenciesmovement.Iwasnotpartofthisgroup,butIagreedtotrytointroducedigitaltechnologiesinourartdepartment,withregardtotheconceptofinteractivity,awordwhichdidnotreallyexistatthetime.
IhadtheideathatIwantedtodevelopsomethingthatwouldbeinter-active,combiningthetechnicalpossibilitiesofthevideodiscwiththenewideasaboutproductionanddistributionoffilm,theparticipationoftheviewer,etc.ItoldChaputthatIhadprojectswithinteractivevideo-discswhichIhaddeveloped,forinstance,foracompetitionforvideodiscscenariosorganisedbytheChileanfilmcuratorRaulRuizforINA,theInstitutNationaldel’Audiovisuel,in1982/83.Chaputlikedmysugges-tionsandagreedtoincludesuchacooperationwiththecourseonvisualartsofParis8anditsspecialisation,ledbyEdmontCouchot,onnewimagetechnologies,intheCCI’sexhibitionprojectonnewmaterials.ThiscooperationwasformalisedinacontractbetweenouruniversityandtheCentrePompidouinApril1984,andeventuallyledtoseveralprojectsofdigitalimages,interactiveinstallations,andcopyart,aswellastheprojectLe Bus,whichwasproducedandfinancedforLes Immatériaux by theCentrePompidou.ItwasanexpensiveandlaboriousproductionthatIworkedonwithseveralofmystudents,andthatIwouldnothavebeenabletodoattheuniversityalone.
AfterthisinitialencounterwithChaput,IwentbacktoFrankPopperandsaidthattheCentrePompidouwasalreadyworkingonanexhibitionaboutthenewdevelopmentsindesign,sotheplansforElectraremainedunchangedwiththeirfocusonart.ButfromthattimeonIworkedinparallel with Popper on Electra,andwithChaputonwhatwouldbecomeLes Immatériaux.IspentmoretimeonElectra,butstayedinclosecontactwithChaputandhisteamthroughoutthefollowingyears.Forinstance,aspartofourresearchfortheexhibitionIwentwithChaputtothenationalaudio-visualfestivalImaginaatMonteCarloin1983,andtotheSiggraphcomputergraphicsfairintheUnitedStates.
The Production of Les Immatériaux 99
AB:HowdidyouexperiencethecooperationwithLyotard?
JLB:IalreadyknewLyotardbecausewewereinthesamefacultyatParis8,thoughofcoursehewasagenerationolderandaninternationalstar,sowewerenotclose.
Unlikeattheuniversity,IfoundhimextremelyopeninthecontextoftheexhibitionpreparationattheCCI–verygenerous–heacceptedalmosteverythingthatwasproposed.Hewasnotthereasacuratorwhowouldselectthings,butratherastheintellectualwhowouldconnectandlineupthethingsthatwerealreadythere.HedidbringinthearchitectPeterEisenman,andsomeartworksbyMoholy-Nagy,Monory–thosewerehischoices.Butthemoretechnicalthings–therobots,thesmells–thesehadbeendiscoveredbytheCCIteam.Lyotardwouldofteninterveneinthediscussionveryaffirmatively,forinstanceonclothing,saying,“ah,yes“(“ah,oui“),orontheskin,“ah,yes“.
ThecoregroupwereJean-FrancoisLyotard,ThierryChaputandPhilippeDélis,andmostthingsweredecidedbetweenthethreeofthem[Figure5].Lyotard,importantly,gaveatheoreticalandaliterarydimensiontotheproject.HeworkedalotonhisowntextsfortheInventaireandotheraspectsoftheproject,aswellasontheselectionoftextsusedforthesoundtrack.Infact,textswerethemostvisibleitempresentedonelec-tronicscreens:telematicnovels,textandimagecooperationsthroughthe
[Figure5]PhilippeDélis:Drawing of audience behind gauze fabric,[nodate](Source:Centre
Pompidou,MNAM,BibliothèqueKandinsky)
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Minitel,generativepoetryandliterature.Themajorinteractivewritingproject,Épreuves d’écriture,wasinspiredbytheBritishcyberneticartistRoyAscott,andinitsfinalrealisationstronglyinfluencedbyLyotard.Butagain,theideaforthisprojectwasalreadythere,andChaputhadalreadymadethecontactwiththeOlivetticompany–thesponsorofthecomputers–beforeLyotardarrived.TheideatosuspendthewholeexhibitionfromtheceilingnodoubtcamefromDélis,anditwascon-firmedbyLyotardwholikedtheconcept.Chaput,incontrast,broughtintheenormousknowledgeofpossibleobjectsandthingstodoandshow,andallthecontactswithresearchersandcooperationpartners.
Thereweremanypeopleworkingonthedifferentprojectsfortheexhibition.Wehadstudentsinvolved,andtherewerelotsofotherresearchinstitutionsinvolvedwiththeCCIinsimilarways.AtthatpointIwasonlytheintermediarybetweenmyuniversity’sresearchsectorandChaputandhisteam.ThecooperationprocesswasorganisedattheCCIbyChaput’steamofmaybe20people.Lyotardregularlyorganisedseminarsorworkinggroups(“groupesdereflexion“),forinstancewithJean-PierreBalpefromALAMO(AtelierdeLittératureAssistéeparlaMathématiqueetlesOrdinateurs),theinformaticsbranchofOULIPO,withPaulBraffortandJacquesRoubaud,whospokeaboutgenerativetext.Lyotardorganisedtheseseminarsnotonlytolearnthings,butalsotogetanideaofwhatissuespeoplewerearguingandfightingabout.
Iwasamemberofoneoftheseworkinggroups,whereIwasconsideredassomeonewhocouldspeakaboutthenew,digitalmodalitiesoftheimage,butalsoaboutteletextandtelematics,computergraphicsandcopyart.TherewereseveralprojectsatParis8whichwereofinterestinthiscontext,andofcourseitthenplayedarolethatLyotardwasalsoonthefacultyofParis8–thesamefacultywhichalsoincludedphilosopherslikeDeleuze,Chatelet,Badiou,Rancière,andartistslikeOrlan.AnothercolleagueatParis-8wasJean-PaulFargier,anartistandtheoreticianofvideoandfriendofNamJunePaik,whocooperatedinLes Immatériaux on aspectsofvideoartandsurveillance.
Lyotardwasa“leader“–somesawhimasa“guru“–whogaveanimageandafacetoapracticethatwaspresent,andthatwasdrawntogetherfortheexhibitionfromdifferentfields.TheCentrePompidouhaddecidedtomakeanexhibitionwithaphilosopheras“commissaire“–notreallyacurator,butratheran“author“.Hewasable,inthatsituation,toposetheproblemthattheexhibitionwantedtoaddress.AndalthoughLyotardmostlyonlyconfirmedtheideasfortheplannedexposition,inapoliticalsenseheprobablysavedtheexhibition.Lyotardwasbroughtinasanexternalexpert–externalnotonlytotheCentre,butalsoexternaltotheprofessionofexhibitioncuratorsandorganisers.Onecouldspeculate
The Production of Les Immatériaux 101
that,whenthefirstphaseofresearchandconceptualisationoftheexhibitiondidn’treallyleadtoconcreteresults,LyotardwasperhapsinstalledinordertodemonstratethattheCCIwasnotableitselftorealisesuchacomplicatedproject.
LyotardpushedtheteamoftheCCI,whichwasusedtoproduceasolid,pedagogical,efficaciousexhibition,sothattheywouldmakea“man-ifestation“whichinitselfwouldbe“aworkofart“.Hereallyputitlikethat–“uneœuvred’art“–andusedtermslike“opera“,“dramaturgy“,“scenography“,“constellationofpoeticandliteraryimage-objects“.Lyotard’sphilosophicalapproachmeantadeparturefromestablishedmodels,towardsaworkofaradicallynewtypeinwhichtextsplayedanexceptionallybigrole,intitles,thesignage,theprintedmaterials,thesoundtrack.Les Immatériauxwasconsideredanintellectualsuccess,butitwasalsoseenasanexhibitionthatwasdifficultforthepublic.Thesensitivityofthevisitorswastestedindifferentways–theywerenotonlyaddressedasviewers,butalsoaslistenersandreaders,whohadtofindtheirownwaythroughthemazeoftheexhibition.
AB:IwouldliketospeakabitmoreabouttheartisticprogramofLes Immatériaux,whichnotonlyincluded“canonicalavant-gardeartists“,butalsosomeofthecontemporaryvideoinstallationartistslikeDanGraham,ThierryKunzel,CatherineIkam,andMariaKlonarisandKaterinaThomadaki.Atthetime,holographywasoneoftheexcitingandenigmaticnewmediatechnology,whichwasrepresentedinLes Immatériaux through
[Figure6]Exhibitionview,siteLabyrinthe du langage(Source:CentrePompidou,MNAM,Bib-
liothèqueKandinsky,photographbyJean-ClaudePlanchet).
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worksbyAlexander,StephenBenton,DougTyler,andClaudineEizyckmanandGuyFihman.Andyourowninteractiveinstallation,Le Bus,andyourcollaborationwithLilianeTerrier,Toutes les copies,aswellastheinter-activesoundinstallationbyRolfGehlhaar,wereallbyartistscloselyconnectedtoParis,andwithIRCAM,LaVillette,andParis8[Figure17].The semiotic aspects of Les Immatériauxwerecloselyrelatedtothedis-cussionsonsignsandlanguagewhichplayedanimportantroleinthe1960s,connectedwithlinguisticsandthesemioticanalysisofculture.Thesediscussionswerereflectedintheconceptualartofthe1960sand‘70s,whichwereprominentlyrepresentedintheexhibitionwithworksbyMarcelDuchamp,JosephKosuth,PieroManzoni,YvesKlein,RobertBarryandIanWilson.Mypointherewouldbethatthechoiceofworksbytheseartistswasprobablyappropriate,butnotveryoriginal:TheirworkshadbeencollectedbytheParismuseumsandwasreadilyavailableforpresentation;theywerehereasplace-holdersforaspecificreflectiononsignification,notsomuchasoriginalworks.
Ingeneral,Ihavetheimpressionthattheartisticprogramoftheexhibitionavoidedstronglyspeculativepositions,andthattheuseofartworkswasnotasindependentworks,butratherasobjectstiedupintoatheoreticalargument.Similarly,itwasnotintendedthatonewouldexperience,forinstance,thesoundtrackasanindependentandself-containedpiece,butalwaysaspartofanoverallconfrontationwiththesitesintheexhibition.Theartworkswerewovenintothetextureoftheexhibitionaspartoftheoverallargument,eveniftheyweretheretomaketheargumentinaformthatwasexplicitlynottextual,butvisceral,whethervisual,auditory,hapticorolfactory.
JLB:Ithinkitisnecessarythatwearecarefulwhenwespeakaboutthestatusofthesedifferentelementsoftheexhibition.Someofthethingsthatyoumention,Le Bus,orToutes les copies,werenotreallyconsideredasartworks(“oeuvres“)atthetime.Thethingsthatwereconsideredasart-worksweremostlythosewhichcamefromtheMNAM,throughitscuratorBernardBlistène.Andsomeoftheexhibitionvisitorswouldperceivetheseworksasartworkswhentheywalkedthroughtheexhibition.Butintermsoftheoverallscenography,therearenotreally“works“intheexhibition,but“sites“,constellations,eachofwhichhadbeenrealisednotbyoneauthor,butbyseveralpeople.
Itwouldprobablybeinterestingtoreconsiderthelistofexhibitionitemsandseewhichofthethingsthatwereintheshowwouldtodaybeconsideredasartworks–thiswilldefinitelyhavechangedforsomeofthem.Atthetime,thiswasnotanissue;infacttheideathatsomethingsweredifferentfromothersbecausetheywereartworkswasrejectedasideological[Figure6].
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Infact,IbelievethatLes Immatériaux was such a success because it was notanartexhibition.Itwouldbeabitexcessivetocallita“philosophicalexhibition“,butitwasitsqualitytomakeamoregeneralproposalaboutthecurrentrelationshipbetweenculture,scienceandtechnology.Anditprovidednotonlyaphilosophicalcommentary,butastory,ascenario.Ithelpedmanypeopletopassontoadifferentstate,adifferentwayofthinkingandworking.Formepersonally,anotherexhibitionthatIcuratedwasalsoveryimportantinthisline–Machines à communiquer(1990),atechnoscientificexhibitionaboutvirtualrealityandnetworks,whichalsohadanimportantartisticcomponent.Networkshadalreadybeenpresentin Electra–forinstancewithworksbyRoyAscottandFredForest–andtheydefinitelyplayedanimportantroleintheconceptualisationofLes Immatériaux.
Anotherthingtorememberisthattherewereanumberofyoungartistswhoarenoteasilyrecognisableasauthors,yetwhocontributedtoLes ImmatériauxvariousMinitelprojects,onlinenovels,etc.Theirwork,Ibelieve,playedaveryimportantrolefortheaestheticsoftheexhibition,especiallybecauseoftheirtreatmentoftexts.
Letmegiveyousomeexamples–andforthehistoricalre-evaluation,wemustkeepinmindthatthereisadifferencebetweenwhatisinthecata-logueandwhatwasactuallyonshow.Forinstance,inthesiteMémoirs artificielles,therewasavarietyofscreenswhichpresentedtexts.ThesitewasorganisedbyFredericDevelayfortheBPIlibraryanddealtwith
[Figure7]Inventaire,siteRomans à faire,recto(Source:CentrePompidou,MNAM,Bibliothèque
Kandinsky).
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thenotionoftelematicsandtelecommunication.IbelievethatwhenweputtogetheralistofthecontemporaryartistswhowereinvolvedinLes Immatériaux,wemustincludeFredericDevelay,whowasexploringnewformsoftext,ofreadingandwriting.HewasalsoinvolvedinthesiteChamp et mouvement de la voix,inwhichseveralwell-knownFrenchartistsparticipated,includingBernardNoël,BernardHeidsieck,writersofcon-cretepoetry,andAlainLonguet,whoexperimentedwithvideoandhowtocoupleitwiththedigital.ThepeoplewhoorganisedthesiteRomans à faire–Jacques-ElieChabert,Jean-PaulMartin,CamillePhilibertandDominiqueHorvilleur–workedonthewritingofnovelsusingtheMinitelsystem;theyproducedsilkscreenprintsandwerepartoffanzineculture[Figure7].OrthinkofMarcDenjean,whodid,amongstotherthings,aMinitelprojectforthesiteSéquences à moduler,realisedincooperationwithENSCI(ÉcoleNormalSupérieuredeCréationIndustrielle)–atthetimeanew,industry-orienteddesignschoolinPariswithwhichChaputhadforgedacooperation.YouwillseethatDenjean’snamecropsupseveral times in the Inventaire.
TheseareonlysomeoftheartistswhoaresomewhathiddenfromviewwhenyoufirstlookatLes Immatériaux,butwhoplayedanimportantrolefortheconnectionofartandtechnology,bothintheexhibitionitself,andinthetimeafterwards.Les Immatériauxbroughttogetherprojectsandpeople,mainlybutnotonlyfromParis,whowerealreadyworkinginthisfield,butitalsocatalysedtheworkthateverybodywasdoing.AndmanyofthesecontactsexistedbeforeLyotardjoinedtheproject–thiswholedimensionofLes ImmatériauxwassomewhatbeyondLyotard’sinvolvement.
AB:IfwelookattherelationshipbetweenLes Immatériauxandthe1983exhibitionElectra,wenoticethatatleast14ofthetwentieth-centuryartists in Les ImmatériauxhadalsoappearedinElectra, twoyearsbefore.It seems that the choice of artists for Les ImmatériauxwaslargelybasedonworkthatwasknownandavailableinandaroundParisin1984/85.Theselectionfortheexhibitionwaspartlybasedonaratherconservativeunderstandingofestablishedpositionsincontemporaryart,partlyalsoonthepresenceofartistsinParis,inordertobeabletodevelopwiththemnewworks,oradaptationsofexistingwork.
AninterestingcaseisthatoftheinstallationyouandLilianeTerrierputtogether for the site Toutes les copies,wherethevisitorswereinvitedtomakesuchphotocopiesofobjectsorbodypartsthemselves,assistedbysomebodyfromtheexhibitionteam.Twoyearsearlier,inElectra,youhadcuratedasectiononElectro-photographywhichhadpresentedworksof“copyart“madewithphotocopyingmachines,andwhichwasintroduced,inthecatalogue,withanessayinwhichyoualsomadereferencetothe
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seminalworkoftheeducatorSoniaSheridan,basedattheArtInstituteofChicago.
JLB:Youareright,severalartistsinLes Immateriaux were also part of Electra.Inretrospect,wecansaythatElectrawassortofanexplorationforsomeofthethingswhichwerethenpresentedinLes Immateriaux.Becauseofthisconnection,Les Immateriaux hasalsobecomeasignificantmomentforthehistoryofelectronicart,andpartofthehistoryofthedigital–astagingofitsmythologyofemergence.Butatthetimeonedidnotspeakof“electronicart“,eventhoughelectronicanddigitaltechnologieswerehavingasignificantimpactinthearts–thinkespeciallyofmusicwherethistechnicaldevelopmenthadalreadybeengoingonfortwodecadesatleast,anddidnotposeaproblemanymore.Equallyinliterature–throughtheworkof,forinstance,theALAMOgroup,whichwasimportantforBalpeandothers–therewasanawarenessoftheimpactthatthenewdigitalproductionanddistributionmediahadonliterature.AndpeoplelikeHervéHuitric,MoniqueNassandMichelBretwereworkingoncomputergraphicswhich,intheirview,wouldsavepainting;andatthesametimetheywereworkingwiththeRenaultfactoryoncardesigns.
Thesepeoplewereinvolvedintheexhibition,yetatthetimeLes Immatériauxwasnotconsideredanexhibitionofelectronicanddigitalart.In Electratherewasacleardivision,markedbytheinfluenceofEdmontCouchot,wheretherewassomethingthatcanbecalleddigitalart,eveniftheworddidnotexistthen.Butittookseveralyearsbeforethistrendwas
[Figure8]Exhibitionvisitor,siteLabyrinthe du langage(Source:CentrePompidou,MNAM,Bib-
liothèqueKandinsky,photographbyJean-ClaudePlanchet).
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confirmed–forinstanceintheArtificesbiennial,whichIorganisedfrom1990to1996.
Take,forinstance,theexhibitionImage calculé,whichIorganisedtogetherwithChaputandDélisin1988,attheCitédesSciencesetdel’Indus-trie.Thiswasnotanartexhibition,butitcontainedmanyartworks,andthingsmadebyartists.Inthesameyear,1988,wealsoorganisedthe“artshow“ofSiggraphFrance.Wecanprobablysaythatthenotionofdigitalartreallyappearedinthatyear.OnlyretrospectivelyonecansaythatLes Immatériauxwasoneofthestationsinthisdevelopment–andaspecialone,becauseheretherespectiveworkswerenotpresentedasdigitalart.
AB:Youspokeaboutthedevelopmentoftheexhibitionprojectbeforeitbecame Les Immatériaux.Howdidthistrajectorycontinueaftertheexhibitionclosed?
JLB:OneaspecttomentioninthiscontextisthattherewereprojectsthathadbeenplannedforLes Immatériauxbutwerenotrealised–EdmontCouchot’sLa Plume,forinstance,requiredpowerfulcomputersthatwereonlyavailablewhentheprojectwaspremieredin1988intheexhibitionatlaGrandHalledeLaVillette,whichIorganisedtogetherwithChaput.Anotherverysignificantfollow-upwasPassages de l’image,curatedbyCathérineDavid,RaymondBellourandChristinevanAsscheattheCentrePompidouin1990.TheinstallationthatIrealisedforthisexhibition,ofahighartisticlevel,wasnotstrictlyanartwork,butcontainedaselectionofscientificimagesandwasintendedtorevealthewayinwhichcon-temporaryartwasaffectedbydigitalimages.
FromthiscontactarosethecommissionbytheCentrePompidoufortheexperimentalexhibitionformatoftheRevue virtuelle,whichIcuratedfrom1991until1997,theyearwhentheCentrePompidouclosedforrenovationsforseveralyears.Revue virtuellewasapermanentexhibitionwhichsoughttoshowtothebroaderpublichowthedigitalwasinterveninginalldomainsofcontemporarysociety.ThiswasaprojectinitiatedbytheMNAM–notan“artproject”inthenarrowsense,butoneaboutcon-temporaryaesthetics.
Forme,Les Immatériauxwasanexceptiontothistrajectory,becauseitdidnothaveanarrowagenda–itwasn’ttheretodefendaparticulardomain.ThepresenceofLyotardmadethispossible.Manyoftheotherexhibitions,untiltoday,haveaparticularthematicortechnicalfocus,servingcertaincliques.Les Immatériauxdidn’tdothatatall.That’soneofthereasonswhytheexhibitionhasattainedasomewhatmythicalrep-utation.Itwasdiverseanddepartedinallsortsofdifferentdirections,yetmaintainedahighlevelofquality.
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AB:Alsofortheaudience?
JLB:Ithinkitdid,notleastbecausethereweresomanyscreensintheexhibition[Figure8].TheMinitel,introducedin1982,wasalreadyquitepresentandartistsandwriterswereworkingwithit,butIbelievethatwhatthegeneralaudiencerememberedfromLes Immatériaux was the appearanceofdigitalcommunicationthroughnetworksandscreens.Thisimpressionwasstrengthened,Ibelieve,bythefactthattheyhadtheheadphones,forevenifthiswastechnicallysomethingdifferentthannetworkedcommunication,thefactthateverybodywaswearingtheheadphonesontheirheads,gaveaveryparticularimage.ThisiswhyLyotardinsistedsomuchonthisaspect–itwasnotonlyaboutthetextsthatweretransmitted,butitwasalsopartofthewholescenography,theperformance of Les Immatériaux.Theexperienceoftheexhibitionwasstronglydeterminedbythisinteractivedistributionofthetextsthroughtheinfraredemissioninthedifferentzones.Peopleunderstoodthatthiswasametaphorforwhatwouldlaterhappenwiththeweb.
Thisconversationtookplaceon20November2014,atENSAD,Paris.
The Bus of Les Immatériaux
Jean-Louis Boissier
InwhatfollowsIdescribehowtheinteractivevideodiscinstallationThe Bus wasconceivedandproduced,andhowitrespondedtothewilltoexper-imentallyinscribetechnicsatthecrossroadsofartandethnography.ThismayinturnhelpshedsomelightonthephilosophicalexhibitionLes Immatériaux withinwhichitappeared.
The InstallationWithinthelabyrinthofLes Immatériaux,inthepervasivedarkness,avertical,suspendedvitrinepresentsanobjectwhichattractsourattentionbecauseitisinstantlyrecognisable.Itisamodel,at1/10scale,andverydetailed,veryrealist,ofaParisianbus[Figure9].Butwhatdrawsourattentiontoitisthat,onthelittlevideoscreensplacedbehindthewindows,thereunfoldsafilmedlandscapewhich,illuminatingtheinteriorofthisminiaturebuswithmovinglight,placesusunmistakeably,bothperceptuallyandmentally,inthepositionofapassenger.Weseeneighbourhoods,privatehomes,gardens,buildings,working-classtowns,wastelands,marketgardens,theuniversity,andalwaysthesky,andviewsintothedistance.Perhapswithoutnoticingit,inpullingourselvesupandleaningintowardstheobjectthatoffersthisvision,wegrabholdofafamiliarform,thestainlesssteelcolumnofthesamebus,atfullsizethistime.Andaboveall,anobjectthatoffersitselfupliterallybeneathourfingers,analuminiumbuttonaccompaniedbyasignsaying“PressfortheNextStop”.Ipressthebutton,andamessagelightsupinred:“StopRequested”.Afewsecondspass,andtheloudnoiseoftheengineandtherumblingoftheroadcompletelystop.Thevideolandscapegiveswaytoaseriesofphotoswhich,changinginrapidsuccession,transportus,straightaheadandthus
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perpendiculartotherouteofthebus,towardsahouse,throughadoor,intoaroom,andtowardsapersoninside.Inthiswaywewillseeachildathomeandatschool,followaheavygoodsvehicledriverdeliveringcars,discoverhowagypsywomandresses,watchadoctor’sconsultation,seearetiredmaninhisworker’sgarden,findoutsomethingabouttheworkofadentaltechnician,andsoon.Onehundredandtwentysuchportraitsareavailable,eachoneconsistingof12,24,48,or96photographs.Theviewerisdistancedfromthepresenttimefiguredbytherouteofthebus,andfollowsthepersoninstead,followsherhome,ortohergarden,toherwork,inallhermovements.Weseepersonalobjects,privateandsentimentalsouvenirs.Wefeeladesiretosee,adesireforintimacy,sometimesfollowingsomebodyallthewayintothebathroom,andveryoftenintothefamilyalbum.Eachseriesofphotographsendsonaclose-upofafacewithanameoverlaidontoit:Carmen, four and a half years old; Madame B., gardener; Madame T., bookseller; Amar, streetsweeper; Nathalie, 18 years old; a man, 91 years old; Alphonso, amateur boxer; Édouard, nurse,etc.Pressingthebuttonmakesthisnameappearinalistthatscrollsalonginplaceofthetrackingshot.Choosinganamebecomesawaytogobacktoit.Togetonthebus,onemustgoviaaportrait.
AtthisstageofthedescriptionoftheinstallationLe Bus,weareremindedofan image that has become emblematic of Les Immatériaux: each visitor wears a setofheadphones,andisthusenclosedwithinavocalspacewhichceaselesslytransmitsthetextsselectedbyJean-FrançoisLyotardforeachplace.Thisparticularplace,this“site”,iscalledVisites simulées(Simulated Visits)[Figure10].WehearphrasesbyPaulVirilio,takenfrom Negative Horizon,includingthis powerful aphorism: “What will we wait for when we no longer need to wait to arrive?”,1aphrasethatrefersbothtosimulatedeventsandtocommunicationin“realtime“–atermthatwouldcometoinvadediscoursesbeyondthatoftechnology–generalizedtele-observation,simultaneity,andubiquity.
DesignInfact,thereferencetoPaulVirilio’sideasisverymuchgermanetoourparticularproject.IreadVirilio,Ilistenedtohim,Icitedhimtomystudents.Asanarchitectandasaphilosopheroftechnology,heanticipatedtheobservationandcriticalinvestigationofnewdigitaltechnologies.Weworkedinwhathewouldsoondesignateastrans-apparence:“thesuddencommutationoftheperceptibleisultimatelyonlythegeneralheraldofageneralizedderealisationresultingfromthenewilluminationofperceptualreality“.2Aftertheaerialphoto-interpretationoftheGreatWar,herevealedhowtheilluminationofthemilitarytheatrehadbecomeindirect,amatter
1 PaulVirilio,Negative Horizon(London:Continuum,2005),p.120.2 PaulVirilio,Polar Inertia,trans.PatrickCamiller(London:Sage,1999),p.7.
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ofinterconnectedcathode-rayscreens.Butindoingsohecametoidentify“infographictechnologies[which]willlikewiseforceareadjustmentofrealityandofitsrepresentations”.3InthisrespecthementionedTacticalMappingSystem,avideodiscprogrammethathistoryremembersunderthenameAspen Moviemap.
Imustemphasizeherethatitwaspreciselythediscoveryofthisvideodisc,withinthevastanderuditeexhibitionCartes et figures de la terre (Maps and Figures of the Earth),4attheCentrePompidouin1980,thatdecisivelyopenedupanewhorizonforme.Tenyearsbefore,in1969–1970,Ihadconceived,forGREC(Groupe de recherches et d’essais cinématographiques),ascenariowhichworkedonnumerousparallellevelsofthefilmicstoryfurnishedbythesituationofatrainpassenger.Theunfoldingofthelandscape,likeacinematracking-shot,drewtheviewerintohouseswhereinwereplayed,orspoken,scenesborrowedfromMadame Bovary,andthenbroughthimbackintothetrain,todiscoverthereacontemporaryscenewithacertainfamilyresem-blancetoFlaubert’stext.Itstitle,Exercice de la découverte,affirmedthescopicimpulsestimulatedbyanopeninginthescenerywhich,inthetheatre,isknownasadécouverte.Thusmyintuitionwasthattheinteractivityofthevideodisc,itscapacitytoopenontobifurcatingsignifiers,thecomputational
3 PaulVirilio,Lost Dimension(NewYork:Semiotext(e),1991),p.26–27.4 Catalogue:Jean-LoupRivière(ed.),Cartes et figures de la terre (Paris:CentreGeorges
Pompidou/CCI,1980).
[Figure9]Jean-LouisBoissier:Le Bus,1985,installationview,Les Immatériaux,siteVisites
simulées(Source:Jean-LouisBoissier).
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combinationoftextandimage,presentedtheopportunityforanartisticsolutionthatoughttobeseized.
Atthebeginningofthe‘80s,asateacherandasanartist,Ipursuedaconcep-tualapproachtoshooting,makinguseofphotographyandcinema,butaboveallofspatio-temporalprotocolsdesignedtochallengethedoxaofcreativity.“Allez-y en Nikon [Go there in a Nikon]”,saidathen-currentadvertisingslogan,accompaniedbyashotofspaceexploration.Thecameraisavehicle–asithadbeeninthemid-nineteenthcenturyforthephotographicassignmentsofrailwaycompanies,inthe1930sfortheAmericanphotographersoftheFSA,andinthe‘60sand‘70sforconceptualartists.“Shooting“referstoasucces-sionofimage-collectionsgovernedbyaprogramme.Inthevideodiscthisprocesswouldtakeonaconcreteform.Wespokeofphotographyorvideo“fromthevideodiscperspective“tosignifythefeedbackeffectoftheinter-activesupportonoperationswhich,upuntilthen,hadtakentheirleadfromprintedbooksandtheexhibition.Meanwhile,simultaneously,theideacameabouttodesigninteractivityonthemodelsofthemap,thebook,andtheexhibition.WhatIwantedtoshowwasthat,withvideodiscs,andlaterwithinteractivevideoprograms,thecomputerisnotonlyabletobuildrealities“outofnothing“,buttoorganizerealelementsandallowaccesstothem.
ProductionIn1983,acompetitionwaslaunchedinParisbytwopublicinstitutions,theInstitutNationaldel’AudiovisuelandtheCentreNationald’ÉtudesdesTélé-communications,for“interactivescenariosforvideodisc“ofadocumentaryorfictionalnature.Thiswasmeanttobeinnovative,since“noone(oralmostnoone)haseverwrittenone!”butitrequiredentrantstoestablish“ques-tions“and“controls“whichwerestereotypedfromtheoutset.ThescenariothatIproposedrefusedtheseparameters,andThe Bus,whichcameaboutatthesametime,radicalisedthisattitudebymakingtheinteractivediagramaconstitutivepartofabehaviourwhichitselfwasborrowedfromthereal–captured,asonedoeswhenshooting.
Virilio’swarningsonthemilitarynatureoftheinitialvideodiscimpelledustosubstantiallymisappropriatethetechnology,eventhoughwewereattractedbyitsnovelty.Someyearslater,GillesDeleuzewouldtellusthatweneededto“subvert“ control:
thescreen’snolongerawindoworadoor(behindwhich…),noraframeorsurface(withinwhich…),butacomputerscreenonwhichimagesas“data”sliparound…Cinemaoughttostopbeing‘cinematic’,stopplay-acting,andsetupspecificrelationshipswithvideo,withelectronicand
The Bus of Les Immatériaux 113
digitalimages,inordertodevelopanewformofresistanceandcombatthetelevisualfunctionofsurveillanceandcontrol.5
WehavementionedGillesDeleuze,butnotyetJean-FrançoisLyotard.BothwereprofessorsinourartsandphilosophyfacultyatUniversitéParis8,whichin1980movedfromVincennestoSaint-Denis.Le BuswaspartoftheprojectforanexhibitionattheCentrePompidou,ledbytheCentredeCréationIndus-trielle(CCI),whichwasinitiatedin1982.WorkingalongsideFrankPopper(alsoaProfessoratParis8)onElectra,thehistoricalexhibitionconcerning“elec-tricityandelectronicsintwentieth-centuryart“attheMuséed’ArtModerneinParis,6IwasresponsibleforestablishingarelationshipwiththeCCIforworksrelatingtodesignandarchitecture.Iwasthenalertedtoanexhibitionthatwasbeingplanned,andwasconsideredascomplementarytoElectra,entitledMatériaux nouveaux et création (New Materials and Creation).TheheadoftheprojectattheCCI,ThierryChaput,immediatelyinvitedmetocontributeasaresearcherinartwithmyuniversity.Unexpectedmeansbecameavailabletoproduceandexhibitourvideodisc.
Avideodisccancontain54,000images–analoguevideoimages,butattachedtoadigitalcode.Designingaprogrammeforvideodiscmeansimagining
5 GillesDeleuze,“LettertoSergeDaney:Optimism,Pessimism,andTravel”,inNegotiations 1972–1990,trans.MartinJoughin(NewYork:ColumbiaUniversityPress,1995),p.76.
6 Electra,Muséed’ArtModernedelaVilledeParis,10December,1983–5February,1984.DirectedbyFrankPopper.Catalogue,464pages,FrenchandEnglish,designedbyJean-LouisBoissier.
[Figure10]Inventaire,siteVisites simulées,recto(Source:CentrePompidou,MNAM,Bibliothèque
Kandinsky,photographsbyJean-LouisBoissier).
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alogicofrelationalsequences.Cinema(video),thechronophotographicsequence,thediaporama,arepossibleformsthismighttake.Butourscenariorelatesstrictlytothestillimage.Afictivelineisdetermined,inazoneofthismixedsuburbsomedistancefromParis,whichcontainstheuniversity.Ononehand,foreightmonthsduring1984,fourteenlocalperformers,includingtwelvestudents,wouldgoout“shooting“,identifyingpeople,photographingthemaccordingtoaformalprotocol,butinveryvariedcircumstances,andasamateurs.ManythousandsofnegativesweredevelopedbythetechnicalserviceattheCentrePompidou.Thetrackingshotofthejourneyitself,offiveminutesdurationineitherdirection,wasproducedveryprofessionally,withthecameramountedonanarmsubstantiallyaboveanyparkedcars.Imadethechronophotographsdescribingthe120descentsfromthebusmyself,inoneday,asanexhibitioncuratormighttakecareofthewiresthatattachframestoapicturerail.Oncetheimageswerecalibratedandthediskpressed,asmallcompanycalledImedia,whodidresearchfortheDirectionGénéraledesTélecommunication,andwerethuslinkedtothepublicsector,pro-grammedthecontrolofthepiece,usingcompletelynewtechniques,includingthosefortheoverlayingoftextinthescreens.
Inclusion in the ExhibitionWhen,inthefallof1983,Jean-FrançoisLyotardbecamethecommissioner,naming it Les Immatériauxand,inanunprecedentedoperation,shiftingitsemphasistowardphilosophy,theexhibitioninpreparation–hepreferredtocall it a “manifestation“–wouldconserveitsessentialconstitutiveelements.Lyotard’sapproachwouldbetobringtogethermanydifferentplayersalongwiththeirspecialisms,tolistentothem,tointegratethem,andtoallowthemaconsiderablefreedom,becausetheconcretecontent,thatwhichwouldbeexhibited,wouldultimatelycomefromthem.Settingoutfromtherichmaterialthusidentified,hisconceptionoftheexhibitionwouldbecomemoredenseandtookshaperapidly.Conversely,hewouldsometimesproducerathermundaneillustrations.
Iftheexhibitionismultiple,difficulttomakeout,thenitsucceedsinitsprimaryaimofshowingthedifficultyofcommunication,asopposedtoacertainmodernistideaof“transparency”.Thisisapropositionforthetrans-formationoftheexhibitiongenreitself.Itrefusesthemodel,“inheritedfromtheeighteenthcentury”,ofthe“story“thatonefollowsfromroomtoroom,justasmuchasitrefusesthealternativemodel(verymuchinvogueatthetime)ofaspectacle-exhibitionthatwouldabsorbthevisitor.Ittakesaradicallyunprecedentedform:therearenopicturerails,nopartitions,butinsteadframes,grilles,witheverythingsuspendedfromtheceiling.Itisakindoflabyrinth,“amazeofsituationsorganizedbyquestions“whereinonecannotreallygoastray,butmayveryquicklygetthefeelingthatonemayneverget
The Bus of Les Immatériaux 115
out.“TheGardenofForkingPaths”,“TheLibraryofBabel“–referencestoBorgesarenumerousinLyotard’sproject,andinthepropositionsofthearchitectPhilippeDélis.Thespacefabricatedmaybethatofanocturnalgarden,withlinesofforce,nooksandcrannies,afewimpassesand,inspitofitall,someperspectives.InLes Immatériaux,thevisitorfirstlyseesanenvelope,relationsofclosenessanddepth,ofinteriorandexterior,oftrans-parencyandopacity,ofabstractionandlegibility.Thereisaplan,aconcep-tualandlinguisticmatrix,butthereisnopathtracedoutinadvance–theroutemustremainaleatory,anditsplottingfallstoeachvisitor.Sound,byimmersingvisitorsinanenigmatictextualuniverse,deliberatelypreventsallcommunicationbetweenthem:“Solitudeisthepricetobepaidforcom-plexity”,asLyotardsays.
IthasbeensuggestedthatLyotard’sworkwasfirstofall,andverypowerfully,thatofaneditor.Le Bus,whileitwasbeingmade,wouldfinditsplacewithintheaxis“Content”(Matière).Acontentwhichdoesnotreferoutsideofitself,whichisinexhaustible.Thisideaofacriticalmass,associatedwiththedatabase,wasformeatthetimeanessentialaestheticmotivation.
ItwouldfindanechointheverynatureofLes Immatériaux.Thenotionofinter-activity–anewnotionwhichbegantoappearindictionariesin1980–wouldalsobediffusedthroughouttheexhibition.BeinginvolvedwiththeworkofThierryChaputandPhilippeDélis,Ifollowedtherisingfortunesofthisterm,whichtheymadeintoaguidingprinciple.Lyotardaccepteditandtookituponhisownaccount.Fortheexhibitionsoughttobeneitherencyclopaedicnorartistic.Itsoughttobea“workofart“,a“constellationofimages-objects,poeticandliterary“,an“opera“.Itwouldthushaveadramaturgythatwouldbeexplicitlydesignatedasan“interactivedramaturgy”.7
What Happened NextLe BuswouldnothavebeenmadewereitnotforitsinclusioninLes Immatériaux,anditprovedtofitinwellwiththeglobalconceptconstructedbyLyotard.Thesingularnatureoftheexhibitionmadepossibleworksthathadnoclaimtobelongtocontemporaryart,eveniftheycontributedsomethingtoit,whetherinthefieldofimage,text,sound,or–evenmoreso–thatofdigitalmedia.Inbothitsmodestdimensionsanditsaesthetics,ourvideodiscwassignificantlydifferentfromAspen Moviemap,whichdemandedagreatdealofworkonMichaelNaimark’sparttodrawoutitsartisticvalence,includingtherevelationofitshiddendimensionof“micro-documentaries“descendedfrom
7 Jean-LouisBoissier,“Laquestiondesnouveauxmediasnumériques”,inBernadetteDufrêne(ed.),Centre Pompidou: 30 ans d’histoire(Paris:EditionsduCentrePompidou,2007),p.374–391.
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cinémaverité,undertheinfluenceofRichardLeacock.8Incidentally,MichaelNaimarkwouldbeinvolvedin1985inaprototypeorderedbytheParismetrocompanyRATP,whichintheendwasnevertakenforward.
InparallelwiththedesignandrealisationofLe Bus,during1983–1985,andundertheinfluenceofthisprocess,withthehelpofresearchersandtechniciansatParis8,Imadeseveralvideodiscessays:awalkonthenorth-southaxisofBeijinginApril1983;aherbariumafterJean-JacquesRous-seauin1984–1985;and,aboveall,Pékin pour mémoire(Peking for the Record),aninstallationpresentedasanartwork,reproducingtheperformanceofshootingaroundBeijingin1985,accordingtoageometricalitineraryandafixedtemporality.Itwouldbeshownatthe1986VeniceBiennial,butunderan“ArtsandScience“banner,inthesection“TechnologyandInformation“directedbyRoyAscott.
In1988Iusedtheformula“dramaturgyofinteractivity“asthetitleofamanifestotext,whereIarguedfor“anaestheticsoftheimpossible”.9 In the sameyear,ImademyfirstexperimentforaMacintosh,withimagesmadeonlyofblackandwhitepixels,organisedwiththesoftwareHyperCard:theinstallation Album sans fin (Endless Album).ItwasexactlyalongthelinesofLe BusandLes Immatériaux,sinceitexploredtherapprochement,ifnotthehybridization,ofreadingandspectacle,ofbookandcinema:howtoplaceafilmicsubstrateintothepagesofabook.Mylaterresearch,suchastheFlora PetrinsularisinstallationandCD-RomproducedbytheZKM10wouldbelargelydevotedtothisquestion,aformalandtechnologicalstakeasmuchasacul-turalandartisticinvestigation.
Thiswayofnotdecidingonwhetherornottheworkbelongedtotheartis-ticfieldwouldagainbemyapproachinAnthologie d’images de synthèse scientifiques(Anthology of Images of Scientific Syntheses),myvideodiscfor Passages de l’image,attheCentrePompidouin1990–alongsidepiecesbyDanGrahamandBillViolathatwereincontestablyartworks,bywayofworksbyMichaelSnowandChrisMarker.AndagainfortheRevue virtuelle,whichIdesignedfrom1991–1997,stillattheCentrePompidou,andwhosemissionwastobringtolighttheaestheticpotentialofthedigital.
8 MichaelNaimark,“AspentheVerb:MusingsonHeritageandVirtuality”,2006.Online:http://www.naimark.net/writing/aspen.html.
9 Jean-LouisBoissier,“Dramaturgiedel’interactivité”,inLa Relation comme forme (Geneva:Mamco,2009),p.22–29.
10 Jean-LouisBoissier,“Deuxmanièresdefairedeslivres”,artintact 1(Ostfildern:HatjeCantz,1994).
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The ProblematicInthecontextofthetensionproducedbythe“digitalrevolution“thatwasannouncingitself–unlessthechangeofparadigmhadalreadytakenplaceanditwasamatterofadaptingeverythingtoit–Lyotardwasaskedaboutinteractivity,intheveryyearofLes Immatériaux,intheseminar“Artandcommunication“.Hedeclaredthat,asfarasthereceptionofartworkswasconcerned:“thedemandforanactivityor‘interactivity’…provesthatthereshouldbemoreintervention,andthatwearethusthroughwithaestheticfeeling.”Facedwiththefutiledilemmabetweenpassiveandactive,headvocatesthepassible.Hedenounces“theretreatofthepassibilitybywhichalonewearefittoreceiveand,asaresult,tomodifyanddo,andperhapseventoenjoy”.11Suchapassibilityisnecessaryinorderforustorecognizeaworkofart.“Interactionalideology”istheveryoppositeofthis.
Forsomeyearsnow,Ihavekeptablackbook–butonewithapinkcover–whereInotedownwhatseemtometobesymptomsofwhatIcallthe“ideologyofinteractivity”.Initwefindseeminglysimplephrasessuchas“Ateverymoment,theviewerisfreeto…“.WithoutholdingtoLyotard’snostalgicrefusal,butsharinghissuspicion,Ihavetriedtodevelopapracticeofinter-activeworksthatwouldmakethempassible–thatistosay,apracticethatwouldbeconcretelydesignedforus(foryou).
TranslatedfromtheFrenchbyRobinMackay.
11 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,“Somethinglike:Communication…WithoutCommunication,”inThe Inhuman: Reflections on Time,trans.G.Bennington(Cambridge:PolityPress,1991),p.117.
Contemporary Art as “Immatériaux”: Yesterday and Today
Francesca Gallo
In1985astoday,thehistoricalandcriticalinterestofLes Immatériaux lies,inmyopinion,inthewayitopposedthetrendtowardsthetriumphoftraditionalvaluesthatmarkedthe1980s.Thiswasadecadeinwhich,inboththepoliticalandculturalarenas,theWesternworldwitnessedthegradualadvanceanddominanceofconservativepositions,withthegreatsuccessofareturntothevariousformsofpainting:Transavanguardia,NeueWilde,NewExpres-sionism,andsoon.Les Immatériauxshouldbeunderstoodasakindof“Man-ifestoofTechnophilicPostmodernism”,ofwhichJean-FrançoisLyotardwasaninterpreter.
WhileLyotardlefthisstamponLes Immatériauxespeciallythroughtheworkhedidontheexhibitionasamedium–theorganizationanddisplay,thesoundtrack,thecatalogue,etc.,aretheveryareasinwhichonecansensethehandofthephilosopher1–,fortheselectionoftheworks,Lyotardoftenreliedonspecialists(suchasAlainSayagforthephotography,orBernardBlistèneforfinearts).Indeed,afterstudyingthedocumentsinthearchivesoftheCentrePompidou,2onecanunderstandthatthecollaborationwiththeNationalMuseumofModernArt(theartdepartmentoftheCentrePompidou,
1 Cf.RosalindKrauss,“Lemuséesansmurdupostmodernisme”,Cahiers du MNAM,no.17–18(1986):152–158;ReesaGreenberg,BruceW.Ferguson,SandyNairne(eds),Thinking about Exhibition (London&NewYork:Routledge,1996); JeanDavallon,L’exposition à l’oeuvre (Harmattan:Paris,2000).
2 IdedicatedmyPhDtoLes ImmatériauxandLyotard’sinterestincontemporaryart.SeeFrancescaGallo,Les Immatériaux. Un percorso di Jean-François Lyotard nell’arte con-temporanea(Rome:Aracne,2008);“Cen’estpasuneexposition,maisuneoeuvred’art:l ’exempledeLesImmatériauxdeJean-FrançoisLyotard,”Revue Appareil(online),Varia,Articles,November3,2009,http://revues.mshparisnord.org/appareil/index.php?id=860.
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MNAM)wasn’teasy.Forexample,Lyotarddidlittletosecureloansfromothermuseums,anexceptionbeingtheEgyptianbas-reliefoftheGrenobleMuseum3–astrangechoice,iftruthbeknown.Despitethis,thechoiceofart-worksexhibitedinLes Immatériauxisverystimulating,andgivesrisetomanylinesofthought,eventhoughtheworksrepresentonlyapartofthematerials,documents,artefacts,instrumentsandimagesthatfilledthe60sitesonthefifthflooroftheCentrePompidou.
Unstable Photographic IdentitiesIwillconcentrateondifferenttypesofworksbyartistswhowerealiveatthattime,inordertodemonstratetheideaofpostmodernartthatLyotardvalued.Letusstartwithphotography(bywhichImeanworksofartmadewithacamera),amongwhichthosebyAnnegretSoltau,MariaKlonarisandKaterinaThomadaki,andRuthFrancken,arethemostrepresentative.
RuthFranckenisoneofthefewartistsincludedinLes ImmatériauxwhoseworkLyotardknewpersonally.Indeed,hewrotealongessayaboutherentitledL’Histoire de Ruth,whichwaspublishedasashortmonographin1983.Franckenconcentrates on photographic portraits using dècoupages to replace faces withdrawings,orsilhouettesmadeofcorrugatedcardboardandpartsof
3 ArchivesCentrePompidou,deposit1994033,b.668,fasc. Compte-rendus et réunions.
[Figure11]RuthFrancken:Jean-Paul Sartre,1979.Inventaire,siteTous les auteurs,recto(Source:
CentrePompidou,MNAM,BibliothèqueKandinsky).
Contemporary Art as an “Immatériaux” 121
otherphotographs,bitsofbrokenmirrorsandsoon.It ’saprocesswhichcallsintoquestionthereliabilityofphotographsasameansofdocumentation,followingthefootprintsofSurrealism.ThetriptychJean-Paul Sartre,1979(fromthe series Mirrorical Return),isreproducedonthepageofL’Inventaire ded-icatedtothesiteTous les auteurs[Figure11].Thepositionofthiswork,farfrombeingrandom,usesitspowertochallengethesupposedobjectivityoftheportrait,beitphotographicordrawn.Thisaspectismadeevenmoreexplicitbythechoiceofworkonpublicfigures(amongwhichareJeanTinguely,YannisXenakis,SamuelBeckett,JohnCage,JosephBeuys,andLyotardhimself).Thephilosopherseesinthismodusoperandiaproofoftheconceptionofamultipleidentity:theseportraitscontainwithinthematypeofimpliedother-nessofthesubject.4
Thesameappliestoanotherphotographywork,thistimebyMariaKlonarisandKatharinaThomadaki–Orlando-Hermaprodite II (1983,15black-and-whitephotographs)–whichislocatedonthe site L’Ange.Thisworksuperimposesself-portraitsofthetwoartists,andisinspiredbyOrlando andThe Waves by VirginiaWoolf[Figures12,13].Onthesamesiteonecanfindimagestaken
4 Jean-FrançoisLyotardandRuthFrancken,L’Histoire de Ruth(Paris:LeCastorAstral,1983),p.9–65;thesamewritingisalsointheexhibitioncatalogueofL’Histoire de Ruth,anexhibitionfirstshownattheParisiangalleryJ.&J.Donguy,andafterwardstravellinginGermanyin1986–87.
[Figure12]Exhibitionview,siteL’Ange(sitedesignbyMartineMoinot):MariaKlonarisand
KaterinaThomadaki,Orlando-Hermaphrodite II(Source:Klonaris/Thomadaki).
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fromthetwoartists’Mistère I: Hermaphrodite endormi/e(1982),whichshowthewell-knownGreekstatue.
KlonarisandThomadakistartedanewcycleofworksin1985,dedicatedtoL’Ange,inwhichinter-sexualityandinter-mediaarejoined.Theirresearchisverycomplexfromthepointofviewofthemediaused(film,photography,multi-mediainstallations,video,hologramsanddigitalimages),atthecentreofwhichthereis,however,acohesivesetofthemesrelatedtothebodyandsexualgender.Thefocusontheseissuesdefinedtheartisticnucleusofthe1970s,wheneffortsinthefieldoftheexpandedcinemacoincidedwiththefeministposition.5
AtthesiteL’Ange,Schwanger(Pregnant),aworkbyAnnegretSoltau,canalsobeseen.6TheGermanartisthasfocused–fromthelate‘70suntiltoday–onthethemesofmotherhoodandfemaleidentity,oftenusingherownbody,asforexampleinSchwanger:amosaicofphotographswhichdocumentsherpregnancy,followingthetransformationofthephysicalappearanceofthewoman’sbody[Figure14].Schwanger consistsoffrontandprofileshots,insuc-cessivestages,andculminateswiththeexplosionofthereassuringshapeofthepregnantbodyinablurryimageoflightandshadowonthefilm.Formal-izingtheunionbetweenbirthanddeath,formationanddeformation,definedandundefined,thesequenceoftheshotsmakesthisclassicandreassuringthemeofmotherhooddisturbing;itoverturnsthetraditionaliconographyandharksbacktothefeministdemandsandthethreatsthatprogressinscienceandtechnologyposestotheindividualandthephysicalbody.
Takentogether,thesethreecasesareemblematicoftheattentionthatLes Immatériauxdedicatedtoidentity,andtothetransformationwhichthisideahassufferedduetoadvancesinscienceandtechnologysuchasplasticsurgery,geneticengineering,robotics,andmorerecentlytheweb,whichisjustthelatestchallengetoarrive.Itisalsoworthmentioningthatthedecon-structionoftheconceptofidentityisoneofthemostprominentthemesofanti-metaphysics,ofwhichLyotardandJacquesDerridaweredefenders.Deconstructionisamethodthatisanti-systemic,anti-authoritarianandanti-homogenizing,andisfullyinlinewiththetypeofpostmodernismofwhichLyotardwasaninterpreter.
Lookingatourpresenttime,certainthemesbelovedbyLyotardarestilltopical.Forexample,thegameofidentityhasbecomeoneofthemostwide-spreadpastimesamongwebusers:socialnetworks,blogs,chatroomsanddatingportalshavefuelledthefashionofself-presentationandrepresentation,
5 Cf.Maria Klonaris, Katerina Thomadaki,exhibitioncatalogue(Paris:ASTARTI,1985);SandraLischi,Visioni elettroniche(Rome:Marsilio,2001),p.109–110;andtheartists’website:http://www.klonaris-thomadaki.net.
6 ThephotographicreproductionofSchwanger istobefoundintheInventaire, on the page dedicatedtothesiteLes trois mères.
Contemporary Art as an “Immatériaux” 123
backedbythegreatpressureoftelevision.AnnaHelmondhasexploredthelinkbetweensearchengines,socialnetworksandidentityconstructions,showinghowsoftwareandworksassociatedwiththesewebtools–as“Identity2.0”–areavariantofaperformativenotionofidentity,onceagain
[Figure13]MariaKlonarisandKaterinaThomadaki:Orlando-Hermaphrodite II(Source:Klonaris/
Thomadaki).
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elaboratedwithinpostmodernism.Suchformsofself-representationaremoredynamicthanstaticpersonalwebpages,becausetheymakepossiblethestorageofdocumentsrelatedtotheflowofpersonalandprofessionallife.ButthefactthattheyareoftenproducedwithanAPI(ApplicationProgrammingInterface)causesasubstantialserialityofpersonalprofiles,documentedinthevarioussocialnetworks.Therelationshipbetweenself-determinationandover-determinationofidentityisvariable,butformsandcontentsautomati-callyselectedbysoftwareseemtoprevail.7
AmongfemaleartistslikeOrlan,CindySherman,AdrianPiper,andsoon,LynnHershman,apioneerofnew-mediaartwhohasexploredgenderstereotypesin her famous alter ego Roberta Beirtmore (1974–78)–aworkwithastrongpho-tographicpart–,alludespreciselytomixture,wherethepercentageofstereo-typeprevailsoverpersonalidentity.IamreferringtoDiNA(2004),anartificiallyintelligentagent,linkedtotheInternetandequippedwithacustomsoftware,video,andmicrophone,whichmakesherabletodirectlyinteractwiththemuseumvisitor[Figure15].DiNA isengagedinanongoingcampaign,viaherwebsite,forvirtualelectionstotheofficeofTV-president;sheconverseswithvotersandcollectsvotesontopicspertinenttoglobalsurvival.DiNAisuniquebecausesheisabletoprocesstheseresponsesinrealtime,andtomixvirtualeventswhichhaveoccurredduringhercampaignwithcurrenteventsastheyareunfoldingthroughouttheworld.LynnHershmanwritesaboutthiswork:“I’vealwaysbeenattractedtodigitaltoolsandcinematicmetaphorsthatreflectourtimes,suchasprivacyinaneraofsurveillance,personalidentityinatimeofpervasivemanipulations.”8
The Postmodern PaintingIn Les Immatériauxtherewere,ofcourse,someexamplesofpaintings.OnthismatterPaulCrowtherhaspointedoutthatthelackofthetypeofpaintingthatwasmostpopularatthattime–NewExpressionism,forexample–showedthattheselectionusedbyLyotardwasguidedbymodernistcriteriawhich,fromthestartingpointofthehistoricalavant-garde,ledinevitablytoconcep-tualart.9Thisisaninterestingperspective,that,inmyopinion,reiteratesthefactthatLyotardisaninterpreterofapostmodernismwhichistechnophilicandpost-structuralratherthannostalgicandconservative.10
7 Cf.AnneHelmond,“Lifetracing.TheTracesofaNetworkedLife”,inNetworked. A Net-worked Book about Networked Art,2009,http://networkedbook.org;JayD.BolterandRichardGrusin,Remediation. Understanding New Media(CambridgeMA:MITPress,1999).
8 LynnHershmanLeeson,inThe Art and Film of Lynn Hershman Leeson. Secret Agent, Private I,ed.MeredithTromble(Berkeley:UniversityofCaliforniaPress,2005).
9 Cf.PaulCrowther,Critical Aesthetics and Postmodernism(London:OxfordUniversityPress,1996,1sted.1993).
10 Cf.HalFoster(ed.),The Anti-Aesthetic: Essays in Postmodern Culture(PortTownsend:BayPress,1983);BrianWallis(ed.),Art after Modernism: Rethinking Representation(NewYork:
Contemporary Art as an “Immatériaux” 125
Evenamongthepaintersfeaturedintheexhibition,onefindsartistswhoLyo-tardfollowedclosely,likeJacquesMonory.ThesitePeintre sans corps,infact,isentirelyoccupiedbyExplosion(1973),asetoffourdiptychs(onepaintingandthreephotographicprintcanvases)depicting,fromaclosevantagepoint,theexplosionofanaeroplanelandingonarunway.Inthesequenceofcanvases,theimagefadesandgrowsdim,eventuallybecomingbarelydiscernible,asifithadbeenwashedaway.Thetitleofthesite(Peintre sans corps or “Painter withoutbody”)alludestothechoicebyMonory,aswellasotherhyper-realistpainters,tosuppressthegestureofpaintinginfavourofthephotographicprint,a“mechanical”procedure.Butthefeelingwhenstandinginfrontofthecanvasesisthatpaintingitselfwasdeprivedofitsbody–i.e.thesensualaspect,thecolour.Thisisoneofthesiteswherethebasicassumptionsofaworkofart,suchasitsphysicalaspectsanditsprocedures,arechallengedbythemethodsoftheartist,followingasenseofimmateriality.Lyotard,atthetime,hadjustdedicatedtoMonoryahighlycomplextext,theAssassinat de l’experience de la peinture (1984),consistingoftwoessays–thefirstwrittenin
MuseumofContemporaryArt,1984);M.Lovejoy,Postmodern Currents: Art and Artists in the Age of Electronic Media(AnnArbor:UMIResearchPress,1989).
[Figure14]AnnegretSoltau:Schwanger,1978–80,siteTrois mères(Source:AnnegretSoltau,VG
Bild-Kunst,Bonn2015).
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the‘70s,thesecondatthebeginningofthe‘80s11–which,takentogether,doc-umentthetransitionfromamindsetbasedinpsychoanalysisandMarxism,inwhichtheformsofartisticproductionarereflectedintheformsofeconomicproduction,totheaestheticsofthesublimeappliedtocontemporaryart.Monory–adispassionatepainterwhoportraystheenvironmentsofthe“jetset”andfashionableinteriors–hasbecomefamousforpolyptychsdedicatedtoviolentevents,inwhichhepaintedthesceneofacrimeoritsprotagonists,withoutsentiment,almostlikeaphotojournalist.
Inthesepaintings,theimageisoftenrepeated,asifitweretheframeofafilm,orasequenceofphotographs;animpressionwhichisalsoaccentuatedbytheserialnatureofthecomposition,obtainedbytheuseofadjacentpanels.Atthesametime,thescenesareoftendisplayedinsidemonitors,mirrors,glassandwindows,asiftoconfirmtheroleofthephotographicframingasavisualmediation,onethatisartificialandmechanical.ItisforthisreasonthatLyotardproposesanimplicitcomparisonbetweenthephotochemicalandelectronicvisualdevices,andthereproductionoftheimage,ontheonehand,andthetechniquesandthemesofthecontemporarypainterontheother.12
In Ciels, nébuleuses et galaxies (1978–81)Monory,instead,reproducesimagesofthestarryskywithoutany“poetry”,becausetheyweretakenfromrecordingsofradiotelescopes:theprimarysourceofthepainterisstorednumericaldatatransformedintoimagesbysoftware.
Thereferencetoan“impersonal”iconography,suchasradiotelescopesorillustratedmagazines,andtheuseofamechanicaltechnique,presupposes,ofcourse,ananonymousobserver:thesourcesandmethodsaredilutedbytheubiquitousmassmedia;and,paradoxically,therealismofthescenespaintedbyMonorycoincideswiththembeing“recognizable”asimagesthatbelongtotheuniverseoffashion,industrialproduction,scientificdocumentation,andtheillustratedstoryoftelevisualcommunication.
Lyotardtakestheinadequacyoftheaestheticcategoryofbeautyincontem-poraryartaswidelyunderstoodand,inthecaseofMonory,heexplainsthatMonory’spainting“does not solicit taste, in the Kantian sense of a disinterested sentiment that claims universality and, in doing so, appeals to a sensible com-munity in agreement with itself as to what should be felt.”13Monory’spaintingsarepostmodern–continuesLyotard–becausetheyhaveachievedthesyn-thesisoftheinfinite(sublime)andfinite(beautiful).14Thistextof1981isthefirstoccasioninwhichLyotardappliestheconceptofthesublimetocontem-
11 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,L’Assassinat de l’expérience par la peinture, Monory (Paris:LeCastorastral,1984).
12 Ibid.13 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,“Esthétiquesublimedutueràgages”,inL’Assassinat de
l’expérience par la peinture, Monory, p.144–145.14 Ibid.,p.145–154.
Contemporary Art as an “Immatériaux” 127
porary art:15aconnectionthatismainlybasedonthefactthatthepainter,bychoosingtopaintimageswhichusemediaastheirprimarysource,bringsintoplaytechnicalreproduction.
Ways of Interaction in Art However,itiscertainlynotpaintingwhichdrawsthemostattentionintheexhibitioncuratedbyLyotard,butrather–asIpointedoutatthebeginning–thepresenceofworksofnew-mediaart,andinparticularofsomeinteractive
15 InthesameyearsappearedthefollowingtextsbyLyotard:La pittura del segreto nell’epoca postmoderna, Baruchello (Milan:Feltrinelli,1982);Rappresentazione, presentazione, impresentabile(1982),nowinL’Inumano (Milan:Lanfranchi,2001,ed.orig.Paris,1988),p.159–170;Il sublime e l’avanguardia(1983),nowinibid.,p.123–144;L’istante, Newman (1984),nowinibid.,p.109–122;cf.FrancescaGallo,“Lyotardfraestetica,arteecriticad’arte.Formediresistenzaemodididecostruzione”,Annali di critica d’arte,no.2(2006),p.637–660.
[Figure15]LynnHershman:DiNA,2004(Source:LynnHershman).
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installationsandworksofcomputerart,whicharenovel–bearinginmindtheaestheticpredilectionsofthephilosopher,whousuallypaidmoreattentiontopainters.
ManyofthosewhoknewLyotardrememberhiscuriosityandenthusiasticinterestinnewtechnologicaldevices:storieswhichwecanwellbelievewhenweseepicturesofLyotardusingtheheadphonesthatcarrythesoundtrackoftheexhibition[Figure16].Theheadphoneswereoneoftheideasthatthephi-losopher-curatorwasmostproudof,andforwhichheexplicitlytookcredit.16
Returningtotheselectionoftheworksofnew-mediaart,itseemstomethatthisistheterrainonwhichLyotardhadthestrongestconfrontationswiththeotherlecturersfromtheUniversityofParisVIII.Jean-LouisBoissierrememberedhisextensivecollaborationonLes Immatériaux:Boissier’sworkLe Busisoneoftheiconicworksoftheexhibition,particularlybecauseoftheexplorationofurbanspacethatitproposes,whichinsomewaysrecallstheSituationistpracticeofurbandrifting17[Figure9].Thelatter,inturn,isafit-tingmodelforthevisittoLes Immatériaux:thatis,tostroll,withnopointsoforientation,beingabletokeepcrossingthesamesites,andobserveobjectsofadifferentnature,suchasthosethattheSituationistsobservedintheshopwindowsandinthestreetsofParis.
DisorientationisperhapsthemostubiquitouselementinLes Immatériaux,andtheimagewhichbestillustratesthe“confusion”experiencedduringavisittotheexhibitionwas,perhaps,thecatalogue,whichwasmadeupofahundredloosesheets(notboundinabook)–muchastheindividualsiteswerenotincludedinapre-planned,sequentialornarrative-drivenrouteoftheexhibi-tion.ThearchitectPhilippeDélishasunderlinedhowthespatialconceptionoftheexhibition–whichatthetimewasnovel–hasbecomefamiliartousduringthelast20years,mainlythankstotheexperienceofsurfingthenet.18
16 Theheadphonesweretunedtovarioussoundtrackswhichwerepresentinsomeareasoftheexhibition.Duringthevisitonecouldlistentodifferentemissions/programmes–justlikeacarradiowhichpassesfromonestationtoanotherduringajourney.Inthiscase,therelationshipbetweenthesoundtrackandthevisualimageswascomplexinnatureandechoedthemethodLyotardhadusedinvariousvideosinthe‘70sand‘80s:inbothcaseshemadeextensiveuseofbeingoutofsync,asthequintessenceoftheanti-narrative.
17 Cf.Jean-LouisBoissier,La relation comme forme. L’interactivité en art(Genève:MAMCO,2004);F.Gallo,“Le BusdiJean-LouisBoissier:esplorazionevsderiva”,Materiali di Estetica,n.s.,n.1(2010):322–329.
18 Cf.PhillipeDélis,Les Immatériaux,speechatroundtableL’Hyper matériel/l’immatériel, le paradoxe de l’usage des matières,internationalcongressL’œuvre plus que jamais(InstitutFrançaisdeCasablanca,April2005),nowinwww.integral-philippedelis.com;Architecture: l’espace-temps autrement…,inE.Théofilakis(ed.),Modernes, et aprés? "Les Immatériaux" (Paris:ÉditionAutrement,1985).
Contemporary Art as an “Immatériaux” 129
ButreturningtotheinteractiveartofLes Immatériaux,aswellasLe Bus,there is Son=Espace,createdad hocbyRolfGehlhaar[Figure17].Technicallyadvanced,theworkwasindebtedtoresearchinvisualkinetics.Son=Espace comprisedaspacewhichviewerswalkedthrough,withsensorsthatpickedupthemovementsoftheaudienceandturnedthemintosoundsbymeansofanelaboratecomputerizedsystemdevisedbytheartist.Thisprojectwasbornfromtheideaofcreatingapieceofmusicthatwasnon-deterministic,andinfactGehlhaarhadbeenworkingsince1983ondevelopinganadequatesoftwareprogram,workwhichalsogaverisetothetitleofthework.Themovementsoftheuserweredetectedbyasensorsystemusingultrasonicdevices,whichsentthemtothesoftware.Thesoftwareproduceddifferentsounds,dependingontheareasinwhichthepublicwaslocated,onthespeedanddirectionofthemovement,andsoon.Theworkconsistedofthesoftwaredevelopedbytheartistwhich,amongotherthings,hehascontinuedtoworkonsince,creatingdifferentvariationsoftheprototypeexhibitedattheCentrePompidou19thankstothecommitteeofLaVillette,themuseumofscienceandtechniquethatopenedin1986,andforwhichLes Immatériauxwas,fromthepointofviewofinstitutionalpolicy,asortofdressrehearsal.
ButwhatareLyotard’sideasabouttheseworksofart?Canoneconsider“interactivity”asbeingequivalent,inthearts,tothethemeof“thecrisisofthesubject”inphilosophy?
19 SeeRolfGehlhaar,Sound=Space,http://www.gehlhaar.org.
[Figure16]Jean-FrançoisLyotardduringtheopeningofLes Immatériaux,26March1985(from
lefttoright:ClaudePompidou,ThierryChaput,Jean-FrançoisLyotard,JackLang)(Source:
CentrePompidou,MNAM,BibliothèqueKandinsky,photographbyJean-ClaudePlanchet).
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Intheearly1980s,Lyotardarguedthat“experience”isamodernconcept,whichispossiblewhenthefollowingconditionsarepresent:1)thereisasub-ject(ego);2)thereisadimensionoftimearticulatedbypast-present-future;and3)theideathattheworld,andtheobjectswhichcomposeit,areobjectsofthealienationofthesubjectitself,whichisanecessarysteptoensurethatthesubjectgoesdialecticallybacktoitself,accordingtoHegel’sphilosophy.Theexpansionofthe“technicalscience-basedcapitalist”sincethenineteenthcentury,however,hassuppressedthesebasicpointsofreference,implyingthattheego,andthelinearconceptoftimethatproducesexperience,donotexist,andthattheworldhasnoneedforalienation–thatis,fortheobjecti-ficationofthesubjectthatisnecessaryforittounderstanditself.20 In a nut-shell,youcouldsaythatwearefacingthepreludetothe“crisisofthesubject”thatisoneofthethemesofcontemporarythought,runningparalleltothe“crisisofobjectivity”,orthecrisisoftheexistenceofthetraditionalconceptoftruthasamatterofcorrespondencebetweensubjectandobject.21
Theepistemologicalandaestheticlegitimacyofpluralnarrativesandtruth,therefore,isreflectedintheredefinitionoftheroleoftheauthor.AccordingtoLyotard,theauthormayappearinadifferentguisethanthatwhichisdefinedbyaform;22while,atthesametime,moderndaysocialcommunicationleadstoarejectionofspaceforcontemplation,infavourofthe“active”spectator,whomeetsthe“proposing”authorhalfway,inatypeofdialogueinwhichthetworolesmergeandbecomeconfused.23Ontheotherhand,Lyotardsharesthepremiseofthe“deathoftheauthor”proposedbyRolandBarthesin1968,accordingtowhichitisthereaderwhotakesresponsibilityfortheconstruc-tionofmeaning.
However,despitethesepremises,Lyotardisnotatallconvincedthatinter-activitywithaworkofartisatransferoftheoryfromalinguisticgametotheartisticfield.Thisisprimarilybecauseartcannotbeequatedwithamoveinagame:ifanything,communicationcanbeequatedtoamoveinagame.Artisacreativemovethatexperiments,thatrewritestherulesofthegamewhileplaying. Therefore,whenartiscombinedwithnewtechnology,accordingtoLyotard,artcannotsimplychangeitsformtoadoptthatofnewtechnologies. Thespecificpointoftheartisticexperienceremainsintherealmofemotionandsensitivity;Lyotardusesatermthatisdifficulttotranslate:“passibilité”,24
20 Cf.Jean-FrançoisLyotard,“L’Expertise”,inL’Assassinat de l’expérience par la peinture, Monory,p.7–10.
21 Cf.H.Bertens,The Idea of the Postmodern. A History(London-NewYork:Routledge,1995);R.Ceserani,Raccontare il postmoderno(Torino:BollatiBoringhieri,1997);D.Harvey,The Condition of Postmodernity(Cambridge,Mass./Oxford:Routledge,1990).
22 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,“Qualcosacome:‘comunicazione…senzacomunicazioneasdf ’”,inL’Inumano,p.156.
23 Cf.ibid.,p.156–157.24 Ibid.,p.155–156.
Contemporary Art as an “Immatériaux” 131
whichisnotonlytheoppositeofimpassivity,butalsotheconditionbywhichwewelcome,wereceive,aswhenwearetouchedbysomethingelsewithoutknowingwhatitis–or,inKantianterms,withoutanyintellectualintervention.
Itisdifficulttosaywhetherthephilosopherofpostmodernismwouldhaveappreciatedanewkindofartwork,madewithdataflowsontheweb–oneofthenewestformsofinteraction.CarloZanni,anItalianartistwholivesinMilanandNewYork,combinestechnicalresearchwithhigh-levelstylisticsolutions,whilealsointegratingsuggestionsfromliterarytextsandsoundtracks.
FromEbay Landscape (2004)–wheretheformofasimpleJapaneselandscapechangesconstantlyfollowingtheNASDAQ,thestockmarketofEbay,andtheCNNhomepage–toIn time (2005)–askylinewheretheweatherchangesevery15minutesaccordingtothemeteorologicalstationatLaGuardiaAirport,whilethechoppersandzeppelinsfollowtheupdatesofCNNwebsite,andtheskylineislikeadynamichistogramrelatedwiththemostfrequentqueriesontheTime Out New York website25–Zanniexploresasortofinter-actionwithoutpersonalintentions.
Thefluidandunstablenatureoftheseworksisevidentlyametaphorforourincreasinglyconnectedworld.Inthesamedirection,Zanniworkson“datacinema”,whichiswhathecallsakindofworkinwhichtheconstantchangingoftheweb–withwhichtheuserinteractsviahisorherInternetconnection–modifiesthenovel.The Possible Ties Between Illness and Success(2006)isa
25 Seehttp://www.zanni.org.
[Figure17]RolfGehlhaar,Son = Espace,1983-85,installationview,siteMusicien malgré lui
(Source:RolfGehlhaar).
132 30 Years after Les Immatériaux
reflectionupontherelationshipbetweentalent,successandmanic-depres-siveillness.Weobservetheprotagonistofashortfilmattackedbyaprogres-sivedisease.Thespotsthatslowlycoverhisbody,likeacontagiousdisease,aregeneratedautomaticallybysoftwarethatcommunicateswithGoogleAnalytics,awell-knownstatisticalanalysissystemformonitoringthetrafficonwebsites:“Thepatchesextendasmuchasthevirtualvisitorsincrease,anddistributeontheactor’sbodyindifferentplaces,dependingonthegeographi-caloriginofthevisitors.Thefilmisconstantlychanging,duetotheinteractionoftheunawarespectators.”26
AnotherworkbyZanniembodiesearlyanalysisofdigitalphotography,asproposedbyEdmondCouchotmorethanfifteenyearsbefore.27 The Fifth Day (2009)isasequenceofpicturesshowingataxiride.ThephotosweretakeninAlexandria(Egypt).Theychangeduringtheexhibition,becauselinkedtotheweb,beingtherebysensitivetothedataflowfromEgypt,describingtheevolutionofstatisticsofsomeaspectsofitsculturalandpoliticallife.Thedata,retrievedfromtheInternetandtransformingtheaestheticsofthephotos,relatetosuchmattersastheproportionofseatsheldbywomeninthenationalparliament(whichchangesthepositionofthepedestriancrossingtheroadinonephoto),ortheperceptionofcorruption(whichchangestheimageintherear-viewmirrorofthetaxiinanotherphoto),28tonamejusttwo[Figure18].
So,intheend,inmyopinion,worksofartbasedontheInternetaretheclearestexamplesofhowLes Immatériauxwasontherighttrack,inthemiddleofthe1980s.
26 ValentinaTanni,“IlcinemahaunnuovoDNA”,Exibart.onpaper,no.47(2008);"MapsandLegends.WhenPhotographyMettheWeb",inFotografia 2010. Futurespective,exhibitioncatalogue(Rome:Macro,2010).
27 Cf.EdmondCouchot,“Lasynthèsenumériquedel’image:versunnouvelordrevisuel”, Traverses,no.26(1982),p.56–63;EdmontCouchatandNorbertHillaire,L’art numérique: comme la technologie vient au monde de l’art(Paris:Flammarion,2003).
28 Seehttp://www.zanni.org.
[Figure18]CarloZanni,The Fifth Day,2009(stillofthewebwork)(Source:CarloZanni).
Contemporary Art as an “Immatériaux” 133
Continuing our stroll through Les Immatériaux,lookingforworksofnew-mediaart,weencounteraworkthatisalmost“rudimentary”foritstime,evenwhencomparedtoLe Bus or Son=Espace,forexample.IamtalkingaboutTemps différé(1985)byCatherineIkam,aclosed-circuitvideoinstallationidentifiablewiththesiteofthesamename.
Originallylinkedtominimalistresearchonperceptionanditsspace-timedimension(anexamplebeingBruceNauman’swork),andsubsequently
[Figure19]CatherineIkam,installationsketch,siteTemps différé (detailfromInventaire,site
Temps différé,verso)(Source:CentrePompidou,MNAM,BibliothèqueKandinsky).
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focusingonthesocialimplicationsofvideosurveillance(differentexampleswecancitearetheexperiencesofFredForestandDanGraham),closed-circuitvideoinstallationsarelocatedinanintermediatepositionbetweenvideoartandinteractiveenvironments.
TheartworkofIkamfocusesinparticularonthedistortingeffectthatmirrorshaveonclosed-circuittelevision[Figure19].Temps différé consists of two rooms,whichareidentical,emptyandinterconnected,equippedwithavideosurveillancesystem:aminimalistpuritywhoseresultisrathermundane.Inthefirstroom,thevisitorseesonthemonitortheplacewhereheisstanding,devoidofhisownpresence;inthesecondenvironment,however,theTVdis-playsanimageoftheprecedingspace,recordedimmediatelybefore.Inthisway,theexperienceoftheplaceanditsimageonthemonitordonotmatch,as occurs in the classical CorridorsofBruceNauman.Thegoalinbothcasesistounderminethefidelity,realismanddocumentaryabilityofthevideo,andtosimultaneouslyinduceintheviewerakindofcognitivevertigo,causedbytheinconsistencies.29
IhavelongquestionedwhyLyotardchosesuchanoutdatedwork,evenifitwasspeciallymadeforLes Immatériaux.Beyondanyotherconsiderations,Ibelievethatthephilosophermeanttheselectedartworkstoserveasemblems,symbolsofcertaintendenciesincontemporarysociety,andthathethereforesometimesglossedovertheartisticvalueofsomeoftheworks.Les Immatériauxisaclassicexampleofaneducationalexhibition–atheoreticalexhibitionifyoulike–ratherthananobject-orientedshow.Andthisisalsothereasonwhysomeworksweredisplayedbothatthe1983exhibitionElectra: Electricity and Electronics in the Twentieth Century,30andatLes Immatéri-aux,becausetheyhaveaverydifferentmeaningandpurposeinthetwoexhibitions.
In the case of Temps différé,itisprobablytheideaofusingfeedback,whichisatthecoreoftheartwork,thatLyotardfoundinteresting:itisaconceptthatwasborrowedfrombiologyandpsychology,andthathasbeenappliedtobothsocialcommunicationandthearts.Startingfromthevariousformsofinter-activity,passingthroughsomeexamplesofInstitutionalCritique,ofConcep-tualArtandRelationalArt,theattentiongivento“feedback”isatypicalaspectoflatemodernculture,andoneofthoseconceptsthatmarkthehorizonofartisticresearchinthelast30to40years,evenifitchangesitsappearance.
Beforeconcluding,somethoughtsononeofthemostchallengingandperhapsthemostsuccessfulspacesincludedinLes Immatériaux–atleast
29 Cf.CatherineIkam.Dispositif pour un parcours video,exhibitioncatalogue(Paris:CentreGeorgesPompidou,1980).
30 Cf.Electra: l’électricité et l’électronique dans l’art du XX siècle,exhibitioncataloguecuratedbyFrankPopper, Paris(MuséedelaVille),1984;KatherineDieckmann,“ElectraMyths:Videos,Modernism,Postmodernism”,Art Journal, Fall(1985),p.195–203.
Contemporary Art as an “Immatériaux” 135
accordingtothepublicatthetime.IrefertothesiteLabyrinthe du language,fullofcomputerterminalswhereonecouldexperiencethefirstrudimentaryformsofnetworkconnectionthroughthenetworkMinitel(theFrenchances-toroftheweb),andplaywithsomeexamplesofcomputerartwhichwereextremelysimpleandgraphics-based.
Fromacurrentperspective,itisEpreuves d’écriturethatattractsourinterest.Itsrelativefailure–duebothtotheinadequacyofthecomputerequipment,andalackoffamiliarityonthepartoftheintellectualswiththisnewformofwritingandtheideaofmutualcooperation–bringsustoexaminetheinstinctsofthecuratorialteamandtheimportanceofinfrastructureintheformtakenbyanartwork.TodayEpreuves d’écriture is a curious chronicle pub-licationthatincludestheexperienceofspecialistsfromdifferentdisciplines,calledtodealwiththenewwaysofonlinewordprocessing,whichwasstillfulloftechnicalproblems.Thebookisobviouslythewrongformatforaworkthatshouldhavecontinuedtobeproducedinadigitalformat,likeahypertext(onahard-drivememory,becausetheCD-ROMdidnotyetexist).
Epreuves d’écritureislocatedbetweenthePlissure du texte(1983),whichRoyAscottcreatedfortheElectraexhibition,andthenetworkorganizedalsobyAscottforthelaboratoryUbiquaattheCorderiedell’Arsenaleatthe1986VeniceBiennal.31.AtLes Immatériaux,instead,RoyAscottpresentedOrgan et function d’Alice au pays des merveilles,inwhich,throughMinitel,theinhabitantsoftheÎle-de-Francecouldintervenebyalteringthetextfromhome,inamoreanonymousandfreewaythaninother,comparableworksbyAscott:
RandomlyselectedquotationsfromaFrenchtranslationofLewisCaroll’sAlice in WonderlandwerejuxtaposedwithquotationsfromascientifictreatiseentitledOrgane et function,creatingunexpectedrelationshipsandassociations.Conventionalnotionsoforiginality,authenticity,objecthood,narrative,andstyleweresupplantedbyappropriation,duplication,dis-tribution,juxtaposition,andrandomness.32
IagreewithEdwardShanken’sclaims,notonlyinrelationtothevitalityofBBS(BulletinBoardSystem),localnetworksandblogsinthe1990sandthefirstdecadeofthiscentury,buteventoday,whenverbalcommunicationandnarrationarestillattractiveforthosewhoworkwithnew-mediaart.
TranslatedfromtheItalianbyMaryDesmondandPasqualePolidori.
31 Cf.XLII Esposizione internazionale d’arte. Arte e scienza,exhibitioncatalogue(Venice:Marsilio,1986):someartistswhohadparticipatedinLes ImmatériauxparticipatedalsointhiseditionoftheVeniceBiennale.
32 EdwardA.Shanken,From Cybernetics to Telematics: the Art, Pedagogy and Theory of Roy Ascott,inR.Ascott,Telematic Embrace,ed.E.A.Shanken(Berkeley-London,2007,1sted.2003),p.67.
Les Immatériaux: An “Immodern” Project
Thierry Dufrêne
ThepreparatorypapersofJean-FrançoisLyotardfortheexhibitionLes Immatériaux,whichcanbeconsultedinthearchivesoftheCentrePompidou,constitutethesub-textofthefinalevent.Thephilosopherreflecteddeeplyupontheprefixin-(im-)whichbaptisestheexhibitionbyaneologism:“thenegation im-in‘immaterials’indicatesthesituationofaface-to-face,acon-frontationthatopposesthesubject,thesubjectofwill,ofspirit,ofthegaze,tothatwhichisnothim,andwhichfallsunderthegeneraldenominationmât.Thisface-to-facesituation,then,isunderminedtoday”1–undermined,indeed,tothepointofsuggestingawholeseriesofaliases,notionsandrelatedattitudes(“immature“,“incréer“,“immortel”etc.).Lyotardisawareoftheexistenceofaparadox,andretainsallofitscriticalanddialecticalvalue:IstheprojectofLes Immatériauxreallypostmodern,eventhoughinmanywaysitcontinuesthemodernprojectofknowledgeandmasteryofnature,suchthatwemightrightfullywonderifthetitleoftheexhibitiondoesnothideanother,whichwouldbethatofthe“immodern“?–aneologismwhichLyotarddidnotcreate,andthat,fromourperspective,hasonlythestatusofaworkinghypothesis.
Thephilosopherspecifiedthat,previously,amaterialwassomethingnaturalthatmantransformedaccordingtohispurposesorprojects.Today,ontheonehand,amaterialwhichdoesnotexistcanbeinventedaccordingtothe
1 ArchivesCentrePompidou,Exposition“LesImmatériaux”,Dossier2009012;transcriptfromarecordingofJean-FrançoisLyotardontwocassettetapes,whichcannotcurrentlybelocated.Accordingtothebeginningsentences,“Aprèssixmoisdetravailencommunavecl’équipeduC.C.I.etàunandel’ouverturedel’expositionintituléeLes Immatériaux”.ItwasprobablyproducedinSpring1984.Thecitationisfrompage4,line17andonward,translationseethisvolume,p.32.
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project(materialofsynthesis);ontheother,manismoreandmoreconsciousthathecannothaveanymoresimplerationalprojects.Why?First,becauseheinheritsfromthepastandcannotbuildonatabula rasa(asthemodernshadstillhoped).Second,becausethecomplexityoftechnosciencemultipliestypesofinformation,mediationandinteraction(withmachines,institutions),resultinginadecreaseinthevoluntarypartofcollectiveaction(states,companies),andallthemorethatoftheindividual.Andlast,becausethemodelsofactionandpurposethathadbeeninstitutedduringtheAgeoftheEnlightenmentshowedthelimitsofanthropocentrism.Lyotardqualifiesthenewstructureofcreativity,inthefieldofindustryasinthatofart,asfollows:“the principle upon which is built the operating structure is not one of a stable ‘substance’,butofanunstablesetofinteractions”.2Theartificialintelligenceofmachinesandthematerialsofsynthesisdecreasedthedifferencebetweenthehumanmindandthings.Thisinstabilitycreatesaconcern,aconcernwhichcharacterizesthepostmoderncondition.
Butwhenweconsidertheactualexhibition,itscatalogue,andthelaterpapersofLyotard,wecandistinguishbetweenLyotard’sthoughtwhenheplannedtheexhibitionandhisthoughtasmodifiedbyit.Thisthoughtwasundoubtedlypostmoderninthepreparatorystages:theascendancyofthehumansub-jectis“weakened”intheterm“immatériaux”,asitisgenerallythecaseinthepostmoderncondition(andLyotardishappywithit)3.Yet,inourview,histhoughtlaterbecame“immodern“,sinceheconsidersthattheidea“ofgeneralinteractionstrengthens“betweenmanandnon-humanbeings,themachines,themessages,thenaturalelements(wewouldaddcertainlytoday:animals),sincemanhimselfisnot“theoriginofmessages,butsometimesthereceiver,sometimesthereferent,sometimesacode,sometimesasupportforthemes-sage;andwheresometimeshehimselfisthemessage”.4Aftertheontologyofthesubject(modernity)anditscrisis(postmodernity),theontologyoftheinteraction(“immodernity”)opens.Afterthe“sorrow“,the“melancholy“,whicharethewordswhichqualifythepostmodern;thephilosopherspeaksthenofhis“gaiety“andevenhis“verybiggaiety”.5
AnarthistorianmayjustlyconsiderLes Immatériaux as the firstexhibitiontohavebeenheldinParis’sCentrePompidouwhichconsideredcontemporaryartaspartofa“globalsocialfact”,toemploytheexpressionofMarcelMauss.
2 Inatexttitled“LesImmatériaux.Présentation”datedApril1984,p.5.The“I”inthetextcanbeascribedwithcertitudetothephilosopher.ArchivesCentrePompidou,Exposition“LesImmatériaux”,Dossier2009012.
3 ArchivesCentrePompidou,Exposition“LesImmatériaux”,Dossier2009012,transcript,p.5,“thehumansubjectbecomesnolongerasubjectbut,Iwouldsay…justonecaseamongthemanymultipleinteractionsthatconstitutetheuniverse”,inthisvolume,p.33.
4 Ibid.,p.37.5 Ibid.,p.36.
Les Immatériaux 139
In his famous essay The Gift: Forms and Functions of Exchange in Archaic societies (1925),Maussobservedthatthosehumantransactionswhichappearthemostfree,suchasactsofgivingandreceiving,areframedbyobligationsofreciprocitywhichconstituterealsocialrules.Thegiftrepresentsthedonoraswellastherelationsbetweenthedonorandtherecipientandbeyond,theirchalk-linings.Inacomparableway,“immatériaux”accordingtoLyotardare,asalreadymentioned,an“unstablesetofinteractions“.6
DidLyotardmakethefirstpostmodern(art)exhibition?Shallwesaythatcontemporaryartists(sincethe1960s)arepostmodernonlybecausetheydidnotbelievetheycouldenlightenthefutureoftheirsocietiesanymore,astheavant-gardesofmodernartbelieved?
Intheexhibition,weseethemneverthelessfascinatedbythedecipheringofthepresent,whichtheydonotdefineaccordingtothepast,asdidthetradition,butfromwhichtheyquestionboththepast(origin)andthefuture(transformation).Therealsothehypothesisof“immodernart“canbeformulated.
LyotardisimpassionedbyBarnettNewman’sredefinitionofthesublime:asMarxhaddoneforHegel,NewmanputKantandBurkebackontheirfeet.Thesublimeishereandnow.AKlein,aFontana,aresublime;nobackworldisnecessary.Andweareinthe“Irreprésentable“,intheabstraction,whichisonlycolourandrhythm.Onthecontrary,LarryBell’sglasscubeandFrançoisMorellet’sneonstolethelightandpresenteditinitsimmanence,filteredbytheglassorbythematerial“neon“.Itislightwhichisatthesametimematter(subject)andmaterial(support).SimoneMartini’sAnnunciation(1333)intheexhibitioncansuggesttheovertakingoftheoppositionbetweenthe
6 InThe Gift (London:Routledge,1990),p.26,Maussinsistedonthemixtureofpeopleandthings.Thegiftisnotonlyanobject;itisthepersonwhogivesitandinawayremainsinitandactsthroughit:“Inshort,thisrepresentsanintermingling.Soulsaremixedwiththings;thingswithsouls.Livesaremingledtogether,andthisishow,amongpersonsandthingssointermingled,eachemergesfromtheirownsphereandmixestogether.Thisispreciselywhatcontractandexchangeare“.AndintherecordofLyotard’stalkpresentingtheexhibitionLes ImmatériauxinSpring1984,Après six mois de travail…,thephilosophersaid:“weseeasortofreinforcement,anexaggerationalmost,oftheintimacybetweenthemindandthings.Forexample,thesoftwarethatiscomingintogeneraluseonallscalesismindincorporatedintomatter;syntheticproducts,…aremattersthatarearesultofknowledge–theyareinstigatedbythemind…“(inthisvolumep.32).AnotherlinkbetweenMaussandLyotardistheirmethod,thatcouldbesummarizedina“Toutparle“(anythingspeaks;anythingmeans).InThe Gift (London:Routledge,1990),p.56,describingthehousesoftheTrobriands,Maussasserts:“Everythingspeaks–theroof,thefire,thecarvings,thepaintings–forthemagicalhouseisbuilt“.Inthetalkjustmentioned,Lyotardsaid:“Basicallyitwillalwaysbeaquestionofasking:Whatdoesitspeakof?Howdoesitspeak?Whatdoesitspeakwith?Whatspeaksandwhatdoesitspeakto?Presupposedintheveryideaofmodernityistheideathateverythingspeaks…“(ibid.,p.31).
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transcendenceofthe“irreprésentable”andtheimmanenceofthe“Stolenlight“(Lumièredérobée).
“Immodern”istheAnnunciation,initsanachronisticpresence.Theexhibitionproposedtheanamnesisofart.Anew“In-“isoutlined:“Intemporel”(timeless),atitlethatMalrauxgavetothelastbookofhistrilogyThe Metamorphosis of the Godsin1973.ForMalraux,thelaststageofthe“Muséeimaginaire“isthe“museumofbroadcasting“.AndThe Metamorphosis of the Godshadbecomein1978adocumentaryunderthetitleMétamorphoses du regardmadebyClovisPrévost.ThetransferfrombooktofilmisessentialinMalraux’sthinking.AsimilartransferfrombooktoanaudiovisualmediaproductionsuchastheexhibitionLes Immateriaux,isconceivedbyLyotardasarealfulfilment.LyotardstressedthatitwashewhohadtheideaofincludingsoundinLes Immatériaux: heevensaidthatthiswashisrealcontribution.
Theexhibition,butalsoitshiddenimages–thosethatwerenotusedandarestillinboxes,7potential–presentbreathtakingmaterial:scientificimagesviatheelectronmicroscope,plansofdropsofwaterandchromosome,radiologies,scannersandchromatographies.Theunderlyingideaofalab-oratoryofcosmogenesis–of“1985:ASpaceandTimeOdyssey“,inreferencetoStanleyKubrick’smovieof1968,2001: A Space Odyssey – appears in the numerousphotographsofthesky,thespectographsofinvisiblestars,andtheimpressiveaudiovisualastrophysicsdeviceprojectedonacircumferenceofthreemetresindiameterinCreusets stellaires(matière site).Butasinsciencefiction,themodernprojectisinfusedwitha“sorrow“,a“melancholy“:itisaverysophisticatedcivilization,butatitsend,itwondersaboutitsorigins.Alreadymachinesseemmorehumanthanmanandsingsongsbeforedying,asdidtherobotHAL9000inKubrick’smovie.Manneedstobebornagain.
Modernism,accordingtoLyotard,isthehistoryandthenarrativeofarobbery,ofaninterception:“allthemessageswerenotintendedforus,westealthem“(matière site).Manfoldedtheworldinhisintention.Drawingisconsideredasthe“motherofallthearts“:theexhibitionshowsthatwiththecalculatedimagesandthematerialsofsynthesis;itisrealitywhichissummonedtolooklikedrawing(Référence inversée).Nevertheless,theartistsarepreciselythosewhostagearealitywhichescapesbeingkidnapped:intheimpressivePresent continuous past(s) (1974)byDanGraham,thematter(subject)oftimeisinfinitelydividedinthemirroredimage.Also,asMatissehadpreviouslynoticed,theimmanenceofcolouralwaysescapesthelinedrawnbythepencil.
Ofallthosewhotriedtodefinewhatan“artworld“,an“artnetwork“is(MichaelBaxandall,1972;HowardBecker,1982;RaymondeMoulin,1992),Lyotardistheonlyonetohaveindividualizedthe“matrix“–thecode,sep-arating it clearly from the four other “mat“s: matériau,matériel,matière and
7 ArchivesCentrePompidou,Exposition“LesImmatériaux”,Dossier94033.
Les Immatériaux 141
maternité.ForBaxandallasforBecker,patronsandartistssharematernity–ifwetransposeitintothetermsofLyotard–ofworks(materials)whichdealwithsubjectsaccordingtothementalandsensitiveequipmentpeculiartoagivenperiodandculture.Thecodeisfluidintheexchange:thematrixistransparentintheexchange.Wecansaythatit ’sthesamefortheartanthropologistAlfredGellwhenherepresentsthe“networkofart“(Art Nexus)inhisbookArt and Agency(1998):therelationsrevealfourfundamentalterms:artist/index/prototype/recipient,which–exceptforthe“recipient”,whodoesnotreallyhaveanequivalentinthefive“mat”,accordingtoLyotard–correspondtomaterial/maternity/…/material(subject),withtwopositions:active,pas-sive(agent,patient).Thereciprocityofthegivenorders(information)andthereceivedordersoperatesinGell’sviewasinanexchangebetweenpeople(Mauss).
OnlyinLyotard’sviewdoesthematrix(thecode)existindependentlyofthepeople,andeventhreatenstoescapethemforever.Asetofrules,rolls,rations,uniformstakestowardsthehumanbeingadistanceequivalenttotheonethatthehumanbeinghadtakentowardsnaturebystealingallthemessages.Couldthesamekidnappingbemadeathisexpense?Couldtheinhuman–themachine–beabletotakecommand?
Lyotardsometimesseemstoleantowardsapessimisticvisionof“immatériaux“.FourteenyearsaftertheexhibitionLes Immatériaux,releasedonlyoneyearafterthedeathofthephilosopherinApril1998,themovieMatrix (1999)bytheWachowskibrothersgaveaglobaldimensiontothispessimism.Notonlymachinesbecametheexecutionersofhumanbeings,butthematrix–thecode,whichgivesitstitletothemovie–becamea“system“ofoppres-sion.Themoviepostulatesthatanyhybridizationwithmachines,anyartificialconstruction,anymeasure(mâtram)willinevitablyturnagainsthumanbeings.It activates a sort of “Neo-“symbolism(“Neo”isthenameofthehero)relatedtoGothicrevivalorNewAgerevival.NothingseemsmoredistantfromthethoughtofLyotard,forwhomthepostmodernconditiondoesn’timplyareturn totheorigin,butareturnontheorigin.
Moreoptimistic,morecritical,morearticulate,therecentmovieInterstellar (2014)byChristopherNolanisthusultimatelymoreLyotardian.Havingcrossedablackhole,theheroCoopercomesbackfromthefutureofspacejustbehindthebookcaseofhisdaughterMurph,andsendsheramessage.ThebookcaseremindsusofBorgès’slibrary,whichisamajorreferenceofLes Immatériaux.Inthefourthdimension(seeMarcelDuchampandLyotard),Coopercanwalkinanarchitecturewhosegallerieswouldbeasmanydifferentmomentsinlife.Thebookcaseistheinterfacebetweenmultipleintercon-nectedspaces.Cooperimplements(im)materials(prints,drawingsinthedust,magneticcurrent),amatrix(Morsecode),amaterial(books,watch),amaternity(heisthefatherwhoco-producestheequationswithhisdaughter),
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andasubjectmatter(thesecrettoboostlife,topreventeverythingfromagainturningintodust).
Forthatpurpose,ithasbeennecessaryforhimtogoovertotheotherside:topassthroughawormholeopeningontoothergalaxies.ThiswormholerecallsthesymboloflifegivenbythegoddesstotheEgyptianPharaohNectanéboIIintheEgyptianbas-reliefofKarnakwhichopenedtheexhibitionLes ImmatériauxintheCentrePompidouin1985.ThiswormholerecallsthesymboloflifegivenbythegoddesstotheEgyptianPharaohNectanéboIIintheEgyptianbas-reliefofKarnakwhichopenedtheexhibitionLesImmatériauxintheCentrePompidouin1985.Theengravedstonestoodattheentrance,andastretched-out,staggeredphotographicreproductionwasthelastexhibit.Thebas-reliefremindsusofthemonolithinKubrick’s2001, A Space Odyssey.Likethemonolith,ittestifiestothehumanasbeinga“case“.Lyotardindeedsawthehumansubjectnolongerasmaster,but“asacaseofthemultipleinter-actionswhichconstitutetheuniverse“.
HisvisionjoinsthatofHannahArendt,whoinBetween Past and Future(1961)assertedthatworksofart“arefabricatednotformen,butfortheworldwhichismeanttooutlastthelife-spanofmortals,thecomingandgoingofthegenerations.“8
Thatwouldbethe“immodern“hypothesis.
8 HannahArendt,Between Past and Future.(NewYork:Viking,1961),p.210.
The Shadow of the Sublime: On Les Immatériaux
Bernard Stiegler
ArecentarticlebyVivekChibber,“Capitalism,ClassandUniversalism“,1 denouncedtheideologicaldevastationwroughtbywhat,ontheothersideoftheAtlantic,isreferredtoaspoststructuralism,andbyvariationsonthisthemesuchaspostcolonialstudies.ChibberseemstoseenovirtueinthequestionsraisedbythosecurrentsofFrenchthoughtcollectivelydescribedaspoststructuralist–andthisisaseriousmistake.
Butforthosewho,likeme,affirmthenecessityofcontinuingtoexaminetheworksofpoststructuralism,anevengreatermistakewouldconsistinignoringthequestionsraisedbyChibber–or,inotherwords,todismisssuchquestions.
—
Inrelationtothesequestions,myownthesis–whichIattemptedtosyn-thesizeinStates of Shockbyproposingan“internalcritique“ofpoststruc-turalism(“internal“,thatis,acritiquethatproceedsbytakingupasmyowntheexpectationsofpoststructuralism,inordertoanalyseandovercomeitslimits,andinordertoelaboratewhatIcalla“newcritique“)–isthatwhatpost-structuralism(whichresemblesandisoftenconfusedwithpostmodernism)hasprovenitselfincapableofthinkingisechnics.2
1 VivekChibber,“Capitalism,ClassandUniversalism:EscapingtheCul-de-SacofPostcolonialTheory,”Socialist Register50(2014),p.63–79,availablefromtheauthorat:http://sociology.fas.nyu.edu/docs/IO/225/Capitalism_Class_and_Universalism.pdf.AnabridgedversionappearedintheMay2014editionofLe Monde Diplomatique.
2 BernardStiegler,States of Shock: Stupidity and Knowledge in the Twenty-First Century,trans.DanielRoss(Cambridge:PolityPress,2014).
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Les ImmatériauxwaspresentedtothepublicattheCentreGeorgesPompidouin1985,andobviouslyformeda“discoursefigure“aboutmatter,andthusmaterialism,anda“discoursefigure“thatwasperceivedasaveritable“postmodernmanifesto“.Les Immatériaux,then,didindeedgivesomethoughttotechnics,anddidsoeloquently,butalsomysteriouslyandtacitly–thetechnologyof“languagemachines“3constitutingamajorindicatorof“postmodernity“,aswasalreadythecaseinThe Postmodern Condition.4 AndLyotardclearlyapprehendsthesemachinesintermsofaquestion of writing–machinesthroughwhichLyotardwasledtolinkwriterstogetherinanoperationhecalledÉpreuves d’écriture–andthiswasthusaprescientapproach insofar as it foresaw that the networkwouldsoonbeamajorissuefor“postmodernity“.
ForreasonsIexplainatgreaterlengthinStates of Shock,however,theques-tionoftechnicsthatliesbehindthatofwritingisnotyetthoughtassuchinLes Immatériaux.5Thisisnotonlybecausethisexhibitiondoesnothaveadidacticrelationtoitspublic,butbecauseLyotardseesthetechnicalwritingthathereferstoas“telegraphy“,whichisthewritingof“development“,asbeinginoppositiontoanamnesicwriting,whichaccordingtoLyotardwouldbewhat“resists“thisdevelopment.
Furthermore,iftheexhibitioncouldnothavebeenandshouldnothavebeendidactic,thiswasbecauseLes ImmatériauxneededtograntaccesstotheexperienceofwhatLyotardcalled“the figural“,eventhoughtheproblem-atic of Discourse, Figure6giveswayheretothequestionofbearing witness to a différend in reasonthatgoesbeyondthemodern,Lyotard affirming this by bearing witness to it on the basis of Kant read through Wittgenstein.
—
Itisonthebasisofwhatatthattimewasreferredtoasthelinguistic turn–anexpressioncoinedbyGustavBergmann7andtakenupbyLyotardonthebackcover of The Differend8–thatLes Immatériauxpresentedwhat,30yearslater,weourselvesinsteadunderstandasatechnological turn.
Les Immatériauxwasanexhibitionconceivedandpresentedinthecontextofwhatwasthen,inFrance,calledla télématique–Francebeinginthosedays
3 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,“NewTechnologies”,Political Writings,trans.BillReadingsandKevinPaulGeiman(London:UCLPress,1993),p.18.
4 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,The Postmodern Condition: A Report on Knowledge,trans.GeoffBenningtonandBrianMassumi(Minneapolis:UniversityofMinnesotaPress,1984).
5 SeeStiegler,States of Shock,chap.4.6 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,Discourse, Figure,trans.AntonyHudekandMaryLydon
(MinneapolisandLondon:UniversityofMinnesotaPress,2011).7 GustavBergmann,Logic and Reality(Madison:UniversityofWisconsinPress,1964).8 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,The Differend: Phrases in Dispute,trans.GeorgesVanDenAbbeele
(Minneapolis:UniversityofMinnesotaPress,1988).
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aheadofitstimeintermsofdigitaltechnology,telematicshavingbeendevel-opedthroughtheMinitelanditsmessagingsystemsthankstothepoliticalwillreflectedintheMincandNorareportonThe Computerization of Society,9 alreadycitedinThe Postmodern ConditionsixyearsbeforeLes Immatériaux.The DifferendwaspublishedtwoyearsbeforeLes Immatériaux(and11yearsafterthe publication of Libidinal Economy10).
In the telematic shock that calls language into question through technics (throughtheappearanceofwhatDerrida,inEchographies of Television,called“teletechnologies“11)–thatis,thatcallslogosintoquestionthroughtekhnē –thereoccurswhatIrefertoasadoubly epokhal redoubling.12Betweenthetwomomentsofthedoublyepokhalredoublingworkisperformed,workinrelationtothequestionofshockitself,thatis,inrelationtothequestionoftheturnandofepokhality,oftheKehre,andfinallyofGestell.Insayingthis,IamthinkingnotjustofLyotardreadingHeidegger,butofBlanchotandNietzsche–thatis,ofthe“exigencyofreturn“andthe“changeofepoch“towhichBlanchotreferredinThe Infinite Conversation.13
Les Immatériauxundoubtedlysetthesceneinapremonitorywayforwhat,fromourstandpointtoday,begantounfold21yearsago(attheendofApril1993),andthatopenedupthehyper-industrialsceneofthetwenty-firstcentury.JustasDerrida,inArchive Fever,14foresawtheadventoftoday’sretentionalquestion,sotooLyotardsawcomingthedigital condition–thatis,thecomputational condition–borneby“languagemachines“,ashecalledthem.Andwhatwillbeheardovertheinfraredheadphonesofferedtovis-itorstotheexhibitionisastrikinglyclearnoetico-sensoryanticipationoftheeverydaydigitalrealitiesofthetwenty-firstcentury.
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LikeLibidinal EconomyandlikeThe Postmodern Condition,andforreasonsthatmaybedifferentineachcasebutthatarepartofasinglelineofinquiry,for
9 SimonNoraandAlainMinc,The Computerization of Society: A Report to the President of France,notranslatorlisted(Cambridge:MITPress,1981).FirstdeliveredinFrenchin1978.
10 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,Libidinal Economy,trans.IainHamiltonGrant(BloomingtonandIndianapolis:IndianaUniversityPress,1993).
11 JacquesDerridaandBernardStiegler,Echographies of Television: Filmed Interviews,trans.JenniferBajorek(Cambridge:PolityPress,2002).
12 Onthe“doublyepokhalredoubling”seeBernardStiegler,Technics and Time, 1: The Fault of Epimetheus,trans.RichardBeardsworthandGeorgeCollins(Stanford:StanfordUni-versityPress,1998),pp.233–238;BernardStiegler,Technics and Time, 2: Disorientation,trans.StephenBarker(Stanford:StanfordUniversityPress,2009),p.72–77;BernardStiegler,What Makes Life Worth Living: On Pharmacology,trans.DanielRoss(Cambridge:PolityPress,2013),p.34–36andp.112–116.
13 MauriceBlanchot,The Infinite Conversation,trans.SusanHanson(MinneapolisandLondon:UniversityofMinnesotaPress,1993),p.264–281.
14 JacquesDerrida,Archive Fever: A Freudian Impression,trans.EricPrenowitz(ChicagoandLondon:UniversityofChicagoPress,1996).
150 30 Years after Les Immatériaux
me Les Immatériauxtriggeredbothdoubtandunease,butalsoadmirationandeven(thoughthisisnottrueofLibidinal Economy)fascination.Thedoubtisbothpoliticalandconceptual:thescenethatopensupwithLes Immatériaux (andinawaythatwill,by2014,cometoseemperfectlyfaithfulinadvancetothesceneofthetwenty-firstcentury)isthatofaperformativity of discourse,aperformativity that seems to legitimate illegitimacy,thatseemstolegitimatetheendofnarrativesoflegitimationfoundedonthe affirmation of law as what alwaysliesbeyondanystateoffact–theendofnarrativesfoundedontheaffirmation of this difference.
Whatstruckmethenasamalaise–orwhatIwouldlaterrefertoasamal-être–andthatstrikesmetodayasdenialandassubmission to a state of fact,adenialandasubmissioncaused by a technological shock consisting in theradicaltransformationoftheworldbytelematics,istheverythingthatseems,intheeyesofVivekChibber,ifnottopavethewayfor,thenatleastto legitimate,aformofcapitalistorganizationthatleadstofinancialization,thatis,toglobalizationasuniversalizationbythemarket(asdescribed,forexample,byDeleuze15).
Nobodywasclear-sightedaboutthisatthebeginningofthe1980s(exceptperhaps,precisely,Deleuze).Buttodaywemust beso–whilenever-thelessinsistingthatthereisnolightthatdoesnotcastashadow:hencewemustpractiseapharmacologyofenlightenments,whichisalsotosay,apharmacologicalcritiqueoftheAufklärung,andwemustdosoinanepochwheretechnologyfunctionsatthespeedoflight.Withoutsuchaleap,wearefinished:thisis,forus,adutyandahistoricaltask–wherethis“us“refersinparticularto“digitalstudies“.ThearticlepublishedinThe Independent on May 1st,2014byStephenHawking,StuartRussell,MaxTegmarkandFrankWilczektestifiestotheextremeurgencyoftheneedtothinkthissituation(eveniftheirargumentisconductedonbasesotherthanthoseIamadvocatinghere).16
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IreadThe Postmodern Conditionin1983,ontheadviceofDerridaandbecauseherecommendedtakingLyotardasmymaster’sdegreesupervisor.Andthisreadingwasundoubtedlywhatthenallowedmetoprojectmyselfbeyond
15 GillesDeleuze,“ControlandBecoming”,Negotiations,trans.MartinJoughin(NewYork:ColumbiaUniversityPress,1995),p.172-173;GillesDeleuzeandFélixGuattari,What is Philosophy?,trans.HughTomlinsonandGrahamBurchell(NewYork:ColumbiaUniversityPress,1994),p.106.
16 StephenHawking,StuartRussell,MaxTegmarkandFrankWilczek,“Transcendencelooksattheimplicationsofartificialintelligence–butarewetakingAIseriouslyenough?”,The Independent (London) , May1,2014,availableat:http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/stephen-hawking-transcendence-looks-at-the-implications-of-artificial-intelligence--but-are-we-taking-ai-seriously-enough-9313474.html.
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Derridaandtowardsthequestionoftechnicsandindustry–evenif,ontheonehand,myimmediateimpressionwasthatLyotardhadgotcaughtup,alongwithAlainTouraine,17 Talcott Parsons18andDanielBell,19 in the fable of post-industrialsociety;andevenif,ontheotherhand,Iquicklycametotheconclusionthathispostureinrelationtotechnicsultimatelyremainedquitemetaphysical(ifnotmodern).
IbelievethatwhatremainsmetaphysicalabouttechnicsinLyotardmustberelatedbacktoKant:thisiswhatIwillnowendeavourtoshow.Iwilltrytodoso,notbyreferringto“TheoryandPractice“,20asIdidinthefinalchapterofTechnics and Time, 321whenIwantedtoshowthecontinuitythatrunsfromAristotletoKantintermsoftheircommonthoughtoftechnicsinrelationto“thatwhichcanbeotherwisethanitis“,to endekhomenon allos ekhein,butinsteadbyreturningtowhat,inmycommentaryonthetranscendentaldeductionoftheCritique of Pure Reason,22Ireferredtoasthefourthsyn-thesis:23 that of the transcendental imagination as the power of exteriorization that founds tertiary retention and is founded on it, and that constitutes as such organological power and knowledge(thatis,thepowerandknowledgethatarrangesliving,technicalandsocialorgansintoanoetico-pharmacologicalbecoming).
If the last grand questionposedbyLyotardisthatofthedifferend,ifthisques-tion is just–inthesenseofAu juste,ofJust Gaming24–sothatthefourcritiques(ofpurereason,practicalreason,aestheticjudgement,andtheworksonhistory)wouldbelanguagegames;andifthese games are not separable from an organology and from a process of grammatization that encompasses all grammatical questioning,includinginWittgenstein’ssense;allthisinclinestowardsandconjugatestheexperienceofapharmacological default that must be.AndLyotardis incapable of problematizingthispharmacologicalnecessityfor the same reasons that so prevented Adorno.LikeAdorno,Lyotard leaves in
17 AlainTouraine,The Post-Industrial Society. Tomorrow’s Social History: Classes, Conflicts and Culture in the Programmed Society,trans.LeonardF.X.Mayhew(NewYork:RandomHouse,1971).
18 TalcottParsons,“SomeReflectionsonPost-IndustrialSociety”,Japanese Sociological Review24(1973),p.109–113.
19 DanielBell,The Coming of Post-Industrial Society: A Venture in Social Forecasting(NewYork:BasicBooks,1973).
20 ImmanuelKant,“OntheCommonSaying:‘ThisMaybeTrueinTheory,butitdoesnotApplyinPractice’”,Political Writings,trans.H.B.Nisbet(CambridgeandNewYork:Cam-bridgeUniversityPress,1991),p.61–92.
21 BernardStiegler,Technics and Time, 3: Cinematic Time and the Question of Malaise,trans.StephenBarker(Stanford:StanfordUniversityPress,2011),chap.6.
22 ImmanuelKant,Critique of Pure Reason,trans.NormanKempSmith(London:Macmillan,1929).
23 Stiegler,Technics and Time, 3,p.140–141,andseechap.2.24 Jean-FrançoisLyotardandJean-LoupThébaud,Just Gaming,trans.WladGodzich
(Minneapolis:UniversityofMinnesotaPress,1985).
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the shadows the question of the schematism–andinthiscase,heleavesitin the aesthetic shadow of the sublime,thatis,oftheinfinite as the beginning and end of desire.
Andhetherebytakesaturnthatisnotjustlinguistic,butaestheticizing,asdomostofthephilosophersofthatperiod,andasdoes,today,JacquesRancière–alltherebyfleeingfromthenewquestionofpoliticaleconomyconcealedinthebecoming-techno-logicalofthetechnicsofgrammatization,abecomingthathasstrucklogoswithanunprecedentedshock.
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Ifweproposethatthereisafourthsynthesis,whichmakespossibletheworkofthethreesynthesesoftheimaginationaspresentedinthefirsteditionofthe Critique of Pure Reason,andastheirarrangement;andifwepositthatthissynthesis is tekhnē–andIamheretakingupLyotard’sthemein“LogosandTechne“25–thenitiswithKantthatwemustdiscusstheimmatériau.
Foriftheschema becomes tertiary retention,asIhavearguedinTechnics and Time, 3,thenitisanimmatériau–aswellasbeingwhatIcallahyper-material,supportedandformedbyhyper-matter.
(Awordonthisword,immatériau–whichemergedfromaseminarontheroot“mât“givenbyLyotardattheCollègeinternationaldephilosophie:LyotardwasoriginallyaskedbytheCentredecréationindustrielleoftheCentrePompidoutocreateanexhibitiononnewmaterials.Theimmatériau is anything but immaterial.Itisnotsimplyamaterial,butitisvery material.Thismaterialis,notably,thatoflanguagemachines–thatis,oflanguage,andwithitoflogos,deemedsincetheadventofmetaphysics(thatis,sincePlato)toproceedfromororiginateinthoseimmaterialsthatarethespiritual,thesuprasensible,theintelligible,andsoon.Iwouldhavelikedtospeaktoyouinthesetermsaboutwhat I call hyper-matter,butIcannotdothisonthisoccasion.WereIable,IwouldhavetriedtoshowthattheimmatériaurequiresustothinkwhatIhavecalledtheorganized inorganicandthepower of organization that results from theorganologicalandpharmacologicalsituationofthistechnicalformoflifethatis,accordingtoGeorgesCanguilhem,thenon-inhuman26–butthereisinsufficienttimeforthishere.)
Intheeconomicandpoliticalcontextthatwasbeingengineeredinthe1980sastheconservativerevolutionandultra-liberalism–aneconomicandpoliticalcontextthatexceededthought,thatthoughtwasnolongercapableofunder-standing–itispreciselythefunctioninganddysfunction of this schematism
25 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,“LogosandTechne,orTelegraphy”,The Inhuman: Reflections on Time,trans.GeoffreyBenningtonandRachelBowlby(Cambridge:PolityPress,1991).
26 GeorgesCanguilhem,The Normal and the Pathological,trans.CarolynR.FawcettandRobertS.Cohen(NewYork:ZoneBooks,1991),p.200–201.
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thatfailstobeunderstood.Soviet“materialism“,too,whichwasultimatelyadogmamorethanaphilosophicalposition,aStalinistandvulgarmetaphysics,wasincapableofconceiving,onthebasisofMarxistconcepts,theepis-temological,philosophical,scientificandindustrialstakesofinformationtechnologies;whileintheWest,thesestakeswereincreasinglyandinaverysuperficialwayconceivedastheadventofa“post-industrial“age(atermpromotedbyDanielBellandAlainTouraine,amongothers)–yetbeyondthisfable,theAmericancomputerandinformationindustrycontinuedtodevelopatanever-increasingpace.ThedelusionaldiscourseoftheSoviets,StalinistsandordinaryMarxistsaboutAmericanpowerwithrespecttocomputationaltechnologieswasthusaclearhistoricalsymptomofthedenialoftheorganological,pharmacologicalandhyper-materialpowerofAmerica:suchadenialissymptomaticoftheinabilitytothinkwhatisatstake,namely,theschematismconcretizedthroughwhatinTechnics and Time, 3 I call retentional systems.
Thesesystemsarewhat,threeyearsafterLes Immatériaux,inLyotard’sanalysisofanamnesisandhypomnesisonthebasisofthenotionsofbreaching,scanningandpassing,The Inhumanrendersunthinkable.
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Les Immatériaux,asIhavesaid,setthesceneforLyotard’sthesisonKant,therelations between the four Critiques,andtheimpossibilityofovercomingwhatLyotardcalledtheirdifferend–whichisacorrelateofdifférance.
ThisinterpretationofKantconstitutestherealissueofwhat,in1979,Lyotarddescribedasthe“postmodern“condition–whichI,some30yearslater,under-standasbeing,rather,atechno-logical,organo-logicalandpharmaco-logicalcondition.
Thisdiscourseofthedifferendpositsthatthecognitiveisneverenough,andarguesthatthedidacticcannotbear witness to the differend,wherethewitnessisasingularitythatcannotbereducedandwherethisirreducibilityisthatofthefigural.AndthisdiscourseisextendedinThe Inhuman intoadiscourseontechnics–andonatechnicsomnipresentinLes Immatériaux that in my view Lyotardwasunabletothinkotherthanasadeceptive machine attesting to the “postmoderncondition“–asthatwhichleadstorationalization,asAdornoandHorkheimerandthenHabermasrefertoordescribeitafterMaxWeber.27Butconfrontedwiththisrationalization,Lyotardconcludesthatnothingcanbedone.
27 MaxWeber,The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism,trans.TalcottParsons(London:AllenandUnwin,1930);MaxHorkheimerandTheodorW.Adorno,Dialectic of Enlightenment: Philosophical Fragments,trans.EdmundJephcott(Stanford:StanfordUni-versityPress,2002);JürgenHabermas,“TechnologyandScienceas‘Ideology’”,Toward a Rational Society,trans.JeremyJ.Shapiro(Boston:BeaconPress,1970),p.81–121.
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Nothingcanbedonebecausenounificationispossibleforthedifferend,norfortheOne,andsoon.Nounitivesynthesisispossible.Andhencethereisnopossibilityofmakingorinscribingadifferenceoffactandlaw,inthesenseofasubjectiveandunifyingprincipleofdifferentiation.
Unification,however,does occur,anditdoesso,precisely,techno-logically–asatechno-logicalsynthesisthatistheconditionoftheana-mnesicsynthesis;thatis,ofwriting,andnotasresistance,butratherasinvention;thatis,astheaprès-coupthatconstitutesthesecondmomentofthedoublyepokhalredou-blingasanewprocessoftransindividuation,constitutinganewtherapeuticofthis pharmakontowhichStephenHawking,StuartRussell,MaxTegmarkandFrankWilczekreferwithoutrealizingit.
Asforthenotionthatthesecondmomentcannottakeplaceduetothespeed of a pharmakonthatoperatesatthespeedoflight–thatis,asautomaton andabsolutepharmakon – this is what in States of ShockItriedtoshowisanideological fablethatmustberelentlesslycombated.Thisquestionofspeedrequiresustothinkcompletelydifferently,andthisincludes,precisely,thinkingthepharmakonassuch–whichisalsotosay,initstherapeuticpositivity.Butallthishasbecomeanobviousfactinrelationtowhichweareobviouslystillveryimpoverished,andforthisreasonitcallsuponuswiththegreatesturgency:allthiscanthusalsomeanwesinkintodeepmelancholy,regardlessofhow“intelligent“wearepurportedlybecoming.
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Postmodernitywouldbetheendoftheemancipatorypossibilityandof“narratives“affirmingandrealizingastateoflaw:ifitistruethatrationalknowledgeisthecapacitytodecidethisdifferencethatislawwithinastateoffact,thenthisamountstotheproblemthatknowledgehasbecomeacommodityandisperformativelysubmittedtoafactual systemic constraint that dissolves in advanceanyextra-performativelegitimacy(inthesensethatLyotardgivesto“performative“,asensethatneverquiteseemsclear,butthatcan clearly notbereducedtotheAustiniandefinition,nortotheexegesisonthisproposedbyDerrida).
Asforthedifferentiationoflawwithinfact,thisisanextremelytimelyques-tion–aswewillsoonseeinrelationto“bigdata“,thatis,high-performancecomputingappliedtomassivedatasets.Andhere,wemustresumethereadingofKantviaReligion within the Bounds of Bare Reason,28inordertorecallthatsuchare-readingtoday,thatis,in the epoch of language machines,is possible only through a re-definition of the schematism on the basis of this immaterial hyper-material that is tertiary retention,asliteraltertiaryretention
28 ImmanuelKant,Religion within the Bounds of Bare Reason,trans.WernerS.Pluhar(Indianapolis:Cambridge,2009).
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aswellasdigitaltertiaryretention,butalsoasanaloguetertiaryretention–these three retentional types constituting what in Technics and Time, 2 I call orthothetic hypomneses.AndatthispointIwouldliketorecallmyanalysisofthesequestionsinTechnics and Time, 3:
Indismissingthisretentionalfabricoftheoriginaryconstitutingoftime,ofwhathecallsthe“ownmosttime“ofDasein,andthroughhisoppositionto the “time of preoccupation“ of the They or the One,underthepretextthat tertiary retention is also the material support for the calculation andmeasurementoftime,HeideggerispreventedfromengagingatruecritiqueofeitherKantorHusserl:hedoespreciselythesamethingheaccusesKantofdoing.
IfKantwasnotabletodetectthiscontradiction,inwhichheattemptstocalltheworldbacktoanaprioriprinciple,whichishis contradiction–whichshowsthatitisnotpossibleforanyfluxofconsciousness,eventhatofKanthimself,torespecthisunifyingprinciples,evenwhentheyhavebeenformalizedbythatconsciousnessitself–thisis,asPhilonenkopointsout,
theresultofhisconceptionofspace,whichheconceivesastheframewithinwhichtheworldwilllayitselfout;inotherwords,the Kantian subject has no originary relation to a world, but only to a space;heisoriginarilysubject-without-world;itisbecausehehasaspacethathecanhaveaworld,andnotbecausehehasaworldthathecanhaveaspace.Consequently,ifspacelogicallyprecedestheworldandconditionsitsdimensions,theprinciplethatallowstheoperationofanaprioridistinctioninspace–thesenseofleftandright–willalsoallowmetooperateaposterioridistinctionsintheworld.It can thus be seen that the foundation of the Kantian analysis is at the same time its contradiction: it is the apriority of space, and yet it is nothing other than this apriority that is brought into question through the critique of the Kantian principle of orientation in space.Thetrueapriori,astheneed for a memory of any object’s positionclearlyshows,isnotspaceintheKantiansense,butbeing-in-the-world.
Butinfact,tohaveaworldcanbe Dasein’sspatialityonlybecausethisin-the-world-nessisitselfthein-the-world-nessofthetemporality that is Dasein.Spatialityisthein-the-world-nessofDasein.AndDasein’sin-the-world-nessis first and foremost, as the already-there,itstemporality.ThusDasein’sspatialityisitstemporality.Inotherwords,temporalitymustitself be worldlyinasensedifferentfromthatwhichHeideggeraccordstothisqualifierwhenreferringto“innerworldly“temporality,butwhichoperates throughthis“innerworldliness“sothatthein-the-world-ness
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ofthetemporalityofDasein,ashaving-to-beits time,weavesit(Dasein’stemporality)as what conditions its synthesis.29
NoneofthisisproblematizedbyLyotard,evenattheverymomenthedis-cussesthequestionoftheunitivesynthesisinKant,orwhenhemakesreferencetothe“immaterials“thatarelanguagemachines;andthisseemstome,today,highlyproblematic.Becauseitisthisthatconstitutesthequestionof the im-matériaux,whichisthequestionthat,betweentheimmaterialandthematerial,requiresustoexceedtheoppositionbetweenmaterialismandidealism,andtorevisitthenotionof“objectsinvestedwithspirit,“30 notions of hau,mana,31 totem,ofcategorizationinDurkheim’ssense,32andthatcanbethoughtonlyaswhat,exceedingtheoppositionofformandmatter,andashyper-matter,constitutesatertiaryretentionformingtheimmateriau of all Weltgeschichtlichkeit,sotospeak.
Les Immatériauxdidsetthescenefordigitaltertiaryretention,butwhatitlackedwasahyper-materialistconception–aconceptionnotpostmodern,butultramodern.Beyondtheprimacyoftimeoverspace(asinternalsense)orofspaceovertime(asUmwelt constituting a sphere or a Lichtung),thereliesthequestionofspeed;and,beyondthisquestion,thatoftherelationshipbetweenautomatizationanddis-automatization–ofautomatizationintheserviceofdis-automatization.
In The Differend,thereisnoOnethatwouldbereason.Dowethereforecon-cludethatthereductionofknowledgetoinformationalcommoditywouldthenbeeitherpossibleoracceptable?Aboutthisreduction,Lyotardsuggestswemust“resist“.Ibelievethatwemust,onthecontrary,invent.Wemustinventapharmacologicalcritique(fortheduplicityofthepharmacologicalsitu-ation is what the default of the onereallymeans),apharmacologicalcritiquethatcallsforanorganologyboththeoreticalandpractical,thatis:inventingandconfiguringitsinstrumentsaccordingtothetherapiesandtherapeuticsthataretheanamnesictransindividuationprocesseswhereindisciplinesareformed.Thiswouldbeanorganologythatinstantiatesthedifferend–eachtimedifferently–throughtheepochsoftertiaryretentionandthroughthetwomomentsofthedoublyepokhalredoubling.
29 Stiegler,Technics and Time, 3,p.161–162,translationmodified.30 EdmundHusserl,Ideas Pertaining to a Pure Phenomenology and to a Phenomenological
Philosophy,trans.F.Kersten(Dordrecht:Kluwer,1989),p.250.AndseeBernardStiegler,What Makes Life Worth Living: On Pharmacology,trans.DanielRoss(Cambridge:PolityPress,2013),p.72–74.
31 On mana andhau,seeMarcelMauss,A General Theory of Magic,trans.RobertBrain(LondonandNewYork:Routledge,1972),p.133–134;andMarcelMauss,The Gift,trans.W.D.Halls(London:Routledge:1990),p.1–12.
32 EmileDurkheim,The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life,trans.JosephWardSwain(NewYork:Macmillan,1965),p.21–33.
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Buttherecanbenoorganology,noranypharmacology,withoutanewcritiqueofpoliticaleconomy,andthismustalsobeapositivecritiqueofThe German Ideology33–ofthewayitoutlinesanorganology,andofitsnon-pharmacologicalcharacter.
Tolookbackinthiswayatthecriticalaftermathofthecontemporarydoublyepokhalredoubling,where Lyotard would in the final reckoning have borne wit-ness to the first moment,wemustre-readthosepagesofDiscourse, Figure in whichLyotardraisesthequestionofwriting.Forif,inThe Inhuman,Lyotardopposeswritingtotelegraphy–anditisthisoppositionthatconstitutestheregressionleadingtothe“philosophyofresistance“–inDiscourse, Figure he apprehendswritingfromanextremelyfruitfulperspective,inrelationtowhatI myself analyse as a retentional system:
Writing,unlikespeech,institutesadimensionofvisibility,ofsensoryspatiality…[T]hediscourseofsignificationhauntedfromwithinbythedeconstructionsspecifictoMallarmeanstylistics[is]affectedintheexteriorityofits(graphic)signifierbythesame“primary“spatialplay.34
One might then be able to reinvest anamnesis in terms of retentional systems older thandrive-basedsystems.Butifthisisasiteforconstruction,itmustwaitforanotheroccasion.Andourgoalmustbeinvention,conceivedasanindividuationatoncepsychic,collectiveandtechnical,whereindividuationisdefinedessentiallyasatechnicalandtechnologicalsituationinwhichtekhnē andlogosmustnotbeopposedtoeachother,norconflated,butwherelogos mustbetreatedasanhistoricalmodalityofthetransindividuationoftekhnē quaprocessofgrammatization–andinasituationthat,today,producesaprocessofgeneralizedproletarianization,asituationthatisamatterofover-coming through the invention of a new libidinal economy.
TranslatedfromtheFrenchbyDanielRoss.
33 KarlMarxandFriedrichEngels,The German Ideology,notranslatorlisted(Moscow:ProgressPublishers,1976).
34 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,Discourse, Figure,p.63,and482,translationmodified.
Exhibiting and Thinking: An Anamnesis of the Postmodern
Anne Elisabeth Sejten
Jean-FrançoisLyotard’sextraordinaryexhibitionLes Immatériaux was a com-plex,excitingculturalmanifestation,andeven30yearslateritisnothardtorecallthespecial,joyfulandintenseatmospherethatsurroundedtheexhibition.Onceitopened,thelargegalleryonthefifthflooroftheCentrePompidouwastransformedintoalaboratorythatinvitedmuseumvisitorstoexperiencethearts,technologyandphilosophyassomethingtangibleandcorporal,yetalsoashighlyintellectualandambiguous.Enteringthedarklabyrinthpre-organisedbythephilosopher,onecouldnothelpbutdecon-structandreconstructafragmentedlessononphilosophy.Foramoment,philosophyjoinedthepublicsphereonsurprisinglyphilosophicalpremises.
Ofcourse,thisexhibitionexperiencewentbeyondordinaryphilosophyteaching.Les Immatériaux wasconceivedforneitheramateurnorprofes-sionalphilosophers,butfortheCentrePompidou’sbroad,generalpublic.Nevertheless,thephilosophicalagendawasquiteobvious.LyotardhadjustpublishedLe Differend, a bookofphilosophywhich,heclaimed,espousedthe “philosophy of sentences” upon which Les Immatériaux wasbuilt.Theexhibition’sconcretecompositionalsoresteduponalinguisticinfrastructure–onthecommunicationmodeloflinguisticpragmatics–whichagainwasameansofcreatingaWittgensteinianplaygroundforvariouslinguisticfamiliesandenunciationinstances,themselvesincompatibleandlackingacommonmeta-languagethatmightsummariseandarticulatethemasawhole.Lyotardchosefivewordstocreatezonesofinquiryandphysicalarrangement:“maternity” (maternité),correspondingtothefunctionofthesender;“material” (matériel),correspondingtotheinstanceofthereceiver;“material” (matériau),correspondingtothesupportofthemessage(thehardwarethatmovesthe
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message);“matrix” (matrice), correspondingtothecodeofthemessage;and“matter” (matière), correspondingtothereferent(whatitisabout).Eachwordfocusedonadiversityofquestions:“Fromwhere?”,“Towhere?”,“How?”,“Bymeansofwhat?”,and“Concerningwhat?”Onthebasiclevelofsenders,receiversandcodes,theentireexhibitionwasdirectlyengagedinthestudyofmedia,questioningmaninhisrelationshipoftroubledauthortothematerialsofthetechnological,postmodernworld.
Inthesamespirit,Kantianconceptsimplicitlyinformthe“sites”,whichshouldbeconsideredasparticular,autonomousspaces,somethingmore(orless)thanmerestopsonaone-wayjourneythroughtheexhibition.HowthesiteswereorganisedwasreminiscentofthelandscapeormappingthatLyotardlikedtodrawwhenitcametoKantandthethirdCritique(theCritique of Judgement),insofarasreflectivejudgementembodiesthecriticalactivityitself,anactivityofestablishingrulesfordifferentandspecificusesofreasonincommensurablewithoneanother,andthereforedemandingarigorousdemarcationoftheirrespectiverealmsofvalidity.
SuchtracesofLyotard’shorizonsofthoughtmightinfactbesaidtofunctionas the transcendentaux of Les Immatériaux.Theexhibiteditemsandsiteswouldthenseemtobepermeatedbytwokindsofimmateriality:oneatatechnologicallevel,pointingtotheimmaterialstheyaremadeof(whichalsoincludestheinventivescientificmind);oneatamorephilosophical,con-ceptual level of transcendentals, pointingtoLyotard’sideaaboutthem–or,moreprecisely,hisstagingofthem.BeingoneoftheoriginalfeaturesofLes Immatériaux,thisdualityremainsasubjectofinquirywhenrevisitingtheexhibitionsomanyyearslater.Howwerethinkingandexhibiting,philosophyandexhibitionspaceactuallybroughttogether?Howcouldthinkingandexhibitingpossiblymeetonanequalfooting?Howcouldoneexhibitthinkingatall?“Thinking”apparentlyseemstopassthrough“exhibiting”inamovementfrominsideout,anddoesnotinformtheexhibitionfromtheoutsidein.Theorganisers’aimwasnottobepedagogical,buthighlyexper-imental;theydemandedanintellectualeffortonthepartofthevisitors.Eventhoughthevisitorswerenotmeanttobephilosophers,theirsensoryandintellectualinvolvementwasrequired.Buthowdidthinkingandreflection,asspecificallymental,immaterialactivities,andjoin“theimmaterials”oftheexhibition?Andhowshouldweunderstandtheonlydiscoursethatwasexplicitlyassumedbytheorganisers,whichpointedtowardsachangingconditionofsocietyassuch,presentingtheexhibitionas“postmoderndramaturgy”?1
1 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,“LesImmatériaux.UnentretienavecJean-FrancoisLyotard”(withJacquesSaurandPhilippeBidaine),CNAC Magazine, no.26,1985,p.13.Also,intheopeningwordsoftheexhibitioncatalogue,thedirectoroftheCentreGeorgesPompidou,JeanMaheu,evokedthe“dramaturgy”ofa“changingepoch”whilespeaking
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InaddressingthesequestionsIproposetodiscussmorethoroughlyhowthealmosthiddenphilosophical(transcendental)frameworkofLes Immatériaux wasactivated–orevenperformed–asanexhibition,revisiting“thepost-modern”inparticularasamajorissue.ConsideringthemanyattemptsLyotardmadeafterthepublicationofhis1979The Postmodern Condition toexplainandspecifywhathehadintendedbylaunchingthedebate,theexhibitioncouldbeseenastakingpartinanongoinganamnesisofthepost-modern.Fromthatperspective,Les Immatériaux concerns the issue of what hadkeptbeingforgotteninthedebateonthepostmodern.
The Transcendentals of Les ImmatériauxWhiletheterm“transcendental”mayappearinaccurate,itismorethananamusingplayonwordsthatmakes“transcendentaux”rhymewith“Immatériaux”;itis,onceagain,ahintatLyotard’ssignature.Duringthe1980s,hehadcommittedhimselftoaclosereadingofKant.BothinLe Differend andathisweeklyseminaratParisVIII,LyotardinsistedoninterpretingtheKantianprojectbackwards,almostwordforword,startingfromthethirdCritique. Andthisre-readingofKant,atitsverysource,wasnotonlyamatterofaesthetics–eventhoughLyotard’sinterestinthesublimemightinitiallyhavepushedhimtoundertakeit.Rather,Lyotardwascaptivatedbythedestabilizingeffectofthethird Critique,and byKant’scourageinreopeninghiscriticalproject,re-examining,problematisingandclarifyingthefragilefoundationofwhathehadpreviouslyachievedbyestablishingandseparating,backtoback,thetwomajorfacultiesofman:understandingandreason.Becauseatthebottomofcognitivereasonandpracticalreason,Kantrehabilitatedreflectivejudgement,die reflektierende Urteilskraft.Thisrathercomplicateduseofreason,whichlacksanyjurisdictionpriortoitsproceedings,thushastoestablish,afterwards(après-coup),itsownrules,reflexivelyineachparticularcase.
LyotardinsistsonmeetingKantinthisvulnerable,exposed–exhibited–position,inwhichthedeterminingjudgementfinallyhastostepaside,rec-ognisingthatitowesitssoliditytoananterioractivityofthemind,namelythereflectivejudgement,whichcannotclaimthesamelegitimacy,becauseithastoproceedwithoutconcepts.Logicisnotanoptionhere,whichiswhyreflectivejudgementhastobededucedinanaestheticcontext,asitisgroundedonafeelingonly,thefeelingoftherightadjustmentbetweenimaginationandreason.Ofcourse,therewouldbenophilosophywithoutconcepts.AsAdornostatedinNegative Dialectics, “thinkingisidentifying”.2 It is impossibletothinkwithoutconcepts,andphilosophicalconceptsnecessarily
about“postmodernity”.SeeAlbum et Inventaire (Paris:EditionsduCentreGeorgesPompidou,1985),p.3.
2 TheodorW.Adorno,Negative Dialektik (FrankfurtamMain:Suhrkamp,1966),p.17.(“Denkenheißtidentifizieren.”)
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subsumetheparticularbymeansofuniversalcategories.ButfollowingtheverysamecommitmentasthatofAdorno,Lyotarddedicateshisthinkingtowhatdoesnotdisappearintheconceptwithoutleavingtracesofresistance.Hewantstobearwitnesstowhathecalls“theunpresentable”or“thefigural”,justasAdornospokeabout“thenon-identical”.3So,ifthinkingessentiallyequalsidentifyinganddeterminingconceptualthinking,thenon-determinableshouldneverthelessbethehorizonofphilosophy,itsinstigationandsecretaim.Withtheirpolyphonicandheterogeneousspace,“theImmaterials”offerasimilarspringboardforexperimentationontheveryedgeoftheexhibition’sconceptualentries,andaredesignedtomakevisitorssensitivewithoutgettingthemcaughtinstigmatisingconceptualisation.Atthesameinstantthatweareinvitedtoapproachwhatanexhibitedobjectmightrepresent,signifyorchallengeas“immaterial”,bymarkingitconceptually,theconceptualisingactivityofourmindsshouldsomehowbemarkednegativelybytheaffectsthatitcauses.
ForLyotard,alltheKantiannegativedeterminationsoftheaestheticjudgementoftaste–beingwithoutinterest,proceedingwithoutconcepts,havingnootheraimthanitsownpurelyformalfinality“withoutpurpose”–standasanentryintotherealmofphilosophyas such;theyhavetodowiththeconditionsofpossibilityforcriticalthinking.ThisisalsowhyLyotardwasalwaysemphasisingthetranscendentallevelofKant’scriticisminsteadofdismissingit.Byexploringthelimitsandconditionsofknowledgeandreason,Kantcertainlydealswiththeconditionsofpossibility,whichareaprioritoanyempiricalreality;buthedoesso,notinordertoescapereality,butratherinordertograspthoseunpresentable–thusimmaterial–mentalstructureswhichmakethinkingpossible.
Les Immatériauxsimultaneouslyexhibitsandbuildsuponsuchatran-scendentalframework.TheKantianhorizonservesasmorethanjustanexternalframeofreferencetowardstheexhibition:withLes Immatériaux, rather,Kantbecomesoperational.Underthetranscendentalauthorityofreflectivejudgement,Kantianconceptssuchasthesublimeandthesensus communis migrate into the organisation of Les Immatériauxandworkthereasakindoftranscendentaux.Les Immatériaux doesnotpresentadisplayofartworksandotherobjectsaccompaniedbysomephilosophicalexplanation.Itwouldbetruertoarguethatitembracesatranscendentaldramaturgy,outliningtheconditionsofpossibilityinordertogeneratesensationsinthespectator.Theaimistoactivateasenseofawarenessofthatwhichisnotyetdefined,orthatisevenundefinable.Itisamatterofcreatingreactions,ofgeneratingintellectualandemotionalattention.Les Immatériaux was philosophicalinatrulyexperimentalway,lessbecauseaphilosopherexhibitedhisphilosophythanbecausetheexhibitionaimedatmakingmental
3 Ibid.,p.152.
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activitypossibleamongthosewhowalkeddownthelabyrinthontheirown,simultaneouslytransformingtheexhibitionintotheinterfaceoftheirrandomwalking.
Pursuingtheideaofthisintimaterelationshipbetweenthinkingandexhibiting,itwouldnotbewrongtosaythatLes Immatériauxwaswell-situ-atedatthefifthflooroftheCentrePompidou,whichwasnormallydevotedtotemporaryartexhibitions;fortheexhibitionwaspreciselyanartwork,aGesamtkunstwerk.4Theexhibiteditemsderivedfromallpossibledomainsofknowledgeandeverydaylife.Besidestheartworks–amongothers,thoseemblematicofGiovanniAnselmo,MarcelDuchamp,DanFlavin,YvesKlein,JosephKosuth,FrançoisMorellet,PhilippeThomasandAndyWarhol–visitorsmetadiverserangeoftechnologicalandscientificdocumentationandobjects:musicalscores,architecturaldrawings,projectionsofphotosandfilms,musicvideos,robots,andalmostfuturistichigh-techdevicesthatweretheprecursorofinteractivecommunication,anticipatingtoday’ssocialmedia–especiallyinthesectioncalled“Épreuvesd’écriture”,whichwasdisplayingacomputer-mediateddiscussionamong26participants(includingJacquesDerrida,DanielBurenandMichelButor)of50termsproposedbyLyotard.Les Immatériauxhadindeedlittletodowithtraditionalorevenadvancedartexhibitions,nordidtheorganisersadoptadocumentaryformat.Theexhibitionwasnonethelessallthatatthesametime:documentaland artistic and almost an amusement parkwherethespectatorcouldtrydifferentattractions.Thishybridisationoftheexhibitiongenrecontributedtocreatingablurringeffect,anuncomfort-ableunreadabilitythatalmostcertainlycharacterisesallart.
Itmightalsobeatthisgloballevelthattheconceptof“thesublime”makessense.ThesublimedidnotprimarilyworkasathematicguidelineforLes Immatériaux,norasanart-historicalreference,butataperformativelevel;andlikeallperformances,thisagainpointstothevisitor,whowassolicitedbyhersensesinatroublingwaythatonemightcomparetothesublimeanditstwofoldstructureofpleasureanddispleasure.Theiconicworksofartthatwereexhibited–eventhosebyJacquesMonoryandMarcelDuchamp,aboutwhomLyotardwroteextensively–werenotchosenfortheirpossibleaes-theticdialoguewiththesublime.Somewhatsurprisingly,LyotardstressedthatDuchamp’saestheticshadnothingtodowiththesublimethatitleftbehind.5 Thesublimeinsteadconcernstheexhibitionasawhole,andhastodowithitsgeneralopacityandresistancetobeingperceivedinasimpleway.Iftheexhibitionwasinfactdifficulttoread,todecipher,itwaspartlyduetoitsfluidandimmaterialorganisationofspace,bymeansofwhichhumanperception
4 Lyotard,interviewedbyBernardBlistène,confirmedhisartisticambitionwiththeexhibition:“I’mparticularlyconcernedwithturningtheexhibitionitselfintoaworkofart.”“LesImmatériaux:AConversationwithJean-FrançoisLyotard”,Flash Art, no.121,March1985,p.8.
5 Ibid.,p.2.
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cameunderpressure.Thisdisruptionofperceptionmadeitpossible,however,forthevisitortoexperience–perhapsevenjoyfully–somethingattheverylevelofbodilyperception,withoutreallybecomingreadableintermsofsign,senseandsignification.
Thus,perceptionwasdeliberatelymadeproblematic,interestingandshifting;itdependedonhowthedifferentsitesaddresseddifferentsenses,intensifiedbythesoundtrack.Onemajortoolforcreatingpotentiallysublimeexperienceswasthegreymetalliccurtains.Enablingafluidandimmaterialorganisationofspace,thepartitionmaterialchallengedtraditionalwaysofdefiningthings.Suspendedfromtheceilingtothefloor,theseunsteady,woven,thinmetallicwallscreatedablockedtransparency,moreorlessopaque,accordingtothelighting.Infactthevarietyofwaysinwhichthecurtainswerelitallowedthedistanceofthegazetovary,butwithoutbeingprescriptive,sincemanyofthesiteshadintersectionsthatallowedvisitorstowalkinanumberofdifferentdirections.
ThedramaturgicalsettingcreatedasortoftheatricalityofLes Immatériaux,butessentiallyfromthevisitor’sperspective.Iftheexhibitionwasconceivedastheatre–even,accordingtothefirstsiteoftheexhibition,as“Theatreofthenon-body”–thistheatre,again,wasbasicallyconceivedasaperformancethatengagedthevisitorinhisorherentirety.Astrikingexampleonthe“material”trackisthatofthesite“Musiciandespitehimself”,wheremicrophones,sonarsandcomputerstranslatedeverymovementvisitorsmadeintomusic,thesoundmadeaudiblebythetransmittercircuitandheadphones.Thisset-upalsoindicatedthattheeyeshouldnolongerbethesoleconduitofperceptionintheexhibitionexperience.Intheexhibitioncatalogue,Lyotardvindicatespostmodernspace-timeasaradicallynewwayoforganisinganexhibition,explicitlybreakingwiththetraditionalorganisationofartexhibitionsthataccordedanexclusiveprivilegetotheeyeforcenturies.6
Inachievingthisambition,themostradicalingredientwasperhapsthesoundtrack,whichchangedfromoneradiozonetoanotherasthevisitorswalkedaroundtheexhibitionspace.Completelyvoidofcommentariesofanykind,thesoundtrackcontainedacousticpresences,textsbyauthorssuchasBeckett,Artaud,Proust,Borges,MallarméandZola,butalsobytheoreticians,philosophersandscientistslikeBarthes,Bachelard,Blanchot,Baudrillard,VirilioandLyotardhimself–voicesthatcouldthustakepartinwhatmightbeatstakeineachspecificsite.Thetextswerereadaloudinaneutralway,deliberatelyavoidinganyinterpretationofthewordsspoken.Thesereal,immaterialworkswereactuallynothingbutvoices,yettheyinfactseemedmaterial,corporeal,likemusicenteringtheflesh,challengingthepresenceofabsences.ThiscontextmayalsoaffordusanunderstandingofLyotard’s
6 SeeLes Immatériauxcatalogue,Album,p.19.
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increasinginterestinMalraux,towhomhedevotedaphilosophicalbiographytenyearslater.Essentially,LyotardtriedtorethinkMalraux’soldquestionof“thevoicesofsilence”intermsofhisownideasaboutmakingvisible,audible,andthusthinkable,thatwhichcannotbeseen,heardorthought.ThatparadoxalsoconstitutestheinnerstructureofwhatLyotardassociatedwiththeconceptofthesublime–and,accordingly,withtheattempttobearwit-nesstotheunpresentable(atthispointheisfollowing,asnoted,Adorno).
Intheend,thereseemstobenorealconsensusaboutwhatthese“Immaterials”shouldstandfor.Theyareindeedmadeambiguousandcon-tradictory,withtheonlyintentiontocallforattentionandbecomein act, asPaulValérywouldhaveputit.“TheImmaterials”demandedthattheybeacteduponbyvisitors.Itwasamatterofengenderingastateofmind,wheresensibility,affectionandreflectionweremobilisedinanopen,free,non-determinedplay,notnecessarilyasanactivity,butaspurereceptiveness,sensitiveness.Itwasamatterofbeingabletoreceivesomethingwithoutdefiningit.Thisopennessandindeterminationbringsusbacktoreflectivejudgementand,morespecifically,tothesensus communis thatKantdeducesinthefourthmomentofthejudgementoftaste.Lyotardinterpretsthesensus communis inarestrictive,purelytranscendentalway.7 Sensus communis is not anempiricalconsensusregardingthebeautiful;ithasnothingtodowithasharedcommunity,butpointstoasign–oratestimony,orapromise–ofcompatibilitybetweenthefacultieswithineachsubject.Whatmakessense here isthemerecapacitytothinkreflexively,whichcanonlybeconsideredafterwards,asemphasisedagainandagainbyLyotard.
Thiscomplicatedconceptthuspointstoaself-reflexivity,causedbytheaes-theticshockthatcanonlyeverbeexperiencedindividually.BeitstudentsofLyotard,regularmuseumvisitorsorrandomvisitorsofanybackground,thetaskisthesame.Les Immatériauxwasmeanttoencouragethisspecifickindofreflection,asortofintellectualsensibility,orsensibleintellectuality,towardstheseheterogeneouslyexhibitedobjectsthatmightperhaps,notinthemselves,butthankstotheircomplexstaging,inspireafeelingofuncertainty;anuncertaintyabouttheaimoftechnologicaldevelopments,andanuncertaintyabouttheidentityofthehumanindividual.ItisatpreciselythispointthattheissueofthepostmodernarisesasachallengethatjustifiestakingacloserlookattherathercomplicatedphilosophicalagendaassumedbythepostmoderninLyotard.
7 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,“SensusCommunis,”Le cahier du collège international de philosophie, no.3(1987),p.71–74,andLyotard,Leçons sur l’analytique du sublime (Paris:Galilée,1991),p.31–33.
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Les Immatériaux: an Exhibition of Postmodernity?Ontheonehand,postmodernityhappenedtobetheonlydiscursiveelementthatinformedtheexhibitionthematically,givingitastrongsymbolicvalue.Ontheotherhand,postmodernitywasnotexhibitedinanyrepresentativeway.Tobesure,themayorofParis,JacquesChirac,hadturneddownPres-identFrançoisMitterrand’srequestthatPariscelebratethebicentennialoftheFrenchRevolutionwithauniversalexhibition,whichiswhyLes Immatériaux canbeseenasanironiccommenttobothpoliticians;inotherwords,asasortofuniversalexpositionofpostmodernity.Anticipatingtheexhibitionthatwouldnottakeplacein1989,ontheotherhand,Les Immatériauxindirectlybecamethesymboloftheendofuniversalexhibitionsandasymboloftheirimpossibility.
Nonetheless,thegeneralquestionabouthowtherelationshipbetweenmanandnature,ormaterials,was“affectedbytherevivalofnewtechnologies”wasindeed,fromtheverybeginning,subjecttoapostmodernframing.InaninterviewLyotardgaveonLes Immatériaux whentheexhibitionwasstillbeingplanned,heclearlystatesthattheentireexhibitionwasmeanttoaddressour“anxietyaboutthepostmoderncondition”.8Andhisreplytothequestionaboutwhatpostmodernismcould“finally”besaidtobeconfirmshiscommit-menttothatquestion:“Mywork,infact,isdirectedtofindingoutwhatthatis,butIstilldon’tknow.Thisisadiscussionthat’sonlyjustbeginning.It ’sthewayitwasfortheAgeofEnlightenment:thediscussionwillbeabandonedbeforeiteverreachesaconclusion”.9
Thisremarkisratherprophetic,thequestionofthepostmodernhavingprobablyalreadycausedLyotardmoretroublethanphilosophicalscrutiny,andhewouldindeedultimatelyhavetoabandonthepostmodernbeforecomingtotermswithit.Still,itisworthnotinghowLyotard’sattachmenttothepostmodernwasheavilyinscribedintheinitialideasunderlyingtheexhibition.Les Immatériaux somehow elaborates onthepostmodern.Indeed,thepostmodernmightevenrefertothe“missingsignified”for“theentiretyoftheexhibition”.10Atanyrate,itisinavocabularywhichcombinesthepost-modernandthesublimethatLyotardconnectsLes Immatériaux to the “chagrin thatsurroundstheendofthemodernageaswellasthefeelingofjubilationthat’sconnectedwiththeappearanceofsomethingnew”.11
ThesecommentsrecallthephilosophicalworkthatLyotardcalledanamnesis, atermhehadborrowedfromFreudandmadeuseoftodescribesituations
8 “LesImmatériaux:AConversationwithJean-FrançoisLyotard,”(withBernardBlistène)Flash Art, no.121 (March 1985),p.10.
9 Ibid.10 Ibid.11 Ibid.
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inwhichthephilosophicalcommunitywasaffectedbydiscomfortingfeelings.His1988bookonHeidegger(Heidegger and “the Jews” ), forexample,waspresentedasananamnesis,bymeansofwhichLyotarddismissedthebadalternativebetween“accusations”and“apology”thatcharacterisedthevehementFrenchHeideggerdebateatthattime.Howcouldathoughtdevotedentirelytothethemeofoblivion,theoblivionofbeing,forgetandkeepsilentaboutrelegatingawholepeopletooblivion?Somethingnon-forgettableisforgotten,overandoveragain.EventhoughtheHeideggerdisciplesalreadyknew,eventhoughtheywereawareoftheproblemofNazisminHeidegger,adisquietingfeelingremained,andLyotardinsistedonthatdisquietudeasfundamental.Thepostmoderndebatemighthaveneededasimilartreatment,akindofanamnesis,elaboratingonwhathadgonewronginthatdebate–thatistosay,whatkeptbeingforgotten.
The publication of The Postmodern Conditionin1979madeLyotardworld-famousandmanypeoplebeganreadinghimatthisparticularpoint;whichis somewhat ironic given that The Postmodern Condition happens to be the leastrepresentativeofhisworks.Postmodernismcanlikewisebeconsid-eredanevent.Somethingnewhadfinallyhappenedwithinphilosophyandthehumanities–not,ofcourse,withoutdissention,andthemediadidnothesitatetodramatisetheevent,oftenbyopposingFrenchirrationalismtoGermanfidelitytotheEnlightenment.Thebattleofpostmodernismwason.ConsideringLyotard’sattitudetowardstheHeideggeraffair, justdrawingthelinesofbattleshouldbeawarning.Whathadbecomeoftheevent,philosophicallyspeaking?Preciselythefeelingthatthedebatehadfailedtoaddresstheissueofthepostmodern–andfailedpainfully–demandedarein-vestigationofthepostmodern.
Initially,thetermpostmodernaddressedthechangingstatusofknowledgeinphilosophyinhighlydevelopedsocieties(thesubheadingofThe Postmodern Condition is A Report on Knowledge).Ontheonehand,Lyotardstressestheimpactofinformatics(andinformationscience)onknowledge.Thecapacitytostoreanever-increasingamountofdatanecessarilyaffectsknowledgeand,accordingly,challengescrucialnotionssuchasthoseofhistory,memoryandtime.Les Immatériaux continuedtoexplorethatperspective.Ontheotherhand,theprovocativethesisonthedeclineofthegrandnarrativescontributedtoapostmoderndefinitionofknowledge.FromHegeltoMarx,arecitativestructureworksatthecoreofthephilosophyofhistory,Lyotardargues.Thediscoursesofknowledgeissuingfromthistraditionarenarratives,because,althoughlayingclaimtoscientificstringency,theirtruthclaimsaresupportedbyanarrativewhich,scientificallyspeaking,isnotknowledgeatall.Theysimplytella“goodstory”–thestory,forexample,abouttheprogressofhumanitytowardsanever-bettersociety.Whenatelos of this nature is hiddeninthediscourseofknowledge,thisdiscoursecanhardlygiveproof
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ofitsvalidity(asscientificknowledge)bypleadingthescientificcriteriaoftruthorfalsity.Theideaofapredestinedhumanitycannotbeproved;itisonly,asLyotardlatershowswithKant,auniversal“Idea”,inconceivabletothecognitivereasonofhistory.
Itisprobablyatthisfartoo“famous”pointofthegrandnarrativesthatwehavetoremaincareful.Accordingtothedebatesonpostmodernity,thefailureofthegrandnarrativesoflegitimationbecamethewholecruxofthematter.How,forexample,doesoneadoptapositiontowardsthisdecline,nowanobjectofcelebrationandaffirmation,nowanobjectoflamentationanddepression?Focusingexclusivelyontheissueofthegrandnarratives,thedebateinevitablydisintegratedintoopinionsandmainstreams–inaword,intoideology–withoutmuchattentionbeingpaidtothefactthattheexperienceofdelegitimationwasnotnew,butratherimmanentinmodernity.When,forexample,Lyotard(againfollowingAdorno)referstothename“Auschwitz”,hewantstopayattentiontoa“signofhistory”,whichindicateshowmuchWesternhistory–“our”history–isapparentlyinconsistentwiththemodernprojectofemancipation.Inacertainway,realhistory,atrociouslyreal,hasdeniedthepossibilityofahumanhistoryalready.Theradicallynewinthepostmodernsituation,asLyotardexplainsinThe Postmodern Condition, wasthat,bymeansofaperformativeself-legitimisinggearing,technologicaldevelopmentandsciencehadbecomeadherenttothecritiqueofthephilosophyofhistorytoeventuateitsfinalfall.
Thus,ifpostmodernitydoesnotrepresentanewage,butratherrepeatsessentialfeaturesofmodernity,itpointstoadifferentwayoflegitimatingthatgivesrisetoconcern,andthatconcernwasevidentlysharedbytheorganisersof Les Immatériaux.Thewholeideaofasubtlechangewithinlegitimatingprocessesclearlymotivatedtheorganisationandspecificsitedesigns,insofarastheexhibitionwasmeanttomakethevisitorexperiencenewtechnologiesinambiguousways.Fascination,uncertainty,anxiety,ifnotdisgust,areassociatedwithallthevarioussitenames:“Siteofthesecondskin”,“Siteoftheangel”,“Siteoftheblown-upbody”,“Siteoftheundiscoverablesurface”,“Siteofthebodilesspainter”,“Siteoftheinvisibleman”,“Siteoftheshadowofshadow”etc.WithLes ImmatériauxLyotardimplicitlydeliversachallengetobesensitive–andthisinanalmostauditorysense–towardssomethingthatmorethaneverissilencedbythepostmoderntechno-reality.RegardlessofhowweaddressLes Immatériaux,thepostmodernreferencekeepscroppingup,butbecomesmoreandmorecomplexandambiguous.Thatiswhywemustrisk,even30yearslater,ananamnesisofthepostmodern.
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Postmodernism, Postmodernity, the Postmodern: Which One to Choose?
Areconstructionofthepostmoderncertainlyrequiresaglobalapproachandamoreretrospectivecross-readingofLyotard.The Postmodern Condition seemstopreferthesociologicalandhistoricalaspecttothephilosophical–apointofcontentiontowhichLyotardwasthefirsttoconcedeandtorenounce.Insubsequentyearscorrections,addendumsandelaborationscharacterisehisattempttodefendtheimportanceofthepostmodernquestion,torescueit,eventhoughthetermhadalreadybeenabused.Asmentionedabove,The Differend,publishedin1983,containsthisoriginal“philosophyofsentences”thatrephrasestheproblemoflegitimationthatwasatthecoreofthebookonthepostmoderncondition.In1986LyotardpublishedvariousessaysattemptingtooutlinetheimplicationsofthepostmodernquestioninThe Postmodern Explained for Children.Theprovocativetitle,itshouldbenoted,embracesmorethanirony.Theappealtochildrenimpliesthatonlythosewhohavenotexcludedchildhood,includingitsaspectofindetermination,fromthesupposedlyself-enclosedsphereofadulthood,maycometoanunder-standingofthepostmodern.In1988anothercollectionofessaysappearedinThe Inhuman, whichagaintakesup,thoughmoreindirectly,thepostmodernquestion,thistimewithastraight-facedattackonFrenchneo-humanism.12 WhattheseessaysshareisasharpdemarcationwherebyLyotardforbidsanyideologicalexpropriationoftheconceptofthepostmodern.Onecouldsaythatheseparatesthepostmodernfrompostmodernismaswellasfrompostmodernity.
Ontheonehand,thepostmodernisnotidenticaltopostmodernism.Post-modernismavoidablyinfersan“-ism”,whichherepointstoatrendwithintheartsand–especiallyinthiscase–withinarchitecture.Architecturalpost-modernismmaybedefinedaseclecticism–anassemblageoffragmentsofstylefromvariousperiods.Thefinalworkofart(ofarchitecture)appearsas“quotations”fromearlierperiodsandhenceasaparadoxicalstatingofthepresent,whichisincapableofinventinganew“grand”style.However,acarelessuseofthepastmightruncontrarytothisexerciseofmemory,whichLyotard,drawingonFreud,designatesanamnesis.Theanamnesisinsteadreferstoaninterminablelabourofmemoryintheactofelaboratingsomethingthatispermanentlyblocked.Anamnesisseeksaninaccessiblepast.InthissenseitmightnotbesurprisingifLyotardcondemnspostmodernisminsofaraspostmodernists,architects,rhetoriciansorothersactasifthepastwereaccessible;inreality,theyareonlyrepeatingdefencemech-anismstowardsresistantmoments,whichcannotberepeatedbutaskfor
12 VictorFarias’s1987book,Heidegger, instigatedthefierceFrenchHeideggerdebate.
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“elaboration”,i.e.tobe“workedthrough”inconformitywiththeepistemologyoftheFreudianDurcharbeitung.
Ontheotherhand,thepostmodernisnotthesameaspostmodernity.Thepostmoderndoesnotessentiallymarkanewepochcomingaftermodernity.EventhoughsomeexplanationsconcerningLes Immatériaux seemtoindicateachangeinsociety,Lyotardrefutestheideaofanepoch-makingchangeofparadigm.Thepostmodernchangeinsteadinscribesitselfinmodernity.Asheemphasisedduringthesameperiodinthemid-1980s–specificallyintheimportant“AnsweringtheQuestion:WhatisPostmodernism?”13–thepost-modernisnottobesituatedattheendofmodernity,butatthesourceofmodernity,whichfundamentallyrevealsthediscoveryofthe“little bit of reality inreality”.14Issuingfromthistradition,thepostmoderncommunicateswithanessentialaspectofmodernity:thelackoffoundation,thelackofgrounding.
Whatareweleftwithaftergettingridofthemostprevailingbiasesofthepostmodern?Notmuch,really.Oneofthedifficultiesofthepostmodernprobablyconsistsinitsduality.Thepostmodernseemstoconcernsystemaswellasresistance.Abasicallydescriptiveapproachreferstotechnologicalandsocialdevelopment,towhatwecouldcallsystem.Butthefeelingofapostmodernsituationsimultaneouslymanifests,althoughmoreimplicitly,something that resists system.Thesetwopoles,systemandresistance,areintertwined.Forwhatthesystemcannotabsorband,therefore,excludes,thepoleofresistancetriestorestoreandelaborate.Onceagain,asinFreudiananamnesis,elaborationhappenstobetheessenceofresistance.
Thecomplicityofthisunlikelypair–system/resistance–iscentraltograspingthephilosophicaldepthinLyotard’spostmodern.Inarguingforthedualityofthepostmodern,IwilladhereinparticulartoLyotard’s1988bookThe Inhuman, whoseessaysoutlinetwokindsofinhumanities.And,seenfromthislaterpointofview,thepostmodernmustbethoughtoffromanaxispassingthroughtwoessentiallydifferentinhumanities,whichwereindeedalsoaddressedbyLes Immatériaux.Thefirstoneimpliesthenecessityofseekingrefugeandresistanceintheotherone.Byvirtueofthisinternaltensionthereappearsanalmostethical,ifnotpolitical,aspectthattakesplacein,andvitalises,thepostmodern.
13 ItisworthnotingthatthetermchosenbyLyotardintheoriginalFrenchtitlewas“post-modern”andnot“postmodernism”:Le postmoderne expliqué aux enfants (Paris:Galilée,1986).
14 “Réponseàlaquestion:qu’est-cequelepostmoderne”,op.cit.,p.25(“ladécouvertedupeu de réalité delaréalité”).
Exhibiting and Thinking 171
The Inhumanity of SystemThefirstinhumanitycouldbesaidtoconcernsystem.Itreferstoaninhumanorder,wheremanhappenstooccupyaminorplace.Inpost-industrialsocietythediscrepancybetweensystemandmanhasinfactbecomemoreandmorevisible.Increasingcontrolwithinthesciencesandtechnologies,paradoxically,hasnotresultedingreaterhumanautonomy,butratherinlossofcontrol.Thecurrenteconomiccrisisisbutarecentexampleofthesefataldynamics.Thepostmodernconditionasreality,assituation,actualises–inthemostliteralmeaningoftheword–acomplexificationinwhichhumankindisonlyonesubordinatedlink.15Performance,differentiationandcomplexitycoveraninhumanconditionthatwewereonceboldenoughtocallprogressanddevel-opment.Inthissense,Lyotardargues,system’sinhumanity,inthenameofProgress,isabouttoberealised.
Thisaccomplishmentisindeedaquestionoftime,andisverymuchactualisedbythenewcomputertechnologiesthatweremassivelypresentin–andplacedinquestionby–Les Immatériaux.Whatisleftwhenthestoringofdatareachesthepointofsaturation,asksLyotard,whichisaquestionthatalsohauntsLes Immatériaux.Ifmemorisationapproachesamaximum,theincreasingmemoryreducesthechanceorriskthatsomethingnotyetmemorisedcanoccur.Thesaturationofdatasimplymeanstheneutralisationofevents.Thefuturesubordinatesthepresent,because,whenthefutureisalreadydetermined(memorised),thepresentlosestheprivilegeofbeingamomentthatcannotbegraspedinitself.Thetensionoftheeventissimplybrokeninthattheeventisalwaysanoccurrencebetweena“notyet”(pas encore)ofthefutureandan“alreadynomore”(déjà plus)ofthepast.Nothingoccurs,inthesenseoftheevent,ifeverythingisprogrammedinadvance,alreadymemorisedandsavedinthecomputerbank.Themodernproject,understoodasthebeliefinahumanfuturetocome,paradoxicallyendsupasaprogram,inthesenseofprogrammedfuture;andthisaccomplishedfuturemustnecessarilydestroythelastremnantsofthehumanprojectthatsoughtfreedom.
Equally,invokingLeibniz’smonadology,Lyotardcomparescomputertimetothedivinemonad.16God’s“bigmonad”coincideswiththeuniverse;itiscon-gruentwiththeuniverse,becauseeventhemostremoteandhumblecornerfallswithinGod’sfieldofvision.Thisisthereasonwhyrealisationofthedivinemonadnecessarilycausesalossofhumanandhistoricaltime–thistimewhichpreciselyisinvestedbytheinadequacyofindividualmonadsandtheirmerelypartialknowledgeoftheuniverse.Asamonadologicalanalogy,the
15 SeeJean-FrançoisLyotard,L’inhumain(Paris:Galilée,1988),especiallythe“Avant-propos:del’humain,”p.13,aswellasthechapterentitled“Letemps,aujourd’hui,”p.75,and78.
16 Ibid.,p.49,and71.
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postmodernconditionmightresumethemovementinwhichalltheindividualmonadsapproachthe“bigmonad”,thusbeingdissolvedinitsperfection.
The“time-saving”natureofcomputersandtheireventualdestructionofhumanhistoricaltimewasprobablyabasicideamotivatingLyotardwhenhefirstbroughtthepostmodernsituationupfordiscussion,butalsowhenhesketchedouttheexhibitiondesignforLes Immatériaux.Incontradistinctiontomodernity,wherethesourceoflegitimationisdisplacedintheidealfuturetobecomepresent,postmodernityfoundsitslegitimacyuponitself,uponakindofself-sufficiency,asifitwerethe“bigmonad”.Postmodernitydoesnotneedideologies,becauseitlegitimisesitself.Itshorizondoesnotlieinthefuture,butisherealready.Thenatureofitsgoalisself-ensuredbytheperformativegearingofthesystem.Legitimacy,thus,isnolongeraproblem;theuniversalprojectofemancipationofmodernityisnolongerseparatedfromrealityasanIdearegulatingmoralandpoliticalactionsanddecisions.Instead,itisimmediatelyconsumedbytechnologicalexpansionitself.
ThiscollapsebetweenrealityandIdeasconfrontsphilosophywithachallenge.ForwhenrealitynolongerdiffersfromtheIdeas,metaphysicsactuallydisappearsfromtheremitofphilosophy.Thetraditionalfieldofthinkingisnowmonopolisedbyinformationsciences,becausetheysimplyrealisemetaphysics,outsidephilosophy.Metaphysics,whichoughttoassumeanidealcontentbeyondwhatisconceivable,becomesaninhumanreality,andevenobtainstherightsoffacticity.
The Inhumanity of ResistanceHowcanthisfirstinhumanity,onewhichconstitutesachallengetophilosophy,beresisted?Howcancriticalthinkingandanattitudethatdealswiththislogicofinhumandevelopmentbemaintained?Takingthesequestionsseriously,Lyotardconcentratesonanotherinhumanityatthecoreofthehumanbeingitself.Ifthefirstinhumanity,thesystemicone,connotesanover-humanlevelofcomplexification,thisotherinhumanitypointstoanontologicalaspect,totheinnerindividual.Butnoprepositionisadequatetosituatethis“inside”,whichisrather“under”or“behind”innerness.Somethingradicallyotherandestrangedoccupiestheindividual.Itmightbeatthisdifficult,implacablelevelthatthesecondaspectofthepostmoderncanprecipitateresistance.
Theseideasonthesecondinhumanitymightseemcrypticandneed,infact,toberelatedtoLyotard’sunderstandingofchildhoodassuch–and,inparticular,tohisinterestintheFreudianconceptof“originaryrepression”.Lyotardrefuteshumanismintheallegoricalnameofchildhood.ChildhoodcannotbeelevatedandnegatedinthedialecticalmannerofHegel’saufgehoben without somethingbeingleftbehind.Anuntameableandinvinciblechildhoodremainsdeeplyengrainedineverygrown-up;itisthischildhoodthatannouncesthe
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inhumanitynowinquestion.Deepinhumannature–whichperhapsisnotallthathuman,andnotallthatdeep–smouldersapain,asuffering;becausecivilisedman,fromfamilytostate,hastoenduresociety’sinstitutions.Ofcourse,anomalousbehaviourbearswitnesstosuchimmoralneedsofescapingfromsocialconventionsandsociallife.However,literature,theartsandphilosophy–theseactivitiesofspiritthat,paradoxically,haveobtainedinstitutionalstatusinoursociety–doitaswell.Lyotardinterpretsthesedomainsasvestigesofanindeterminationandachildhoodthatgrown-uplifenevertotallyridsitselfof.
Lyotardargues,inotherwords,againstadialecticalclosingofchildhood.Somethingdoesnotaddup.Hecallsitl’inaccordable17–“thenon-accordable”–theabsenceofaccordance.JustaswhenhereferstoHölderlin’sRemarks on Oedipus (1804),sayingthatthebeginningnolongerrhymeswiththeend.Theendisnolongerinscribedinthebeginning,asintheGreekoracle.Thus,thedisharmoniesofmodernismreplaceclassicalharmonies.Itmightbeaccidentalthattheattentionbeingpaidtothe“non-accordable”resortstoavocabularyofmusic.Itis,however,infactappealingtotheear;Lyotardmakesanappealtohearing,becausethemomentwehavetopayattentiontoisalmostimmaterial,unpresentable.Itisonlyavoicecalling.
EnduringthiscontextitisusefultoconsiderLyotard’spersistentreferencetotheFreudianconceptoforiginary repression,aninterestwhichgoesbackto Discourse, Figurefrom1971.Withinthisspecificallypsychoanalyticcon-text,man’schildhoodlikewisebecomesanincommensurablemoment.Itsplaceappearsasanon-place,becausesomethingthathasnottakenplaceinthepsycheneverthelessalwaysalreadywillhavetakenplace.Thenotionofan“originary”orprimaryrepressionthusembodiesanalmostarchaicjolt,priornotonlytoconsciousness,butalsotosub-consciousness.Secondaryrepression,incontrast,canbesaidtorefertodistinctdisturbanceswhichareaccessiblethroughtheinterpretationofdreams.So,whenwespeakofprimaryrepression,werefertosomethinghavingshakenandaffectedthesubjectwithout,however,havingleftanyrepresentativeinscriptionsinthepsyche.Thisarchaicmomentimpliesthatnoproperreceptionhasbeenmadeand,consequently,nodefenceagainstthisinitialjoltexists.The“object”oftheoriginaryrepressiononlyreturnslater,afterthejolt,whenthepsychealreadywillhavebeenaffected.Thisreturnmanifestsitselfasanintangibleanxiety,becauseastrangerwillalreadyhavetakentheindividualashostage.Confrontedwiththisnon-objectbeyondtimeandspace,Lyotardinvokestheimmemorial.Somethingemanatesfromapast,somethingwhichdefieseverypresent,becausetheforgottenhasneverbeenmemorisedbyanyconscious-nessorsub-consciousness;akindofoblivionbeforememory,andwhatisleft
17 Lyotard,L’inhumain,p.12.
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areonlytracesofaprimarylife-givingterror–thenon-forgettableforgotten,asLyotardwritesinHeidegger and “the Jews”.
Thisshiftininterestfromthesecondaryrepressiontotheprimaryrepres-sionallowsLyotardtoapproachaninborninhumanitythatdestabilisestheintegrityoftheindividualfromtheinsideout.Thisinhumanityclearlyreferstoanother,entirelydifferent,temporalitythanthetimeimpliedinaninfor-mationalsystem,asdescribedbefore.Somethingalreadywill have happenedbeforeitlater(andfartoolate)returnstothesubjectasanxietyandpain.Infact,thecruxofthematterforLyotardemergeshere:ifweweretotrytoprecipitatetheinitialjolt,wewouldbetooearly,forourpsychicapparatusisnotyetformed;whereasanytimeafterwardsistoolate.Itisexactlyhere(where?),betweenthe“tooearly”andthe“toolate”,intheungraspabilityofthefutureperfect,this“alwaysalreadywillhavehappened”,thatthisoccurrenceresides.
Whatdoesallthishavetodowithresistance?Letusnotforgettonotethattheparadoxicaltemporalityofthefutureperfectreappearsinthemodalityofoccurrenceoftheevent.Soaffectedbythefutureperfect,thoughtmightbeable–howeverpainfully–toexperienceeventsandhencetoseekthatwhichsystemexcludes.Binarylogiconlyreceivesinformationthatisimmediatelyclassifiable.Systemembracesthealreadygivenandnotthatwhichsimplyoccurs,i.e.thatwhichisarrivinginthesenseoftheGermanes gibt.Suchheterogeneousoccurrencescanoccupynobyte.Inthissense,itisstaggeringhowmuchinformation“reason”mustexclude:literature,poetry,freeassociation(inthepsychoanalyticsense),indeedordinarylanguage–thatistosay,anynon-operativeuseoflanguagethateventuatestheunpresentabletobeexperiencedandformulated.
Experiences,underthesignofthefutureperfect,therefore,increasethedistancetowell-organisedandunconcernedsociallife.Incompanywithpsychoanalysis,whichaimstodisrupttherepetitionsgeneratedbythedefencemechanismofmemory,weshouldconcentrateonresistingtherepetitionsandthedefencemechanismsofsociety.Socialinteractionandcommunicationwouldthenbetranscendedbyareflexiveworkofmemorycaringforthatwhichisnotinscribedintheuniverseofinformaticsignifications.Eventheword“culture”signifiesthecirculationofinformationratherthantheworktobedonetogettothepointofpresentingwhatisnotpresentableinitsoccurrence.Andyet,perhapsincultivatingtheinhumanityinherenttoman,thisreductionofculturetothecirculationofbytesofinfor-mationmightbeopposed.
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Towards a Postmodern Ethics?Intheend,Lyotard’spostmodernpositionseemslessandlessdefinable,becomingmoreandmorecomplex.Uncertain,modestandopen,these,andsimilar,wordsmightbeusedtocharacterisehisquestioningofa“post-modernsituation”.Hedoesnotseeksimpleanswers–thesimplewhichis,asheoncesaid,thebarbarian–butratherintendstoexposeandelaboratethefundamentaldisquietudefacingthispretendedpostmodernreality.
However,theasymmetricaltensionwherebythetwoinhumanitiestakeaplaceinthepostmodernquestion–thatistosay,theirinarticulation,becausetheyfollowtwodifferentdirections–canbearticulatedquitesimply.Infact,itisasifwehavebuttobeopentothesecondinhumanity–thatinhumanitybeinghousedintheemptyheartofthesubject–inordertoresistthefirstinhumanity,system’sinhumanity.Whenthesecondinhumanityissought,elaboratedandcultivatedasaworkofreflexion,somethingunbearableappearstothelogicofsystem–namely,aninoperativepresenceofabsence.Butresistancecanneverbepositive.Thisistheverypoint,ifoneinsistsuponaspecificpostmodernposition.Resistanceremainsboundtotheinhumanaspect.Becausethatwhichconstitutesthesubjectisradicallyother,theforceofresistancecannotbepositive.RewritingFreud’soriginaryrepression,Lyotardrevealsasubjectthatisobligedtotheconditionoftheafterwards-ness(Nachträglichkeit, après-coup),becausesomethinghasaffecteditbeforementalreceptivity.
Thequestion,then,becomesoneofhowtointerpretaresistance,consid-eredinthisnegativeperspective,intermsotherthanthoseoutliningakindofethics.Infact,Lyotarddoesseemtoallowanethicalproblematictoinformthepostmodern.AcertainvocabularyofethicsdealingwithanobligationtowardtheunknownLawrecursalmostword-for-wordinthisattentivenesstowardanunknownvoiceinthesubject.Wehavetolistentoastrangevoicewhosemes-sagecannotbedecipheredbysignifyinglanguageorbyphenomenologicalperception,andwehavetobowtothelawemanatingfromthisinhumanitythatinhabitsmanandforbidshimtobecomehisownmaster.Onthestrengthofplayingonanobviousethicaltheme,Lyotardseemstoappealtoaspecificattitudeconcerningthethinkingsubject,whichwerecogniseinLes Immatériaux.Itisnotasimplematterofpassivityversusactivity,butratherofanattitude,which,inFrench,iscalledpassibilité.Thispassibilityistobeunder-stoodasaformofreceptivitythatpresupposesawithdrawaloftheconcep-tualisingsubject.Ethics,inthissense,isnotacall,butrathertheabilitytobecalleduponfromsomethingunknown.
Ingeneral,Lyotardwantstocommitphilosophytoheterogeneousandvanishing–thatis,immaterial–objects.Inacertainway,hekeepsdrawingnourishmentfromanalmostsecretlayerofphilosophy.Thedeclineof
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masternarrativesperhapssignifiestheendofphilosophyasinstitutionalmetaphysics,butisnottheendofphilosophyassuch–asthinking,asquestioning,asuseofreflectivejudgement.Onthecontrary,whenLyotardannouncedapostmodernchallengetophilosophy,heoutlinedmuchmorethanasimplecomingtotermswiththephilosophyofhistory,asettlement,whichobviouslyprecedeshisentirework.EvenhishostileanalysisofMarxismasanexampleofagrandnarrative,narratingthefuturevictoryoftheworkingclass,hardlyjustifieseitherreliefortotaldisillusionment,asiftherewasnoneedforphilosophyanymore.Thereisareflexiveworktobedone–inthenameofthatwhichisexcludedfromrealityand,whatisevenmoreurgent(andmoredifficulttorealise),inthenameofthatwhichcannotbepresentedbyanyreality.Andthisworkis,indeed,andperhapsmorethanever,instigatedbythepostmodernbanalisationandvulgarisationofreality.Thispostmodernrealityneutraliseswhatis“real”.Itdestroystheevent.AsintheHeideggerdebate,thepostmoderndebateseemstobeanoccasion for Lyotardtorecallthatwhichhauntsthought.
This peculiar ethics traverses the anaesthetic aesthetics of Les Immatériaux,wherewehavetobesensitivetothesignsofpostmoderna-teleology–evenifthesesigns,signifyingalmostnothing,areparticularlyambiguous–inordertorealiseapostmodernsituationatall.Inthatrespect,Les ImmatériauxplayedanactivepartinLyotard’seffortstorethinkthepostmodern,eventorescueitbymeansofinstrumentsthatdidnothavetoberestrictedtothemediumofthebook.Thatiswhy,conversely,Les Immatériaux can itself be seen as a kindofperformativephilosophy,transformingLyotard’sthoughtsintoaction,especiallyhisongoingreflectionsonthenatureoftheevent.Thepostmoderndramaturgyoftheexhibitionaimedtomakethevisitorsexperiencehowsomethingalreadywill have happened.Regardless,withoutsensibility,therewouldbenodisquietudeandnoquestioning.Pointingtosomethinglikepostmodernsensibility,LyotardandhisteamatLes Immatériauxattemptedtotransformaculturaleventintopossibleeventsofsensitivityattheedgeofconceptualthinking,akindofintellectualsensitivitythatbringsusbacktoreflectivejudgement.
Inconclusion,wecouldsaythat“thepostmodern”wouldhavelikedtojointhelistofambiguousconceptsthatLyotardkeptquestioningthroughouthisworks;conceptssuchas“figurality”,“heterogeneity”,“dissension”,“theevent”,“thething”(la chose),“desire”–alltermsthatpointtothefactthatwhatissoughtmarksadifferencethatcannotbeorganisedaroundacommonaxis.Thiswaspreciselyhisdefinitionof“le différend”,whichevokedanasymmetricalconflictarisingfromthelackofacommonlanguage.Andyetperhaps,beforejoiningthisphilosophicalfamily,thepostmoderngotlostinideologyandthemainstream.Maybethepostmodernwassimplytooexposedbythemediatobeabletoassumearealexhibitingfunction–thatis,this“over-exposure”by
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meansofwhichLyotardandhisteamatLes Immatériaux wouldhavelikedtoinstigatereflectionuponthehumanconditioninanincreasinglytechnologicalworld.However,whenwebothlookbackontheexhibition’smanyinnovative,performativefeatures,andlookforwardtocuratorialpracticesthatitmighthavesubsequentlyinspired,thealmostuntraceable,butundeniablelong-termeffectsofLes Immatériaux forceustoperceivethedegreetowhichLyotardstrainedeverynervetotransformthepostmodernfrombeingatermofmerehistoricalclassificationintoaphilosophicalagenda.Thepostmodern,thus,wouldhavecalledforanincreasingawarenessofandacriticalreflectiononahigh-technologicalsocietyanditsmaterials,whichhavebecomevertiginouslyimmaterial.
Anamnesis and Re-Orientation: A Discourse on Matter and Time
Yuk Hui
The whole question is this: is the passage
(anamnesis) possible, will it be possible with,
or allowed by, the new mode of inscription and
memoration [mémoration] that characterizes the
new technologies? Do they not impose syntheses,
and syntheses conceived still more intimately in
the soul than any earlier technology has done?1
Lyotard’sLes Immatériauxcanbereadasaprofounddiscourseonmatterandtime,onethataimstogobeyondthesimplecorrelationbetweentechnicsandmemory,andtowardtheanamnesisoftheunknown–orbetter,asIwillexplainbelow,there-orientationoftheOccident.Platomemorablydescribedmatterasthefoster-motherintheTimaeus,whereheproposesathirdgenreofbeinginadditiontothetwohehaddiscussedpreviously–aneternalintelligiblepatternandtheimitationofsuchpattern.Thethirdgenre,explainsPlato,“isthereceptacle,andinamannerthefoster-mother,ofallgeneration”.2 Matteristhereceptacle,butalsothemediumofinscription.HenceinLyotard’s
1 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,“LogosandTechne,orTelegraphy”,inThe Inhuman: Reflections on Time,trans.GeoffreyBenningtonandRachelBowlby(Cambridge:PolityPress,1991),p.57.
2 Plato,Timaeus,trans.BenjaminJowett,classics.mit.edu/Plato/timaeus.html;translationmodified.
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systemof“mat-”wefindmaternity.3Timestandsformultiplesenses:memory,history,repetition,anamnesis.ThenewtheoreticalrigourthatLyotardwantedto show throughout Les Immatériauxandbeyond–especiallyasexpressedin his essay collection The Inhuman, publishedaftertheexhibition–dem-onstratesaphilosophicalefforttotranscendthetotalityanticipatedbyrapidtechnologicaldevelopment,seekinganewmodeofdeterminationofmatterandindeterminationofthought.Les ImmateriauxservesasacritiqueoftheOccidentaltraditionofphilosophising.OnecanidentifybothanaffinitytoHeideggeryetalsoadesiretotakeadistancefromhim,sincethequestionoftheOtherstandsatthecentreofLyotard’sinquiry.
ThisarticleaimstoelaborateonLyotard’sanamnesisoftheOther,andtointroduceanotherquestiononrethinkingthepotentialofnewtechnologies.Isuggestthatthesetwoquestionsarecloselyrelatedtoeachother,andintherestofthearticleIwanttoshowhow.
TheOtherstandsforanaddresseeandanaddresser,aswellastheconditionof a différend,whichturnsagainstitselfandproducesthedifférend as an openingofquestions.MichelOlivierhasrightlypointedoutthatthedifférend isnotcontingent–rather,itisalreadywithinthelanguage.Ifweunderstandthe différendhereastheconflictbetweenthedifferentrulesoftwoparties,howthencanwethinkaboutthequestionoftranslation?Towhatextentcana translator be loyal to the différend?Thiswilldependonanotherquestion:Howsensitiveisthetranslatortowardthedifférend?ThisOtherstandsastheinterlocutoroftheanamnesisthatLyotardendeavouredtopropose.ToaskwhothisOtheris,wefirsthavetoanswerthequestion:IsthepostmodernmerelyaEuropeanproject?AndifitisaEuropeanproject,thenwouldsuchadiscoursebeapplicabletonon-Europeancultures?
The Postmodern – Is it a European Project?Thisquestionisambivalent.EventhoughthedebateswerecontextualisedwithinEuropeanculture,includingLyotard’scritiqueofHabermas’sinsistenceontheEnlightenmentproject,itsinfluencewentfarbeyondEurope.Theinfluenceofhisconceptofthepostmodern–throughglobaltechnologicalexpansion,includingthetranslation,publicationandcirculationofLyotard’sThe Postmodern Condition–hasalreadybetrayeditsintentionasaEuropeanproject.Ontheoccasionoftheexhibition,Lyotardorganizedateleconferencetoshowhowtimeandspacearetraversedbythenewmaterial(laterwewillsee that it is the immaterial),withrepresentativesfromJapanandBrazil,aswellasCanada,theUSA,andFrance.OnecanpostulatethatLyotardalreadyhadonhismindthetechnologicalglobalisationwhichisthereasonwhy
3 Lyotardanalysestheetymologicalrootmâtintermsofreferent(matière),hardware(matériel),support(matériau),matrix(matrice),maternity(maternité).
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postmoderndiscourseisnolongerlimitedtoEuropebutextendsaroundtheglobe.Ifthisisthecase,thenwehavetoconsider:Whatdoesitmeanwhencountriesadoptthepostmodernwithouthavingbeenmodern,asforexampleinthecaseofChina,whichsomeFrenchthinkersconsidertobeacountryofmodernisationbutnotmodernity?AfterthepostmodernofLyotard,andfur-therthroughFredericJameson,wecanindeedseeanintensivediscourseonthepostmodernquestioninChina.However,inChinaatleast,thesedebateshavenotgonebeyondaestheticsandnarrationsinliterature.Itseemstomethat,besidesitsaestheticvalue,whichpresentedasortofZeitgeist,thepost-modernquestionhasstillnotreallybeentackled,andthatfurtherinquiriesareneeded.
LyotardoftenreferredtheconceptoftheOther(oroneoftheseOthers)tothethirteenth-centuryJapaneseZenmaster,Dôgen,asareferenceandmirror by which the différendwithintheEuropeanlogoscanbereflected.Infact,DôgenwasprobablyoneofthekeyinspirationsforthenewmetaphysicswhichLyotardspokeofduringthepreparationoftheLes Immatériaux,inordertoarticulateanewrelationbetweenmatterandtime,andhenceanamnesis.Thequestionofmatterisfirstlyexpressedintheoriginaltitleoftheexhibitionprojectitself,whichwasLes nouveaux matériaux et la creation[NewMaterialsandCreation].The“immatériaux”arenotimmaterial,butratheranewformofmaterialbroughtaboutbytelecommunicationtechnologies.Thenewformofmaterialturnedagainstthemodernprojectwhichproduceditandcreatedarupturewithit.Itmaynotbeappropriatetosaythatthepostmodernwasanepochalchangethatsuddenlybrokeawayfromthemodern;rather,thepos-sibilityofthepostmodernwasalwaysalreadytherewithinmodernthought,asLyotardhimselfwroteinThe Postmodern Condition:“Aworkcanbecomemodernonlyifitisfirstlypostmodern,inthecurrentstate,andthisstateisconstant.”4Forexample,forLyotard,DenisDiderot’sgrand salon or Michel deMontaigne’sprosearealreadypostmodern.Thechangesinthematerialconditionduetotechnoscientificdiscoveriesandinventionshaveamplifiedthismodeofthinkingandnarration.Hence,wecansaythatthepostmodernistheresultofanamplification,andthethemethatisatcentreofLyotard’sexhibitionisbothmaterialandfigurative.
Thisprocessofamplificationhasalsobroughtaboutstructuraltransfor-mationsacrossalldomainsconcerningknowledge.Inthisnewmaterialcon-dition,themeaningofcreationhassignificantlychanged.Lyotardpreferstounderstandtherelationbetweenhumansandthingsnotascreation,inthesenseofasubjectcreatingitsworld,“forthepurposesoftheprovisionsofthis
4 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,The Postmodern Condition,trans.byGeoffreyBenningtonandBrianMassumi(Minneapolis:UniversityofMinnesotaPress),p.79.
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worldandenjoymentofthisworld,enjoymentofknowledge,power”.5 On the contrary,thisnewmaterialityhasputanendtothisanthropocentrism.6Forthisreason,Lyotardpreferredtoconceptualisethenewmatterasinteraction ratherthancreation.This,Isuspect,isalsooneofthereasonswhytheword“creation”wasremovedfromtheexhibitiontitle.Thisreconceptualisationdemandsanewmetaphysicswhichreconfiguresthesenseofbeing,andfundamentallytransformstheconceptofhumanexistence.Lyotardsays:
Ifyousaycreation,thatmeansthatyouprohibittheothermetaphysicsthatIevokedearlier:ametaphysicsinwhich,precisely,manisnotasub-jectfacingtheworldofobjects,butonly–andthis“only”seemstometobeveryimportant–onlyasortofsynapse,asortofinteractiveclickingtogetherofthecomplicatedinterfacebetweenfieldswhereinflowtheelementsofparticlesviachannelsofwaves.7
WhatdoesLyotardmeanby“interaction”here?Hedoesnotmeanthatthehumaninteractswithobjectsratherthancreatingthemlikebeinginadia-logue–Lyotardwentmuchfurther;interactionsignifiesanontologyofthetransmissionofamessagewithoutend,inwhich“manhimselfisnottheoriginofmessages,butsometimesthereceiver,sometimesthereferent,sometimesacode,sometimesasupportforthemessage;andwheresometimeshehimselfisthemessage.Thisplasticityofhumansmeansthatthisstructureofcommunicationtodayseemslikesomethinguponwhichidentitiescannolongerbefixed.”8ThismetaphysicscannotbefoundinthethoughtofDes-cartes,saidLyotard,butitwouldbepossibletothinkthroughSpinoza,orZenBuddhism–thoughnot,headded,ZenasunderstoodinCalifornia,butrathertheZenoftheChinesetradition,asincarnatedbyagreatJapanesephilosopherlivinginChina,whoiscalled…”.9Eventhoughthenameismissinginthisreport(Après six mois de travail…),wewillseelaterthatitisDôgen.
In Après six mois de travail…,LyotardonlytoldhalfofthestoryaboutDôgen,toexplaintheconceptualisationofbeingintermsofinteractioninsteadofcreation.CreationisthequestionthatwasposedatthebeginningoftheEuropeantradition,andduringmedievaltimes;creationisthepointwhereChristiantheologyandAristotelianmetaphysicsmerge,whichinturnfoundswhatHeideggercalled“ontotheology”.LyotardtoldthesecondhalfofthestoryaboutDôgeninatalkinvitedbyBernardStieglerontheoccasionofa
5 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,Après six mois de travail…,1984,ArchiveduCentrePompidou,translatedas“AfterSixMonthsofWork…",inthisvolume,p.36(“àdesfinsdedis-positionsdecemondeetdejouissancedecemonde,jouissancedesavoir,depouvoir”).
6 Ibid.7 Ibid.8 Ibid.,p.37.9 Ibid.
Anamnesis and Re-orientation 183
colloquiumatIRCAMoftheCentrePompidouin1986,laterpublishedas“Logos and Techne, or Telegraphy”.
However,letusstepbackandask:WhyisthequestionofanamnesissoimportantforLyotard,andhowdoesitrelatetothenewtechnologieshewit-nessedinthe1980s?
On the Senses of AnamnesisThequestionposedbyLyotardthatwasquotedatthebeginningofthisarticlewasdirectedtoBernardStiegler,thephilosopherofanamnesis.LyotardwasthesupervisorofStiegler’smaster’sdegreethesisatthattime,andthusunderstoodverywelltheworkoftheyoungphilosopherwholaterdedicatedthree volumes of Technics and Timetoanamnesis.Althoughthereisnorecordofthisdiscussion,itseemsintriguingthatthequestionhasstillnotyetbeenansweredinasatisfactorymanner,atleastnotinthecontemporaryliteraturethatIcanfind.InordertounderstandthecomplexityofLyotard’squestiononanamnesis,andourambitiontounderstandthemeaningoftheLes Imm-matériauxoutsideoftheEuropeancontext,wewillneedtorevisittheconceptofanamnesisinPlato,Stiegler’stakeonPlato,Freud,andLyotard’stakeonFreud.
The Platonic Concept of Anamnesis
AnamnesisplaysanimportantroleinthePlatonicsystemofknowledge,understoodasthepathtowardstruth.Plato’swritingonthisroleofanamnesisisclearlyexpressedinboththePhaedoandtheMeno,whereheformulatedtheconceptasaresponsetothechallengefromtheSophists.LetusreformulatetheSophists’challengeinthisway:Ifyouknowwhatvirtueis(intheMeno),orwhatbeingappropriateis(inthePhaedo),thenyoudon’treallyneedtopursueit,sinceitisalreadyinyou;ifyoudon’tknowwhatitis,thenyouwon’tbeabletorecognizeitorconductyourselfaccordingtoit.Thisisaparadoxwhichleadstotheconclusionthatonecanneverfindthetrueknowledgeortheultimategood.Platosolvedthisparadoxbysaying:onedoesinfactknowit,andindeedonedoesinfactknowit,andindeedhasalwaysknownit.Thesoulisimmortal,saidPlato,butineachincarnation,thesoulforgetseverything.However,forgettingdoesn’tmeanthatonecannotrecognizethevirtuethatoneisafter.Forgettingistheconditionofrecognizing,andrecollection–anamnesis–themethod.Therelationbetweentruthandanamnesisisthusestablished.SocratesandPlatoarenotteachersinthesenseofgivingknowledgetostudents,butrather,asPlatosaid,spiritualmidwiveswhohelpthestudentstorecollectwhathasbeenforgotten.Hence,intheMeno, with thehelpofSocrates,theslave-boylearnstosolvesomegeometricalques-tionsdespitehavingnopriorknowledgeofthematter.Recollectionisnot
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onlyaboutrecollectingacertainfactorprinciple,butratheraprocessofrecoveringthewholenessofknowledge.IntheMeno(81c-d),Platostated:
Sinceallnatureisakin(συγγενής),andthesoulhaslearntallthings,thereisnothingtopreventher,byrecollectingonesinglething,recoveringalltherest.10
OnecannoticethatthereisakindoflogicalinferenceinPlato’sconceptoftheanamnesis,buthowdoesitwork?OneinterpretationisthatitfunctionsonthebasisofthePlatonicIdea,likeasortofa priori concept which allows such aninferencetohappen.11 This a priori,however,isnotwhatweunderstandintheKantiansenseoftheterm.ThePlatonicIdeafollowsratherParmenides’sthe One,inwhichthinking(theintellect)andbeingfindtheirunity.However,PlatodetachestheIdeafromtheparticularsthroughhisconceptofthechōrismós,orseparation.ThisseparationisalsoonethatremovestheIdeafrommatter,thatistosaytruthfromanymaterialcondition.ThisconceptofseparationwasreproachedbyAristotle,sincethePlatonicdoctrinedisregardstherealityoftheparticular.Aristotlewantstoreintegratematterintohisdoc-trineofbeing.ThePlatonicIdeawhichcorrespondstotheAristotelianconceptofform(eidos)becomesthefirstofthefourcausalitiesthatAristotleoutlinedin his MetaphysicsBookV:causa formalis,causa materialis,causa efficiens,andcausa finalis.
There-inscriptionofmatterbecomesanimportantphilosophicaltaskforthetraditionofEuropeanphilosophy,includinginmodernphilosophy,wherewefindattemptstounifythebodyandthesoulinthedoctrinesofDes-cartes,SpinozaandLeibniz.Tosituateanamnesisinourdiscussion,IwouldliketorefertothereadingofPlatobyBernardStiegler.Stieglerhasdecon-structedtheexamplegivenbyPlatoinMeno,sincePlatohasforgottenthetoolthatSocratesusedtodemonstratethesegeometricalquestions,whichwasdrawingonthesand.ForStiegler,technicsconstitutesacrucialroleintheconceptofanamnesis,foranamnesisisnotpossiblewithoutasupportthatisoutsidethenoeticsoul.StieglerhenceproposesaretentionalsystemthatcharacterisestheprocessesofanamnesisthroughareadingofHus-serl’sphenomenologyoftime-consciousness:primaryretention(impression,association),secondaryretention(memory,recognition)andtertiaryretention(exteriorisedmemory).Withinthissystem,theretentionsconstituteacycleofmutualdetermination,meaningthatthetertiaryretentionsconditiontheselectionoftheprimaryretention,whichinturnconditionstherecognitionofthesecondaryretention,andsoon.Later,Iwillshowhowthisreadingoftechnicsandtime,asapathtowardstruth(eitherinthesenseoftheGreekwordalētheiaorincontemporarysenses),demonstratesadiscrepancy
10 ReginaldEdgarAllen,“AnamnesisinPlato’sMenoandPhaedo”,The Review of Metaphysics,vol.13,no.1(Sept.1959),p.167.
11 Ibid.Iwillargueagainstthisassertion.
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betweenthephilosophicalWestandthephilosophicalEast.Theexaminationofthisdiscrepancywillprovideuswithanewperspectivefromwhichtolookatthepostmodernturn.
The Freudian Concept of Anamnesis
Therelationsbetweenmatterandtime,accordingtoLyotard,canbegraspedinthreedifferenttemporalsyntheses:thoseofhabit,remembranceandanamnesis.Habitisasynthesisthatexpressesitselfbodily.Remembrancealwayssearchesforanarrativewithanorigin,orabeginning.Anamnesis,forLyotard,meanssomethingratherdifferentandmustbecarefullydis-tinguishedfromremembrance.ThisdistinctionhasitssourceinFreud,especiallyhis1914essayErinnern, Wiederholen und Durcharbeiten.InthisessayFreudtriedtoshowthattherearetwotechniquesofanalysis,onethroughhypnosis,whichhelpsthepatienttoreconstructtheunconscious-nessinasimpleformofremembering–simpleinthesensethatthepatientisremovedfromthepresent,andwhatmattersistheearliersituation.Freudaddedasecondscenarioinwhich“nomemorycanasaruleberecovered”.12 Thisoccurs,forexample,withsomeexperiencesofchildhoodwhichwedidn’tunderstandatthetime,butwhichdisclosethemselvessubsequently.Thebiggestdifferencebetweenthetechniqueofremembranceinhypnosisandthetechniqueofuncoveringrepetitionisthatinthelatterthepatient“reproducesitnotasamemorybutasanaction;herepeatsit,without,ofcourse,knowingthatheisrepeatingit”.13Theanalyst’staskinthiscaseistohelpthepatienttouncoverthesourceoftheresistance.However,asFreudidentified,therearetwodifficultieshere:thefirstisthatthepatientrefusestothinkthereisaproblem,thatistosay,heorsherefusestoremember;thesecondisthatnoviceanalystsoftenfoundthat,evenafterrevealingthisresistancetothepatient,therewasnochange.Atthispoint,Freudintroducesthethirdterm,Durcharbeiten or “working-through”:
One must allow the patient time to become more conversant with this resistancewithwhichhehasnowbecomeacquainted,towork throughit,toovercomeit,bycontinuing,indefianceofit,theanalyticworkaccordingtothefundamentalruleofanalysis.14
In the lecture “Logos, Techne, or Telegraphy” (1986),LyotardcommentedonStiegler’sretentionalmodelofmemorybyreferringtothreetypeofmemories:namely,bleaching( frayage),scanning(balayage)andpassing(pas-sage),correspondingrespectivelytohabit,remembranceandanamnesis.
12 SigmundFreud,Remembering, Repeating, and Working-Through,invol.12ofStandardEdition(1950),p.149.
13 Ibid.,p.150.14 Ibid.,p.155.
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LyotardidentifiesFreud’sDurcharbeitenwiththethirdtypeofsynthesisoftime–anamnesis.Lyotard’sreadingofDurcharbeitenis,aswewillseebelow,quitedifferentfromthatofFreud.15ForLyotard,thisanamnesishastwodifferentsenses,thenuancesofwhichhavetobecarefullydistinguished.ThefirstsenseofDurcharbeitentakesaformoffreeassociation:asLyotardsays,thepassingtakesmoreenergythanscanningandbleaching,preciselybecauseitdoesn’thaverules.16Thissenseistakenuponanotheroccasion,inLe Postmoderne expliqué aux enfants,whereheunderstandsavant-gardismasamovementhighlyresponsibleforthepresuppositionsimpliedinmodernity.TheworkofthemodernpaintersfromManettoDuchamporBarnettNewman,couldbeunderstoodintermsofananamnesisinthesenseofpsychoanalytic therapeutics:
Justasthepatienttriestoelaboratehispresenttroublebyfreelyassociating some apparently inconsistent elements with some past situ-ation–allowingthemtouncoverhiddenmeaningsintheirlivesandtheirbehaviour–inthesamewaywecanthinkoftheworkofCézanne,Picasso,Delaunay,Kandinsky,Klee,Mondrian,Malevich,andfinallyDuchampasaworkingthrough(Durcharbeiten)performedbymodernityonitsownmeaning.17
ForLyotard,theseartists,includingtheavant-gardes,didn’trepresentarup-turefromthemodern,butratherananamnesisofthemodern.Hencepost-modernartisaliberationfromrulesandresponsibility,andapassingbeyondtherulesofinscription,throughanamnesis.Whatismoreinteresting,andseemstobehighlypuzzlinginLyotard’sthought,isthedemandforsomethingwhichisnotinscribedandhencecannotbelimitedbytherulesofwriting.Thisoriginisnotsomethingremembered,andindeeditisamemorywhichisnotinscribed,butcannotbeforgotten.OneexampleisFreud’snotionoftheexperienceofchildhoodassomethingthatisnotrememberedbutthathastobeworkedthrough.HenceChristopherFynskproposedtoemphasizetheroleofinfancyinLyotard’sconceptofanamnesis,notingthatLyotard“understoodhimself to be writing fromaninfancyandtoaninfancy”.18 It is not only that Lyotardhaswrittentwobooks,onefrominfancy(Lectures d’Enfance),theother to infancy(Le Postmoderne expliqué aux enfants),butthatdeeplyrootedinhis
15 InthearticlebyScarfoneDominique,“Àquoiœuvrel’analyse?”,Libres cahiers pour la psychanalyse1/2004(N°9),109–123,theauthorstatesthatforFreudtheDurcharbeiten isataskthatcomesbacktothepatientandtheanalystcanonlywaittoletthingscomealong;forLyotard,itisthecontrary,meaningthatitisthe“thirdear”(termtakenfromNietzsche,Ohren hinter den Ohren)oftheanalyst,thatshouldbringforththeDurcharbeiten,p.116.
16 Lyotard,“LogosandTechne,orTelegraphy”,p.57.17 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,Postmodern explained: correspondence, 1982–1985,trans.DonBarry
(Sydney:PowerPublications,1993),p.79–80,translationmodified.18 ChristopherFynsk,“Lyotard’sInfancy”,inJean-Francois Lyotard: Time and Judgment,Yale
French Studies,No.99,(2001),p.48.
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thoughtis,asFynskshows,theimpulseofinfancybecomingtheconditionofanamnesis,andhenceofwriting.
Clear Mirror and the Negation of the LogosIhavenoobjectiontosuchaninterpretationofLyotard’sanamnesis,butIwouldliketocomplicateit.IwouldarguethatanamnesisispresentinLyotard’swritingsatonceasatechnique–aswehaveseenabove–butalsoasalogic–asIwillnowelaborate.Inthetextthatwehavestartedtoanalyse,inthesectiononanamnesisinwhichLyotarddramaticallytalksaboutanexamplefromDôgen,LyotardusesDôgentoexplainwhathemeansby“passing”,oranamnesis.HerewecanobserveanuancethatIproposedbefore,concerningtheuseofthewordanamnesisasDurcharbeiten.AsFynskwrites,“IbelievethattheappealtoDôgen,here,isnotmerelyaninstanceofexoticism,howevereffectiveitmightalsobeonthatscore.Itisratheranimplicitacknowledgmentthatwhatheseekstothinkdoesnotsurrendertotheconceptortoanytheoreticalexposition–thatifthereisapassagefrominfancytothought,itisnotestablishedbytheconcept”.IwouldliketotakethisreferencetoDôgenmoreseriouslythanFynskdoes;indeed,referencestoDôgendonotonlyappearonceinLyotard’swritings,butalsoappearinvariousnotesandinterviews.
IwanttoproposethatwhatLyotardwasthinkingwasmuchmoreintriguing,andevensomethingmoreuncanny,thanFynskdescribes.Icallthislogicthe negation of logos.Theword“negation”isperhapsnotcorrect,ordoesn’tcarrytherightsense.Thenegationatstakehereisnotatotalnegationnorapartialprobation(e.g.part,intensity).Thedifferencebetweenprivationandnegationhastobeclarifiedfirst.LetusparaphraseHeidegger’sfunnyexampleofskiingtoclarifythedifferencebetweenprivationandnegationasunderstoodbytheGreeks.19WhenIamaskedifIhavetimeforskiing,Ireply,“no,Idon’thavetime”.Infact,Idohavetime,butIdon’thavetimeforyou.ThenegationthatIwanttodemonstratehereisnotthatbeingisnegatedintakingareversedirection,butratherthatitis“privated”insuchawaythatthedirectionisdiverted.Thefirstcaseisexemplifiedinthemovementfrommoderntopostmodern.Thepostmodernistheself-negationofthemodern.Itisnotthat,atacertainmomentofmodernity,somethinghappened,andthenwehavethepostmodern.Itmeansratherthat,atsomemomentofitsdevel-opment,thelogicofmodernityturnedagainstitselfandchangeditsdirection.Thisnegationasprivationcomingoutofinternaldevelopmentisaneologism
19 MartinHeidegger,Zollikon Seminars: Protocols, Conversations, Letters,ed.MedardBoss(Illinois:NorthwesternUniversityPress,2001),p.46–47.Heideggerwrites:“IttookGreekthinkerstwohundredyearstodiscovertheideaofprivation.OnlyPlatodiscoveredthisnegationasprivationanddiscusseditinhisdialogueThe Sophist.”
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presentedbyLyotardinhisintroductiontoLes Immatériaux.20 The reference toDôgenseekstodemonstratethesamelogic,butnolongerlimitedtothecaseofmodernity,butrathertothelogosasawhole.IbelievethathereliesLyotard’sultimatequestionontechnics–which,however,remainsambiguous.LyotardattemptedtocomparewhathemeansbyanamnesiswithwhatDôgencalls “a clear mirror” in Shōbōgenzō,theclassicofZenBuddhism.IwillquoteatlengththecommentfromLyotard,inordertomakeclearwhathethinksaboutit.Let’slookcloselyatLyotard’sdiscussiononDôgen:
Itmakessensetotrytorecallsomething(let’scallitsomething)whichhasnotbeeninscribediftheinscriptionofthissomethingbroke the sup-portofthewritingorthememory.IamborrowingthismetaphorofthemirrorfromoneofthetreatisesofDōgen’sShōbōgenzō,theZenki,therecanbeapresencethatthemirrorcannotreflect,butthatbreaksitintosmithereens.AforeigneroraChinesecancomebeforethemirrorandtheirimageappearsinit.ButifwhatDōgencalls“aclearmirror”facesthemirror,then“everythingwillbreakintosmithereens”.AndDōgengoesontomakethisclear:“Donotimaginethatthereisfirstthetimeinwhichthebreakinghasnotyethappened,northatthereisthenthetimeinwhicheverythingbreaks.Thereisjustthebreaking.”Sothereisabreakingpresencewhichisneverinscribednormemorable.Itdoesnotappear.Itisnotaforgotteninscription,itdoesn’thaveitsplaceandtimeonthesupportofinscriptions,inthereflectingmirror.Itremainsunknowntothebreachingsandscannings.21
ThispassageseemstomethemostpuzzlingpartofLyotard’sintervention.Themirrorandclearmirrorseemtohavealotofmetaphoricalconnotations.Asakindofdialoguebetweenatwentieth-centuryFrenchphilosopherandathirteenth-centuryJapanesemonk,itisverydifficultforustoanalysethisstatementwithoutgoingintoanykindofexoticism.Theclearmirrorisnotamirror;rather,itisonepossibilityofthemind,beforewhichnothingexistsaswhatitis:thingscanexistornotexist.Theclearmirrorpresentssomethingalmostoppositetoanyconceptualisationofsubstance,sinceitismereemptiness.Firstly,theclearmirrornegatesthesubstanceoressence(ousia)aseidos.Hence,therehasn’tbeenanyeventthatbreaksthemirrorandmarksthebeginning.Infrontofaclearmirror,thereisonlyconstantbreaking,whichdestroystheconceptoftheself(theselfcannotbemirroredatall).SoaChinesepersoncanseehimself,sincehestillhasupādāna (clinging,grasping,attachment),whichisadesiretowardsrepresentation.Incontrast,aclearmirrorseeseverythingbroken,sincein-itselfitisempty.Lyotardfurtherwrotethat“IamnotsurethattheWest–thephilosophicalWest–hassucceeded
20 Jean-FrancoisLyotard,Deuxième état des immatériaux,Mars1984,ArchiveduCentrePompidou.
21 Lyotard,“LogosandTechne,orTelegraphy”,p.55.
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inthinkingthis,bytheveryfactofitstechnologicalvocation.”22Platodidn’tsucceedwithhisconceptofagathon,or“beingbeyondessence”;Freudtriedwithhisconceptof“originaryrepression”(Urverdrängung);andHeideggertriedwithhismetaphorof“theclearing”(die Lichtung),butheignoredtheviolenceofit.
Lyotardtransformsthe“clearmirror”intoaquestionofwriting,thatisalsoaquestionofthelogos.Herewecomeacrossanothermeaningofsubstance,whichisthesupport,thehypokeimenon.Thequestionis:canbeing[ens] be withoutbeingcarriedinthehypokeimenon?Or,asLyotardaskedinthefirstarticle of the Inhuman,“canthoughtgoonwithoutabody?”Canlogos facilitate ananamnesisthatisnotinscribedbyit?Inotherwords,canlogos – and,here,techno-logos – instead of determiningtheanamnesis,ratherallowittoarriveinanon-deterministicway?Thisquestionisveryspeculative,andfartoodifficulttobeansweredinonearticle(indeed,itmaytakeseveralgenerationstomakeitclearwhetherornotthisquestioninitselfisavalidone).Lyotardhopestomove away from the logos through the logos,suchaswasdemonstratedinthepostmodernturn.IntheteachingofDôgen,thereisanothersimilarpassagethatdemonstratesthislogic.TheZenmasterteaches“Think of not-thinking.Howdoyouthinkofnot-thinking?Non-thinking.Thisistheessentialartofzazen.”23 Zazen or tso-ch’an, literallymeans“sittingZen”,andisatechniqueofmeditation.TheoppositionthatDôgencreatedisthinkingandnot-thinking.Thisisapurenegation,sincethinkingcannotbenot-thinking,andnot-thinkingcannotbethinking.Butbetweenthinking(shiryō)andnot-thinking( fushiryō),thereisathirdwaywhichisnon-thinking(hishiryō);itnegatesboththinkingandnot-thinking,throughtheprivationofthinking.Thenon-istheOther.This negation of the logosdivertsitselftowardssomethingelse,andthereLyotardfindsinDôgentheOtherwhichisnotinscribedinthelogos.Lyotardwasinfavourofthislogic.InatalkgivenatacolloquiumontheoccasionoftheopeningofanexhibitionoftheworkofartistBrachaLichtenbergEttinger,laterpublishedasAnamnesis of the Visible,Lyotarddescribedherworkas“I remember that I no longer remember”.24Wecanprobablysaythatthisdouble-bindisthelogicofanamnesis:Isthenon-logospossiblethroughthenegationof logos within logos?Inthelastparagraphofthearticle,Lyotardraisedthequestionthatwecitedatthebeginningofthistext:
Thewholequestionisthis:isthepassagepossible,will it be possible with, or allowed by,thenewmodeofinscriptionandmemorationthatcharacterizesthenewtechnologies?Dotheynotimposesyntheses,and
22 Ibid.,p.55.23 CarlOlson,Zen and the Art of Postmodern Philosophy: Two Paths of Liberation From the
Representational Mode of Thinking(NewYork:StateUniversityofNewYorkPress,2000),p.68.
24 Jean-FrancoisLyotard,“Anamnesis:OftheVisible”,inTheory Culture and Society2004,No.21,p.118.
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synthesesconceivedstillmoreintimatelyinthesoulthananyearliertechnologyhasdone?25
Lyotardaskedwhatkindsofnewpossibilitiescouldbeopenedupbythisnewtechnology,towardstheunknown.Or,incontrast,heaskedwhetherthenewtechnologyisonlyinfavourofasynthesiswhichisevenmoreefficientandhegemonic,e.g.automation.IbelievethatthisisLyotard’scentralques-tion,anditwaspresentthroughouthispreparationforLes Immatériaux.Thequestionwasposedtothephilosophersofwriting,orofmnemotechnics.Thetaskofthisarticle,initsmostambitioussense,istoquestionwhetheritisavalidquestion.Thelogosisconfrontedwiththeclearmirror,inordertothinkwhetheritispossibletorealizetheclearmirrorwiththetechno-logos.Ifweonlythinkfromthisperspective,thepostmodernwillremainonlyaEuropeanproject,andhencethediscourseofglobalisation,ofthe“commontime”,26 is nomorethanapretext.ThereisnoeasywaytoevaluatethisquestionwithoutgoingbacktotheOther,fromwheretheclearmirrorcomes,andwherethedifférendhappens.Itneedscouragetobringinsomethingexotic,andIthinkLyotarddidit,withbestintentions,tothinkwiththedifférend,aspaceopenedupbetweenEuropeancultureandJapaneseZenBuddhism.Butinordertounderstandthedifférend,onehastoanalysetheregimeofphrases(whichdefinestheintentions,descriptive,prescriptiveorinterrogative)andthegenreofdiscourses(whichdefinestherules)oftheOther.Unfortunately,thisanalysisisyettobeelaborated.
Clear Mirror Confronts the LogosLyotardwasrighttorelatetheclearmirrortoHeidegger’s“clearing”orLichtung,butIthinkitisnotLichtung per se,butratherGelassenheit which preparesforthecomingoftheclearing.Gelassenheit,forHeidegger,isthequestionofprivation.However,thereisafundamentaldifferencebetweenthe system of Gelassenheitandthesystemoftheclear mirror.TheKorean-GermanphilosopherByung-ChulHan,inhisbookShanzhai: Dekonstruktion auf Chinesisch,makesaninterestingobservationinwhichheshowsthatthe“path”,orthetao,isdifferentfromtheWegofHeidegger,sincefortheformerthereisnocreationbutonlyde-creation(Ent-schöpfung),regardlessofitsorigin;27whileforthelatter,itisalwaysasearchofanorigin,sincethissearchistheconditionunderwhichtheforgettingbroughtaboutbyontotheologymightberecognisedassuch,andtherebyovercome.Itwouldbetooquicktoequatetao with clear mirror,sinceTaoismandBuddhismstandastwodistincttraditionswithinChina.However,itisnotadistortiontoshowthattheEnt-schöpfungsetsupacommongroundforculturesthatunitedifferentreligious
25 Lyotard,“LogosandTechne,orTelegraphy”,p.57(italicsadded).26 Ibid.,p.47.27 Byung-ChulHan,Shanzhai: Dekonstruktion auf Chinesisch(Berlin:Merve,2011).
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thoughts.Again,theEnt-schöpfungthatIborrowfromHanisnotopposedtocreation(Schöpfung)asdestruction;ent-standsnotfornegationbutratherprivation.
Whenwedealwithtwoformsofknowledge(let’sfollowLyotardinspeakingofthephilosophical“West”andthephilosophical“East”),wealwaysrisksim-plifyingthem,butinordertohaveadialogue(ifthisispossibleatall),itishardnottosimplifythemastwosystems.Adialogueneedsacommonground,andthesearchforacommongroundisalwaysaprivation.IcanhereonlygiveaquicksketchofthereflectionsoftwomajorChineseandJapanesethinkers,andIwillhavetofindanotheroccasiontogiveadetailedaccount.Fornow,IwillallowmyselfsomeshortcutsbyplacingitwithintheKantianframework,aswasalreadyproposedbytheChinesephilosopherMouZongsan.MouisoneofthemostimportantfiguresofthenewConfucianism,andarguablytheonlyoneinthetwentiethcenturywhounderstoodbothWesternandChinesephilosophy.AspecialistinTaoism,BuddhismandConfucianism,aswellasthe translator of the three CritiquesofImmanuelKant,MouunderstandsthedifferencebetweentheWestandtheEastwithinKant’sframework:inarathersimplifiedsense,oneconcernsaknowledgethat,constrainedbythereceptivityofsensibleintuitionandthecategoriesoftheunderstanding,isconfinedtophenomena;theotherconcernsanintellectual intuition that con-cernstheexperiencewhichgoesbeyondthephenomenontowardswhatKantcallsthenoumenon.Mouwrites:
AccordingtoKant,intellectualintuitionbelongsonlytoGod,butnottohumans.Ithinkthisisreallyastonishing.IreflectonChinesephilosophy,andifonefollowsthethoughtofKant,IthinkthatConfucianism,Bud-dhismandTaoismallconfirmthathumanshaveintellectualintuition;otherwiseitwouldn’tbepossibletobecomeasaint,buddha,orZhenren.28
Indeed,theintellectualintuitionconceptualizedbyMouisonethatlooksneitherforscientificknowledgenorhistory(anoriginquadifference),buttoasensibilityinwhicheverythingreflectsanon-pheneomenalworld:enteringthething-in-itself(nomatterwhatitis,butprobablynotyetpossiblewithacomputer).Thedesiretoenterthenoumenonischaracterisedbydistancingfrom substance as both hypokeimenonandeidos,fromphysicstometaphysics.ThislineofthoughtisfurtherpursuedbytheJapanesephilosopherKeijiNishitani,whostudiedunderHeidegger,andwasalsoasuccessorofKitarōNishida,animportantfigureoftheKyotoSchool.Duringthe1980s,NishitaniheldseveraldiscoursesindifferenttemplesinJapan,discussingmodern-isationandBuddhism,andlaterpublishedthemasabookwiththetitleOn Buddhism.Astonishingly,Nishitaniclaimedthattheconceptofthehistorical
28 MouZongsan,Phenomenon and the Thing-in-itself(《現象與物自身》)(Taiwan:StudentBook,1975),p.5(mytranslation).ZhenrenistheTaoistspiritualmaster,whohasbecomefreeandimmortal.
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doesnotexistinAsianculture.Whathemeantbyhistoricalistheawarenessofsituatingoneselfasahistoricalbeing,andtheanamnesisofhistoricaleventsthatreconstructahistoricity,orGeschichtlichkeit:
IamsurethatBuddhismfallsshortofsuchhistoricalconsciousness,atleasttosomeextent.Generallyspeaking,somethingcalled“historical”existsnolessinChinathaninIndiaandJapan.ButIhavetheimpressionthatinthesecountriestherehasbeennotraceofseeingtheworldashistoryinthetruesenseoftheword…Thiswayofthinkingissomewhatdifferentfromanhistoricalone,atleastofthesortprevalentinthemodernworld.29
NishitanifurthercommentedthatsuchaconceptofhistoricityisneglectedinthemodeofthinkingpropertoEastAsia–thatis,thesearchoftheintellectualintuition,underdifferenttitles.Iamnotsureifwecanunderstandtheclearmirrorasakindofanamnesis,sinceittotallyunderminesthechronologicalnotionoftime.Nishitani,however,attributestheconceptofhistoricitytotheChristiantradition,withoutaskingthequestionofanamnesis.AdialoguecouldbemadebetweenNishitaniandBernardStiegler.Thishistoricityhastoberetrievedthroughtheanamnesisofwriting,ortechnics,whichStieglercalls“theepochaldoubleredoubling”,thatis“(re)constitutingawho,andthushistoricity–ifnotHistory”.30Writing,asStieglerfurthershowedinthethirdvolume of Technics and Time: Cinematic Time and the Question of Malaise,isthe“spatialisationofthetimeofconsciousnesspastandpassingasWeltgeschicht-lichkeit”.31Historicityisonlypossiblethroughanamnesiswithmnenotechnics,andforittohappenitdemandsanoriginofsomesort(orthedefaultoforigin).ThislineofthoughtontimeandmatterisnotpresentinAsiancultures,asNishitaniexplains:
theotheraspect–namely,thatitishistoricalandthatbeingistime–iscomparativelyneglected.OrratherIshouldsay,iftheterm“neglect”isabitofanexaggeration,itisnotsufficientlydeveloped.ThisisattributabletothefactthatBuddhismplacesemphasisonthenegativeinherentinthecontentionthattimeissomewhattransientandthatthisisaworldofsuffering.Buddhismseemstohavefailedtograspthattheworldoftimeisafieldinwhichsomethingnewemergeswithoutinterruption.32
29 KeijiNishitani,On Buddhism(NewYork:SUNY,2006),p.40.30 BernardStiegler,Technics and Time,vol.2(Stanford:StandfordUniversityPress,2009),p.
77.31 BernardStiegler,Technics and Timevol.3(Stanford:StanfordUniversityPress,2011),p.
56.32 KeijiNishitani,On Buddhism, p.49–50.
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“Timeistransient.”33However,thistransienttimehastobeovercomeinordertoattainastatuswherebybeingisconstant.34Inthisstatus,timenolongerhasanymeaning.Hence,followingtheHeideggerianmotif,Nishitaniobservesthatbeinghasneverbeenunderstoodastime,andhencethataworldhistoryisnotfullygraspedinAsianculture.Aquestionmaybeposedimmediately:Isn’ttherealsowritinginEastAsia;andindeed,weren’ttheChinesethefirsttoinventpaper?Thequestioncanbeansweredintwoways.Firstly,therewasa privation of the anamnesis of history in favour of an anamnesis of the clear mirror,meaningthatthereisatendencyinEasternthoughtwhichignoresthequestionofsupport.Secondly,thetechnicsofanamnesisoftheWestisnotlimitedtohistoryasrecordsofevents,butratheramodeofthinkingwhichsearchesforanorigin,nomatterwhichone.Theanamnesisoftheclearmirrordesignatesanotherconceptionoftimeandmatter(support).WewillseelaterhowthiscontributedtothefactthattheOrientwasnotabletoresistthemnemotechnicsoftheOccident.
Disorientation and Dis-orientationItisonlywithintheanalysisofthediscourseoftheOtherthatonecandefinethe différend.ThepostmodernforLyotardisadisorientationthatchallengestheauthoritytoannouncesomethingchildish.AtypicalexampleofthemoderngazeiswhenDescartescriticisedthecitybuildinginParis,arguingthatitwasnotwellplannedandhenceseemedlikeachildren’sgame.Thisdisorientationhasadoublesense,asaliberationfromthemodern,fromtheresponsibilityandprojectsintrinsictothemodern;yetitisalsoamel-ancholia,sincethepost- is the search for an anamnesis which has not yet arrived,andhenceconstitutesitsveryquestioning.Butbeforethisques-tioncanbereposedandreformulated,itisnecessarytoseeanothertypeofdis-orientation,inwhichtheclearmirrorconfrontsthetechno-logos in materialtermsandsubstantialformsinwhatwasoncecalledcolonisationandimperialism,andnowglobalisation.
IallowmyselftobrieflysummariseahistoricalmomentaftertheOpiumWars.WhenChinarealiseditsincompetenceinwarfare,itimmediatelyadoptedWesterntechnology,scienceanddemocracy,whichtotallyrewrotetheconceptionoftime.AftertheOpiumWars(1839–1842,1856–1860),ChinarecognizedthatitwouldbeimpossibletowinanywarwithoutdevelopingWesterntechnologies.TheseriousdefeatsitsufferedledtotheSelf-StrengtheningMovement(1861–1895),whichextensivelymodernizedthe
33 Ibid.,p.49.34 Iusetheword“constant”bymakingallusiontoFrançoisJullien’sdistinctionbetween
eternal(Christiantheologicalperception)andconstant(Chineseperception)asthecoordinatesystemoftime;seeJullien,Du temps – éléments d’une philosophie de vivre (Paris:Livredepoche,2012).
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military,industrializedproduction,andreformedtheeducationsystem.Twosloganscameoutofthemovementwhichfullycharacterizethespiritofthetime.Thefirstoneis,“learningfromtheWesttoovercometheWest”(师夷长技以制夷);thesecondonebearsamoreculturalandnationalistspirit:“ChineselearningforfundamentalprinciplesandWesternlearningforpracticalapplication”(中学为体,西学为用).WesterntechnologyproducedhypeinChina,butmorefundamentally,itproducedfear.WecanrecalltheexampleofthefirstrailwayinChina,fromShanghaitoWoosung,builtbytheEnglishcompanyJardine,Matheson&Co.around1876-1877.Therailwayledtosomuchfear(intermsofsecurityandpotentialaccidents),thattheChingDynastypaid285,000taelsofsilvertobuytherailwayanddestroyit.35Suchmomentsofthetransformationofcultures,whichsomeAsianscholarstendtoambiguouslycall“modernisation”or“adifferentmodernity”,isindeedverymodern,sinceitisabsolutelyCartesian,inthesensethatoneholdsthatthecorephilosophicalthoughtcansustainandtransformthematerialcondition.
Thesecondreflectionontechnoscienceaswellasdemocracycameafterthe1911revolutioninChina,whenthosewhohadbeensentabroadaschildrenlaterbecamesuchintellectuals..Oneofthemostimportantintellectualmovements,nowknownastheMay Fourth Movement,eruptedin1919.Duringthe1920sand30s,WesternphilosophystartedtoflourishinChina.ThreenamesarecloselyrelatedtothecontemporaryintellectualhistoryofChina:WilliamJames,HenriBergsonandBertrandRussell(notethatinfactnoneofthesephilosophersarespecialistsintechnics).TheintellectualdebatesoftheperiodconcernedwhetherornotChinashouldbefullyWesternisedandfullyadoptWesternscience,technologiesanddemocracy,assupportedbyintellectualssuchasHuShi(astudentofJohnDewey),and(ontheoppositeside)criticisedbyCarsunChangChia-sen(astudentofRudolfEucken),ChangTung-sun(theChinesetranslatorofBergsoninthe1920s)andothers.Thesedebates,however,ledtounresolvedquestionsanduncompromisingpropositions.SomeintellectualsstartedtorealisethemistakeoftheCartesianbinaryoppositionbetweenthemindandtheinstrument,expressedintheearlierconceptionoftherelationbetweenChineseandWesterncultures.ThesedebatesultimatelydidnotgobeyondeithertheaffirmationofamodernizedChina(whichincludedthealphabetisationofChinesewriting),ortheinsistenceuponthevaluesoflifeintraditionalthoughtthatresonatewiththemetaphysicsofEuckenandBergson.
Chinawasunabletogofurtherbecauseofalackofunderstandingoftechnics.TheintellectualsofthegenerationofMouZhongsansawtheirultimatetaskasoneofabsorbingChristianityintoChineseculture.TechnicshasneverconstitutedthecorequestionofChinesephilosophyorChineseculture.One
35 Sun,Kuang-Teh,Late Ching Tradition and Debates around Westernisation (Taiwan:CommercialPress,1982)孫廣德,晚清傳統與西化的爭論(台灣: 商務印書館, 1982).
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canalsosaylikeStieglerthat,intheWest,thequestionofprosthesis–thatisalsothequestionoftechnicsasanamnesis–didn’tcometolightuntilrecentcenturies.Butthetechno-logosisalwaysthere,actingliketheunconscious,orthe NachträglichkeitofFreud,whichdesignatesatonceadeferredactionandalsoasupplement(Nachtrag).Theeffectuationoftechnicsdependslargelyontheadoptionandadaptationwhichislimitedbyculture.Anethnicgroupadoptstechnicsfromanothertointernaliseit(suchasChinahasdonetotheperipheralcountries),oradaptsitselftoothers’technicsandbecomessub-ordinatedtothem.Culturehereactsasastabiliseroftechnics,eitherlimitingitorpromotingit.However,followingthesixteenthcenturyChineseculturedidnothavethetendencytoadvanceitsowntechnics,whichdidnothappenuntilthenineteenthcentury,whenitwasforcedtoadoptWesternscienceanddemocracy.ThesituationisdifferentinJapan,whichhadtheconsciousnessof“overcomingmodernity”beforeChinastartedonthepathtomodernisation.WecanspeculatethatthismaybethereasonwhyNishitanihadthesensibility todiscovertheproblemoftimeinAsianculture.Incomparisonwiththedis-orientationofthepostmodern,whatwehaveseenaboveisadisorientationinadoublesense,whichisnotonlythelossofdirection,butalsotheabilityofidentification.Whatisleftwouldonlybeapoliticsofidentity–theOrientisnolongeroriented,butdis-oriented.
The Nachträglichkeit of Les ImmatériauxNow we see the différend,butitremainsvirtual,sinceadialogue–ratherthanasetofspeculations–isyettobeinitiated.Thedistanceof30yearssinceLes Immatériaux providestheoccasionforposingthisquestionagain,orforquestioningthequestion.TheinitiativeoforganisinganeventonLyotard’sLes Immatériaux was itself a Nachträglichkeit.Firstly,therewastheshockthatIexperiencedwhenIcameacrosstheworkofNishitaniandBernardStiegler’sTechnics and Time 2: Disorientation in2009,whenitseemedtomethatthequestionofadialoguebetweentheWestandtheEastbasedontheques-tionoftechnicshadremainedunanswered,andindeedalmostuntouched,foracentury.Secondly,Lyotard’squestionwasdeferred,andhencehastobeadded,nachgetragen.Itisdeferredinthesensethathisquestionwasnotintelligibletohiscontemporaries–oratleast,inhisownwords,remained“toodialecticaltotakeseriously”.36 It is these two Nachträglichkeiten that urgeustogobacktosomequestionsposedbyLyotardbothduringthepreparation(includinghistreatiseonKantandWittgensteinLe Différend)andrightaftertheexhibition(includingL’inhumainandLe postmoderne expliqué aux enfants),questionswhichconcernstheradicalopeningbroughtbymoderntechnologiesandthespeculationontheirnewpossibilitiesforboththephilosophical“West”and“East”. Itriedtoapproachthisintersectionofthe
36 Lyotard,“LogosandTechne,orTelegraphy”,p.57.
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NachträglichkeitenwiththequestionthatIposedattheverybeginningofthisarticle:namely,whetherthepostmodernisaEuropeanproject.ItmaybeaEuropeanproject,butitshouldn’tbeaEuropeanproject;andindeed,itshouldservetheoccasionforaprofoundandspeculativereflection.NomatterhowspeculativeisthequestionthatLyotardposed,whichwecitedattheopeningofthisarticle,itproposestoradicallyreflectuponbothtechnologicalprogressandtheneedtotransformitbyfirstreconceptualisingit(aswehaveseenintermsofanewmetaphysicsofinteraction).Lyotard’sspeculationplacesitshopeinthenewmaterialitythatonenowadayscalls“digital”.Howseriousisthishope,andinwhatwaycanonecontinuetohope?
Qu’arrive-t-il?
Lyotardwasverymuchawareofthedangersbroughtbytelecommunicationculture;ashewrote,“thequestionofahegemonictelecultureisalreadyposed”,37andheendeavouredtocontemplatethisnewconditionandtosearchforametaphysicswhichisbothmaterialandpolitical.Whatliesbehindthedis-orientationofthepostmodernisadesireofare-orientation,notonlyfortheOrient,butalsofortheOccident,sincetheOccidentexistsinrelationtotheOrient,le différent.Arrive-t-il?Lyotardasked,“whatdoes‘here’meanonthephone,ontelevision,atthereceiverofanelectronictelescope?Andthenow?Doesnotthe‘tele’elementnecessarilyobscurethepresence,the‘here-and-now’oftheformsandtheir‘carnal’reception?Whatisaplace,amoment,notanchoredintheimmediate‘suffer’ofwhathappens[arrive].Isacomputerinanywayhereandnow?Cananythinghappen[arriver]withit?Cananythinghappentoit?”38LyotardrecallsHeidegger’sEreignis,andthesublimeofKant,whichmanifestsitselfinthisnewmaterialconditionasasortofphilosophicalresistance.Thearrive-t-il,withoutsubject,withoutcontent,ishoweveralwayshauntedbythequestionqu’arrive-t-il?
InBeijingin2000,therewasanexhibitionentitledPost-Material Interpretations of Everyday Life by Contemporary Chinese Artists,whichissaidtohavebeeninfluencedbyLyotard’sLes Immatériaux.39The“post-material”inthetitlewasnotmeanttoindicatesomethingspiritual,butrather,followingLyotard,anewformofmateriality,forexamplegeneticengineering,orartificialintelligence.Attheendoftheexhibition’scuratorialstatement,thecuratorWangZuwrote:
Weknow,duetotheadvancementoftechnology,thatweareconfrontingthepossibilityofdevelopinganewmoral,andwewillneedtobuildanewstructureofsuchamoral.Post-material,insteadofsayingthatit
37 Ibid.,p.50.38 Jean-FrancoisLyotard,“Quelquechosecomme:communication…sanscommunication,”
in L’Inhumain: causeries sur le temps (Paris:Galilée,1988),p.129.39 PersonalcorrespondencewithProfessorWangMingAnoftheBeijingCapitalNormal
University.
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describestheexpansionofmaterialandthedeclineofthehumanspirit,representstheiropposition…Wewillhavetocreateanewmoralvisuality,whichredefinesart,aswellaslife.40
ThelogicofthisexhibitionresemblesLyotard’s.However,onewillnoticetwopunctainthiscuratorialstatement.Firstly,whatispresentedisanaffirmationofthedisorientation,whichnolongerdistinguishestheWestandtheEast.Technologybecomesaglobalphenomenonandfundamentaltoeverydaylife.ShouldthisnotalsoberegardedastheproblemofhistoricitythatNishitanilamentedinthe1980s?Secondly,thestatementreferstoanoppositionbetweenthedeclineofspiritandtheexpansionofmaterial,andhencecallsforanewmoral,whichisfundamentallyalsoanewlogic.
InNovember2002,theFrenchphilosopherPaulViriliocuratedanexhibitionentitledCe qui arrive attheFondationCartierinParis.Inthisexhibition,Viriliowantedtodrawattentiontocatastrophescausedbytechnologicaldevel-opmentinthepreviousdecades,andannouncedthatareversalofwhatAris-totledistinguishedassubstanceandaccidentshadtakenplace.Inlightoftheanticipationofthenormalisationofcatastrophesinthetwenty-firstcentury,Viriliohopedtogobacktothequestionofresponsibilityandreflectontheproblemofindustrialisation,whichbecomesdestructivetobothcorporalandspiritualbeings.Viriliopointsoutthat,forAristotle,accidentsservetorevealsubstance;inotherwords,substanceisalwaysaccidental;hencewhatfollowsfromaccidentsarenewinventions.Accidentsaresomewhatnecessary,sincewithoutthemtherecanbenotechnologicaldevelopment.Butthegreatdis-coveries,accordingtoVirilio,alsocreatethegreatcatastrophes.Globalisation,through techno-logos(andthroughphilosophy),isalsoaprocessoftheproductionofacatastropheatthescaleofnature:
andsoitismerelyhightimethatecologicalapproachestothevariousformsofpollutionofthebiospherearefinallysupplementedbyaneschatologicalapproachtotechnicalprogress,tothisfinitenesswithoutwhichdearoldglobalisationitselfrisksbecomingalife-sizecatastrophe.41
ViriliocondemnedtheEnlightenment’snotionofprogress,andtheideathattheOrientcannotescapefromtheprogressoftheOccident.HequotedtheFrench-IranianphilosopherDaryushShayegan,whoclaimedthatonecannotimagineculturesasseparateblockswithoutinterpenetration,andthathencewe are all Occidents.42ViriliomockedShayegan,claimingthattotalkabout“lightcomingfromtheOccident”and“aworldwhichcannotescapeprogress”isironic.Itishereweseethevalueoftalkingaboutle différend,andthe
40 后物质:当代中国艺术家解读日常生活, 北京红门画廊 (21 Oct–30 Nov, 2000), http://www.xu-ruotao.com/exhibitions/group-2/post-material-interpretation-of-everyday-life-by-contem-35(mytranslation).
41 PaulVirilio,The Original Accident,trans.(Cambridge:PolityPress,2007),p.24.42 PaulVirilio,Ce qui arrive(Paris:Galilée,2002),p.89.
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resistancetoprogressandtheuniversalisationoftheteleculture.Indeed,ifitdoesnottakethequestionoftechnicsandanamnesisseriously,IamnotsurewhetherthephilosophicalEastcaninspiretheWestanyfurtherthanwhatLyotardtookfromDôgen.
Re-orientation: an Anamnesic Resistance?
Asthequestionofdisorientationtakesthenewshapeofaglobaldis-orientation,Heidegger’scritiqueoftechnologyseemstoechofromtimetotime.Inthedawnofthedigitalage,didn’twealreadyseethereturnoftheCalifornianZen,whichwasoncecalledCalifornianIdeology?Whatwillbethedifferencethatistobeshaped?IfeelthataftermodernisationinAsia,thesequestionsarenolongerasked.TodayifwetakeupthequestionbyLyotard,thetaskwillbetolookintothematerialityofthedigitalandthenewtechnologicalconditionaccompaniedwithit,inordertofindapossibilitythatmay preserve the différend,orevenmultiplythedifférend.
Lyotardwasverybravetoraisethisquestion,whichdemandsanewlogicofthinkingabouttechnology,andaturningagainsttechnologyinordertoexploreitspossibility.Itisnolongerthelogicthatfunctionswithinmachines,butratheralogicthatliberatesbeingsfromsuchastrictlyformalizedthinking.OrmaybewecanrefertowhatSocratesrevealsinhischallengeinthe Protagoras,thetechne of all technai,athinkingthatgovernsallpracticaltechnics.Socrateshaschosenreason,andsetabeginningofWesternphilosophyseparatedfromthepre-Socraticmetaphysicalthinking.Butthisreason,aswehaveseeninLyotard’sthinking,hastobeproblematizedbyintroducingtheOther,bothamirrorandaclearmirror.Theinteractionmodel,forLyotard,isthepossibilityofdismantlingtheconstantupādāna of creation.IfherethenewmaterialityallowsustorethinkthetraditionofthephilosophicalWest,itisequallysignificantforthephilosophicalEasttorethinkthequestionofanamnesisfromanotherdirection.Inthissense,wemayunderstandwhyHeideggerrefusestoseekanysolutionintheEast,ashesaysin the famous Der Spiegel interview “Only a god can save us”:
myconvictionisthatonlyinthesameplacewherethemoderntechnicalworldtookitsorigincanwealsoprepareaconversion[Umkehr]ofit.Inotherwords,thiscannothappenbytakingoverZenBuddhismorotherEasternexperiencesoftheworld.ForthisconversionofthoughtweneedthehelpoftheEuropeantraditionandanewappropriationofit.Thoughtwillbetransformedonlythroughthoughtthathasthesameoriginanddetermination.43
43 MartinHeidegger,“NurnocheinGottkannunsretten”,Der Spiegel30(Mai,1976):193–219.Trans.byW.Richardsonas“OnlyaGodCanSaveUs”inHeidegger: The Man and the Thinker(1981),ed.T.Sheehan,p.45–67.
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HereliesboththeaffinityanddifferencebetweenLyotardandHeidegger.Lyotardismoreopentodialogue,totheradicalpossibilityofthedifférend. Indeed,thereasontolookforthedifférendisnottodestroythedifferences,butrathertorecognizethe“inevitableandinescapablepossibilityofheterogeneity”.44ButhowisthispossibleinthecaseofLyotard,withhisinsistenceontheOther?Lyotardgavearesponsetothisquestion,andIthinkthiswillperhapsbethestartingpointforreflectingonapossibleprojectofre-orientationthroughthepracticeofananamnesicresistance.Isummarisethis response in terms of three points: writing,originandsystem,thoughwehavetobearinmindthatsuchasummarymaynotreallyreflectthesystem-aticthinkingofLyotard.
Writing.Lyotardhaddifficultyprovidinganexampleofthenewtechnologythatheimagined,whichcanrealizethepotentialofsuchanamnesicresist-ance.Hewrites:“TheonlythingIcanseethatcanbearcomparisonwiththisa-technicalora-technologicalruleiswriting”.45WritingalsodistinguishestheanamnesisofLyotardfromthatofFreud,sinceFreud’sanamnesisislimitedtofreeassociation,whileforLyotarditistheproductionofwork.Anamnesisisoriginallyaninterminableprocess;however,inthecaseofpsychoanalysisitisbroughttoanendwhenthetreatmentiscomplete;whileinthecaseofartisticcreation(includingwriting),theartistsstopsincelabourisnolongerindispensable.Whatmarksthedifferencebetweenthesetwoendsistheworkoftheartists–whichisalsothemnemotechnics.Lyotardspeculatesonapassingwhichisnotpsychoanalytical,butratheraformofresistanceagainstthe techno-logos:
Weenvisagethiswritingaspassingoranamnesisinbothwritersandartists(it ’sclearlyCezanne’sworking-through)asaresistance(inwhatIthinkisanon-psychoanalyticalsense,morelikethatofWinstoninOrwell’s1984) tothesynthesesofbreachingandscanning.Aresistancetocleverprogrammesandfattelegrams.46
WinstonisfurthermentionedinthechapterentitledGlose sur la résistance in Le Postmoderne expliqué aux enfants.WerecallthatWinstondecidestowriteadiarytoexpresswhathethinksandfeels,asanactofrebellion.Itwillbeinter-estingtoask:arebellionagainstwhat,whenthelawdoesn’texistanymore?Winstonhasnoideaoftheexactdate.Itisnottheanamnesisofanhistoricalevent,butratheranactofresistancetothesystematicstupidityoftheParty.LyotardturnedtotheexamplesofBenjamin’smicrologynamedbyAdorno.In One Way Street andBerlin Childhood,whatispresentedisnotthestoryofchildhood,butratherthechildhoodofevents;toputitinanotherway,what
44 MichelOlivier,“Ledifférent,oulaquestiondel’enchaînement”,inLes Transformateurs Lyotard(Paris:ÉditionHermann,2008),p.211.
45 Lyotard,“LogosandTechne,orTelegraphy”,p.5646 Ibid.
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isinscribedisthepotentialofinfinitizationinsteadofthecompletionofahis-tory.Thestoriesonlyinscribetheirungraspability.
Thequestionofwritingenabledbythenewtechnologywasoneofthecentralthemes of Les Immatériaux.TogetherwithThierryChaput,LyotardsetupanexperimententitledÉpreuve d’écriture,whichwaswhatonetodaycallscollab-orativewriting,withBrunoLatour,JacquesDerrida,ChristineBuci-Glucksman,IsabelleStengersandothers,creatingentriesofkeywordsandcommentingoneachother’sentries.Eventhoughtoday,withthedigitalnetworks,wecanwritethroughblogging,socialnetworking,audio-visualcreation,codingandsoon,asystematicprogrammeonwritingasresistance,asidefromitsjournalisticvalue,stillhastobethoughtthrough;notonlyataskfortheintellectuals,asdemonstratedintheÉpreuve d’écriture,butalsoforthepublic.
Origin. Theoriginistheungraspable.ThephilosophicalEastpaidlittleattentiontotherelationbetweentheoriginandthesupport.TheanamnesisoftheoriginforLyotardisnotareturntotheoriginthatdesignatesaplaceanddateofanevent,butrathertheunknownable,whichcannotbeinscribed.Suchanorigin,however,hasitssupportinwriting;thatistosay,theanamnesiscantakeplacethroughwriting,butalsoescapesbeingwritten.Ifanamnesisislikelanguage,movingfromonephrasetoanother,itneedschains(enchaînement)inorderforittoreachthereferent.Theprincipleoftheanamnesis,accordingtoLyotard,emphasisesthefactthat“’reason’forthechainisneverpresentableintermsofapastevent(originaryscene).Itisimmemorial”.47Theunknowablepresentsitselfinthethingandthevoice,whichserveascalls,orratherasmotifs,forthereconstructionofthelostorigin.
InalectureentitledPhilosophie et Origine giventofirstyearundergraduatesattheSorbonnein1964,LyotardstartedwithareflectiononHegel’sfirstmajorphilosophicalwork,thewhichmarkedhisseparationwithSchellingandFichte,The Difference Between Fichte’s and Schelling’s Systems of Philosophy (1801).Hegeldescribedthebirthofphilosophyasaresponsetothelossoftheforceofuni-ficationofhumancommunities:“Whenthemightofunionvanishesfromthelifeofmenandtheantitheseslosetheirlivingconnectionandreciprocityandgainindependence,theneedofphilosophyarises.48” Philosophy was born in ordertoretrievethelostunity(thisbecameevenclearerinHegel’sLectures on the Philosophy of History,1837).Philosophyisnothistoryperse,whichtracesthehappeningofthisevent,butratherseekstorecoveritfromthepresentmoment,writesLyotard,“the origin of philosophy is today”.49 The origin escapes bothwritingandphilosophyandservesastheconditionofphilosophizing,
47 Lyotard,“Anamnesis of the Visible”,p.109.48 G.W.F.Hegel,The difference between Fichte’s and Schelling’s system of philosophy,trans.H.
S.HarrisandWalterCerf(Albany,NY:StateUniversityofNewYorkPress,1977),p.91.49 Jean-FrancoisLyotard,Pourquoi philosopher?(Paris:PUF,2012),p.61.
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whilethepossibilityofphilosophizingresidesintheactofwritingandsearching;ontheotherhand,theoriginwithoutsupportanditspracticeofanamnesisisalsothesourceofthedis-orientationthatwehavedescribedabove.
System. AlthoughLyotardadoptedHegel’sconceptionofthetaskofphilosophyastherestorationoforiginalunity,hemovedawayfromHegel’stendencytowardssystematisation(letusrecallthatHegelstandsasthemostsystem-aticoftheGermanIdealists).Theactofanamnesisisoneofresistanceagainstsystematisation.Lyotardspokeofthesystemaswhatsurvivedtheruinsofthebourgeoisworldafterthecrisisofcapitalism,twoWorldWars,andtheexter-minationofEuropeanJews.50Systematization,accordingtoLyotard,isthedominationofhumansandnaturebyreason.Thepoliticsofanamnesisisapoliticsthatseekstheincalculable,somethingbothofthisreasonandagainstit.ThirtyyearsafterLes Immatériaux,thenewmaterialitydescribedbyLyotardhasnottakenthedirectionthatheenvisaged,butratherhasledtoanewmodeofreificationandcontrol,whichBernardStieglercalls“hypermaterial”.InChina,therapidadoptionoftechnologieshasledtoamiseryofpollutioninallaspects:water,food,soil,andblood.Economicandtechnologicalprogresstodayenjoysthespeedofmovingintotheimpossibilityofanamnesis,ofboththeunknownandhistoricity.Thisconsistsinthenecessityofresistingthesmartprogrammesorfattelegrams.Ihopethattheelaborationofthe différendconcerninganamnesisinthetwogenresofdiscourseofthephilosophicalWestandEast,however,canbecomeasupplement(Nachtrag)toeachother.ThereisprobablynobetterwaytoendthisarticlethanbycitingthelastsentenceofLyotard’s“Logos, Techne or Telegraphy”:
I’llstoponthisvaguehope,whichistoodialecticaltotakeseriously.Allthisremainstobethoughtout,triedout.51
50 Lyotard,“Anamnesis of the Visible”,p.117.51 Lyotard,“LogosandTechne,orTelegraphy”,p.57.
The Silence of God
Charlie Gere
InthischapterItakeasmystartingpointNatalieHeinich’sdescriptionoftheuseofheadphonesinLes Immatériaux:
Intheabsenceofaguidedtour,visitorstoLes Immatériaux hadtowearearphones,throughwhichtheycouldhearhumanspeech.Thevoicesstreamingthroughtheearphonesdidnotprovideanydirect“explanation“ofwhatthevisitorhadinsight,butratherunidentifiedfragmentsofdis-courseindirectlyrelatedtowhattheyweresupposedtocommenton,withoutrequiringthevisitortopressabuttoninfrontofeachexhibit.Mostvisitorsdidnotmaketheconnectionbetweenthevoicesandtheirownmovementthroughtheexhibition,whichinevitablyledtosomecolourfulmisunderstandings…1
Thefragmentsinquestionwereexcerptsfromliteraryandphilosophicalworksby,amongothers,BlanchotandBeckett.The“earphones“orheadsets,whichwerewirelesslycontrolledandsuppliedbyPhilips,keptbreakingdown(unsurprisinglygiventhatthetechnologytheyembodiedwasthenhighlyexperimental).That,andthefactthatthePompidoubothobligedvisitorstousethemandalsochargedforthem,madetheirinclusionintheexhibitionhighlycontroversial.
EightyearsafterLes Immatériaux LyotardgaveapaperattheCollègeInter-nationaledePhilosophieinParis,entitled“OnaHyphen“,2 about the apostle
1 NathalieHeinich,“Les ImmatériauxRevisited:InnovationinInnovations”.Tate Papers (online)12.2009.http://www.tate.org.uk/research/publications/tate-papers/les-immateriaux-revisited-innovation-innovations.
2 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,The Hyphen: Between Judaism and Christianity (Amherst,NewYork:HumanityBooks,1999).
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Paul,thusanticipatingtherecentrevivalofinterestinhimbyoverhalfadecade.InithegaveareadingofPaulasexemplaryofthehyphenbetweenthewords“Judeo“and“Christian“.AmongLyotard’sconcernsinthisessayisthatof“theVoice”.LyotardcontraststheinaccessibilityofGod’svoicefortheJewswithitsmanifestationintheincarnationofChrist.Thiscanbeunder-stood,inpartatleast,asameansforLyotardtoworkthroughsomequestionsoflanguage,inparticulartheJudaicparadigmoftheabsentletterandtheChristianmodelofincarnatedlanguage.ItisinthiscontextthatthediscursiveandaudioexperimentsofLes Immatériaux canbeunderstood,asarticulationsoftherelationshipbetweenJudaism,ethicsandthetext.
Lyotardopens“OnaHyphen“bysayingthathewillbe“speakingofawhitespaceorblank[blanc], theonethatiscrossedoutbythetraitorlineunitingJewandChristianintheexpression‘Judeo-Christian’”.3Then,describingtheJewishexperienceofGod,hecontinues:“TheVoiceleavesitsletterswithoutvowelsunvoicedondesertstone.Itleavesthemtobepronouncedbyapeoplesothatthispeoplemayrejoiceinhavingbeenpickedoutbyit“.4 Thus the Voice,whichisnottemporal,obligesthepeopleto“acttheseletters“.LyotardunderstandsthistobethebasisuponwhichwhatChristianswouldcalltheBibleorScriptureisreceived.TheHebrewwordfortheBibleisMiqra,whichmeans“convocation,reading,festivecelebration“,anditisthe“command-menttoactbywayoflettersleftbytheVoicewithouthistory“that“destinesthepeoplewhoacceptsandreceivesthiscommandmenttoahistoricitywithoutprecedentinhumancultures“.5Inbeingdestinedthus,toahistoricitythatisbothaboutwhathashappened,andaboutthetemporalmeaninganddirectionofthatwhichhashappened,thepeoplefindrealityunfulfilledandthereforedemandjusticeineverydaylife.6BecausetheVoiceisnotintime,timeisthetimeofdeath,thetimeofthewithdrawaloftheVoice;butitisalsothetimeinwhichthepeople“arecalledtogether,calledupontovoice,toraisetheirvoicestogether,toreadaloud,andtocelebratethelettersofprotectionandofthepromise“.7ItisbecauseAdamdesiredtospeakthelanguageoftheVoiceimmediately,withoutsuffering,complicationorhistory,thatheisexpelledfromParadise,intohistoricity.8Thishistoricity,however,isalsoacall“toacttheletteroftheVoice“,inasmuchastheletterspromiseParadise.
Inordertoexplainthis,Lyotardturnstowhathecallsa“[t]raditionalexegesis“,onethatfindsintheHebrewwordfor“orchard“,pardes,fromwhichwederiveourword“paradise”,themodelofthefourwaysinwhichtheTorah,thefirstfivebooksoftheMiqra or Tanakh(orwhatChristianscalltheOld Testament),
3 Ibid.,p.13.4 Ibid.5 Ibid.6 Ibid.7 Ibid.,p.13–14.8 Ibid.,p.14.
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shouldberead:Pstandsforpeshat,theliteralmeaning;R for remez,theallusiveorallegoricalmeaning;D for drash,themeaningtobeexacted,themoralmeaning;andfinallyS for sod,thesecret,hiddenorinaccessiblemeaning.
It is by means of the presence of this unattainable meaning in the traditionofreadingthattheVoiceremainswithdrawn,nolongerasdeathintimebutastheperpetuallydesired.9
LyotardsuggeststhatParadiseisthefulfilmentofthefourmeanings,buthealsoaskswhatitmeanstofulfilameaningthatissod,positedasestranged?10 ItisatthispointthathebringsinStPaul–or,ashecallshim,“ShaoulthePhariseefromTarsus,aRomancitizenwhogoesbythenamePaulus“–andthroughhimunpacksthemeaningofthehyphenin“Judeo-Christian“.11 In effect,whatLyotardproposesisthat“themysteryoftheCross“proclaimedbyPaulsublates“theposition…thatthereadingofthelettersbythepeoplereservesfortheVoice“.12ThroughChristtheWordismadeflesh,andcomesamongus,andindoingsothe“Voicevoicesitselfbyitself“andasks“notsomuchtobescrupulouslyexamined,interpreted,understood,andacted,soastomakejusticereign,butloved“.Thus“[t]heIncarnationisagestureoflove.TheVoicethatwasinparadisebanishesitselffromthisparadiseandcomestoliveanddiewiththesonsofAdam“.13Thehyphenbetween“Judeo“and“Chris-tian“,then,isthe“mortificationofthefirstbythedialecticofthesecond.ThetruthoftheJewisintheChristian“.“Christianbreath“reanimatesthedeadJew,whoisotherwiselefttohisletter.14
TheIncarnation“expresslydisavowsthefleshofletters“,and,becauseitisamystery,it“exceedsthesecretmeaning,thesod,oftheletterleftbytheinvis-ibleVoice”,asitis“thevoicedVoice,theVoicemadeflesh“.15 In the Miqra,theVoicecanperformmiracles,whichactassignsforthepeoplechosenbytheLord,whoneedsigns.TheIncarnationisnotamiracle,however,butamys-tery,which“destroystheregimenofeveryreading“and“offersnothingtobeunderstoodorinterpreted“.16WithJesus“[t]heVoiceisnolongerdepositedintraces…nolongermarksitselfinabsence…isnolongertobedecipheredthroughsigns“.17“Readingisinvain“because“presenceisreal“intheHost,
9 Ibid.10 Ibid.11 Ibid,p.14–15.12 Ibid,p.15.13 Ibid.14 Ibid.15 Ibid,p.22.16 Ibid.17 Ibid.
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orintheexperienceofDoubtingThomasinputtinghisfingersinChrist’swounds“.18
ForLyotardthedialecticalsublationoftheJewishletterbytheChristianIncarnation,inwhichtheVoicevoices,isethicallyproblematic.TheTorahisnottheVoice,but“itsdepositedletter“andthe“languageoftheOtherisnotdeadbutestrangedorforeign“.19Thus“thegroundsforethics…hastodowithrespectingthisforeignness“.20Theotherisalwaysaletterthatrequirestheriskyandlengthyprocessof“decipherment,vocalization,cantillation,settingtorhythm,translation,andinterpretation“.21 These are not incarnations of the Voice,andaresubjecttotheinterdictionagainstfiguration,whichisalsoaninterdictionagainstincarnation,andagainstmakingtheVoicespeakdirectlyandvisibly.22TheIncarnationistherevocationofforeignness,whereasethicsisonlypossibleifforeignnessispreserved.BycontrastwiththeIncarnation,“itisenoughtowantwhattheOtherwantstosay,whattheOthermeans,todesirewhatitdesires,toliveitslovingmeenoughformetolosetheloveofmyself;itisenoughtohavethisfaithinordertobejustified,beforetheletterofanyreading“.23
ForLyotard,theChristiandialecticalsublationofthegapbetweenJudaismandtheChristianitynecessitatestherepressionandforgettingoftheformerbythelatter.Thus,forLyotard,the“jews“(inlowercaseandplural)cometorepresenttheoutsider,the“other“,whodisruptsthatwhichneedstobeexcisedinorderthattheWestcanrealizeitsdreamofunboundedfulfilmentanddevelopment.Thus,thePaulinedialecticalmoveispartoftheWesterndisavowalofheterogeneityanddifference,adisavowalthatwillultimatelyleadtoAuschwitz.
ItiswithadiscussionofAuschwitzthatLyotardbeginshismajorworkThe Differend,whichisalsothebookhehadjustcompletedwhenhestartedworkon Les Immatériaux.LyotardrecountsHolocaustdenierRobertFaurisson’sclaimthatthegaschambersdidnotexist(onthegroundsthattherewerenowitnessestotheiruse)asanexampleofadifferend inasmuch as the gas chambers’existencecannotbejudgedaccordingtothestandardsofhis-toricalproofdemandedbyFaurisson.24 There is a close connection between Lyotard’sunderstandingoftheimpossibilityofwitnessingAuschwitz,andthatofGiorgioAgamben,especiallyinthelatter’sbookRemnants of Auschwitz,inwhichAgambenisalsoconcernedwith,amongotherthings,thequestionof
18 Ibid.19 Ibid.,p.24.20 Ibid.21 Ibid.22 Ibid.23 Ibid,p.25.24 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,The Differend: Phrases in Dispute (Minneapolis:Universityof
MinnesotaPress,1989).
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testimony.25 Remnants of AuschwitzispossiblyAgamben’smostcontroversialbook,inthatinitthecampisunderstoodasaparadigmofthecontemporarybiopoliticalapparatusofthestate.Perhapsevenmoretroublingly,AgambenseemstoascribeakindofChrist-likestatustothefigureof“theMuselmann” (literally:theMuslim),thecampinmatewhohasgivenupanyformofresist-anceandisthusmarkedforimminentdeath.Remnants of Auschwitz also involvesaworking-throughofAgamben’santinomianism,inasmuchasheseesattemptstounderstandtheethicaldimensionsofAuschwitzinlegaltermsasmisguided.ThisantinomianismwillfindfurtherexpressioninAgamben’sownengagementwithStPaulinThe Time That Remains.26
ItisinterestingtonotethenumberofpointsatwhichLyotard’spointsofreferenceintersectwithorparallelthoseofAgamben,includingnotjustAuschwitzandPaul,butalsothequestionoftheVoice,andeventheTalmudicexegesisofParadise,orPardes,discussedbyLyotardanddescribedearlier.IndeeditiswiththisanalysisthatAgambenbeginshisessay“Pardes:TheWritingofPotentiality“.HerecountsastoryfromtheTalmudictreatiseHagigah(or“Offering“),whichgoesasfollows:
FourrabbisenteredPardes:BenAzzai,BenZoma,Aher,andRabbiAkiba.RabbiAkibasays,“Whenyoureachthestonesofpuremarble,donotsay:“Water,Water!“Forithasbeensaidthathe who says what is false will not be placed before My eyes.”BenAzzaicastaglanceanddied.OfhimScripturesays: precious to the eyes of the Lord is the death of his saints.BenZomalookedandwentmad.OfhimScripturesays:have you found honey? Eat as much as you can, otherwise you will be full and you will vomit.Ahercutthebranches.RabbiAkibaleftunharmed.27
Agambenpointsoutthat“accordingtorabbinicaltradition,Pardes…signifiessupremeknowledge“,andintheKabbalah,theShechinahor“presenceofGod”iscalled“Pardes ha-torah,theparadiseoftheTorah,itsfulfilledrevelation”,andthe“entryofthefourrabbisintoPardesisthereforeafigureforaccesstosupremeknowledge“.28Inthisunderstanding,thecuttingofthebranchesbyAhermeanstheisolationoftheShechinah from the other sefiroth–theattributesorwordsofGod–anditscomprehensionasanautonomouspower.29 Inasmuch as the Shechinah is the last of the ten sefiroth,bycuttingthebranches of the other sefiroth,AherseparatestheknowledgeandrevelationofGodfromotheraspectsofdivinity.30ThisisidentifiedwiththesinofAdam,
25 GiorgioAgamben,Remnants of Auschwitz (Cambridge,Mass.:MITPress,1999).26 GiorgioAgamben,The Time That Remains: A Commentary on the Romans (Stanford,Calif.:
StanfordUniversityPress,2005).27 GiorgioAgamben,Potentialities: Collected Essays in Philosophy (Stanford,Calif.:Stanford
UniversityPress,1999).28 Ibid.,p.206.29 Ibid.30 Ibid.
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who,ratherthancontemplatingthetotalityofthesefiroth,preferredtocon-templateonlythelastone,andindoingso,separatedthetreeofknowledgefromthetreeoflife.31
Agambenoffersanotherinterpretation,fromMosesofLeon,authoroftheZohar,thefoundationalworkoftheKabbalah,whichseemstobethatalsoinvokedbyLyotardinhisessayonPaul.Mosessuggeststhattheaggadah is aparableoftheexegesisofthesacredtext,anditishewhoproposesthereadingofthewordPardes in which Pstandsforpeshat,theliteralmeaning;R to remez,theallusiveorallegoricalmeaning;D for drash,themeaningtobeexacted,themoralmeaning;andfinallyS for sod,thesecret,hiddenorinaccessiblemeaning.32ThereforeBenAzzai,whodies,istheliteralmeaning;BenZoma,whogoesmad,istheTalmudicsense,tobeextracted;Aher,whocutsthebranches,istheallegoricalsense;andRabbiAkiba,whoentersandleavesunharmed,isthemysticalsense.FromthisperspectiveAher’ssininvolves“themoralriskimplicitineveryactofinterpretation,ineverycon-frontationwithatextordiscourse,whetherhumanordivine“.33Theriskinquestionisthat“speech,whichisnothingotherthanthemanifestationandunconcealmentofsomething,maybeseparatedfromwhatisrevealsandacquireanautonomousconsistency“.34Agambencontinues:
Thecuttingofthebranchesis,therefore,anexperimentum linguae,anexperienceoflanguagethatconsistsinseparatingspeechbothfromthevoiceandpronunciationfromitsreference.Apurewordisolatedinitself,withneithervoicenorreferent,withitssemanticvalueindefinitelysus-pended:thisisthedwellingofAher,the“Other,”inParadise.ThisiswhyhecanneitherperishinParadisebyadheringtomeaning,likeBenZomaandBenAzzai,norleaveunharmed,likeRabbiAkiba.HefullyexperiencestheexileoftheShechinah,thatis,humanlanguage.35
TheessaythengoesontosuggestthatthestoryofAher,the“Other“,isalsoawayofthinkingabouttheworkofJacquesDerrida.36ForAgambenDerridaisAher,theother,whocutthebranches,andwhoremainsstillmiredinmetaphysics(and,byimplication,AgambenhimselfisRabbiAkiba).JeffreyLibrettsuggeststhatAgambenseesDerridaassufferingfroma“graphocen-trism“asproblematicasthelogocentrismDerridachargesotherphilosopherswith.37ForAgambenphilosophyisalwaysalreadyfixatedonthe“gramma“,becausethevoice“evenwhenithasbeenpositedasorigin,isalwaysposited
31 Ibid.32 Ibid.,p.207.33 Ibid.34 Ibid.35 Ibid.36 Ibid.,p.209.37 JeffreyS.Librett,“FromtheSacrificeoftheLettertotheVoiceofTestimony:Giorgio
Agamben’sFulfillmentofMetaphysics.”Diacritics3(2–3)(2007),p.11–33.
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aslost,asanoriginthathasalreadybeenreplacedbytheletter“.38 Libbett seesAgamben’s“animusagainsttheletter“39as“powerfullyandexplicitlyoverdeterminedbyChristianthinking,inthePaulinetradition,asthemetaphysicsthatposesGodqualogosbypolemicizing,infavorofthelivingspirit(spiritaslife),againstthe‘deadletter’ofthelaw“.40ItisthisthatleadsAgamben,inhisbookonStPaul,tocriticizedeconstructionasa“thwartedmessianism“of“infinitedeferment“.41
PerhapsAgambencanbeunderstoodtobeperformingtheverysublationandrepressionoftheJewishletterthatLyotardseesbeingundertakenbyPaul.AndperhapsLes Immatériaux canbeunderstoodasanattemptbyLyotardtoresistthiskindofsublation,inwhichthesingularbecomesauniversalparadigm.Alongwith25orsootherparticipants,includingwriters,philosophersandscientists,Derridaparticipatedinan“experimentincollective,writings,interactiveandatadistance,onmicrocomputers,equippedwithwordprocessingandcommunicationsoftware“thatwaslaunchedtwomonthsbeforetheexhibitionopened.EachparticipantwaslentanOlivettiM20,connectedtothePTTnetwork,andwasaskedtorespondtoalistof50wordsgiventothembyLyotard.TheresultswerethencollatedandmadeavailabletoexhibitionvisitorsonOlivettiM24workstations,andalsointhesecondofthetwopublicationsaccompanyingtheexhibition,entitledEpreuves d’écriture.
DerridaremarksuponhisparticipationinLes Immatériaux in his piece written ontheoccasionofLyotard’sdeath,“Lyotardandus“.AsissometimesthecasewithDerrida,theessayisalsoameditationonaphrase,inthiscase“therewillbenomourning“,whichDerrida“extracted“fromapieceofwritingbyLyotardentitled“Notesdutraducteur“,or“Translator’sNotes“.42Inthispiece,writtenforajournalspecialissuededicatedtoDerrida,Lyotard,inDerrida’swords,“playsatrespondingtotextswhichIhad,uponhisrequest,writtenin1984,forthegreatexhibitionLes Immatériaux.”43 Declining the opportunity tosaymoreabout“thecalculatedrandomnessofthisexhibitionandthechanceJ.F.’sinvitationopenedforme,namelytheperfectmachinicoccasiontolearn,despitemypreviousreluctance,touseawordprocessingmachine–thussettingonadependencewhichlaststothisday“,Derridachoosesinsteadtodiscusswhathecallsa“minordebt“whichatfirst“seemstechnicalormachinic,butbecauseofitstechno-machiniceffacementofsingularityandthusofdestinalunicity,youwillseeverysoonitsessentiallinkwiththesentenceIhadtobeginwith,theonewhichhadalreadysurroundedandtaken
38 Ibid.,p.12.39 Ibid.,p.12.40 Ibid.,p.15.41 GiorgioAgamben,The Time That Remains,p.103.42 JacquesDerrida,“Lyotardandus,”Parallax,6(4)(2000),p.28–48.43 Ibid.,p.37.
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overme,‘thereshallbenomourning’”.44ThoughDerridaandLyotardhadalwaysusedtheformal“vous“,inhistextfortheexhibitionDerrida
playedwitha“tu“devoidofassignableaddressee,takingawayfromthechancereaderthepossibilitytodecidewhetherthat“tu“ singularly addressedthereceivingorreadinginstance,thatis,whoever,inthepublicspaceofpublication,happenedtoreadit,orinstead,whatisaltogetherdifferent,altogetherother,thisorthatparticularprivateifnotcrypticaddressee–thepointofallthesebothsophisticatedandnaiveproceduresbeing,amongothers,toupset,sometimesfrighten,atthelimit,thelimititself,allborders,forinstancethosebetweenprivateandpublic,singularandgeneraloruniversal,intimateorinnerandouter,etc.Indoingso,Ihadpretendedtochallengewhosoeverwasaddressedbythis tutotranslatetheidiomaticphrasingofmanyofmysentences,totranslateitintoanotherlanguage(interlinguistictranslation,inJakobson’sterms),oreventotranslateitintothesamelanguage(intralinguistictranslation),orevenintoanothersystemofsigns(musicorpainting,forinstance:intersemiotictranslation).Accordingly,afterthisorthatsentencewhichIconsidereduntranslatable,andafteraperiod,Iwouldregularlyaddtheinfinitiveformoftheironicorderortheimperativechallenge: “traduire“/“translate“.45
ThechallengetotranslatethatDerridathrowsdowninhistextsforLes Immatériaux iswhatLyotardrespondstoinhis“Notesdutraducteur“.AsDerridaputsit,Lyotard“seriouslyplaysatimaginingthenotesofavirtualtranslator.HedoessounderfourheadingswhichIwillonlymention,leavingyoutoreadtheseeightpagesworthcenturiesofTalmudiccommentary“.46
Inthephrase“thelimititself,allborders,forinstancethosebetweenprivateandpublic,singularandgeneraloruniversal,intimateorinnerandouter“IthinkitispossibletohearanechoofAgamben’sdescriptionofthecampinhisessay “The Camp as NomosoftheModern“:
Whoeverenteredthecampmovedinazoneofindistinctionbetweenoutsideandinside,exceptionandrule,licitandillicit,inwhichtheveryconceptsofsubjectiverightandjuridicalprotectionnolongermadeanysense.47
In his essay about Les Immatériaux fromthe“LandmarkExhibitions”issueof Tate Papers,reprintedinthisvolume,AntonyHudek(whowasco-trans-latoroftherecentEnglishversionofDiscours Figure)explicitlyconnects
44 Ibid.,p.37.45 Ibid.,p.38.46 Ibid.47 GiorgioAgamben,“TheCampasthe‘Nomos’oftheModern”,inHomo Sacer: Sovereign
Power and Bare Life (Stanford,Calif:StanfordUniversityPress,1998).
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Les Immatériaux withAuschwitz.HequotesLyotard’sresponsetoMichelCournot’sscathingcritiqueinLe Monde,particularlyofthetechnologysuchastheheadsets.Referringtothe“postmodern”,atermLyotardhimselfwasresponsibleforpropagatinginhis1979workThe Postmodern Condition,Lyotardsuggests that
MrCournotwantedtorevelinthejubilationofferedbythenewmas-terypromisedbythe“technologists”,bytheprophetsofa“postmodern”break?Theexhibitiondeniesit,andthisispreciselyitsgambit–tonotofferanyreassurance,especiallyandaboveallbyprophesyinganewdawn.Tomakeuslookatwhatis“déjàvu”,asDuchampdidwiththereadymades,andtomakeusunlearnwhatis“familiar”tous:theseareinsteadtheexhibition’sconcerns.48
Lyotardcontinues:
Theideaofprogressbequeathedby,amongothers,theEnlightenment,hasfaltered,andwithitatriumphanthumanism.Greatnessofthought–Adorno’sforexample(mustIspellhisnameout?)–istoendurethefrightderivedfromsuchawithdrawalofmeaning,tobearwitnesstoit,toattemptitsanamnesis.49
FollowingLyotard’sanalysisofpainting,HudeksuggeststhatLes Immatériaux offersthechanceofananamnesicworking-throughofthepast,andofferedhim“theopportunitytoworkthroughthehauntingofLa Condition post-moderne …providinghimwithastageuponwhichtoperformthetransitionfromanepochalormodalpostmodernintoanallegoricaloranamnesicone“.50 HudekremarksthatthesubtitleforLes Immatériaux might have been L’Esprit du Temps,whichechoesthenameofthe1982exhibitionofpainting,Zeitgeist,andsuggeststhatLyotardattemptedto“reclaimthepostmodernfromtheversionoftheterm“madefashionablebysuchexhibitions.51AsHudekputsit:
Lyotard’sownversionofapostmodernZeitgeist attheCentrePompidouwasanaffectivehoveringbetweenthe“post“hehadimprudentlyprognosticatedin1979andalostmodernismthatcouldneveragainbebroughtbacktolife.Thisparadoxicaltemporalstasiswouldprovidetheclearestsign,notofthedeclineofthetwentieth-centuryavant-gardeassuch,butoftheendofthepossibilityofrecuperatingittojustifyanincreasinglycomplexandprogressivelydehumanisedtechnos-cientificenvironment.ForLyotard,thehistoricalbreakinthetellingof
48 AntonyHudek,“FromOver-toSub-Exposure:TheAnamnesisofLesImmatériaux.” Tate Papers[online]12.2009,reprintedinthisvolume,p.79.
49 Ibid.,p.79–80.50 Ibid.,p.81.51 Ibid.
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twentieth-centuryhistoryismarked–asitwasformanybeforehim,particularlyAdorno–bythemassmurderoftheJewsduringtheSecondWorldWar.52
HegoesontoquoteLyotardhimselffromtheessay:
FollowingTheodorAdorno,Ihaveusedtheterm“Auschwitz“toindicatetheextenttowhichthestuff[matière]ofrecentWesternhistoryappearsinconsistentinlightofthe“modern“projectofemancipatinghumanity.Whatkindofreflectioniscapableof“lifting“,inthesenseofaufheben,“Auschwitz“,byplacingitinageneral,empiricalandevenspeculativeprocessdirectedtowardsuniversalemancipation?Thereisakindofsorrow[chagrin] in the Zeitgeist,whichcanexpressitselfthroughreactive,evenreactionaryattitudes,orthroughutopias,butnotthroughanorientationthatwouldpositivelyopenanewperspective.53
Hudeksinglesouttheword“sorrow“(“chagrin“inFrench),andsuggestshowstrikingitisthatthiselementisoverlookedintheliteratureofLes Immatériaux.HepointsouthowitisakeytermintheFrenchexperienceofthe“stalledremembrance“oftheSecondWorldWar,asevincedinworkssuchasMarcelOphuls’Le Chagrin et la pitié (The Sorrow and the Pity).54TakinghiscuefromLe Differend,HudeksuggeststhatLes Immatériaux stagesanexperienceoftemporalindecision,ofthe“Arrive-t-il?“.55InHudek’swords,“Les Immatériaux stagedanexperienceof‘sorrow’meanttogiverisetoaprofoundlynegativefeeling–afeelingthevisitorcouldnotpossiblyhaveescapedasshewanderedthroughthedarkmazeoftheCentrePompidou,confrontedbytheendlesschoicestodetermineatrajectorywithoutanyidentifiablegoalinsight”.56
Thus,Les Immatériaux mightberegardedasakindofunconscious,pre-emptiveresponsetoAgamben’sformofPauline,messianicpolitics.InitsverydifficultyandconfusionitrefusedthesublationofAuschwitzintoauniversalcategoryofcontemporaryhumanexperience.Itisperhapsworththinkingof Les Immatériaux asanalternativemuseologicalresponsetotheShoah,analternativetotheHolocaustmuseumsthatwerebeginningtoproliferateatthattimeandwhichpreciselyrisked(andcontinuetorisk)the“museification“ofwhattheycontain,anditsmakingsacredandparadigmatic.
Returning,then,totheearpiecesorheadphones,andthetextstheyrelayedtothevisitorstoLes Immatériaux:amongthesetextsweresomebySamuelBeckett,theartistwhoseworkAdornohadproclaimedasthemostappropriateartisticresponsetoAuschwitz,notleastbecauseitdidnot
52 Ibid.,p.82.53 Ibid.54 Ibid.55 Ibid.56 Ibid.,p.83.
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attempttoengagedirectlywiththeShoah.Yetperhapsevenmoreapt–albeitunintentionally–wasthefactthattheheadphonesfrequentlymalfunctioned,producingperhapswhatAndréNeher,writingaboutAuschwitz,called“thesilenceofGod“.57
57 AndréNeher,The Exile of the Word: From the Silence of the Bible to the Silence of Auschwitz (Philadelphia:JewishPublicationSocietyofAmerica,1981).
Immaterials, Exhibition, Acceleration
Robin Mackay
Les Immatériaux,1theexhibitionstagedbydesigntheoristThierryChaputandphilosopherJean-FrançoisLyotardattheCentrePompidouinParisin1985,confrontedanacceleratingcycleinwhichtechnologicalinstrumentsaffordusagraspofmatterbeyondthehumanperceptualgamut,decomposingthestructureofobjectsintosystemsofimperceptibleelementswhicharethenrecomposed,predominantlythroughtheuseofmachinelanguages,intonewmaterials.(Theterm“immaterials”thereforereferstothesenewmaterialsandtheirretroactiveeffectuponourconceptionofmatterassuch;nottoanynotionofthedematerialised,incorporealordisembodied).
AccordingtothepropositionofLes Immatériaux,thesenewdevelopmentsdisruptthenotionofmatterassomethingdestinedforandsubservienttohumanprojects.Ratherthanastablesetofmaterialsreadyforuse,wearefacedwithanunstablesetofinteractionsthatproblematiseapparentlystablepolaritiessuchasmindversusmatter,hardwareversussoftware,matterversusform,matterversusstate,andmatterversusenergy.
Initsattempttoarticulatethisruptureanditsrepercussionsintheformofapublicexhibition,Les Immatériauxcanberegardedasapivotalmomentintheconvergenceofphilosophy,artandexhibition-making.Itenablesustotakeacriticallookatasetofintertwinedtendenciesrelatedtowhatwemight
1 MyacquaintancewithLes Immatériauxhasemergedoverthecourseofmanydiscus-sions,initiallywithcomposerFlorianHecker,and,morerecently,withphilosopherYukHui.Thistextisdrawnfrompresentationsmadeatseveralsymposiaduringthecourseof2014:attheexhibitionSpeculations on Anonymous MaterialsattheFridericianuminKassel,at30 Years after Les Immatériaux at the Centre for Digital Cultures at the Leu-phanaUniversityofLüneberg,andatMegarave-MetaraveatWallrissinFribourg.
216 30 Years after Les Immatériaux
call“thepostmodernmoment”,whichincludetheemergenceoftheoreticaland/orphilosophicalthoughtasaconstituentpartofexhibition-makingand,conversely,theemergenceofthecontemporaryartexhibitionasaninter-nationalarenafor(somethinglike)philosophicaldiscourse;exhibition-makingasacollectivedramatisationofthecontemporaryconjuncture;andtheinstrumentalisationofthispracticeasamodeofculturalcapitalisation.
Inthefollowing,Ifirstargueforthecontinuingrelevanceoftheconceptof“immaterials”forustoday,thengoontoexaminetheexhibitionitself,detailingitshistoricalandinstitutionalcontextandscrutinizingLyotard’sphilosophicalandextra-philosophicalmotivationsforenteringintotheunknownterritoryofthiscrossoverbetweendisciplinesandgenres.IsuggestthattheintentionsandmeansofLes Immatériaux shouldbere-evaluatedinthelightofthenorms,politicsandeconomicsoftheglobalisedcontemporaryartscenethathasdevelopedsincethetimeofLes Immatériaux,manyfacetsofwhichwereanticipatedbythe1985exhibition.Finally,Iaskwhethertheques-tionof“accelerationism”emergingincontemporaryphilosophytoday(whichisstronglylinkedtoacertainturninLyotard’sthinkingatthetimeofLes Immatériaux)mightprovideawaytoreorienttheimpulseofLes Immatériaux outsideofwhathavenowbecomeinstitutionalconstraints.
Immaterials TodayInthe1990s,workingwithacolonyofnarcolepticdogsthathadbeenbredincaptivityforseveralgenerationsinaresearchfacilityinStanford,scientistsfinallyidentifiedthedamagedgeneresponsiblefortheirdynastyofsleepycanines:thesedogslackedareceptorforaneurotransmitterchemicalthatwouldlaterbenamedorexin.Thischemicalhadbeenidentifiedinthelate‘90sashavinganappetite-stimulatingeffect,andhadbeenearmarkedforfutureobesityresearch.ThediscoveryatStanfordopenedupadifferentdestinyforit,andsuggestedanovelapproachtothedevelopmentofsleepdrugs:whereasscientistshadformerlyaimedtofindneurochemicalagentsthatwouldencouragetheonsetofsleep–somethingthatawholegenerationofdrugshadachievedonlybyadoptingacrude“sledgehammer”approach–researchnowbecamefocusedonblockingthereceptionofachemicalthatisinstrumentalinkeepingthebraininawakingstate.
ThepharmaceuticalgiantMerckconductedacomputer-controlledchemicalscanofalibraryofthreemillioncompounds,compoundswhichthemselvesweretheby-productsofother(bothsuccessfulandunsuccessful)researchprojects.Asampleofeachofthesecompoundswasintroducedinturnintoa“cellularsoupderivedfromhumancellsandmodifiedtoactasasurrogateofthebrain”.Anagentwasaddedthatwouldreactwithorexinandglowifitwaspresent.Thisautomatedprocesswasfilmedautomaticallyand,overthree
Immaterials, Exhibition, Acceleration 217
weeks,theplatesthatfailedtolightupwerereduceddowntoafewforfurthertesting.TheresultingnewdrugiscurrentlyunderreviewbytheFederalDrugAdministrationandisexpectedtocometomarketshortly.2
Thistypeofprocedureisinmoregeneraluseasatechniqueinmaterialssciencecalled“high-throughputcomputationaldesign”,whichisexpectedtoreplacethetrial-and-errortechniquespreviouslyusedindevelopingnewmaterials.Itcombinestheresourcesofmassivecomputingpowerandagrowingknowledgeofhowdesiredpropertiessuchashardness,conductivity,colour,etc.,canbeattributedtoquantum-levelcharacteristicsofmatter.Oncetheyhaveidentifiedthelow-levelconfigurationsofmatterthatgiverisetoacertaindesiredproperty–its“fundamentaldescriptor”–scientistsattheMaterialsProjectatBerkeley3can“access,search,screenandcompare”adatabaseoftensofthousandsofinorganicmaterialsforcandidates.A“goldenageofmaterialsdesign”isanticipated:“[m]assivecomputingpowerhasgivenhuman beings greater power to turn raw matter into useful technologies than theyhaveeverhad.” 4
Amaterialisnolongeranobstinate,opaque,naturalgiven,readytobeformedaccordingtoaspecifichumanproject.Materialsarenowcodedstructuresthatarealreadytheproductofageneralisedscanningandanimmaterialmanipulationandproductionbeforetheyevenenterthedomainofmanufacturing.Thetotalcombinatorialspaceofpossibleconfigurations(includingcompoundsthatdonotoccurnaturally,andareevenvirtualandas-yetinexistent)isavailableasahugememorybanktobesearchedandprobed;increasingly,thesamecanbesaidfortheneuralspaceofthebrain.Ratherthanbeingthesubjectwhomastersthematerialobject,orthedestinedrecip-ientofitsmessage,thehumanisthetransmitterofautomateddiscoveries,andinturnisitselftreatedasacomplexofcoded,structuredmatterinter-facingwithothercompoundsbothorganicandinorganic.
Closertotheeverydayworld,considertherecentmass-marketemergenceoftheelectroniccigarette:herethepleasuretakenintheinhalingofthesmokeoftheburningtobaccoplant–aritualisedpsychotropicactemergingnodoubtfromacontingentencounterinhumanhistory–isanalysedintoitscomponentpartsandsimulatedthroughtheuseofelectroniccomponentsandinorganicmaterials.Themeaningswithwhichtobaccoproductswerefreightedarealsodisruptedthroughtheirtransferintothisnew,simulatedform.Thesyntheticprocesssplinterstheorganicmeaningoftheactofsmoking:theneuroactiveagentanditsaddictivepropertiesareseparatedfromtheevocationsoffire,smokeandash,withanicotine-ladenglycol-water
2 IanParker,“TheBigSleep”,New Yorker,December9,2013,p.50–63.3 Seehttps://www.materialsproject.org.4 GerbrandCeder,KristinPersson,“TheStuffofDreams”,Scientific American,December
2013.
218 30 Years after Les Immatériaux
vapourofferingatactileandvisualanalogueforsmoke;thepotentialtotincturethisbasewithmultipleflavoursopensitontothespaceoftheculinaryandolfactoryarts,andintroducesadisturbingparalleltocandy(deploredaseitherinfantilisingforadultsorasadangertochildren).Inthenewsimulacraoftheaestheticand–ifwemightsayso–sublimeorspiritualaspectofsmoking,withitsconnotationsofnihilismorsacrifice,thefatalconsequencesareattenuated(asfarasweknow),andthehabitisweldedtoanewcomplexofassociations(thelogicoftheelectronicgadget,thatofhardware/software,and,increasingly,thatof“hacking”).
Inmeshingneurotropicswithdigitalelectronics(potentiallyInternet-con-nected,keepinginmindthatvapestickbatteriesarechargedbypluggingthemintotheUSBportsofPCs),whatisreallycreatedisageneralisedplatformforthedeliveryofself-administeredpharmaceuticalcompounds–somethingthatisalreadybeingexploredbyvape“modders”.Itwouldnotbestretchingthingstoimagine,afewyearsfromnow,thatawirelessvapestickwillsampleitsowner’ssalivaand,detectingimbalancesorbeingprogrammedforarequiredpsychotropicstate,willimmediatelysynthesiseandsupplyanappropriatecocktailinvapourform,atthesametimerecordingandconsolidatingthedataformassanalysisorcrowd-basedsharing,datawhichinturncouldbescannedandanalysedtodevelopnewproducts.
Eventhetime-honouredexperienceofdurationinvolvedinsmokinga ciga-rettedisappears,replacedbythetemporalityof“chainvaping”.Thepublichealth(nottomentiontax)implicationsareunclear,andsofarthedevicesexistinakindoflegalandstatutorylimbo.Inshort,hereaselsewhere,material innovation also constitutes a cultural event that has repercussions acrossmanydifferentspheres.
AsLyotardsurmised,then,“Immaterials”assembleamachineneoculturewhosedevelopmentsareintractabletothediscoursesweinheritfromhumanismandmodernprogressivism.Withaprescientsenseofthedangerthatthisrevolutionofmaterialscouldeasilyproceeduncomprehendedbyphilosophicalthought,instagingLes ImmatériauxLyotardsethimselfupasa(devil’s)advocateforimmaterials:
Prisonersofthematerialismoftheindustrialrevolution,immaterialmaterialssufferfromtheirinvisibility.Butitisherethatacultureisfashioned,throughimages,soundsandwords.5
ThefewexamplesIhavegiven–andofcoursetherearemanymore–showclearlyenoughthatthequestionofmaterialshasindeedchangedregister.AsLyotardargues,withthesedevelopmentswecannolongertrustourintuitivecategorisationofobjects,andtheirmattercannolongerbeunderstood
5 Les Immatériaux catalogue,Album,p.10.
Immaterials, Exhibition, Acceleration 219
asagiventhatcanbeexpectedtocorrelatenaturallywithcommon-senselanguagederivedfromourhistoricalinteractionswiththeworld.Newsymbolicmachineries,whoserapidanddenseoperationswecannolongerfathom,shapethesynthesisofthesenew“immaterials”thathavebecomeapartofourlives;theyconfoundnaturallanguage,confrontinguswithexpe-rienceswedon’tyethavethewordstodescribe,andinwhichourplaceascreator–designer–userissignificantlyreconfiguredbyubiquitousmechanismsof abstraction:
“Immaterial”materials,albeitnotimmaterial,arenowpreponderantinthefluxofexchanges,whetherasobjectsoftransformationorinvest-ment,evenifonlybecausethepassagethroughtheabstractisnowobligatory…[A]nyrawmaterialforsynthesiscanbeconstructedbycomputerandonecanknowallofitsproperties,evenifitdoesnotyetexistornolongerexists.6
AccordingtoLyotard,theclassicmodern(Cartesian)conceptionofmattersoughttoexpel“secondaryqualities”frommatter-as-pure-extension;theirsensiblereceptionwouldbeonlya“theatricaleffect”ofthebody,thebodyasa“confusedspeaker”which“says‘soft’,‘warm’,‘blue’,‘heavy’”.7 The science of immaterialsinsteadgraspsandmanipulatesthesequalitiesastheeffectsofrelativedisparitiesbetweenmemory-systems(tellingly,Berkeley’sMaterialsProjectwasformerlyknownastheMaterialsGenomeProject).Inturn,thehumanmindbecomesonlyoneofaseriesof“transformers”thatfleetinglygenerateimmaterialsastheyextractandcontractflowsofenergy-infor-mation:“eventhetransformerthatourcentralnervoussystemis…canonlytranscribeandinscribeaccordingtoitsownrhythmtheextractionswhichcome to it”8–wearesynthesisersamongsynthesisers,andnotthedestinationandarbiterofallmatters:
theprogressthathasbeenaccomplishedinthesciences,andperhapsintheartsaswell,isstrictlyconnectedtoanevercloserknowledgeofwhatwegenerallycallobjects.(Whichcanalsobeaquestionofobjectsofthought.)Andsoanalysisdecomposestheseobjectsandmakesusperceivethat,finally,therecanonlybeconsideredtobeobjectsatthelevelofahumanpointofview;attheirconstitutionorstructurallevel,theyareonlyaquestionofcomplexagglomeratesoftinypacketsofenergy,orofparticlesthatcan’tpossiblybegraspedassuch.Finally,there’snosuchthingasmatter,andtheonlythingthatexistsisenergy;wenolongerhaveanysuchthingasmaterials,intheoldsenseofthe
6 Ibid.7 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,“MatterandTime”,inThe Inhuman (London:PolityPress,1991),p.
37–38.8 Ibid.,p.43.
220 30 Years after Les Immatériaux
wordthatimpliedanobjectthatofferedresistancetoanykindofprojectthatattemptedtoalienateitfromitsprimaryfinalities.9
ForLyotardthehistoricalmomentofimmaterialspromisesadeanthropocen-tricisationofcultureevenasitheraldstheendoftheprogressiveprogramofmodernity.Farfrombeingsimplyemancipatory,however,thepredicamentintowhichitdrawsusisprofoundlyambivalent:“ifwehaveatourdisposalinterfacescapableofmemorizing,inafashionaccessibletous,vibrationsnaturallybeyondourken…thenweareextendingourpowerofdifferentiationandourmemories,wearedelayingreactionswhichareasyetnotundercon-trol,weareincreasingourmaterialliberty”;andyetthislibertycomesatthepriceofsecurity,atthepriceofacounterfinalityoftechniqueanda“fore-closureofends”.10
Whattheageofimmaterialspromises,then,isacomplexificationofmatter“inwhichenergycomestobereflected,withouthumansnecessarilygettinganybenefitfromthis”.11Andsinceimmaterialisation,throughitsgeneralisedcodingandredistributionofmaterialaffect,alsoreconfiguresourrelationtotheculturalandtheaesthetic,itimplies“aprofoundcrisisofaestheticsandthereforeofthecontemporaryarts”.12Asadeliberateexacerbationofthiscrisis,Les Immatériauxsoughttocreatea“dramaturgy”ofthenewconditionof“interactivity”;13tostagetheuncertaintyandambivalenceofthisdisruptivemomentinthehistoryofmatter,exploring“thechagrinthatsurroundstheendofthemodernageaswellasthefeelingofjubilationthat’sconnectedwiththeappearanceofsomethingnew”.Mostimportantly,itsought“toactivatethisdisarrayratherthantoappeaseit”,14bycreatinganexperiencethatwouldallowitsaudiencetoexplorethe“collectivecortexconstitutedbymachinememories”15(aformulationthatnodoubtsoundedfuturisticin1985butisclosetobeingacommonplacetoday).16
Legitimation, IntensificationItisaquestion,then,of“legitimation”or“vindication”,ofallowingthesenewmaterialstheirproperplaceinacultureyettocome,andthusofusheringinthisculture–anoperationthatsimultaneouslyentailsacallingintoquestion
9 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,InterviewwithBernardBlistène,Flash Art,March1985.10 Lyotard,“MatterandTime”,p.54.11 Ibid.,p.45.12 Ibid.,p.50.13 “Interactivity”intheambivalentanddisquietingsensethatLyotardgivestoit:seehis
“report”inthepresentvolume.14 Lyotard,InterviewwithBernardBlistène.15 Lyotard,“MatterandTime”,p.45.16 ForexampleRayKurzweil,directorofengineeringatGoogle,explicitlydescribeshis
workintermsoftheconstructionofa“syntheticneocortex”:http://www.33rdsquare.com/2015/01/ray-kurzweil-is-building-synthetic.html.
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ofsomeofthemostfundamentalprinciplesofmodernthought.Thislegitimationentailsakindofdestabilisationofthehuman,anadmissionthatweinhabitamaterialculturethatisnolonger“ours”,isnolongerstraight-forwardly“human”–orrather,onethatgivesustounderstandthat“human”isnolongerastraightforwardmatter.ButhowandwhydidLyotardcometoemploythemediumoftheexhibitiontomakethisdisquietingtruthfelt?
Theinitialbrieffortheproject(draftedbeforeLyotardwasinvolved)speaksofasituationinwhichthepassagefromanenergy-intensivetoaninfor-mation-intensivesocietypresents“newmodesofperception,representationandsymbolisation,correspondingtonewmeansofdecision,conceptionandproduction”.17Theoriginandoutcomeofproductionprocesses,productandrawmaterial,arenotstraightforwardlydistinctanymore,anda“profoundmodificationofthedualitydesign/production”isunderway,creatinganewenvironmentthatescapesthesymbolicorderandthemeans-endcon-figurationofmodernity.Fornewtechnologiescreatetheirownsymbolicorder–andanewsocialorderandnewmodesofdistributionalongwithit.Theauthorsfindthisprocessatanacutestageinwhichitisnotyetfixed,andwherewhatismostwidelysharedisaperplexity,whichiswhattheysetoutto“dramatise”intheexhibition.Alreadyinvokedatthispointistheideaofanexperimentalscenographyandalternativepedagogy,placingaseriesofexhibitswithintheexhibitionspaceaccordingtoaconceptualorganisationthatwouldallowformultiplereadings.
IntakingchargeoftheconceptualisationofLes Immatériaux,Lyotardproceedstotracethesequestionstotheirfundamentalroots–callingintoquestiontheverynotionof“creation”thatwaspresentintheinitialtitle(“NewMaterialsandCreation”)andoperatingan(alltold,ratheridiosyncratic)conceptualdissectionofthemeaningof“material”.ThestructureLyotarddevisesfortheexhibitionsuggeststhatinmodernity“theobjectingeneralisconsideredasasign”,18butthattheconclusionthatthereforeallmattersarenowmatters,materials,ofcommunication,remainsunexplored.HeadaptsamodelofcommunicationtakenfromHaroldLasswell’slinguisticpragmatismtodis-tributethevariousdeclinationsoftheSanskritrootmât(“tomakewiththehand,tomeasure,toconstruct”)inaccordancewiththismodelofthevariouselementsinvolvedinanyinstanceofcommunication.Inthefirstfullproposalfor Les Immatériaux thesemanticambiguityof“material”alreadyplaysaroleinsettinginmotionslippagesfromonesemanticzonetoanother:throughshiftsinperspective,oneandthesamematerialcanbeseentooccupyvariousdifferentpositionswithinthecommunicationalstructure.
17 Les Immatériaux catalogue, Album,p.8.18 Ibid.,p.17.
222 30 Years after Les Immatériaux
Lyotardimaginesthatthedramatisationofthisstructuralslippage(thecon-tentofonemessagemaybethematerialsupportforanothermessageand,fromanotherperspective,therecipientofyetanother,etc.),dramatisedwithintheexhibitionspace,willproduceakindofdisorientation.For“itisnotamatterofexplaining”,abrieffortheprojecttellsus,“butofmaking sensible thisproblematic…[Les Immatériaux]seekstoawakenasensibilityassumedtobepresentinthepublic,butdeprivedofthemeansofexpression.Itwishestomakefeltthesentimentoftheendofaneraandofthedisquietthatisborninthedawnofpost-modernity”.19ThroughoutthedevelopmentprocessLyotardcarefully calibrates Les Immatériaux ’sresponsetothischallenge.Ratherthanajudgement,itistobeaperformativeintensification that is as one with the legitimation ofimmaterialsinvokedabove:“[i]tisnotamatterofmakingapocalypticpronouncementsor,onthecontrary,ofaffirmingthatnothinghaschanged;itisaquestionofintensifyinginterrogationand,sotospeak,ofaggravatingtheuncertaintythatitmakesweighuponthepresentandthefutureofhumans.”20
BeforewebroachthequestionofwhatLyotardquaphilosopherbringstothenewmediumoftheexhibition–andindeedwhatthechangeofmediumofferstothephilosopher–wewillfirsttracethehistoryofthesitewithinwhichthis“dramaturgyofinteraction”wastobestaged.
The Slaughterhouse and the PiazzaIn1955theFrenchgovernmentresolvedtomodernisethefamousabattoirsofLaVilletteontheoutskirtsofParis,alatenineteenth-centurymonumenttorationalindustrialdesignandcentralisation.21Workbeganin1961,withthecostoftheprojectgrowingfromanalreadyenormous245millionto110billionfrancs,andwithagreatdealofthesefundsultimatelyleftunaccountedfor.Thenewabattoirsandauctionmarketprovedobsoletebeforetheywerecom-pleted.Inconceivingofthemasaprestigiousmunicipaltrophy,theauthoritieshadignoredtheproblemsofsituatingamassivecentralisedfacilityinanalreadycongestedcity,atatimewhendecentralisationwasthepredominanteconomicandlogisticaltrend.Theprojectprovedtotallymaladaptedtotherealitiesofindustry.WorkatLaVillettewasdiscontinuedin1967andthewholeedificewasfinallydemolished,amidstgreatfinancialscandal.22Withthenewslaughterhouseandmarketdynamitedandpulverised,withagreatdealofpublicmoneyhavingbeensquanderedintheprocess,LaVillettewouldlie
19 Ibid.,p.26.20 Ibid.,p.17.21 SeeDorothéeBrantz,“RecallingtheSlaughterhouse”,Cabinet,Fall2001,http://
cabinetmagazine.org/issues/4/slaughterhouse.php.22 See“LesAutresScandales”,Le Nouvel Observateur,September28,2001:http://tempsreel.
nouvelobs.com/opinions/00018896.EDI0001/les-autres-scandales.html.
Immaterials, Exhibition, Acceleration 223
dormantforafewyearsbeforeeventuallybecomingthesiteofa“polyvalentculturalcomplex”,a“CityofScienceandIndustry”,includinganewNationalMuseumofScienceandTechnology,theCitédelaMusique,andotherculturalcentres:ineffect,anearly“culturalthemepark”.
GeorgesPompidou,whoalongwithDeGaulleandGiscardd’Estainghadpre-sidedoverthisdisastrousproject,unbowedbyscandalandhavinglubricatedthe“settlement”ofMay‘68,becamepresidentin1971.23Theneo-Hausmannianzealofthis“managerialmedici”24forremodellingandmodernizingthecitycontinuedwiththerazingoftheLesHallesareaandtheconstructionofamassivelyfundedculturalcentre–thefamousbuildingwhich(insteadoftheill-fatedslaughterhouse)wouldtakeonhisname.
Perhapsmindfulofthefateofthecentralisedmeatmarket,theMinisterofCultureofthetimeproclaimedtheCentreBeaubourgtobeune centrale de la décentralisation.Thereissometruthinthis,sinceitisaninstitutionthathadtooperateacapitalconcentration:itneededtofiguredisproportionatelylargeuponthenationalculturalscenebecauseFrancewaslosingitspoliticalgravitasinaglobalised,decentralisedworld.Thebeliefthatthispowerhousewouldreconsolidatesomeofthatpowerthroughtheculturalrealmisindi-catedfranklyenoughinthetitleoftheopeningexhibitionParis–New York (originalentitled“Paris–NewYork–Paris”!).
Needlesstosay,theBeaubourgprefiguresmanysubsequenttrophyprojects:inamodeltobefollowedworldwide,itwassupposedatoncetocementtheimportanceofcultureasadimensionofnationalpatrimonyworthyofinter-nationalrecognition,andtokick-startthe“regeneration”ofanoldareaofParis into a quartier des arts,a“high-rentlocationforeditorialoffices,pub-lishinghouses,architectsandboutiques”25allclusteredaroundthePiano-Rogers“culturalwarehouse”.
Cultural SpaceTheappearanceoftheBeaubourgisalsocontemporaneouswithacertainsetofexpectationsdemandedofpublicexhibition-making.Theappoint-mentofPontusHultén26wasasymboloftheinstitution’sdeterminationto at least be seen to be takingseriouslythepropositionsanddemandsofthebroadenedfieldofcontemporaryartemerginginthe‘60swithintheinheritedinstitutionalframeworkitsoughttoreinvigorateandcapitalise
23 SeePaulJankowski,Shades of Indignation: Political Scandals in France, Past and Present (Oxford,NY:Berghahn),p.88.
24 RalphRumney,“Pompidou’sMulti-ColouredDream-Machine:OrHowTheyOpenedthe£125mArtRefinery”,Art Monthly,February,1977.
25 NancyMarmer,“WaitingforGloire”,ArtForum, February1977.26 WillisDomingo,“PontusisPilot:AProfileofPontusHulten”,Art Monthly,February1977.
224 30 Years after Les Immatériaux
on.InStockholm,Hulténhadprovedhisabilitytoattractanon-traditionalaudiencethroughafestiveprogrammeofcontroversialhappeningsandcross-disciplinaryinitiativesacrossthearts,sciencesandpopculture.UponhisappointmentattheBeaubourghespokeenthusiasticallyoftheneedto“create new institutions”:
weareprobablymovingtowardsasocietywhereartwillplayaverylargerole…Whilewaitingforarttobeintegratedwithlifeandpenetratesocietyinitsentirety,exchange(betweenartistsandthepublic)musttakeplacein“museums”newlyconceived.Suchmuseumswillnolongerbesimplyareasfortheconservationofworks…butplaceswhereartistsencounterthepublicandwherethepublicitselfcanbecomecreative…wemusttryto open up themuseums.27
InHultén’swordswefindencapsulatedthearticlesoffaithofanewcon-ceptionofart–andthusofthemuseumandtheexhibition–thatperhapshaveadifferentandlesshopefulresonancetoday:thefaiththattheavant-gardedreamoftheunificationofartandlifeisallbutachieved,subjecttodeliverythroughnaturaldynamismsatworkinsociety;theanticipationofanage in which “a greater part of the population no longer has to struggle every dayforsurvival”andwillthusreclaimartisticcreationfromtheelite;andanaffirmationoftheroleofthemetropolitanartscomplexinhelpingtobreakdown“culturalattitudes”andin“openingup”–vertically(tonewaudiences)andlaterally(tonon-artdisciplines)–thespaceofculture.
Hulténseesthespaceofthemuseumintermsofanurbanistlogic:themuseumshouldbe“intheformofacity”,a“systemofrooms”that“com-municateandinterpenetrate”,sothattheonewouldhavethe“chanceoflosingoneselfandreorientingoneself”.Intheframeworkofthisperpetualmobility,inabuildingwhereeventhedirector’sofficeiscircumscribedbytemporarymobilewallpanels,28andwheretransparencyandporosityextendsfromtheexternalarchitecturetotheconfigurationoftheinnerspaceandtheinteractionofaudiences,Hulténimagines,forexample,theviewerofaBraquecollagehavingtheoptiontopressabuttontobringdownascreenuponwhichfivemorecollagesaremounted–ornot,ifshedoesn’twantto!Thustechnologyisanticipatedasapropforthenewmuseum’saspirationtodreaminadvancethedeterritorialisedfreecirculationofanewkindofsociety.
Towhatextentdidtheinscriptionofthisprestigiousmulti-billion-francprojectwithinthenarrativeofanavant-gardeunificationofartandlifesucceed?InaconversationbetweenHulténandRichardRogersin1981,itisimpossiblenot
27 Ibid.28 RichardEder,“Beaubourg’sDirectorReflectsonhisReign”,The New York Times,February
22,1981:http://www.nytimes.com/1981/02/22/arts/beaubourg-s-director-reflects-on-his-reign.html.
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tonoticeacertainslippage,andamodulationoftheoriginalheadyambitions.Rogersopines:
IthinkthattheBeaubourghasdemocratisedorpopularisedculture.ItgivesallpeopleofallclassesandagessomethingtodoonaSaturdayafternoon.You,asaspecialist,cangotothemuseum;yourgrandmothercangototherestaurant;andthekidscanplayinthesquare.29
WhichHulténamplifiesasfollows:
Usuallyamuseum…isjustamuseum.AttheBeaubourg,youhaveawholeseriesofoverlappingthingstodo,andthereforetheareabecomesmuchmoreactive.It ’smorelikearailwaystation…It’sthetheoryoftheflexiblemagicbox,whichincludesthepiazza.Nothingiseverstatic,andnothingiseverperfect.30
Inthesameyearbutinlesssanguinespirit,interviewedbytheNew York Times onhisdeparturefromParis,hesayssimply:
Iwanted–itsoundsstupid–tobringartandlifetogether,somethinglikethat.Rauschenbergsaiditbetter:themuseumofthefutureistobeinthelittlecrackbetweenartandlife.Itsoundedverygoodatthetime.31
Thesuccessoftheregenerationexercisenowappearsinamoreambivalentlight:
Societylovesit.Theartistsdon’t…ThebohemianlifethatreignedinParisuntiltheendofthe‘50sisgone.Theartists[then]hadmoretimetothink,toreflect.32
Bythistimeitwasalreadytemptingtoreadthisgiganticculturemachineasasynecdocheforthegeneralisedspacesofdynamiccirculation,accordingtowhoseexigenciesanewcityandanewsocietywereindeedbeingformed;spacesthatformedasuitablereceptacleforthe“festiveneoconservatism”denouncedbyphilosopherGillesChâtelet,inwhich“culturalproduction”isincitedtobeafacsimileorworkingscale-modelofeconomicdynamism,orientedtowardsanoptimisationoftheliquidityofallflows33–or,asBau-drillardhasit,inwhatreadsretrospectivelylikeanironicdétournement of
29 “AFlyingStart”,interviewwithPontusHultenandRichardRogers,Images&Issues,Summer1981:http://s3.amazonaws.com/eob_texts-production/texts/127/1344579035_IMAGES_ISSUES_PDF.pdf?1344579035.
30 Ibid.31 Eder,“Beaubourg’sDirectorReflects”.32 Ibid.33 SeeG.Châtelet,To Live and Think Like Pigs: The Incitement of Envy and Boredom in Market
Democracies,trans.R.Mackay(FalmouthandNewYork:UrbanomicandSequencePress,2014).
226 30 Years after Les Immatériaux
Les Immatériaux ’sproposedslippagesbetweenform,contentandmaterialsupport:
Neverhasitbeensoclear[asattheBeaubourg]thatthecontents–hereculture,elsewhereinformationormerchandise–aremerelytheghostlysupportfortheoppositionofthemediumwhosefunctionisstillthatofbeguilingthemasses,ofproducingahomogeneousflowofmenandminds.Thehugesurgesofcomingandgoingarelikethecrowdsofsub-urbancommutersabsorbedanddisgorgedbytheirplacesofworkatfixedhours.Andofcourseitisworkthatisatissuehere:theworkoftesting,probing,directedquestioning.Peoplecomeheretochoosetheobjectifiedresponsetoallthequestionstheycanask,orratherthey themselves come as an answer tothefunctional,directedquestionsposedbytheobjects.34
Analignmentoftheradicalextensionoftheavant-gardeprojectwiththecreationofacentral–decentralisednodeofculturalcirculation,atonceaprestigiousassetinthesoftpowerofthenation-stateandasymbolofthedegradationofcultureintoabargainingchip,all“whilewaitingforarttobeintegratedwithlifeandpenetratesocietyinitsentirety”–towhateverdegreethiswasacalculatedrisk,itwascertainlyapioneeringone,albeitonthepartofastatesmanwhohadmorethanenoughresourcesathisdisposaltostakeonsuchaventure.AsaprofileofHulténinArt Monthlyin1977admits,“onecan only speculate that the man whose name the new cultural centre bears wasgamblingthatbehindHulten’simageintheFrenchpressastheebullientanarchistliesthepotentiallydocileandproductiverealityofthejeune cadre dynamique”–thatis,thatthereassertionofcultureasasoft-powerassetofthenation-statewouldmerelysetthestagefortherealeconomicgameofinstalling,inthesurroundingremodelledstreets(the“hygienicbufferzone”,accordingtoBaudrillard),theaggressivevanguardofanurbane,“nomadically”precarious,networkedandnetworking“creativeclass”.35
The ProjectItisinthiscontext–albeitafterthedepartureofPontusHulténandhisreplacementbyDominiqueBozo–thatLes Immatériaux wasconceived.BeforeLyotard’sinvolvement,theprojecthadbeenbrewingsincearound1982,undervarioustitles,asanexhibitiontobemounted“onthethemeofnewmaterialsandcreation”bytheCentre de Création Industrielle.
TheCentrePompidouwasfoundedasacollaborativespaceofdifferentculturalcentres,and,alongsidetheModernArtMuseumandIRCAM(the
34 JeanBaudrillard,“TheBeaubourgEffect:ImplosionandDeterrence”,trans.R.KraussandA.Michelson,October20(Spring1982),p.7–8.
35 SeeChâtelet ’sbitingsatiricalportraitofthis“youngnomadelite”inTo Live and Think Like Pigs.
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generously-fundedelectronicmusicinstituteordereddirectlybyPompidoutobribeBoulezoutofexile)theCentre de Création Industrielle(CCI)wasformedtorepresenttheworldsofdesign,industryandarchitecture.TheCCI’searlyyearsweremarkedpredominantlybyafailuretointegratehappilyintothistransdisciplinaryfamily–perhapsowingtothecontinuingpresenceof“aninterioruptightwitholdvalues”beneaththe“fluidcommutativeexterior”(Baudrillardagain):anexhibitionon“TheFactory”wasviciouslypubliclyattackedbyministers;oneon“MarginalArchitectureintheUS”wasthesubjectofcontroversybecauseoftheinclusionofpoliticaltexts(byHerbertMarcuse,JerryRubinandAllanGinsberg);and,mostsensitively,afilmscriptedbyHenriLefebvreabouttheproblemscausedbythe“renewal”oftheurbanfabricofPariswasbannedbyRobertBordaz,DirectoroftheBeaubourg.ThedirectorandassistantdirectoroftheCCIdepartedsoonafterwards,withBordazhimselftemporarilytakingoveritsdirectorship.
TheCCIwasfinallycloseddownafewyearsafterLes Immatériaux,sothattheshowcanbeseenatonceasitsonesignalachievement,and,asAnthonyHudekhassuggested,36alsoasa“hinge”inthehistoryofthePompidouitself;atoncethepointatwhichitsidealcross-disciplinarypost-museumstatuswaseffectivelyachieved,andthelastexhibitioninwhichthatidealwouldbeseriouslypursued.
Les Immatériaux certainlytookfulladvantageoftheopenandindeterminatespaceofthefifthfloor,anditsdazzlingrangeofexhibitstakenfromindustry,artandcommerceliveduptothepromiseoftransdisciplinarity.Yetatthesametimeitseemeddesignedtobaffleitsaudience:thegreymetallicmesheshungfromtheceilingblockinganyoverallperspective,thelabyrinthinesetof“zones”impossibletonavigate,the(oftenmalfunctioning)audioguidethatswitchedfromonesoundtracktoanotherasthevisitormovedthroughthespace.FarfromHultén’sslickvisionofanaudiovisualapparatusglidingintoviewattheviewer’scommand(ornot,ifshedoesn’twantitto),forLyotard“interactivity”suggestedadisorientingconditioninwhichthevisitorwasjustonemoreinterfacerelayingmatter-information,subjecttolinesofforceandflowsofenergythatcouldneverbesatisfactorilyintegrated,a“rhizome”of“generalisedinteractions”throughwhichtherewasno“preferredpath”.Lyotardspeaksof
processesofdisplacementinwhichmanisbutonenodeoftheinterface.Theexhibitionwouldbeoneinterfaceamongothers…[T]hereshouldbeplaceswherethevisitorisnolongeranactor…vagueterrains,physicalfrontiersorsonorousfrontiersoffringesofinterference.37
36 AnthonyHudek,“FromOver-toSub-Exposure:TheAnamnesisofLes Immatériaux”,Tate Papers,Autumn2009,http://www.tate.org.uk/research/publications/tate-papers/over-sub-exposure-anamnesis-les-immateriaux.Inthisvolume,p.74.
37 Les Immatériaux catalogue, Album,p.13.
228 30 Years after Les Immatériaux
Heexplainsthisapproach,atlength,intermsofadeliberateviolationagainstthetraditionalspace-timeimpliedbythegallery.Thegalleryis“anestablishmentofculture–thatistosayofacquisitionandassimilationofheterogeneousdata–withintheunityofanexperiencewhichconstitutesasubject”;itsspatialset-upispreciselydesignedinordertofacilitatethissynopticpedagogy.38LyotardseekswithLes Immatériaux to overturn this “modern-dominant”modelofthemuseumgalleryinwhichthevisitorisreducedtoaneyemovingthroughaperspectivalperceptualspace,inaformativejourneywithacertaindidacticfinality.Thedevelopmentofanalternative“postmodern”space-time,conceivedbyLyotardonthebasisofastrangealignmentofDiderot’sSalonswithpostmodernurbanists,architectsandsociologists,39recallssignificantlyHultén’surbanistconceptionofthemuseum.LyotarddescribesitmoreexpansivelyintermsofdrivingfromSanDiegotoSantaBarbara,inazoneof“conurbation”where“theoppositionbetweencentreandperipherydisappears”andwhere“onemustretunetheradiomanytimes…itisanebula,wherematerialsaremetastablestatesofenergy.Theroads,thesidewalks,havenofaçade.Informationcirculatesthroughirradiationandinvisibleinterfaces”.40 This conceptualisation of theshowwasevenextendedtothecatalogue,whoseAlbum lays bare the processesofdevelopmentoftheconcept,whiletheInventaire givesthereaderasetofloose-leafrepresentationsofthe“sites”withintheshow,whichcanbereconfiguredandreorderedatwill.
Les Immatériaux wasnoworld’s-fair-typeextravaganza,then.WhatisnoticeableinthefirstfullbriefoftheprojectfollowingLyotard’sinvolve-ment,andevenmoresointheexhibitionitself,isthewayinwhichheinjectstheexcitementengenderedbycutting-edgedevelopmentswithanoteofchagrin–anxiety,sorrowordisappointment–fromthehegemonicmisdeedsofthemodernprojectacrosstheworldwarsandtheholocaust–centralsubjectsofhiswritingsatthetime.TheexhibitionopensnotwithflashingcomputerscreensbutwiththedesolationofthebodyinfiveBeckettesquescenarios,andwithJosephLosey’ssombrefilmMonsieur Klein.Thus,ifLes Immatériaux seemedincertainsensestosatisfythePompidousianagenda,italsointroducedanabrasiveapproachtobothcontentandformthatwasapparentlyatoddswithit.Indeed,thesecontradictionsandambivalencesareclearintheveryconceptionofaprojectthatadoptsaproto-cybernetictheoryofcommunicationasthearmatureforanexperiencethatrenders“clear”com-municationimpossible.Butatthesametime,onealsowonderswhetheritsconceptualinterrogationwasshieldedfromthepoliticalandeconomiccontextwithinwhichitwasproduced.
38 Ibid.,seealsoLyotard,”AfterSixMonthsofWork…”,inthisvolume.39 Les Immatériaux catalogue, Album,p.19.40 Ibid.
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AtleastonememberoftheCCIteamadmitstoaconcernthattheselatteraspectsweremissingfromtheshow’s“materials”.ApressconferencetextforLes Immatériaux declares:“Insecurity,lossofidentity,crisis,arenotexpressedonlyintheeconomyandthesocial,butalsointhedomainsofsensibility,ofknowledgeandofthepowersofman…andmodesoflife”.41 In a con-temporaneousinterviewwiththeCCIteam,duringadiscussionofthe“global”pointofviewadoptedbytheexhibition,andtheriskthatitmaybeperceivedasa“reactionary…apologyfortechnology”,ChantalNoëlsuggeststhatLes Immatériaux shouldbeseenasa“preliminaryenquiry”leadingtofurtherinterrogations.SabineVigoureuxreplies:“Onemightallthesameaskwhy,fromthispreliminaryenquiry,alleconomicandsocialanalysisisexcluded.Asifthoughtinitspurestatewereindependentofthesefactors,wheninfacttheyalsohaveaninfluenceonthought.Personally,Isawthisasadeficiency,attheoutset”;towhichNicoleToutcheffrepliesthatthesefactorsareindeedpresent,butsimplynotsystematicallypresentedassuch,andthattheoverallconceptionoftheshowobviatessuchconcerns,since“aninterestingaspectofthiskindofphilosophicaldiscourseisthatitdoesnottrytoorganisethesescatteredelementsintoasystem”.42
Certainlynoneoftheteam–leastofallLyotard–couldhavebeenunawareoftheproblematiccontextoutlinedabove(LyotardmentionsambivalentlythequestionoftheBeaubourg’s“centrality”inhisreportduringthelaststagesofplanning).43Baudrillardhadissuedhisbrilliant,witheringanalysisofthe“carcassoffluxandsigns”in1981.44Butifweplaceitside-by-sidewithBau-drillard’sferocioussatire,wecanperhapsseeLyotardasstrivingtocounter-instrumentalisethespacehehadbeenoffered:“ifyouhadtohavesomethinginBeaubourg–itshouldhavebeenalabyrinth”,saysBaudrillard;45Lyotardusesthereconfigurablespacetobuildadarkenedlabyrinthonthefifthfloor–orsomethingevenlessorderedthanalabyrinth(for,asLyotardnotes,evenalabyrinthusuallyhasonethreadandrestrictsmovementtoparticularpaths).46 “Andtheystampedetoit…because,forthefirsttime,theyhaveachancetoparticipate,enmasse,inthisimmenseworkofmourningforaculturetheyhavealwaysdetested…ThemasseschargeatBeaubourgastheydotothescenesofcatastrophes,andwiththesameirresistibleimpulse”,saysBau-drillard;47Lyotardtriestocreateanexperiencethatheightensuneaseanddisquietandconfirmsthedemiseofmodernculture.“Theonlycontentof
41 Les Immatériaux catalogue,Album,p.26.42 “LaRègleduJeu:MatérialiserlesImmatériaux”,interviewwiththeCCIteam,inE.Thé-
ofilakis(ed.),Modernes, et Après? “Les Immatériaux” (Paris:Autrement,1985).43 SeeLyotard,“AfterSixMonthsofWork…”,inthisvolume,p.59.44 BaudrillardneverthelesscooperatedwiththeCentrePompidou(notablyonthejournal
Traverses)formanyyearsbothbeforeandafterthepublicationofL’effet Beaubourg.45 Baudrillard,“TheBeaubourgEffect”,p.6.46 SeeLyotard,“AfterSixMonthsofWork…”,inthisvolume,p.62.47 Baudrillard,“TheBeaubourgEffect”,p.8.
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Beaubourgisthemassesthemselves,whomthebuildingtreatslikeacon-verter,likeablackbox,or,intermsofinput-output,justlikearefineryhandlespetroleumproductsorafloodofunprocessedmaterial”,saysBaudrillard;Lyotardinvitesthemassestoexperiencethemselvesasmaterial“trans-formers”alongsidetheimmaterialstheyhavecometoexplore,andlooksintoinstallingelectronicsystemstoinvolvevisitorsinteractivelybymonitoringandgatheringdataontheirvisits.
Les Immatériauxisundoubtedlymorethanjustasymptom.AsLyotardrecountsatlengthinhisreport,48insidetheprojectanacutestruggleistakingplacewiththeconditionsunderwhichitwaspossibletomaketheexhibitionhappen.YetLes Immatériaux perhapspaidtoolittleattentiontothewayinwhichitselaboratesabotageofthespaceandconceptionofthemodern galleryriskedbeingunderminedbytheproblemsofapostmodern space that wasdesignedpreciselytosupersedethatclassical-modernframework.WhenChaputreflectsonthisinstitutionalproblem,heseemstounderstandthelatterassimplyanextensionoftheformer:
Idon’tthinkthatthereisanycontradictioninthesolefactthatphilosophicaldiscourseschangemedium.Theproblemsstartwhenonewishestomakeittheobjectofmassconsumption.Doingphilosophyintheframeworkofapublicservice(whichBeaubourgis)isnostraightfor-wardmatter.Thewhole“communication”,“mass”,“democracy”,“publicservice”aspecthasnotbeenaneasyfitwiththeinnovativeprinciplesoftheexhibition…The“exhibition”medium,thePompidouCentre,aretoolsconceivedasvehiclesforauniquemeaninganddevicestoshareitthroughsuccessivecapillariesasfaraspossible.Here,wedotheopposite:oneproductwithmultiplemeanings,confidedtothesensibilityofindividuals.Thisisrigorouslytheinverseoftraditionalcommunication.49
Thispredicamentisreflectedinthesometimesbaffledandambivalentresponses to Les Immatériaux.AcontemporaryreviewbyKateLinkerinArt-Forum,50whileconvincedbytheshow’sconceit,judgesthatitsexecution“banaliseditscentralthemes”,with“toomuchmechanicalhokum–toomanylightmachinesandholograms,toomanybuttonstopushandatomiserstosqueeze”,with“technologyoccupy[ing]centerstage”,“inevitablyvalorised,andtherebymystified”.Butifthis“changeofmedium”forphilosophylooks,ironically,“betteronpaper”,sheadmitsthatitsfailure“raisesthequestionofwhetherprofoundshiftsofaphilosophicalnaturecanberepresentedthroughobjects”.
48 Ibid.49 “LaRègleduJeu”,p.16.50 KateLinker,“AReflectiononPost-Modernism”,ArtForum,September1985.
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ItisdoubtlessLes Immatériaux’ssimultaneoussuccessandfailure–itscon-tradictorystatusasbothanexpensive,technically-demanding,trailblazingpostmoderntechnologicalextravaganzaand a sombre subversion of com-munication–thatmakesitinterestingforustoday.Thisambivalence,asLinkerindicates,isowedatleastinparttothedifficultiesinvolvedintransfusingphilosophyintothemediumoftheexhibition.How,then,didLyotardenvisionthistransfer,andwhatmotivatedhimtoattemptit?
A Medium of Resistance?ChantalNoël,oneoftheteamfromtheCCIwhoworkedonLes Immatériaux,speaksof“philosophychangingitsmedia.Itcomesdowntoinscribingthisexigencyinanotherspaceandwithothermeansthanthoseofthebook”.“Throughthe‘exhibition’medium”,shecontinues,“theculturalinstitutionbecomesasitewherecertainreflectionsofaphilosophicalordercanbegrasped.”51Wemightagree,butatthesametimeweneedtoacknowledgethatthispropositionalreadygivesrisetoanothersetofquestions:Whatis the exigencyofphilosophy?Simplytocreateastateofwonder,orquestioning?Tocraftandcommunicatenewconcepts?Toofferaglimpseoftheresolutionofsocialorpoliticalproblems?Toshapeintuitionsorsymbolsthatschematiseconcepts?Andwhatisthefunctionofa“culturalinstitution”inrelationtosuchaims?
Moreover,whatmadethisquestionofa“changeofmedium”appealingforJean-FrançoisLyotardatthetimeofLes Immatériaux?Itseemsthathefoundhimselfunderpressurefromtworelatedmovements:Firstly,atadistanceofadecadeandahalffrom‘68’stransdisciplinarydelirium,heobservedtheone-waydriftofinstitutionalphilosophybackintoaclosedcircleofscholars,andanembattledoneatthat.AtthetimeofLes Immatériaux,philosophicalactivityinitstraditional(university)settingwasbeginningtobechallengedbytheedictsofneoliberal“pragmatism”,“communication”,and“efficiency”(aprocesswhosenadirseemstobeinsighttoday).Outsidetheacademy,meanwhile,anewbreedofprofessionalpublicintellectuals–thenouveaux philosophes–hademergedtoproudlysweepunderthecarpetallofthecon-ceptuallyviolent,antihumanistenquiriesofpoststructuralistthought,railingagainstitsabrasiveexperimentalism,itsuselessnessforimmediatepracticalpolitics,anditsnihilism,andseekingtoreestablishthinkinguponsolidgroundwiththehumanasafixedpointfromwhichtoassert,asLyotardwritesinThe Inhuman,“theauthoritytosuspend,forbidinterrogation,suspicion,thethinkingthatgnawsawayateverything”.52Yetatthesametime,withinthemostdisparateofnonphilosophical spheres–biology,design,artandscience,
51 “LaRègleduJeu”,p.16.52 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,“Introduction:AbouttheHuman”,inThe Inhuman,p.1.
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andeverydaylifeitself,strainingunderthetorqueoftechnicaldevelopmentswhosevocationhadneverbeento“makesense”andwhosedeliverancesscramblethefinalitiesofhumanismandmodernistoptimism–philosophicalquestionspresentedthemselvesnotjustasunavoidable,butintheformofageneralisedintenseexperience ofdisorientation.
Theenlightenmentinstitutionswithinwhichphilosophycouldtraditionallyclaimarightfulplaceareindecline,then,andyetatacitappealforphilosophycomesfromeveryquarter.This,Lyotardsays,iswhatgivesrisetoaphilosopher’sneedtogooutsidetheuniversity;hestatesthisexplicitlyasone of the reasons for his involvement in Les Immatériaux:“Aphilosopherlikemeismoreinclinedtothinkhisinterestslieinbecominginvolvedinwhathappensoutsideinstitutions;thatheneedstogetoutoftheuniversity.Hencemy presence in the team planning Les Immatériaux…Beyondinstitutionalisedphilosophy,thereisaphilosophyyettocome,onewhichcorrespondstotheabolitionof‘disciplinary’boundaries.”.53
Refusingtheclearandefficientcommunicationcommandedbythenouveaux philosophes,Les Immatériaux wouldpreciselynotaddressitsaudienceinanyillusorilystraightforwardway.Initsdramatisationofphilosophy,itsetouttoresisttheconsensualstiflingofthefundamentalinquietude that constitutes thebeingofthehuman,andwouldevenaimtoamplifytheintensificationofthisinquietudeinanincreasinglytechnicisedenvironment.
Itisworthnotingherethatthistwo-wayresistanceisnolesspertinenttoday,whenthereislittlediffusionofacademicphilosophyoutsidetheuniversitywalls,andwhen,if“philosophy”everdoesappearinapopularsetting,itisstillmoreorlessinthe“communicative”formoutlinedabove,orevenworse:philosophyasanalternativeformofentertainment,distraction,therapy,self-help,asadiversionaryenrichmentofone’slife,andsoon.Moreover,anyattempttodaytobringphilosophyintothepublicsphereinthemoreinde-terminate,challengingwaythatLyotardprescribeswillfinditselfindirectcompetitionwithamoreformidableclaimant:increasingly,overthepast40years,contemporaryarthasestablisheditselfastheprimaryculturalsitewhereapublicthinkingrecognisableasphilosophicaltakesplace.Thisnewagoraisallthemoreformidableacompetitorinthat,withinit,participationincontemporarythinkingissaidtotakeplacenotthroughalaboriousstudyandworking-throughofconcepts,butthroughcollectiveandindividualexpe-riencesandhappenings.Preciselythekindof“dramaturgy”ofideasthatLyotardpioneeredinLes Immatériaux hasineffectbecomeendemic.Thus,aswelookbackonLes Immatériaux 30yearslater,wecanseeitasoneofthefirsteventsinwhichphilosophyandtheartoftheexhibitionwerebrought
53 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,ÉlieThéofilakis,“LesPetitsRécitsdeChrysalide”(interview),inThéofilakis (ed.),Modernes, et Après?,p.5–6.
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togetherinsuchaway–withalltheambivalenceentailedbythatpioneeringstatus.
Les Immatériaux soughttomakegoodthedeficienciesofphilosophyinitspublicrolebyreassertingphilosophy’svocation:thatofexacerbatinginquietuderatherthanissuingreassuringcommunicationsbasedonanassumedcommonground.Andyetitwasofcourseconceivedasaprojectthatwouldgainalargeaudience.Itatonceembodiedandchallengedtheemergingmodeloftheexhibitionasapublicspectacle–amodelwhich,onemightargue,merelyfeedsintothecommunicativefrenzyofaccelerateddevelopment.Inthissense,too,Les Immatériaux canbeunderstoodasakindofhingepoint:itseemstobepoisedonaknife-edgebetweensatisfyingtheBeaubourgculturalmegamachine’scallforpolyvalentculturalcom-munication,ontheonehand,andentirelysabotagingthesedemandswithdisorientation,indetermination,andgreyness(“philosophypaintsitsgreyongrey!”)ontheother.Asweshallsee,therootsofthisambivalencemustbesoughtwithinLyotard’sphilosophicalworkofthetime.
Inquietude and The Accelerationist ErrorAtthesametimeasLyotardistemptedtoundertakeLes Immatériaux ’sexperimentofpursuingphilosophy“inanothermedium”,hiswritingsattesttoarenewedcommitmenttophilosophy“itself”.Itisasif,duringthisperiod–atleastinthetextscollectedinThe Inhuman(which,asLyotardremindsus,werelargelydeliveredtononprofessionalaudiences)–thephilosopherwasundergoingoneofthoseupheavalsinwhichtechnicallabour,andtheunfoldingandelaborationofaprogrammeofinvestigation,giveswayonceagaintophilosophizingassuch:indeterminate,ambiguous,puzzlingandopen.(AshewritesinThe Differend,a“wearinesswithregardto‘theory’”meansthat“[t]hetimehascometophilosophize.”54)Allofthismakesthesewritingsvaluableforthoseofuswho–naively,andcountertoprofes-sionalisation,archivisationandexegesis–wishtotakephilosophyoutsideoftheacademiccloistersanddophilosophynot“bythebook”but“fromtheheart”.PerhapswemightlegitimatesuchnaivetybyappealingtotraditionandsayingthatthisheartisAugustinian:Inquietus est cor nostrum,saysAugustine:ourheart–forAugustine,thatofpostlapsarianman–isunquiet,itcanfindnorest;itsinquiryintoitself–the question I have become for myself–isnotoneofpatient,systematicexegesis,butsomethingmorelikeacontinuousunease,orevenpanic.ThisinquietudeisakeywordthatappearscontinuallyinLyotard’svision for Les Immatériaux.
54 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,The Differend: Phrases in Dispute(Minneapolis:UniversityofMinnesotaPress,1988),trans.GeorgesVanDenAbbeele,p.xiii.
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Augustinianinquietude isreprisedbyPascalintheanthropologyattheheartofhisfragmentary,agitated,exemplarilymoderncorpus:ananthropologyabbreviatedinthePensées’ terseformula:“Conditionofman:incon-stancy,boredom,inquietude.”55InPascalasinAugustine,theattributionofinquietudetomanasaprimordialconditionisnotunderstoodmerelyasdescriptive,butasanormativeandevenprogrammatic demand:notonlyisinquietudeaninevitableaspectofhumanexistencenomatterhowmuchwemaytrytosuppressit;itistobeacknowledged,exacerbatedandintensified–andthisisthephilosopher’stask.Thephilosopher’sjobistostiruptroubleinhimselfandhisfellowhumans,toexposetheconstitutiveinquietudeattheheartofthehuman,whichmoderncivilisationintensifieswhilesupplyinguswithendlessdistractionswithwhichtorepressandignoreit.
NowhereisthisinquietudestrongerinLyotardthaninhisdeparturefromMarxism.Inhisemotionallycharged1982memoirofPierreSouryi,56Lyotardexpressesexquisitelythepainofhisinabilityinallconsciencetoaccedetothecertaintiesrequiredinordertocommithimselfto“thestruggle”:hisdoubtsastotheinabilityoforthodoxMarxismtodescribethecontemporaryworld;hissuspicionofthedialecticasauniversallanguage(language-game);andhisconvictionthatcapitalismhasenteredintoanunprecedentedphase,inwhichthesupposedcertaintiesofitsso-called“organicdevelopment”aresubverted.ItisatthispointinLyotard’sworkthatwearriveatthequestionof“accelerationism”.57
ThecirculationofNickSrnicekandAlexWilliams’s2013“ManifestoforanAccelerationistPolitics”58hasledtoareconstructionandreappraisalofwhatBenjaminNoyshasretrospectivelydubbedthe“accelerationist”periodinFrenchtheory,aperiodwhichbeginspreciselywithLyotard’s(andDeleuzeandGuattari’s)breakwithMarxistorthodoxy:59
GalvanisedbytheeventsofMay‘68anddriventoawholesalerejectionofthestagnantcataractsoforthodoxpartypolitics,inhistextof1972Energumen Capitalismand1974’sLibidinal Economy Lyotardsuggeststhatemancipationofdesirebesoughtnotthroughthedialectic,notthroughtheparty,butbywayofthepolymorphousperversionsetfreebythecap-italistmachineitself.Errantforcesareatworkin thesignsofcapitalitself,hesays.Theindifferenceofthevalue-form,themachiniccompositionof
55 OninquietudeinPascal,seeAlexandreDeclos,“L’InquiétudedanslesPenséesdePascal”,Revue de Métaphysique et de Morale78(2013),p.167–184.
56 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,“AMemorialofMarxism”,inPeregrinations: Law, Form, Event(NewYork:ColumbiaUniversityPress,1988),p.45–75.
57 Onaccelerationism,seeR.MackayandA.Avanessian(eds)#Accelerate: The Accel-erationist Reader(FalmouthandBerlin:UrbanomicandMerve,2014).
58 Ibid.59 B.Noys,The Persistence of the Negative(Edinburgh:EdinburghUniversityPress,2010),p.
4–9.
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labour,andtheirmercilessreformattingofallprevioussocialrelationsisseenastheengineforthecreationofanewfluidsocialbody.Itistheimmanencewithuniversalschizophreniatowardwhichcapitaldrawssocialrelationsthatpromisesemancipationhere,ratherthanthepartypoliticsthat,nodoubt,paledbycomparisonwiththeoneiricescapadesof‘68.ThecredoofaccelerationismismostexplicitlyformulatedbyGillesLipovetskyinhisreadingofLyotard:“‘[R]evolutionaryactions’arenotthosewhichaimtooverthrowthesystemofCapital,whichhasneverceasedtoberevolutionary,butthosewhichcompleteitsrhythminallitsradicality,thatistosayactionswhichacceleratethemetamorphicprocessofbodies.”60
Accelerationisminitscontemporaryform,ontheotherhand,whiledrawingheavilyuponthismoment,introducessomedifferentnuances;itissaidtoconsist in
[t]heassertionthatthecrimes,contradictionsandabsurditiesofcap-italismhavetobecounteredwithapoliticallyandtheoreticallyprogres-siveattitudetowardsitsconstituentelements.Accelerationismseekstosidewiththeemancipatorydynamicthatbrokethechainsoffeudalismandusheredintheconstantlyramifyingrangeofpracticalpossibilitiescharacteristicofmodernity…[T]thefocusofmuchaccelerationistthinkingistheexaminationofthesupposedlyintrinsiclinkbetweenthesetrans-formativeforcesandtheaxiomaticsofexchangevalueandcapitalaccu-mulationthatformatcontemporaryplanetarysociety.Accordingtoaccel-erationism,then,thetransformationswroughtontheplanetandonthehumanbyglobalisedtechnology,thecorrosionoftraditionandheredity,theartificialisationofexperienceandtheinextricablyglobalreformattingofthesocialarenotdeplorableills,theyarenotonlyinevitablebutpresentanopportunitytoextendtheongoingadventureofthehumanproject.Andcrucially,theclaimisthattothinkthisisnotmerelytoacqui-escetocapitalismbuttospeculatebeyondit:thataccelerationcanbeanemancipatoryvectorofenlightenment.61
Beforeturningtothiscontemporaryaccelerationism,letusaskwhetheritis possible that Les ImmatériauxwasalsoapartofLyotard’sreckoningwiththe“accelerationist”momentinhiswork.Inseveralofhisworksfromthe‘80s,Lyotardspeaksofthatperiodasalapsus.FirstofallinPeregrinations–wherehetalksaboutLibidinal Economyashis“evilbook,thebookeveryoneistemptedtowrite”.62Andsecondly,andmoreindirectly,intheintroductionto The Inhuman,whereheseemstodeploretheimpulsebehindthisworkand
60 MackayandAvanessian,“Introduction”to#Accelerate, p. 11–12.61 Ibid.,p.4.62 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,Peregrinations: Law, Form, Event(NewYork:ColumbiaUniversity
Press,1988),p.13.
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toregretthemistakeshemadeinthewakeofhisdeparturefromthepartyline.Lyotard’skeypointhere–oneechoedbymanycriticsofcontemporaryaccelerationism–isthattheaccelerationisterrorconsistsina failure to draw a distinction between two types of the inhuman:
Theinhumanityofthesystemwhichiscurrentlybeingconsolidatedunderthenameofdevelopment…mustnotbeconfusedwiththeinfinitelysecretoneofwhichthesoulishostage.Tobelieve,ashappenedtome,thatthefirstcantakeoverfromthesecond,giveitexpression,isamistake.63
Thefatalmistakeofaccelerationismwastobelievethat,onthehorizonofthedeterritorialisationopenedupbycapital,therewouldbedisclosedanoriginarydesirethatcouldflowfreeofinstitutedstructuresofpower.Now,however,Lyotardtakesamoresoberviewofthedangersinvolvedincapitulatingto“theimperativetointroducingevermoremediations,ofbreakingdownandmodulatingeverythingtoassuremorecontrolandmorecapacityanda‘richer’setofpossiblemodifications”–ageneraliseddifferentiationofwhich“newtechnologiesandthemediaareaspects”,aprocesswhich“isreproducedbyacceleratingandextendingitselfaccordingtoitsinternaldynamicalone…assimilat[ing]risks,memoris[ing]theirinformationalvalueandus[ing]thisasanewmediationnecessarytoitsfunctioning”.64Whatheoncesawastherevolutionary“metamorphic”potentialofcapitalistdeterritorialisation,henowseesasaprocessthat,initsinexhaustibility,“takesawaythehopeofanalternative”.65Whatismore,justasdevelopmentdoesnotentailemancipation,sotheinhumanityofthesystemdoesnotprecludeabanalhumanism.Theriseofthenouveaux philosophes hasprovedthatthereisinfactnoincompatibilitybetweenthealienationsofcapitalandthereinscriptionofanall-too-humanmaskfromwhich spout communicative homilies that act as a suitable emollient for inquietude.
Giventhattheabovedescriptionof“development”citedaboveisnotdissim-ilartoLyotard’sdefinitionofthe“immaterialcondition”,let’shypothesisethatthetwoarenotunconnected,andthat,inLes Immatériaux as in The Inhuman,Lyotardisseekingathirdoption–neithersocialismnorbarbarism–andindoingso,seekingtoatoneforhiserror.InLes Immatériaux,hecontinuestointerrogate the technosocial reformatting of the human through inhuman materialmemory.Hecertainlydoesnoterectanymoralobjectiontoit–infact,aswehaveseen,heconstructsthenotionofimmaterials precisely so as to let them speak,tolegitimatethemasanobjectofphilosophicaldis-course,breakingthemoutofthemodernparadigmandallowingthemtobe
63 Lyotard,“AbouttheHuman”,The Inhuman,p.2.64 Ibid.,p.7.65 Ibid.,p.6.
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expressedaccordingtotheirpropernature.Aswehavesuggested,thisalsoinvolvesa“legitimation”oftheinquietudetheyprovoke.And,finally,itisthisinquietudethatgivesrisetotheimmanentdemandforanon-institutionalphilosophyconductedbyothermeans.ButwhatrelationdotheseexigencieshavetoLyotard’sretreatfromhisaccelerationiststance?
The attempt to legitimate immaterials without returning to his irresponsible accelerationiststancegenerallygivesrisetoanadvocacyofslowness. “To go fastistoforgetfast”,undertheimperative“Beoperationalordisappear”,66 whereas“writingandreadingwhichadvancebackwardsinthedirectionoftheunknownthing‘within’areslow”.67Lyotardhereseemstorediscoverthetheme of anamnesis as the “otherofacceleration”.68Herecoversthisclas-sicalphilosophicalterm–therememberingofwhatwasalreadywithin,theimmemorialnon-selfintheself,glazedoverbydoxa andbyeverydayhabit–asthenameforarecoveryofthe“other”inhuman;arecoverythattakesplace through an advocacyofimmaterialsthatisnot,however,asubmission to thevistaofsheeraccelerationtheyopenup.Theageofimmaterialsandthedemandsitmakesuponthoughtopenadeepchasmwithinthehumanwhichmustbecarefullydistinguishedfromthepromiseofcheapaccelerationistthrills–thejouissanceofwhich,precisely,wouldcolludewith“communication”and“development”.
Lyotardlinkstheimmaterial closely to the immature;69andtheanamnesicinhumanistheprovincenotoftheurbansophisticatebutofthechild.ForLyotard,“thechildiseminentlythehumanbecauseitsdistressheraldsandpromisesthingspossible”–thatis,itatteststowhatisnotyetsecurelyboundwithinthehorizonofthehuman,anddemandsandmakesevidenttheincompletionofthelabourofbecominghuman.Humanismconceivedasalreadyachievedandcomplete(thesmugly-assumedmajorityofthenouveaux philosophes)isbutafaçadeofmaturity,afeigningofadulthoodwhosestanceisentirelycompatible,ideologicallyspeaking,withthemercilessaccelerationofcapital.Butpresumablyaccelerationismgoesintheopposite,equallyundesirabledirection,losingsightoftheinquietude ofthechildasitgazesraptattheimaginedspectacleofadeterritorialisedfuture.
AsPascaltellsus,wemaycreateendless“diversions”inordertoforgetourinquietudeandthevacuityitalertsusto–andyetallthiswillachieveistodeepenit.InLyotard’swords:“thesystemhastheconsequenceofcausingtheforgettingofwhatescapesit.Buttheanguishisthatofamindhauntedbyafamiliaryetunknownguestwhichisagitatingit,sendingitdeliriousbutalsomakingitthink–ifoneclaimstoexcludeit,ifonedoesn’tgiveitanoutlet,
66 Ibid.,p.2.67 Ibid.,p.2–3.68 Ibid.,p.3.69 SeeLyotard,“AfterSixMonthsofWork…”,inthisvolume,p.34.
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oneaggravatesit.”70Inquietudethereforeneedstoberecognised,awakenedandintensified,aninquietudewhich–accordingtoPascal–stemsfromourvacuity,fromthefactthatwedonotknowwhatweare.And,asChaputdeclares:
The proposition of Les Immatériauxis…tomakefelt,toshow,troubled-ness,inquietudeandmadness.71
Lyotard’saccelerationismwasreallyabouttheacknowledgementoftheendofthehumanprojectunderstoodasaprojectofwill,asthecollectiveprojectofenlightenment.Throughtechnics,throughthehegemonyoftheexchange-formofvalue,throughtheautomationandautonomisationofthemachineofdevelopment,humanprojectionintothefuturehadbeenusurpedbytheautonomicwillofcapital,ablindandinfinitewill-to-will,apurposivenesswhoseonlypurposeistoproducemore,toextractmore,tomediatemore–whatLyotardnowcalls“development”.Clearly,theaccelerationisterrorhadbeentoplacefaithintheemancipatorydynamicofthisautonomicprocess.
Lyotardsimmaterialism,however,stillcorrespondstotherenunciationofthemodernCartesianvisionofauthorialprojection,thefreeimpositionofaprojectconceivedbythewilluponamatterwhichisanindifferentpatientforthehumanagent.Butitcombinesthisrenunciationwitharecusaloftheaccelerationistfaithincapital’sfuturity.Itisinsomethinglikeastateofshock(touseBernardStiegler’sexpression)that,whiledefiantlyresistinganynos-talgicreactionagainstthedisquietingtechnicaledificeofimmaterials,Lyotardseekstoundertakea“deeperreflection”thatwoulddiscovertheirmorefundamentalsignificancebywayofanamnesisorthe“otherinhuman”.
Itisdifficult,however,nottoseethiscontemplationwithoutprojectasbeing,also,aretreat.Theriskisthatitconsignsphilosophicalthinkingtoanevenmoreconfiningsequestration,andthat,moreover,itatteststoacontinuingfaithinanunderlyingrealityofthe(in)human,orofthought,thatcanbeextracted,recovered,andprovidesuccour–evenifthisrecoveryisinfinitelydeferred.Atthesametimeashewantstoreflectthatimmaterialsaretrans-formingthehuman,Lyotardalsowishestomovethisreflectiontoareg-isterthatwilleffectivelybeaprophylacticagainstmachiniccontamination,sinceitindicatesthatthoughtcanmaintainareflectivedistance.Anditisthe exhibition thatthencomestostandforthisfreespaceinwhichwecandistanceourselvesfromtheaccelerativeprocessandreturntoathoughtthat“doesn’thaveitsplaceandtimeonthesupportofinscriptions”andthat“remainsunknowntothebreachingsandscannings”.72
70 Lyotard,“AbouttheHuman”,p.2.71 ThierryChaput,voiceoverintheshortfilmOctave dans le pays des immatériaux (dir.Paule
Zajdermann,1985).72 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,“Logos andTechne,orTelegraphy”,inThe Inhuman,p.55.
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Theintentionhere,afterall,seemstobetoreinscribethemachinewithinatechnical space that is lacking in being – which suggests that Les Immatériaux stakeseverythingonatestwhich,onthebasisofaffectiveresponse,wouldreinscribetheborderbetweenmanandreplicant.73Althoughthis“recovery”willneverbecomplete,theexperienceofinquietudefurnishedbythedramaoftheexhibitionineffectbecomesproofofthehuman’sresistancetoabsorptionintotheaccelerativedynamic.
Exhibition and/or Laboratory Ingeneral,culturalinvestmentintheexhibitionasasiteforthinkinghasonlyintensifiedsinceLes Immatériaux.Manycontemporaryartprojects,oftenwiththeimprimaturofaphilosopher,andoftenmixing“non-art”objectswithartworks,promotetheideaofacommunityofinquietudeandindeterminacythatexistsfleetingly,fugitively,inthehiddencornersof“thesystemofdevel-opment”,inplacesofcontemplationorcollectivefabulation,thusreconfirmingthatsomeimmemorialsiteremainsforathinkingoutsideofit:this,itseemstome,ispreciselythehopeofthecontemporaryformofpublicexhibition,andoftheworldofcontemporaryartingeneral.
TheaggressivedrivetoexacerbateinquietudepresentinLes Immatériaux, however,seemstohavegivenwaytomoreanodyneforms.Waryofassertinganypurposeorproject,retreatingfromthetechnosocialrealm,cowedbythedreadthattechnology=rationality=mastery,manyoftheseculturalreflectionsarepreytoacertaininstitutionalcalcificationofthedogmasofindeterminacyandsublimity.Theirarticlesoffaitharethecommunityofthatwhichcannotcommunicateitscommunity;thevalueofopen,free,nondeterminedplay,receptiveness,andindefinition;andtheinsistencethatwemustbuildspacesinwhichnot toconceptualise,explicate,project,plan,assert,orproduce.Intheguiseofsombrereflection,thisdistancesbothartandphilosophyfromtheforcesandknowledgesthatshapetheworld.More-over,whennon-artobjectsarebroughtintotheexhibitionspace,theyarepreciselyseveredfromthesecomplexproductiveforcesandrenderedovertoasystemofcirculationthatwronglysupposesitselfcapableofdistancingitselffromthem.Whydoesanartisttakedisquieting,vexing,puzzlingobjectsfromtheworldofcontemporarycapitalismandplacetheminsidethisotherenvironment?Becausethesematerialsarewhatconstructourtechnosocialsituation.Withwhatpurpose?Theartistrefusestotellyou,becausehisvalueasartistispreciselytoteartheseobjectsawayfromtheirfunctionalintegrationinto“thesystemofdevelopment”andtopresenttheminaspaceofindeterminacy,toenableustoreflectupontheminadeepermanner.To
73 OnLyotard’spost-accelerationistprojectasanextendedBladerunner-style“voight-kampfftest”seeI.H.Grant,“LA2019:DemopathyandXenogenesis”,inMackayandAvanessian(eds),#Accelerate,p.275–301.
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whateffect?Toaimateffectswouldbepreciselytocedetothesystem–theartistdoesnotdothis,becauseheiswellawarethatthemodernideaofwilliscompromisedbytheevilsofcapital,thataccelerateddevelopmentmakesofanyhuman“project”anabsurdity.
Whatisdisturbingnow,inshort,isthatthepresentationofinquietudehasbecomeindistinguishablefromacertainquietism,andthat“thegallery”hasonceagainbecomethe“establishmentofaculture”,albeitadistinctively(post-)postmodernone.PerhapsthetypeofprojectanticipatedbyLes Immatériaux isnowfullyintegratedintotheconsensualpoliticsproposedbythe nouveaux philosophesandbyneoliberalism,asasanctionedformofcom-munication.Ithasfounditsproperplace,asapassivecontemplationwithoutproject,which,atmost,nurturestheforlornhopeofpreservingthinkingintactwithinasequesteredspace.TheedifyingfunctionofinquietudeisfullyintegratedintothecirculatorysystemofthecultureandcommunicationsindustrythatLyotardhadhopedhissombregreylabyrinthwoulddelayorobstruct.AllofthismeansthatwemustlookatLes Immatériaux not in a nos-talgicallyindulgentmode,butfromthepointofviewofacontemporarysitu-ationwhichitanticipatesandwhichitplayedapartincreating,atthesametimeasitsetouttoresistit.
Today’sexhibitions,withcataloguesfullofphilosophers’essays,andwhoseeclecticexhibitssagelyreflectonvarious“materials”,“objects”and“things”,provokesomeambivalenceasto“whichinhuman”theyserve:thetroublingreflectionthaterodesself-certaintyandexposesustoimmanentcrisis,ortheacceleratingcirculationofmessagesquitecapableofcomfortingandreassuringusastheylubricatedevelopmentandtheextractionofsurplusvalue;thechildwhospeaksinanalientongue,ortheinfantilisedadultofconsumercapital,arelayforplatitudesofculturalliteracyandself-satis-fied“contemplation”?JustasLyotardreturnedtohisearlier“mistake”,thedialecticwithinLes Immatériaux betweenaccelerationandanamnesisshouldbecriticallyrevisitedinordertoassessthecontextinwhichitsproducerssoughttostagethisstrugglethroughadramatisationwithinthespaceoftheexhibition.
Itiseasytopledgeallegiancetoourinquietude,toacknowledgetheinde-terminatenatureofwhatitistobehuman,withoutassumingthecollectiveresponsibility tooncemoredeterminewhatwewillmakeofourselves.Thislatterquestionistheonethatcontemporaryaccelerationismsetsouttoask,74 insistingthattheimpossibilityoffixingourplaceinrelationtomatterintermsofaninheritedconceptofmasterydoes not haveasitsnecessaryconsequencethat we must resign ourselves to merely contemplating our possible fate from
74 SeeNickSrnicekandAlexWilliams,“#Accelerate:ManifestoforanAccelerationistPol-itics”,inMackayandAvanessian(eds),#Accelerate,p.347–361.
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withinashelteredspace.Initsrenewedoptimismandadvocacyofenlight-enment,itremindsusthatwehavemodesofthinkingatourdisposalthatgobeyondCartesianismmechanismandLaplaceandeterminism,andarguesthat we have the means to orient ourselves speculatively within these new spacesandtopositivelytakeholdofinquietude.75Whetherornotonefindsconvincingthebroadsketchessetoutsofarbycontemporaryaccelerationism,IwouldarguethatitsbasicimpulseposesanappropriatechallengethattodayinvitesustoreachbeyondthestakesofLes Immatériaux:thatofdecouplingtheexperimentalexplorationoftheunknownspacesthatimmaterialsopenupfromtheprofitaxiomatic,andofdoingsobeyondspacesofcontemplationandindeterminacythatpresentthefleetingillusionofshelterordazzleuswiththesublimeaestheticisedspectacleofourowndisorientation,withinthecontextofacultureindustrywhoseproductionsaresafelysequesteredfromthatofwhichtheyspeak.
AccordingtoSrnicekandWilliams,76 accelerationism is a matter of remaining truetobothinquietudeandtheavant-gardewilltobecomeinhuman,butalsoofimaginingwaystocollectivelyundertake thereformattingofthesocius,to reorientthehegemonyofsociotechnics,theextensionofthe“collectivecortexconstitutedbymachinememories”.77Forisn’tthetimeformelancholyandmourning–the“firststateofshock”,inBernardStiegler’swords–nowover?Don’tweneedtogobeyondstupefaction,anddoesn’tLes Immatériaux ultimatelystillfalltoomuchonthesideofchagrin rather than jubilation?Togo further calls for a transformative anthropology rather than an apologetic anthropology,andaconstructiveratherthanareflectiveimmaterialism.Itcallsfortheinvolvementofphilosophicalthoughtacrossdisciplines,certainly,butintheregisterofdesignandproductionratherthanexhibitionandreflection.Thegreatestproblemofpoliticsandofdesireisthemismeasurebetweenpossibilityandrealitytowhichtechnocapitalismconstrainsus.Theexperimentisalreadybeingconducteduponus,buthowdowebreakintothelaboratory?Howdowemobilisethatwhichisawakenedbytheinquietudeoftheimmaterialageyetwhichresiststhesystemofdevelopment(the“other”inhuman)inthedirectionoftheconstructionofanimmaterialfuture?Thisisataskthatarguablynolongerbelongswithintheregisterofreflectionorofexhibition,eventhesurexposition that Les Immatériauxintendedtooperate.Forultimately,ifwearetotakeonthephilosophicalandpoliticalstakesthatLyotardwishedtobringtolightinLes Immatériaux,perhapstheexhibitionisnolongertheappropriatesiteforsuchaprocess.
75 Asmanycontemporaryaccelerationistsargue,sciencefictionshouldbeaninspirationhere,asitturnsfearandinquietudeintoexcitementatunknownpossibilities–let ’snotforgetthatLyotardhimselfsaysthegoalis“tomovefrommelancholia to novatio,fromchagrintojubilation”.
76 Ibid.77 Lyotard,“MatterandTime”,p.45.
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Despitethefeverishhybridizingofcontemporaryphilosophyandcon-temporaryart,todaywerarelyseeanythingasacutelyexpressiveaswasLes Immatériauxofthetensionbetweenthedemandsofneoliberalculturalinstitutionsandthewilltousetheexhibitionasamediumforthinking.Rarelydothetwosittogetherinquitesuchopendiscomfort.Atatimewhenweriskcreatingaclosed-circuitbetweentheoreticalproductionandcontemporaryart,Lyotard’sheartfeltwishtousethe“newsupport”oftheexhibitionforphilosophicalthoughtinorderto“dramatiseideas”,toreachanaudiencebeyondbothacademicphilosophyandtheart-museumaudience,andtodosobydisquieting them,remainsinspiring;yetitsimplicitcritiqueofthe“moderngallery”needstobeextendedintoaconsiderationofthemachineofculturalcirculationthatisthecontemporaryexhibition;theconventionsandlimitationsofthisinstitutionofculturealsoneedtobechallenged,inordertomovetowardaconstructiveimmaterialism.AsLyotardsays:
Thereisagapbetweenwhatisproposedtousforourlittleeverydaylives,andtheenormouscapacitiesofexperimentationandtheirramificationsinthesocial,openedupbytechnoscience.Peopleareveryawareofthis.Leadingadog’slifewhenoneisatlargeinthecosmos,etc.…Alaboratoryhumanity,thatistosayanexperimentalhumanity,thiswouldbethebestoutcomeofthecrisis.78
78 Ibid.,p.11,and13.
From Immaterials to Resistance: The Other Side of Les Immatériaux
Daniel Birnbaum and Sven-Olov Wallenstein
Les Immatériaux has often been seen as a celebration of information technologyandanewpostmodernworldbasedontheimmaterialityofflowsofinformation.Theproposalhereisthattheunderlyingconceptionwasfarmoreambivalent,notinthesenseofsomepsychologicalhesitationonthethresholdofthenew,butratherassomethinginherentinthethingsthemselves–mostimportantly,becausetheverysenseof“thing”herewasatstakeduetothechangeswroughtuponoursensoriumbytechnology,inthewidestsenseoftheterm.1
Infact,asequeltoLes ImmatériauxentitledRésistanceswasplanned,andwouldhavedealtwiththeundersideofcommunication:noise,distortion,andthedimensionofexperiencethatresistsbothconsciousnessandlanguage.Thispartwasnevercompleted,andwhatremainsareonlytheaccountsofparticipantsinLyotard’sseminars.2ItcanhoweverbeunderstoodasalignedwiththedirectioninwhichLyotard’sownresearchwasmovingatthetime,awayfromthepostmodernasauniverseofmessagesandcodes,andretrievingsomeofhisearlyideasworkedoutalreadyinDiscours, figure: touching,theevent,andwhathecalled“passibility”.Les Immatériaux may then beseeninconjunctionwiththissecondexhibitionthatnevertookplace.This,
1 Theargumentsketchedouthereisextractedfromaforthcomingbook,Spacing Philosophy: Jean-François Lyotard and the Philosophy of the Exhibition.
2 PhilippeParrenoandHansUlrichObrist,The Conversation Series 14 (Cologne:WalterKönig,2008),p.17.Thespecificclaimthatwillbemadethroughoutthisessay,thattheplannedsequeltoLes Immatériauxwastohavedealtwiththeresistancetocom-munication,isbasedonParreno’srecollections,andinthisitcanobviouslybecon-tested;thepresenceofthethemeassuchinthewritingsofLyotardfrom1985onwards,however,isundeniable.
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ofcourse,isatenuousproposal.Wehavenowayofknowingwhatthesequelwouldhavelookedlike,andanyclaimsaboutitmustremainconjectural.Andyettoundertakethetaskofimaginingsuchasecondpart,wesuggest,meanstocontinueLyotard’sthoughtintothepresent,andtoremainattentivetoitscomplexityandcontradictions,bothasaconceptualinvestigationandasapracticaltask.3
Resistance, Possibility, InfancyIftheprojectpresentedin1985wasincomplete,atleastifseeninrelationtothepossibilityofasequel,thenwemustattempttolocatesomethinglikeanambivalenceorhesitationintheunderlyingconception.Infact,therearetracesofachangeinLyotard’sapproachthatseemstooccuratroughlythe same time as Les Immatériaux – a fact whichmakestheexhibitionintosomethinglikeapointofbifurcation,asiftheuneasethatitaspiredtobringaboutinthespectatorsfirstofallstruckLyotardhimself.Throughoutthebooksandarticlesthatwouldfollow,hemovesawayfromthephilosophyofphrasesandtheclaimsaboutcommunicationandthepervasivelinguisticalityofexperiencethatformedtheorganizationalgridforLes Immatériaux–or,asweprefertoreadthisjuncture,hebegantodeveloppreciselythismomentofuneaseasthatwhichgivesthought,theunthoughtundersideofthecom-municationalparadigmasanirreducibleresistancethatisnotsimplynegative,butthatintowhichthinkingmusttapinordertoupholditsstrangeincapacityandbelatednessasapromise.
EntitledRésistances,theunrealizedprojectforasecondexhibitionwouldlikelyhavefocusedonnecessaryzonesoffrictionandonwhatfirstappearsasanirreduciblymaterialdimension,eventhoughsuchmaterialityinturnmustdis-placetheinheritednotionofmatter,justastheimmaterialityofimmaterialsisnotsimplyaresuscitatedversionofPlatonicideas.Materialandmatterareherenotmeantasmerephysicalinertiaorpassivity,asthehyle that cannot existotherthanasinformedbyamorphe,butasamodalityofgivennessassuch,aresistancethatbypassesorpassesin-betweenthesensibleandtheintelligible.AndifLes Immatériauxsomewhatcautiouslysuggestedthatmatterwasherereferencedonlyinacontradictoryfashion,Lyotardwillinhissub-sequentwritingsspeakofmatterinasensethatrelaysthiscontradiction,inanattempttothinkmatternotasametaphysicalcategorysetinoppositiontomind,soul,andconsciousness,ortoidea,form,andideality,butassomethingatthelimitofthinking,whichcallsthinkingforthjustasitwithdrawsfromit.
3 Asasecondpartofthisinvestigation,DanielBirnbaum,Hans-UlrichObristandPhilippeParrenowillcurateanexhibitionentitledRésistances,whichwillcontinueLyotard’sideasintothepresent.Thisprojectinformssomeoftheclaimsattheendofthisessay,eventhoughtheexactshapeofthisexhibitionisatpresentstillnotdecided.
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Fromthepointofviewofcommunication,thesecondpartoftheexhibitionwouldhavefocusedonitsobverseside:noise,loss,scrambling,anddis-order;allofthosefacetsofexperiencethatofferaresistancetotransmission.Beginninginthephysicalsenseofresistance(asintheresistanceproducedinelectriccircuits),thethememayobviouslybeexpandedtocoverallfacetsofexperience,anditbelongstotheindeterminacythatisinherentjustasmuchinimmaterialityandidealityasinmatteranditsvariouscognates.Thus,evenifthefirstexhibitioncanatfirstsightbetakenaschampioningvariousformsofdematerialization,theattentivenesstoformsofresistancewasinfactpresentthroughout,eventhoughinanobliquemanner–whichiswhyonemightassumethattheplannedsequel,atleasttoacertainextent,wasalreadypresent in Les Immatériaux,asakindofundercurrentorpossiblecounterpointreadingagainstthegrain.Whatsuchanexhibitionwouldhavelookedlikeinthemidtolate1980smustofcourseremainpurelyconjectural,andourproposalhereisrathertotracethisideaofresistanceasitisreflectedandinflectedinmanyotherquestionsandconceptsthatLyotardwasdevelopingsimultaneously with Les Immatériaux,andthatwouldfollowhimtotheend.
OnetermthatsurfacesinsomeofLyotard’swritingscontemporaneouswithandadjacenttothe1985exhibition,andwhichseemstogathertogethermanyofthesensesofthetheme,ispassibility,whichweherechooseasourpointofentryintothiscomplexofideas.Thetermoriginatesinmedievaltheology,whereitdenotesGod’scapacitytobeaffectedbythecourseoftheworldinsteadofsimplyremainingsealedinastateofimpenetrableplenitudeor“impassibility”.InmodernphilosophyitseemstohavebeentakenupbyLevinas(whoalsobecameamajorsourceforLyotard’sreflectionsonthepossibilityofaradicalizedversionofKantianethicsfromthelatterpartofthe‘70sonwards),andhasgainedcurrencyinsomestrandsofcontemporaryphenomenology,whereitisoftenunderstoodintermsofa”radicalpas-sivity”thatcandrawonHusserl’sextensivemanuscriptsonpassivesyn-thesisandexplorationsofthelevelofsubjectivitythatliesatthefringesofitsconstitutivepower.4Theabovephrase“capacitytobeaffected”mustbeunderstoodwithequalemphasisonbothterms,sothattheparadoxthatwasalreadypresentinthetheologicaltraditionisallowedtoexertitsfullpower.Inpointingtoanintermediaryzone,neithersimplyactivenorpassive–whichinthetheologicalregisterwouldamounttoadivinemiddlevoiceofsorts–itopensanobscuredomainofthein-between,neitherfirstnorsecond,neitherthestuffofgivennessnortheformingconcept.Inthissense,passibilitymaybeunderstoodasdevelopingwhatLyotardalreadyinDiscours, figure called“event”or“donation”,5andwhichinthelaterworksalsoappearsin
4 See,forinstance,DidierFranck,Dramatique des phénomènes (Paris:PUF,2001).5 Inanearlieressay,wehaveattemptedtooutlinethegenesisofthesethemesin
Lyotard’searlywork–which,however,willremaininthebackgroundhere.SeeDanielBirnbaumandSven-OlovWallenstein,“FiguringtheMatrix:Lyotard’sLes Immatériaux,
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theguiseof“touching”,“presence”,or“gift”,drawingontheKantiansublime,Heidegger’sEreignisandthees gibt,aswellasaffectivityinFreud.
Implicatedinallofthesereferencesisapeculiarstructureoftimeasdelayanddeferral,whichLyotardoftendescribesintermsoftheFreudiancon-cept Nachträglichkeit,a“deferredaction”thatscramblesthebefore/afterstructureofconsciousness.ForLyotard,ratherthanbeingsimplytheoppositiontopresence,deferralwillprovetobefundamentallyentangledwithit,fusingintoacomplexideaofpresenceitselfasdeferral.Presenceanddelayarethusnottwodistinctideas,butmakeupaconstellationinwhichpresence eventually becomes an overarching term for that which is elusive orevenerasedinexperience;thatwhichresiststheunifyingcapacityoftheretentionalandprotentionalstructureofconsciousness,whileyetbeinggiveninawaythatholdsconsciousnesscaptive,hauntingitintheformofaneventoranoccurrencethatitstrugglestograsp.6Intheessay“TimeToday”,Lyotardwrites:“Whatmemorizesorretainsisnotacapacityofthemind,noreveninaccessibilitytowhatoccurs,but,intheevent,theungraspableandundeniable‘presence’ofasomethingwhichisotherthanthemind,andwhich,‘fromtimetotime’,occurs.”7ForLyotard,however,theeventisnotonlysomeoverpoweringordisruptiveoccurrence,asintheFreudiantrauma,butmorelikeaconstantdimensionofexperienceitself,theeventhoodor“eventuality”ofthatwhichtouchesusatthelevelofaffectivesensibility–whichisalsowhyitbecomesanimportantconceptinaesthetics,eventhoughthelatterisatermthatLyotarddistrusts,perhapshastily,becauseofwhatheseesasitspacifyingnature.Theeventsignalstheirruptionofsomethinginthesensible,in the aisthesis,thatdemandstobearticulated,andcallsforthourcapacityofreflection.
Inadifferentregister,thedelayoftheevent,thetemporalfoldthatjoinspastandpresent,inLyotardalsoreceivesthenameof“infancy”.8Infancy,astheetymology in-fanssignals,islocatedbeforelanguage,thoughnotmerelyina
1985”,inThordisArrhenius,MariLending,WallisMillerandJéremieMichaelMcGowan(eds.),Place and Displacement: Exhibiting Architecture(Baden:LarsMüller,2014).
6 Lyotardoftenexplicitly,butperhapstoohastily,deniesthatphenomenologywouldbeabletoapproachsuchapresence.Hisuseof”presence”,however,comesclosetoHeidegger’stermAnwesen,”presencing”,understoodasaverb,inoppositiontopresence as Anwesenheit,theformormodalityofthatwhichispresent,i.e.beings.Presencingisthatwhichremainsconcealedinthepresent,belongingtothedimensionoftheevent(Ereignis)asthatwhich”gives”butcannotbeapprehendedasgivenintheentity.Lyotard’spresencemightinthissensebereadasbelongingtoaphenomenology”éclatée”,asDominiqueJanicaudcallsit(withoutanyreferencetoLyotard);seeDominiqueJanicaud,Phenomenology ”Wide Open”: After the French Debate,trans.CharlesN.Cabral(NewYork:FordhamUniversityPress,2005).
7 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,The Inhuman: Reflections on Time,trans.GeoffreyBenningtonandRachelBowlby(Cambridge:PolityPress,1991),p.75.
8 ForarichexplorationofthisthemethatrarelyreferstoLyotard,yetremainsclosetohiminmanyrespects,seeChristopherFynsk,Infant Figures(Stanford:Stanford
From Immaterials to Resistance 249
chronologicalsense,butalsoasanunderlyingorderthatsubsiststhroughoutadultlifeinitsentirety.Itisneveraccessibletomemoryandconsciousrep-resentation,butonlygivenasa“debt”thatwecanneverpayoff,andassuchitalsohasacloseproximitytoanaestheticthatmustremainatthelimitsof aisthesisbecauseittouchesus,asanevent,atthefringesofthesensible,beforetheegohasacquiredanydefiniteshape.Intheessay“Prescription”Lyotardsuggeststhat“aestheticshastodowiththisfirsttouch:theonethattouchedwhenIwasnotthere…Thetouchhasitsplaceandmomentinasavageoralienspaceandtimethatareforeigntothelaw.Andtotheextentthatitmaintainsitself,persistsinthemodeofthisimmemorialspace-time,this savagery or this sinful peregrination is always there as a potential of the body.”9Childhoodcaninthiswayevenbeunderstoodas“inhuman”,inthatitexceedsourlifeasrationalsubjects,anditsmodeofbeingisthatoftheremainder,ofreturnandhaunting.Inanotherregister,however,itisalsowhatis eminently human,becauseits“distressheraldsandpromisesthingspos-sible”aswellas“manifeststothis[adult]communitythelackofhumanityitissufferingfrom”.10
Theresponsetothistouchoreventonthepartofthinkingmusttaketheform of writing,Lyotardsometimessuggests,awritingthatoriginatesinthebody–whichinrelationtoLes Immatériauxwouldmeantocompletethetrajectorythattheexhibitionproposesintheoppositedirection,takingusfromlanguagetobody:toreturntothebodymeanstouncovertheothersideof“theimmaterials”,theirinescapableresistancetouniversalizationandtranslationintonumerics,thoughnotinthesenseofanoriginorgroundinalife-worldthatwouldprecedethemasananexactandmorefluidmaterialonwhichidealizationsareperformed.11Butthisinfantbodycanalso–andperhapsmoresurprisingly,since,unlikewhatLyotardherereferstoasthe“phenomenologicalbody”,itwithdrawsusfromtheworldoftransitivityandrelations–betakenasasourceofresistanceinamuchmorestraightfor-wardsense.ThiscomesacrossintheessayonOrwell’s1984 in Le postmoderne expliqué aux enfants,whereLyotardlookstothemaincharacterWinston’sattempttoretrieveadifferentlanguageinsidetheofficialliesbyprobingintoachildhoodthatishisownandnooneelse’s,whichstillinvitesa“sharing
UniversityPress,2000).ForastudyofLyotard’slaterphase,seeGeoffreyBennington,Late Lyotard(CreateSpace,2008).
9 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,Lectures d’enfance(Paris:Galilée,1991),p.39.10 Lyotard,The Inhuman,p.4.11 ThiswouldbeHusserl’sanswer,aspresentedintheCrisistextsfromthelate1930s.
Lyotard’spathwouldratherseemtotakehimintothevicinityofHeidegger.Itisonlybyfollowingthemovementoftechnologytotheend,throughitsconsummateemptyingoutofhumanism,thatwecanbegintograspitsessenceassomethingotherthanmachinery.
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ofsensibilitythatitcanandshouldtakeascommunal”.12SuchasharinghasitsobviouspredecessorintheKantiansensus communis,andLyotardishereatonceclosetoandfarfromArendt’spoliticalphilosophy,13 but also to the BenjaminofOne Way StreetandBerlin Childhood: what is important is not the singularfactsintheirempiricalspecificity,buta“childhoodoftheevent”,thatwhichbringsustogetherpreciselybynotbeingcaptured.
Againstthetheoriesofpragmaticsandcommunicationthatwereatstakealreadyinthefirstdiscussionofthepostmoderncondition,butalsoshiftingthe accent from the systematic analysis of phrases in Le Différend,theselatertextssuggestthatitisonthebasisofanddrawingfromtheincommunicable andincommensurableinourexperiencesthatwecommunicate,ratherthanthroughasharedsetofcontentsandclaimsabouttheworld,orthroughtheapplicationofasetoftranscendentalrulesthatwouldgoverntheformationofphrasesandarguments.WhiletheincommensurabilitybetweenphraseregimeswasoneofthemajorthemesofLe Différend,andthethemeofblanks,caesuras,andsilenceswasessentialfortheanalysisofwhyphrasesmustbelinkedtoeachotherintheabsenceofdefinedrules(sothatsilencetooisaphraselikeanyother),inthelaterwritingsthedimensionofthebodyanditsaffectivity,whichwaslargelyabsentfromthephilosophyofphrases,returnsandprovidestheideaofblanksandgapsinlanguagewithadifferentkindofdepth.Thatwhichliesinbetweenphrasesisnotjustsilenceandgaps,butindicatesadimensionofaffectivityandsensibilitythatisthepreconditionforphrasingassuch.
The Crisis of FoundationsInalittle-noticedtextfrom1989,“Argumentationetprésentation:Lacrisedesfondements”,14Lyotardspeaksofthisdepth,assomethingthatontheonehand–dependingonone’sphilosophicalconvictions–threatensor promises todisappear,andontheotherceaselesslyreturnsasamirageoraninfinitetask,intermsofacrisis of foundations.Understoodinthemostgeneralsense,thecrisishasnodoubtbeenaroundsincethedawnofGreekphilosophy(krisis infactbeingone,orperhapsthe,keyoperativetermalreadyinthePoemofParmenides),buthasacquiredaparticulardepthinmodernity,especiallyaftertheviolenttransformationsofthesenseofspaceandtime–ofthe
12 Jean-FrançoisLyotard, Le postmoderne expliqué aux enfants(Paris:Galilée,1986),p.142–143.
13 See”Lesurvivant”,inLectures d’enfance.14 ThetextwasoriginallypublishedinAndréJacob(ed.),Encyclopédie philosophique uni-
verselle, vol. 1, L’univers philosophique(Paris:PUF,1989),p.738–50,andhasnotbeenreprintedinanyofLyotard’sbooks.ItisherecitedfromtheEnglishtranslationbyChrisTurner,inCultural Politics,Volume9,Issue2( July2013),p.117–143.
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“transcendentalaesthetic”asdelineatedbyKant–andcontinuestohauntourpresentinanevenmoreintensifiedform.
Historically,thephrase“foundationcrisis”stemsfromthedebatesthatoccupiedthemathematicalandphysicalsciencesduringtheearlydecadesofthetwentiethcentury,anditconcernedtheverysenseoftherealitytowhichtheoriescouldreferoncetheclassicalconceptionsinsciencehadbeendiscarded.ForLyotard,thisimpliedablowagainstthereferentialaswellaspragmaticvaluesthattraditionalsciencecouldrelyon,aprofoundmutationinthought’srelationtoitsother,tosomethinglikebeingitself.Theaporiaofthegivenandtheconstructedimposeditselfthroughoutphilosophyandthevarioussciences,andjustastheideaofafoundationthatwouldbesimplygivenappearedincreasinglytenuous,sotheclaimsaboutaunivocalandrationalmethodofconstructionbecamedoubtfulasmoreandmoreparadoxesemergedinthefoundationsoflogicandmathematics.Manyanalyses,directandindirect,wereproposed,fromthesense-datarecon-structionsoflogicalpositivismtothelife-worldofHusserlandtheclearingofbeinginHeidegger,andLyotardsuggeststhatwhatisatstakehereisthequestionfromwheretheobjectwouldbe“ob-jected”:thatis,whetherthereisanythingatallthatprecedesourconstructions,orifthetechnicalefficacyofscienceissimplyallthatremains.
ForLyotard,thiscrisis,inallthevariouscontradictoryshapesthatittook,cannotbesolvedinthewayproposedbyKarl-OttoApel,thatis,byrecoursetoa“metapragmatics”thatlocatesthegroundofreasoninrulesofargumentation,themselvesinturnfoundedinacommunityofrationalagents.15ThissolutionisbasedontheideaofauniversalandtranscendentalcommunicationalcompetencethataspirestodisplacethefoundationalclaimsmadebyphilosopherslikeHusserlandDescartesbyshowingthatallsuchclaimsalreadypresupposecommunication.Inthis,Apel’srejectionofearlierversionoffoundationalismprovidesyetanotherultimatefoundationofreason,thistimebyrecoursetoanideaofultimaterulesofargumentationthatmustbe(indeedhavealwaysnecessarilybeen)respectedinallotherpreviousorfuturefoundationallanguagegamesinorderforthemtomakesense,andinthiswaycanlayclaimtoatranscendentalstatus.AsLyotardremarks,however,Apelremainslargelysilentonthecontentoftheserules,somewhatvaguelyreferringtoacommonfocusontheproblemtobesolved,ortheaspirationtoachieverationalconsensus–andperhaps,onemight
15 ApelcitesWittgenstein,whospeaksofa“system”withinwhichany“confirmationanddisconfirmationofahypothesistakesplace”,asystemwhichis“notsomuchthepointofdeparture,astheelementinwhichargumentshavetheirlife”.SeeLudwigWittgen-stein,On Certainty,trans.DenisPaulandG.E.M.Anscombe(Oxford:Blackwell,1974),sec.105.ForLyotardthiselementisnotsomuchasystemasafieldofa“certainpre-cogitophenomenology”thathelocatesinMerleau-Ponty’sThe Visible and the Invisible,whichshowstherenewedrelevanceofphenomenologicalthemesinLyotard’slaterwork.
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add,necessarilyso,sinceanymoresubstantialspecificationwouldalreadycommithimtoaparticularphilosophicalclaimanddeprivetherulesoftheir“meta”-pragmaticstatus;theywouldbeyetanothermoveinthegame,andnottheconditionforthegame–anygame–assuch.Againstthis,Lyotardsuggeststhatwhatadvancesthesciencesisratherthescramblingandbreakingofrules–scientistsaremorepronetoempiricalthantranscendentalpragmatics,hesomewhatironicallyquips.Thetranscendentalaccountinfactalwayscomestoolate,andisincapableofelucidatingtheemergenceofthenew,oftheeventfuldimensionofthinking.Inthis,thediscourseofscienceismoreakintothemovesmadeinordinarylanguage–and,wemightadd,tophilosophy,asLyotardwilllatersayinLe Différend,whereitistheverysenseandevenpossibilityofanysuchrulesthataretheobjectsofdiscussion,andthinkingmustproceedinanexperimentalfashionwithoutanyonce-and-for-allpre-establishedguidelines.Whatitmeanstothinkphilosophicallycannotbedecidedthrougharecoursetopre-existingrules;rather,therulesarewhatresultsfromtheprocessofthought,whichitselfisinsearchoftherulesthatguideit.Andinthisphilosophycommunicateswithbothscienceandartthroughacommonzoneofindeterminacy–which,however,theyinhabit differently,wemightsay.
Withrespecttotheideaoffoundations,forLyotardthisnecessitatesareap-praisalofwhatmustprecedeallrationalconstructions,forwhichhefindstheresourcesinKant–or,moreprecisely,inaKantrereadinthelightofourpresentconcerns,whichthesciencesatthehorizonoftheCritique of Pure Reasonforeclosedbyofferingsecuritiesthatarenolongerourown.Theques-tionoffoundationhastodowithspaceandtime,ormoregenerallytheideaofsomethingsensibleassuch,whichissomethingonwhichallconstructionsaremade,thoughitselfnotthereasagiven,butratherasthatwhichiswith-drawn.InKant,Lyotardsuggests,thereisalreadyanattemptat“tracingthepathtowardaninfancyofthoughtthatisalwayspresupposedinitsadultage(whichisargumentative)andeverpresentassomethingconcealed”,16andwhichbecomesevenmorepronouncedaswemovefromthespace-timeofthefirstCritiquetotheratherdifferentapproachofthethirdCritique,whichprovidesthebridgetoLyotard’sownreflectionsonthepossibilitiesandlimitsofaesthetics.Herethepre-objectivedomainiswhatgivesrisetoareflectivejudgementthatbearson“feeling”,ina“plasmatic”state,inawaythatforLyotardunderliesallotherclaims,ratherthanjustbeinganintermediarycapacitylocatedbetweencognitionandethics:“Kantianaesthetics,initsarchitectonicguise,teachesussomethingmuchmoreradical:thatreflexivejudgementis,ifnotconstitutive,thenatleastrequiredbytheotherfacultiesof
16 “FoundationCrisis”,p.126.
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knowledgeandthatfeelingistheprimordial,fundamentalmodeofreceptionofanygivenness.”17
ThisisalsowhereheoncemorecomesbacktohisearlierdiscussionsofMerleau-PontyinDiscours, figure,andhowtheanalogywiththevisualfieldmightallowustoapproachthelayerofthepre-objective:“theanalogyisnotanarbitraryone,sincethe‘free-floatingforms’,towhichKantreferstheaes-theticfeeling,alsoconstitutewithoutadoubttheweftor,asMerleau-Pontyhasit,the‘nervures’ofthefieldofperception…[even]‘nervuresofbeing.’”18 Andyet–andinthistheclaimsofDiscours, figure against the phenomenology ofperceptionaswellasagainstthephenomenological“fleshoftheworld”remaininplace–thereisalwaysadifferenceinthevisual,aninvisibilityforwhichtermslikenon-presentableandsublimemaystandasmarkers.ThisoncemoresignalsadeparturefromMerleau-Ponty,whichisnotjustoneofvocabulary–sincetheinvisiblehereisnotwhatalreadybeginstotranscendthesensibleintheformofideasandconcepts–butthemomentofdonationthatunderliesthesensibleandonlycanbereachedthroughadispossessionofsubjectivityofamoreradicalnaturethanthatattainedthroughthedescentintotheflesh.Iftheaesthetictakesustowardthisregion,itisthusalso,always,asan”anaesthetic”thatopenstowardstheevent.
Attheendofthisessay,however,Lyotardsuggeststhatthiscrisisoffoundationscaninfactbeovercomeinawaythatdoesnotpreservethedimensionoftheevent,butratherproducessomethinglikeitsfinaloccultation.Thiscouldperhapsbeunderstoodassomethinglikeacrisis of the crisis–or,inHeideggeriantermsthatLyotardhereperhapsbrushesasidetooquickly,theforgetting of forgetting,thetechnologicalerasure of the withdrawalthatisnecessaryforbeingstoappear–andheenvisagesthepossibilitythatdonationmighthavebecomeacalculableconstruct,a physissyntheticallyproducedin“technoscience”,inawaythatdirectlypicksupthebasicthemeofLes Immatériaux.“Thenewtechne”,hewrites,“inkeepingwiththeessentialconceptoffingereinherentinit,enablesustoobtainnotonly‘results’inallsortsofcalculationsbutsounds,colors,or,inotherwords,materialsandarrangementsofthingsbothmusicalandplastic.Thesearenowreplacing‘forms’thatariseoutofthesyntheticpoweroftheimagination,oroutoftheOther.Theyarenotapprehendedreflexively;theyaredeterminedbycalculations,bothintheir‘design’andintheirrestitutionanddissemination.Andcalculationincludesnotonlytheworkthatoccupiesthetimeofcomputerengineersbutalsothe–itselfconstitutive–accountingofspacesandtimes(includingallthoseknownasworkingspacesandtimes)expendedintheproductionanddisseminationofsyntheticmaterialsand
17 Ibid.,p.128.18 Ibid.,p.133.
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forms.”19“Anthropologically”,Lyotardconcludes,thistransferfromintuitiontocalculationandconstructioncanbeinterpretedas”anemancipationofhumanbeingsfromtheirconditionasearthlyanimals”;“transcendentally”,ontheotherhand,suchacrisis“remainstobethoughtthrough”.20ItistothisthinkingthroughthattheworkafterLes Immatériauxwasdedicated.
Rewriting FreudItisatthisjunctureofLyotard’sworkthatFreudtooreturns,andtheexchangebetweenpsychoanalysisandphenomenologybeguninDiscours, figure is takenupagain,albeitinatransformedfashion.If,inhisearlywork,Lyotardarrivedatasetofaffirmativeclaimsaboutenergiesandforces,thesewillnowbedisplacedbywhathesometimes,withatermborrowedfromLacan,calls“theThing”(la Chose),abodythatisheldhostagetosomethingthatitcannotdecipher.Thisistheinfantbody,notinasimplychronologicalsense,butasasiteofpre-inscriptionthatwillalwaysremainwithus,drawingtogetherthebirthofthesubjectasconditionedbythesexualdifferenceandtheemergenceofsomethingoutofnothingintermsoftheontologicaldifference,sothattheprioritybetweenthembecomesentangledandundecidable.
InthisrenewedreadingofFreud,theideaofpassibilityisworkedoutintermsofaffectivity,whichinmanywayspursuesoldthemes,butalsogivesthemanewtwist.WhilethephilosophyofphrasesinLe Différendhasevacuatedthepossibilityofthephysicsormetaphysicsofdrivesthatonceunderwrotetheclaimthat“TheDream-WorkDoesNotThink”(asreadsthetitleofoneofthecentral chapters in Discours, figure),itneverthelessopensamorepositiveapproachtolanguage,thoughonethatstillwantstosteerclearofthetheoryofthesignifierthatforLyotardlimitstheLacanianapproach,towhichheneverthelessremainsclose.While,aswehavenoted,alreadyinLe Différend phrasesareunderstoodaseventsinabroadsense,constitutingacategorythatexpandsbeyondthenarrowlylinguistictoincludesilencesandaffects,thislatterdimensionultimatelyremainedmarginalintheearlierbook,andthedynamicandaffectivedimensionoftheKantianfacultieswaslargelyover-shadowedbyWittgensteinianmotifs.InthissenseitisnodoubtsignificantthatWittgenstein’simportancewilldiminishaswemoveintoLyotard’sfinalphase,whentheconnectiontophenomenologyandpsychoanalysiswillbemadeoncemore.
Inthenewapproach,theunconsciousisreconstructedasan“inarticulatephrase”,oran“affect-phrase”.Thisphrasticqualitydoesnotmeanthatitpresentsauniverseaccordingtotheaxessense-referenceandsender-receiver.Whatispresentedisratherafeelingofpleasureandpainthat
19 Ibid.,p.140.20 Ibid.,p.140f.
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remainsnon-localizablewithrespecttothecoordinatesoftheuniverseoflanguageasthepresentationofsomethingobjective;andaswewillsee,inthisitisakintothefeelingofpleasureandpainaslaidoutinKant’sthirdCritique,whichprovidesabridgetoaesthetics.Whattranspiresisthatthereissomethingthere,thereisan“ithappens”which,however,isbetrayedassoonasitistranslatedintoacommunicativelanguage.
Thisnewtakeontheunconsciousisspeltoutindetailintheessay“Emma”,21 whereLyotardinterrogatesoneofthecasehistoriesinFreud’s1895Project for a Scientific Psychology,whichindeedisoneofFreud’smostphysicalisttexts,wherehespeaksofforcesthatproduce“facilitations”(Bahnungen)inawaythatwoulddrawhimclosetoLyotard’searlyconceptionofenergetics.WhatcomesacrossinthislaterreadingbyLyotard,however,istheproblemoftime,ofhoweventsareinscribedandbecomemeaningfulinaparticularstructureofdeferral.Theunconsciousaffect,Lyotardsuggests,canremainunrecognizedwhilestillenteringintoconsciousnessthroughasubstitutethatcannotbeunderstood.
ThepatientEmma’sfearofgoingtothestorealoneis,inFreud’sanalysis,linkedtotwoscenesfromherchildhood;neitherofwhich,however,issufficienttoaccountforherpresentstate.Lyotardsuggeststhattheymustbeunderstoodasoverlaid,sothatthefirstsceneonlyproducesitstraumaticaffectwhenitisrememberedandactivatedatasubsequentstage,inakindofretroactiveorinvertedcausalitythatisatthebasisofFreud’stheoryofNach-träglichkeit.InLyotard’sreadingoftheEmmacase,whatisimportantisFreud’sideaofaprimalrepression–thatis,anobjectthatneverwasconscious,andwhich may account for the presence of originary formations in the uncon-scious,aswasalreadysuggestedintheelusivepositiongiventothematrixinDiscours, figure.
ForLyotard,thepossibilityofthisprimalrepressionsignalssomethinglikeapure passibility,wheretheaffectisinscribedwithouteverbeingconscious,andonlyappearsatthelaterstage;acapacityforbeingaffectedregardlessofwhethertheeventcanberepresentedornot,whichimpliesthattheactive-passivedistinctionisderivativeinrelationtosuchprimordialevents.Suchaneventcannotberepresentedorremembered;itisapureevent,anditstimeisthepresent,thehereandnow;while–fromthepointofviewofconscious-ness,andofwhatcanbenamedinlanguage–itwillneverhavebeenthereatallasacontent.Thepurepresenceeludesconsciousness,structurally,whileconsciousnessassuchisheldinthegripofthispresence,whichiswhatlocatesitinachildhoodbeyondmemory.
21 InJean-FrançoisLyotard,Misère de la philosophie(Paris:Galilée,2000).Foraluciddis-cussionofthistextinrelationtoLacan,seeAnneTomiche,“RephrasingtheFreudianUnconscious:Lyotard’sAffect-Phrase”,inDiacritics,Vol.24,No.1(Spring,1994),p.43–62.
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Thisdimensionalsocomesacrossinthatparticularqualityoflanguageknownastimbre,whichLyotardinvestigatesinanotheressay,“Voix”,dedicatedtotheproblemoflanguageinpsychoanalysis.WhatliesatthecoreoftheFreudianenterprise,atadepththatmayhaveescapedFreudhimselftotheextentthatanalysisremainsmodelledonSocraticdialogue,isnotspeechinthesenseoftheAristotelianlexis,i.e.statementsthatwouldbesituatedalongtheaxesoftheuniverseofcommunicationandtransmitanobjectivecontent,butthesoundingofthephone,theinarticulateandpassionatedimensionofavoicethatdirectlyindicatesaffects–ormoreprecisely,istheaffectasindicativeofitself,“tautegorical”,22Lyotardsays–ratherthaninscribingthemasamomentofrepresentation.Thephoneescapesthetemporalorderofthesignifyingchainanditsinterlocutors,inwhichafirst“I”relatestoasecond“you”,even-tuallyconvertibletoobjectivethird-personpropositionsthatmaybereportedinacasestudy,ultimatelybecomingathemeforpublic,scientificdiscourse,withits“transcendentalpragmatics”andrule-boundexchanges.Thephone is simply there,asatoneortimbrejustaselusiveasitisinsistent,inanow that defiestheorderoftimeasthestructureofbeforeandafter;anditcannotevenbeattributedtoasubjectthatwouldbeitsbearer,butratherbelongstothesamedimensionasthein-fans,thespeechlessandaffectivelifethathauntsalllanguage,alsoandperhapsmostinsistentlyinitssilence,innotbeingheard,orindisruptingtheorderofthelexis.
WhatisultimatelyatstakeintheselatermeditationsonFreud’swritingsisperhapsnotthetruthabouttheFreudiantextsthemselves,eventhoughLyotardremainsascrupulousreader,sometimeseventothepointofobscuringhismoregeneralclaims.InDiscours, figure,regardlessofthesuspicionagainstconceptualsynthesisandargumentativeclosure,psychoanalysiscouldstillbemarshalledagainstthephenomenologyofthebodyandvisualdepthasadiscoursethatwouldsomehowbemoretrue,closertotheeventandthedonation,andcouldbeopposedtothephilosophicalprojectassuch,whichLyotardatthetimeperceivedasinextricablyboundupwithaPlatonistdowngradingofthedisruptiveforceatworkinsideorbeneaththesensible.However,justasinevitablyas,say,theNietzscheanoverturningofmetaphysicsasanalysedbyHeidegger,thiscountermovetendedtoproduceyetanothermetaphysics,thistimecentredaroundthe“drives”,asLyotardwouldlatersay.Againstthis,thelatertextsnolongerposeasanti-orcounter-philosophical,butproposeasthetaskofphilosophytolistentothatwhichliesunderneaththelexis,communication,andthesubject,notinordertodispeltheminfavourofsomemoreoriginarypowerorenergy(the“libidinal”,asitwascalledintheearliertexts),butrathertouncovera
22 Lectures d’enfance,p.137.Theterm“tautegorical”isalsousedbyLyotardtodescribetheKantiansublime,initscapacitytodisclosetoushowitfeelstothink;seeLyotard,Leçons sur l’analytique du sublime (Kant, Critique de la faculté de juger, §§ 23–29)(Paris:Galilée,1991),p.26.
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differentstratum–thepassible,infancy–thattheyalwayspresuppose.Inthis,psychoanalysis,art,andacertainalbeitreluctantlyacceptedphenomenology,areallies,notbecauseanyoneofthemwouldbemoretrue,butbecauseeachofthem,intheirparticularway,areattemptstograspthesameungraspableandineluctablecondition.
The Limits of CommunicationInthepresentcontext,itisparticularlyrelevanttoseehowthethemeofanirreducibleobversesidetothelexisalreadyfromtheoutsetcomestoreworktheideaofcommunicationfromwithin,sothatitappearspreciselyasthatwhichartmustresistinordertopreserveitsproper,eventfuldimension,thatwithintheaestheticthatmakesaestheticsasadisciplinepossiblebutalsoeludesit.
InanessaythatwascomposedroughlyoutatthesametimeasLes Immatériauxopened,“SomethingLike:‘Communication…withoutCom-munication’”,23Lyotardradicallyquestionstheideaofcommunicationthatatfirstglanceseemsliketheunquestionedpointofdeparturefortheexhibition.ThestartingpointfortheessayistherespectiveandseeminglyincompatibleclaimsbyKantandAdorno,firstlythatthefacultyofjudgingiswhatrendersourfeelinguniversallycommunicable(mitteilbar)withoutthemediationofaconcept(Kant),secondlythatnoworkofartshouldbeunderstoodthroughthecategoryofcommunication(Adorno).However,ratherthananopposition,Lyotardhereseesbothclaimsasdifferentlyphrased,althoughintheendnotincompatible,reactionstoHegel’ssublationofartintotheconcept,andinbothheperceivesthecontinuityofaquestforthepossibilityofanon-conceptualcommunication.Itispreciselythiscommunicationwithoutcommunicationthatisextinguishedinmoderncommunicationtheoriesandtechnologies,andfinallyinanart-industrythat,inaphrasethatechoesHorkheimerandAdorno’sanalysisofthecultureindustry,“wouldbeacom-pletionofspeculativemetaphysics,awayinwhichHegelispresent,hassucceeded,inHollywood”.24
AgainstthisLyotardmarshalstheKantiananalysisofthejudgementoftasteassomethingthatisalwayspresumed,afeelingorsentimentalitythatalsorequiresaparticularkindofcommunityanteriortocommunicationandpragmatics(thechoiceoftermsheretranslatingLyotard’sresistancetothetheoriesofcommunicativeactionandtranscendentalpragmaticsinHabermasandApel).Thishecallsa“passibilitytospaceandtime,necessary
23 Thetextwasfirstpresentedasalectureattheconference“Artetcommunication,”organizedbyRobertAllezaudattheSorbonneinOctober1985.
24 Lyotard,The Inhuman,p.115.
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forms of aesthesis”,25whoseverypossibilityimplicitlywouldthenbewhatisfundamentallyatstakeintheworldofimmaterials,where“calculated situ-ationsareputforwardasanaesthetic”,26andwherethedemandforefficiency,performance,andmalleabilityhavebyfarsupersededthecybernetictheoriesthatformedthehorizonofHeidegger’smeditationsontheessenceoftechnologyinthe1950s.
This passibility is neither an activity of forming a giving matter nor the simplepassivityofreceivingit,butrather,oncemoreincontinuitywiththecentral theme of Discours, figure,presupposesa“donation”as“somethingfundamental,originary”,27thateludesourcontrolandmastery.IntheKantianvocabularyemployedbyLyotardhere,thiswouldnotbethedeterminable mattergiveninanintuitionthatinfactisthereonlyasalreadydetermined bythecategoriesoftheunderstanding,andasuchonlyseparablethroughasecondaryreflection,butsomethingthatseizesuswithoutalreadybeingpartofcognition,andwithoutnecessarilybeingdestinedtobecomesuchapart.Theoriginofthisgifthoweverremainsconcealed,itisanXthatLyotardhererefersnotonlytotheKantiantranscendentalobject=x(infactsomewhatmisleadingly,sincethis“x”isnotapartoftheconceptualstructureofthethirdCritiquethatheheredrawson,butbelongsspecificallytotheanalysisofcognitioninthefirstCritique,asitsconstitutivelimit),butalso,andperhapsmorepertinently,toHeidegger’sbeingasthewithdrawnsideoftheontologicaldifference.Thexiswhatgivesmatterforreflectionanddetermination,anditisonit,perhapsevenonitserasureorruins,thatweconstructoraestheticphilosophies.Thefeelingthataccompaniesitisa“welcomingofwhatisgiven”,28anditiswhatultimatelyrendersthesub-jectopentotheworldinawaythatwillalsoholdthisworldinsuspense.Theviolenceofdonationandofatruththat“detonates”–whichweretheguidingideasofDiscours, figureastheargumentmovedfromthestillharmoniousviewsofthephenomenologiesofperceptionandthefleshtotheunthinkableandunrepresentableprimaryprocessinFreud–heregivewaytoamorebenign,orperhapsneutral,conceptionofwelcoming,giving,andgiftthatcomesfromHeidegger,althoughthisisaheritagetowardswhichLyotardwillremainambivalenttotheend,andnotonlyforpoliticalreasons,butfirstandforemostbecausetheresponsetothewithdrawalofpresenceforhimisanopen-endedexperimentationthathe,rightlyorwrongly,perceivestobemissinginHeidegger.
Thispassiblemoment,thethere now that is given only in a temporal spasm thatprecludesanythereornowfrombeingsimplythereandnow,butonly
25 Ibid.,p.110.26 Ibid.27 Ibid.,p.111.28 Ibid.
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allowsthemtobeunderstoodinanactofanamnesisor“re-writing”,isnecessarilyforgotteninrepresentationandallthemodesofproductionofrealitythatdrawonmoderncommunicationtechnologies,itistheiralwayspresupposedandyetelusiveunderside.Andyetitispreciselynotopposedtothem,butwhatmakesthempossible,whichiswhytheimmaterialsofcom-municationandresistancebelongtogether,andonewithouttheotherwouldonlygiveusalimitedanddistortedpicture.
Ifwedisregardthisoriginaryentanglement,theideaofresistancemightseemtooncemoreensnareusinadualistconception,wheredonation,thegift,andthedomainoforiginarypassibilityonlyappearasthatwhichdistorts communication,asakindofnegativityandnoisethatintheendcontrib-utesnothingpositivetothinkingandexperience.ButasLyotardnotes,thisis“becausewethinkofpresenceaccordingtotheexclusivemodalityofmas-terfulintervention”,29andcreationonlyasamodeoftechnicalconstructionattheexpenseoftheopennesstotheeventfulnessoftheevent;itmustbeboth,anamnesisandconstruction,amemoryofwithdrawnpresenceandtheexper-imentalgayscienceunfoldinginitswake.
Inotherwords,ifthiswithdrawalinsomerespectsentailsalossofexperience,ahollowingoutofthesubject,ithashoweveritselftobethought and felt,alsoasanopeningtowardsotherdimensionsofsensibilityandexperience.Theexhibitionbecomesawayofdoingthis,i.e.,notjustto“signify”thedifferencebetween what in Discours, figurestillappearedasthe“spaceofthesubjectandthesystem”,butalsotorenderthisdifferenceitselfanditseffectsonuspalpable.Thusthenecessityofconfronting“works”inthewidestsenseoftheterm–includingnotonlythefinearts,butalsoscience,technologicalartefacts,theories,modesofwriting–witheachotherinordertoproducethe“unease”thataphilosophicalproposal,inthecoherenceandclosurethatinevitablycharacterizeit,cannotavoiddispelling,andthustheneedofanexhibitionarymodethatexposethinkingtoanoutside.
An Aesthetic of PresenceAtermthatmoreandmorecomestotheforethroughoutLyotard’slaterwritingsonartis“presence”.Inwhatwayshouldweunderstandthisterm?Atfirst,itmayseemtosignalasomewhatsurprisinglydirectreturntoaphenomenologyofperceptionandofthebody,basedinanaestheticvisionthatunderscoresthematerialpresenceofartworks,touch,gesture,andawhole vocabulary that reinstalls precisely those motifs that Les Immatériaux wouldhavedeemednolongerpossible.Forsome,thisshiftamountstoanostalgicturnthat,possiblyundertheinfluenceofHeidegger,ormoregenerallyaphenomenologicalsuspiciontowardstechnology,discardedthe
29 Ibid.,p.118.
260 30 Years after Les Immatériaux
radicalperspectiveofinventionandcreationthatwasatthebasisofLes Immatériaux.30Aswewillsee,eventhoughthischaracterizationmightbemis-leadingasanaccountofLyotard’sdevelopment,itpointstoasetofproblemsinthelateworkthatmustbeaddressed.Whiletheshiftwasnotonlyalreadypart of the initial statement of Les Immatériaux,butalsocorrespondstoamotifthatwasthereinLyotard’sthoughtfromthebeginningofhistrajectory,itisalsotruethatmanyoftheclaimsthatwefindinhislaterwritingsperhapstendtoshort-circuitthepossibilitiesofhisinquiry,intyingittoocloselytoparticularformsofartinawaythatimmobilizestheexchangeofconceptsandparticulars.Inshort,aswewillargue,toremainfaithfultothepathopeneduphere,wemustquestionsomeofLyotard’sexamples,atleasttotheextentthattheytakeontoomuchofaparadigmaticvalue,andinfact,inspiteoftheopen-endedandhesitantphilosophicalcharacterofhislatewritings,seemtoresuscitatemanytraditionaltopoiofarttheory.
Fromacertaindistance,nodoubtarespectfuloneandyetadistance,thetermpresenceobviouslyreferstoDerridaandtheproblemofthemetaphysicsofpresenceinheritedfromHeidegger(andtheterm“decon-struction”sometimesappearsinthelaterwritings,withoutfurtherexplication,inawaysimilartoDiscours, figure).Lyotard’spresence is however rathertheoppositeofDerrida’s,orrather,itbearsastrongresemblancetothekindofthinkingthatDerridawastryingtoarticulatethroughconceptsliketrace,différance,andspacing,preciselyasthelimitstothemetaphysicsofpresence.Lyotard’spresencesignalsthemomentofwhatmustremainelusiveinthesensible,althoughbywayofadifferencethatisannouncedinandbythesensible;itisasensiblenolongerunderstoodinoppositiontotheintelligible,butasadimensionofitsown,whichiswhyitalsodrawsclosetotheimmaterialmaterialityalreadyatstakeinLes Immatériaux.Colors,words,gestures,soundsareontheonehandwhatispresented,ontheotherhandtheywithdrawfrompresentation,andthisduplicityiswhatgivestheaes-theticdimensionitsprivilegedrole;nothoweverasafullnessorrichnessofsensethatwouldhavebeenbetrayedinobjectivityandtechnoscientificcon-structions,asthetraditionalphenomenologicalanswerfromHusserl’sKrisis onwardhasbeen,butasamoreenigmatickindofpovertyofsense,a“thing”thatdoesnotevenaddressus,orremainsturnedawayinitsveryaddress.
ItistruethatLyotardoftendisplaysaprofoundsuspiciontowardthetermaesthetics,whichheassociatestoatraditionthatfindsitsresourcesinKant’sthirdCritiqueandtheAnalyticofbeauty,anditsclaimsaboutbeautyandharmony.Againstthis,hepitstheAnalyticofthesublimewithitsdisruptionofbeauty’sconsonance,whichforhimsignalsan“anaesthetic”powerthatshattersformandthetransitiverelationofconceptandworld.
30 AshasbeensuggestedbyJean-LouisDéotte,in“Les ImmatériauxdeLyotard(1985):unprogrammefigural”,Appareil10(2012).
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Lyotardhasgivenusmanyversionsofthisparticularclaim,sometimesinawaythatseemstostraightforwardlydisavowthebasicideasexploredin Les Immatériaux.Inthebriefessay“TwoFormsofAbstraction”(1988)hesuggeststhatarttoday–somewhatsurprisinglyclaimedtobegenerallycharacterizedby“abstraction”–followstwomainavenues.ThefirsthecallsHegelian,oranartofthe“understanding”,oftheVerstand,whereformsarepositedasexteriortocontent,allowingbeautytobecomekitsch,withoutanydensityofsingularexperience.Suchistheart,hesuggests,producedthroughcomputation,synthesis,andtechnology–claimsthataredifficultnottoreadasdirectedagainstmanyoftheitemsthatwereselectedforLes Immatériaux,wheretheclaimoftenseemedtobeadiscoveryofacon-tinuumbetweenartfromtheearlyavant-gardeonwardandthenewformsofeverydaytechnologiesthatrenderthelimitsofthebodyandperceptionfluidandinsecure.Thesecondtendency,onlybrieflyalludedtointhetext,insteadfollowsthelinetracedoutbytheKantiansublime,withitsemphasisontheunpresentable,andleadsuptoafinalalternativethatoncemoreseemstorenderaestheticsimpossible,oratleastwithoutanypurchaseonwhatisessential:“caughtbetweenthetwokindsofabstractionthatIhavejustoutlined,thatofunderstandingwhichdeterminesvisualdata,andthatwhichclingstotheindeterminablematerialpresencehiddeninthepresentationofdata,thustornapart,howcananaesthetics,areflectiononthepleasureprovidedbythebeautyoffreeforms,perpetuateitself?”31Now,whilethefirstlineseemstousherinapessimisticviewofart,thesecondopensthequestionoftheworkasevent,asLyotardunderlinesinanotheressay,“ThePictorialEventToday”(1993):“Theintrinsicvacuityofthepictorialinstitutiondoesnotatallchangethenecessityofthegestureofpainting,its‘call’tobecarriedout.”32 This gestureofpaintingdoesnotleadtoadisplayofalreadyrecognizedculturalforms,butopensontoathoughtthatmobilizesadifferenttypeofbody:”Paintingisthethoughtofpainting,butitsthought-body.Itoperatesin,withandagainstthespace-timeandmatter-color:thesensoriumoftheseeingbody.”33Ratherthancelebratingthevisualasaplenitudethatwouldbetheresultofcreationandsubjectiveexpression,theworkisanappearanceinwhichanapparitionhappens,bywayofaparticularnegationofthevisual:“The pictorial factumiscompletelydifferent:itturnsthechromatic(orformal,etc.)appearanceintoanapparitionbymarkingtheaistheton(thesensible)withahallmarkofitsthreateningsuppression.Thevisualityofpaintingalwaysretrievesitselfuponblindness.”34Itisnotdirectedtosight,buttowhatis“incarceratedinsight”,and“transformsappearanceintoapparition,likethe
31 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,Textes dispersés I: Esthétique et théorie de l’art / Miscellaneous Texts I: Aesthetics and Theory of Art(Leuven:LeuvenUniversityPress,2012),p.199.
32 Ibid.,p.227.33 Ibid.34 Ibid.,p.228.
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poemchangeswords,vehiclesinthecommunicationalfield,intouncertainasteroidsenvelopedinnothingness.”35
ThisprocessisforLyotardpreciselywhatgetslostinaesthetics.Butwoulditnotbeequallypertinent,infactmoreso,toseeboth moments as integral partofaesthetics,firstofallsincethisisexplicitlythecaseinKant?Theresourceofsuchanaestheticcritiqueofreason,whichispartofalongtraditionextendingfarbeyondtheparticularclaimsofLyotard,isnotthatitfetishizesasensibilitythatwouldingeneralberefractorytoconceptualsub-sumption–althoughitsometimesdoesthistoo–butthatitdemandsthatsuchresistancebearticulatedinworksthatmustalwaysbeapproachedassingularevents,whoseparticularpresenceandtakeontheconcept-sensedividecannotbederivedfromageneraltheory.ThisisinfactsometimeshighlightedandevenpushedtoanextremebyLyotard,totheeffectthattheonlyadequatephilosophicalresponsewouldbetosurrendertothesingular–oncemoreatemptationtoanti-philosophy,asitwere,whichintheendmayproveasmuchadeadendastheunquestionedconfidenceinthesubsuminggestureofphilosophicalaesthetics.Thisquestionofsingularity,understoodasachallengetotheoryratherthanitsmeredemise,isinfactwhatopensthe problem of writing,asitoncealsodidforAdorno:aesthetictheory,totheextentthatitwantstomeasureitselftowhatisatstakeintheworks,isnottheorythatwouldhave“theaesthetic”asoneofitsobjects,butitiswritingthatitselfmustbecomeconstellation,insearchofitsownrules,withouttherebymerelyemulatingliteratureorsomeotherartisticform.Justaslittleastheartworkcanbeaccountedforbywhatitsays,letalone“communicates”,canphilosophicalreflection,totheextentthatit,asAdornodemands,stepsintothemonadofthework,settleforgeneralities,eventhoughitis,assuch,inevitablyboundupwithconceptualwork,whichiswhyaesthetictheoryisstill theory,evenifnotsimplyatheoryofsomethingthatitwouldencounterasasetofmereexternalparticulars.Aesthetictheorydoesnothaveobjectsthataresimplythere,butmustinacertainwayconstitutetheobjectsasquestionsatthesamemomentasitconstitutesitselfasatheory,inanexchangethatrendersbothpolesoftheequationjustasproblematic.
ItishoweverjustassignificantasitisproblematicthatLyotardchoosestofocushislaterreflectionsalmostexclusivelyonpainting,notjustinthebiographicalsensethathiswritingsforvariousreasonsdealtwithpainterslikeJacquesMonory,ValerioAdami,SamFrancis,KarelAppel,andmanyothers,butalsobecauseofthephilosophicalweightgiventoaparticularmedium,totheextentthatitispreciselypaintingthatisgiventheroleofchallengingthephilosophertosurrenderinthefaceofwhatcannotbearticulated.WhileLyotardconstantlyrejectsacertainart-historicalapproach,andinsteadwantstounderstandtheworksfromwithin,preciselyasquestionstothought,he
35 Ibid.
From Immaterials to Resistance 263
remainsstrangelydependentonasetofclaimsinheritedfromthehistoryofmodernistpainting,whichasitweretakesitsrevengeallthemoresincethishistoricalnarrativeisclaimedtohavebeensuspended.
Thus,inthesewritings,Lyotardbothpusheshisownanaesthetictothelimit–ofwhichsurrenderisone,althoughperhapsnotthemostproductiveform–and rehearses of series of surprisingly conventional claims that often seem to takehimbacktotherhetoricofactionpainting.InthebookonAppel,Lyotardthusspeaksofthenecessity“toterminatetheauthorityofargumentsandtodisturbthecalmassuranceofphilosophicalaesthetics”,36andwhatoccasionsthissurrenderiscolour,orratherthe“gestureofcolour”thatprovidesthebookwithitstitle,Un geste de couleur.Appel,accordingtoLyotard,approachescolourasthat“whichistherebeforeformandconcepts”,37andlikePollock,Appelwouldinscribecolourthroughagesturethattransfersthebodyontothecanvas,inamovement“notmediatedbyaconcept,images,schemas,memories”,butas“colouritself”.38Colouriswhattransformsmatter,leadingitto“vibrate,”andfinallyisitselfthatwhichperformsthe“dance”.InthebookonSamFrancis,Leçons de tenèbres,hefindsasimilarsurrendertothechro-maticmaterial,thistimeinflectedthroughdarkness,whose“lesson”isthatwemustlookto“thesubstanceofwhichlightismade”,leadingFrancis’paintingto“emanatefromablindvoid,(…)vanishingtowardsBlack”.39
Inthisway,paintingmoreandmorebecomestheverynameofthought.Ratherthanaparticularartformwithitshistoryandinstitutions,itappearsasacipherfortheineffable,asifdivestedofthathistoricalspecificitywhichitstillretains,preciselyintheevocationofcolour,gesture,vibrations,dance,andawholeseriesofrelatedtermsthataspiretodisplacethevocabularyofsubjectivityandexpressioninfavourofthework’seventhood,whilestillperpetuatingit.ItispreciselyatthispointthatwebelievethatfidelitytoLyotard’sproblemsnecessitatesthatwedistanceourselvesfromwhat,nodoubttooquickly,couldbecalledhisparticular“taste”.
Conclusion: Spacing PhilosophyFromthepointofviewofthoseartisticpracticesthatmakeupourpresent,thereseemstobeaneedtodisengagefrompainting,oratleasttothinktheproblemthatLyotardaddressesinthenameofpaintinginitsfullgenerality.
36 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,“KarelAppel:Ungestedecouleur/KarelAppel:AGestureofColour“,in Writings on Contemporary Art and Artists,vol.1(Leuven:LeuvenUniversityPress,2009),p.27.
37 Ibid.,p.159.38 Ibid.,p.179.39 Jean-FrançoisLyotard,“SamFrancis:LeçondeTénèbres/SamFrancis:LessonsofDark-
ness“,inWritings on Contemporary Art and Artists,vol.2(Leuven:LeuvenUniversityPress,2009),p.11.
264 30 Years after Les Immatériaux
Thequestionsofthesensible,touch,andpresenceindeedremainwithis,perhapseveninanintensifiedform,giventheubiquityofthedigitalandtheelectronic:theconstellationofconceptsandintuitions,ofthebodyandthesenses,andoftherelationbetweenworkandtruth,hasbynomeansrecededfromthehorizon.Thatthepromisesorthreatsofviolenttransformationsofthelife-world,ofourbodilysensorium,ofourexperienceofspaceandtime,continuetohauntusshowstheimportanceofthetask.
In many ways the proposals of Les Immatériaux retrieve the promise of inde-terminacyoftheearlyavant-gardeofthetwentiethcentury,asLyotard’sownstatementsclearlyindicate.Whileweseemtobefacedwithaninfinity–andtheexperienceofinfinityasanabyssisafundamentalfeatureofLes ImmatériauxaswellasofLyotard’swritingsonthesublime–ofpossiblemodesofexperience,thisjustasmuchproducesanxietiesandfantasies,preciselythekindof“unease”thattheexhibitionwantedtoprovoke:alossofself,identity,andstability,adisconnectionfromthespace-timeofperception,frommatter,materials,andmateriality,fromtheground in all senses of the world.Thequestionishowtomakesuchanuneaseproductive,howtomakeit into the matterofthought,inallsensesoftheterm;howtoallowforthe“foundationcrisis”nottoberesolvedtooquicklybyappealstoeitherthesyn-theticconstructionsoftechnoscienceoranaïve,sensorygiven,buttomakethe“unease”thatitproducesbecomeaproductiveconditionforanexper-imentalthinkingandmaking.
ThephilosophicaltaskproposedbyLyotard,ifweseeLes ImmatériauxandtheconjecturalRésistancestogetherwiththemanyessaysandwritingsthatsurroundthefirstprojectandmaybeunderstoodaspointingtothesecond,isthequestionofhowwecanapproachartworksthat,whiletheyatleastfromconceptualartonwardactivelyresisttraditionalmodesofaes-theticenjoyment,neverthelessnotjustamounttoawithdrawalofsenseorsensibility,butratheropenuptoarestructuringofthesensoriumthatallowsrepresentationanditsundersidetoenterintoanewconstellationthatwouldbeintunewiththemutationsofourpresentspace-time.Forthis,theterm“postmodern”thatLyotardatonepointsuggestedwasperhapsadeceptiveone,sinceittendstoencloseusintheschemasofcause-effectandbefore-afterthathisthoughtonthetemporalknotsofpresencepreciselytookasitstasktoundo.Somethingsimilarmustofcoursebesaidofallclaimstolocatethemutationsofourpresent.Forwhowouldclaimtoknowwhatthepresentis,whatitslimitsandpossibilitiesare?Justlikeanyothertemporalcategorythepresentisonlygiveninanamnesis,througharewritingandworking-through;Les Immatériauxwassuchanattempt,unfinished,incomplete,andevencontradictory,whichiswhyitstilldemandstobenotonlythought,butalsocontinued.
From Immaterials to Resistance 265
Inhindsight,onecannotavoidnotingthatmostofthetechnologicalinventionsthatappearednewandexcitinginthe1980shaveeitherbecomepartofeverydaylife,andinthissenselosttheircapacityforproducingbothuneaseandthought,or,morealarmingly,turnedintoanincreasinglyhegemonicsystemofinformationandsurveillance.AllofthiscouldbetakenassimplyanintensifiedversionofwhatAdornocalledthe“administeredworld”–andoneinwhichthetechniquesofadministrationhavegrowninfinitelymoresubtle,insidious,anddifficulttoresist.Intheworldofglobalcapital,wheretheubiquityofinformationensuresthatallthoughtistransformedintobitsofexchangeabledigitizedunits,identityanddifferencegotogether,andtheunifyingandlevellingpowerofwhatwasoncecalledthe“cultureindustry”havebeenreplacedbyasmoothproductionofdifferences,intaste,desires,lifestyles,andaffectivedispositions.Variation,specification,andinfinitesimalpenetrationintothelocalishowcapitalworks,andhowitsustainsitsorderingandregimentingfunctiononahigherlevel.
Itisagainstthisdevelopmentthatonecouldpittheinsistenceonzonesofresistancetoinformation:opacity,inertia,friction,physicality,allseemtoofferotherpossibleavenues,andthethinkingofthesensiblethatLyotardengagesinhislastwritings.ThesequeltoLes Immatériauxcouldinthissensehaveamountedtoacounter-statement,or,aswehaveattemptedtoshow,anobversesidethatwasalreadypresentinthefirstexhibition,perhapsevenasthepossibilityofcompletingitstrajectoryintheoppositedirection,fromlanguagetobody,fromtheimmaterialityofinformationtoakindofresistantmaterialitythatisinherentininformationassuch.
Thefirstproblemwithsuchacountermoveisthatitinevitably–aswesawinmanyinstancesinLyotard’sownwritings–runstheriskofreactivatingregressiveideasofart,drawingonwhatareinfacthighlytraditionalideasofpaintinginparticular,whichsincetheadventofmodernisminthemid-nineteenthcenturyforahostofhistoricalreasonshasbeenaccreditedwiththepotentialforprovidinguswithanalternativetotechnologicalmediation.Whileobviouslynotassuchsimplyexhausted,theideasoftouch,gesture,andthepresenceofcolour,togetherwithmanyothersimilarmovesthatemphasizetheirreplaceableHereandNowinbodyart,performance,etc.,oftenfunctionasintegratedpartsofthesystemtheysupposedlydislodge,andinthistheyareakintothemovementofdifferentiationthatistheothersideofsystemiccontrol,andmayexertacompensatoryfunction.Suchreturns to the sensible can sometimes be conservative in an uninteresting sense,insimplyclaimingthatweneedtoregresstosomeearlierpointintime;othershaveamorecomplexagenda,forinstanceasinthetheoriesof“obsolescence”,wherethestrategicreturntotechnologiesandmediumsthatarenolongerconsidereduptodateallowforadifferenttakeonhis-toricalgenealogies,butwithoutmakinganyclaimthatwecouldreturntothe
266 30 Years after Les Immatériaux
pastwithoutfurtherado.40Bothofthesereturnshowevershareafocusonmedium,nodoubtasanechoofaformalistlegacythatcanberetrievedinanynumberofways,andyetremainscaughtinatheoryofartandanaes-theticthatbeginsbyshunningawayfromthepresent.Theconvergenceofmaterial“carriers”,oratleasttheiralmostinfinitevariability–whichwasoneof the basic claims of Les Immatériaux–posesproblemsthatareunlikelytobeaddressedinarelevantfashionbythereclaimingofobsoletetechnologies.Thisisobviouslynottodenytheforce,criticalvalueorinterestofanyparticularformofartisticpractice,onlytonotethecomplexityoftheproblemofresistance,which,asalreadytheclassicalformulationsofinformationtheoryshow,isanecessarypartoftransmissionandnotsomethingthatwouldformaradicaloutside.ItwouldseemthatLyotardposestheproblem,butthen,ashemovesawayfromtheatleastseeminglycelebratorystanceofLes Immatériaux,somehowendsupbeingtrappedinhisownexamples,whichlimittheforceandscopeofhisphilosophicalclaims.
Second,ifwebegininatheoryofresistance–whichmustalsobethoughtasaresistance in or totheoryitself,ifwefollowLyotard’smediationsonpassibility,theevent,andotherrelatedconcepts–thattakesitscuesfromthephysicalfeaturesofcircuitsandinformationsystems,howcanwemoveupwardstothedimensionofsubjectivityandsocialpractice?Ifaconceptlikeresistanceistobeatthecentre,thepoliticaldimensionthatseemedmoreorlessabsentfrom Les Immatériauxmustsomehowbeaddressed,inawaythatarticulatesthephysicalwiththesocial.
Intermsofexhibitionsasphysicalsites,anulteriorissuewouldbethepos-sibilityofpursuingtheinvertedtrajectoryintheformofanexhibitionthattakesaccountofthetransformationsofspaceitselfthathaveoccurredsinceLes Immatériaux.Couldthemovebackfromlanguagetobody,oronthelevelofanexhibition,frominformationtospace,atallbeundertakeninthesensethatitwouldprojectanabstractlevelintoacircumscribedlocation?Ifthisisstillthecase,itmustinaproduceitsownspaceasadifferentkindofintersticeorinterfaceinawaythattakesintoaccounttheshiftingrelationsbetweentheabstractandtheconcrete,thematerialandtheimmaterial.Thesitesoftheworkandtheexhibitionhavelongsincebecomeifnotwhollyobsolete,thenatleastfarremovedfromthephenomenologicalcoordinatesthatonceupheldthefirstdiscussionsonsitespecificity,andhavegonethroughmanystages,fromthevariousattemptstoinhabittheinstitutionsinareflexiveandcriticalfashion,tothecomplexoverlaysofplaces,times,andrepresentationthatcharacterizemuchofcontemporaryart.41Thus,spirallingdownwardswepass
40 ThisconcepthasbeendevelopedbyRosalindKrauss;see,forinstance,“ReinventingtheMedium”,Critical Inquiry,vol.25(1999),and“ ’TheRock’:WilliamKentridge’sDrawingsforProjection”,October,no.92(2000).
41 Forasuccinctanalysisofthesethreesteps,thephenomenologicalsite,thesiteofinstitutionalcritique,andthe”discursive”site,seeMiwonKwon,”OnePlaceafter
From Immaterials to Resistance 267
fromwhatappearsasspheresofpureideality,aweightlessrealmofinfor-mationcirculatingfrictionlessly,toinertia,body,visceralgrounding,andincarnation–buttowhich body,which ground,providedthatwemustkeepthecrisisoffoundationsaliveasthepossibilityofthought?AsLyotardhimselfsuggested,thegrandclaimsabouttheendofModernityandthepossibleemergenceofsomethingentirelynew,wereintheenddiscernibleonlyasaquestionmarkorassomethingmissing,acertainabsence:“Ikeeptellingmyself,infact,thattheentiretyoftheexhibitioncouldbethoughtofasasignthatreferstoamissingsignified.”42
Another:NotesonSiteSpecificity”,October,Vol.80(Spring,1997):85–110.42 InterviewwithBernardBlistène,inArt And Philosophy(Milan:FlashArtBooks,1991).
BibliographyThisbibliographycomprisesthemainsecondaryliteratureaboutLes Immatériaux thatwaspublishedpriortothepresentvolume. Foralistofthecataloguesandpublicationsthataccompaniedtheexhibition,andforalistingofcontemporaryreviews,seeWunderlich2008,p.252–256.
Birnbaum,Daniel,andSven-OlovWallenstein:“ThinkingPhilosophy,Spatially:Jean-FrançoisLyotard’sLes ImmatériauxandthePhilosophyoftheExhibition”,in:JosephBacksteinetal.(eds.):Thinking Worlds: The Moscow Conference on Philosophy, Politics, and Art.Berlin:SternbergPress,2008.
Birnbaum,Daniel,andSven-OlovWallenstein:“FiguringtheMatrix:Lyotard’sLes Immatériaux,1985”,in:ThordisArrheniusetal.(eds.):Place and Displacement: Exhibiting Architecture.Baden:LarsMüller,2014.
Blistène,Bernard:“AConversationwithJean-FrançoisLyotard”(orig.March1985),in:GiancarloPoliti,andHelenaKontova(eds.): Flash Art: Two Decades of History.CambridgeMA:MITPress,1990.
Boissier,Jean-Louis:“Laquestiondesnouveauxmédiasnumériques”,in:BernadetteDufrêne(ed.): Centre Pompidou: 30 ans d’histoire. Paris:ÉditionsduCentrePompidou,2007,p.374–391.
Carrier,Christian(ed.): Les Immatériaux (au Centre Georges Pompidou en 1985): Étude de l’évèn-ement exposition et de son public.Paris:Expo-Média,1986.
Crowther,Paul:“SublimityandPostmodernCulture.Lyotard’sLes Immatériaux”,in:Critical Aes-thetics and Postmodernism.London:OxfordUniversityPress,1996,p.162–175.
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Image Credits
[Figure1] Communicationdiagram(Source:Petit Journal,28March–15July1985,Paris,p.2.CentrePompidou,MNAM,BibliothèqueKandinsky).
[Figure2] FrançoisChateletwiththeOlivetticomputerusedfortheÉpreuves d’écriture writing experiment(Source:CentrePompidou,MNAM,BibliotèqueKandinsky).
[Figure3] Exhibitionvisitor,siteArôme simulé(Source:CentrePompidou,MNAM,Bib-liothèqueKandinsky,photographbyJean-ClaudePlanchet).
[Figure4] Exhibitionview,siteAuto-engendrement(Source:CentrePompidou,MNAM,Bib-liotèqueKandinsky).
[Figure5] PhilippeDélis:Drawing of audience behind gauze fabric,[nodate](Source:CentrePompidou,MNAM,BibliothèqueKandinsky)
[Figure6] Exhibitionview,siteLabyrinthe du langage(Source:CentrePompidou,MNAM,Bib-liothèqueKandinsky,photographbyJean-ClaudePlanchet).
[Figure7] Inventaire,siteRomans à faire,recto(Source:CentrePompidou,MNAM,Bib-liothèqueKandinsky).
[Figure8] Exhibitionvisitor,siteLabyrinthe du langage(Source:CentrePompidou,MNAM,Bib-liothèqueKandinsky,photographbyJean-ClaudePlanchet).
[Figure9] Jean-LouisBoissier:Le Bus,1985,installationview,Les Immatériaux,siteVisites simulées(Source:Jean-LouisBoissier).
[Figure10] Inventaire,siteVisites simulées,recto(Source:CentrePompidou,MNAM,Bib-liothèqueKandinsky,photographsbyJean-LouisBoissier).
[Figure11] RuthFrancken:Jean-Paul Sartre,1979.Inventaire,siteTous les auteurs,recto(Source:CentrePompidou,MNAM,BibliothèqueKandinsky).
[Figure12] Exhibitionview,siteL’Ange(sitedesignbyMartineMoinot):MariaKlonarisandKaterinaThomadaki,Orlando-Hermaphrodite II(Source:Klonaris/Thomadaki).
[Figure13] MariaKlonarisandKaterinaThomadaki:Orlando-Hermaphrodite II(Source:Klonaris/Thomadaki).
[Figure14] AnnegretSoltau,Schwanger,1978-80,siteTrois mères(Source:AnnegretSoltau,VGBild-Kunst,Bonn2015).
[Figure15] LynnHershman:DiNA,2004(Source:LynnHershman).
[Figure16] Jean-FrançoisLyotardduringtheopeningofLes Immatériaux,26March1985(fromlefttoright:ClaudePompidou,ThierryChaput,Jean-FrançoisLyotard,JackLang)(Source:CentrePompidou,MNAM,BibliothèqueKandinsky,photographbyJean-ClaudePlanchet).
[Figure17] RolfGehlhaar,Son = Espace,1983-85,installationview,siteMusicien malgré lui (Source:R.Gehlhaar).
[Figure18] CarloZanni,The Fifth Day,2009(stillofthewebwork)(Source:C.Zanni).
[Figure19] CatherineIkam,installationsketch,siteTemps différé(detailfromInventaire,siteTemps différé,verso)(Source:CentrePompidou,MNAM,BibliothèqueKandinsky).
AuthorsJean-Louis Boissier isanartistandEmeritusProfessorofArtandAestheticsatParis8University.Hisresearchfocusesontheaestheticsandtheepis-temologyofthedigitalrelatedtocontemporaryart.Heistheauthorofmanyinstallationsinvolvinginteractivityandexhibitioncurator.HismainpapershavebeenpublishedinthebookLa Relation comme forme (Geneva:Mamco,2009,2ndedition).
Daniel BirnbaumisdirectorofModernaMuseet,Stockholm,since2010.From2000–2010,hewasdirectoroftheStädelschuleFineArtsAcademyinFrankfurtanddirectorofitsKunsthallePortikus.Heisco-founder(withIsabelleGraw)oftheInstitutfürKunstkritik.HeisacontributingeditorforArtforuminNewYorkandhascuratedanumberoflargeexhibitions,includingasectionofthe2003VeniceBiennale.HewasArtisticDirectorofthe53rdVeniceBiennalein2009.
Andreas Broeckmannisanarthistorianandcurator.HeworksattheCentreforDigitalCulturesatLeuphanaUniversitätLüneburgandistheDirectoroftheLeuphanaArtsProgram.HehascuratedexhibitionsandfestivalsinmajorEuropeanvenues.Broeckmannlecturesinternationallyaboutthehistoryofmodernart,mediatheory,machineaesthetics,anddigitalculture.Hispub-licationsincludePlace Studies in Art, Media, Science and Technology. Historical Investigations on the Sites and the Migration of Knowledge.(ed.withGunalanNadarajan,Weimar:VDG,2009).Heiscurrentlyworkingonastudyabout20th-centurymachineart.
Thierry Dufrêne isanarthistorianandProfessorofContemporaryArtHis-toryattheUniversityofParisOuestNanterreLaDéfense,wherehedirectstheResearchCentre“ArtHistoryRepresentations”(MDT).HeistheScientificSecretaryoftheInternationalCommitteeofArtHistory(CIHA),amemberoftheInternationalAssociationofArtCritics(AICA)andoftheeditorialboardofthejournalDiogène.ArecognizedspecialistintheworkofAlbertoGiacometti,heisanhistorianoftwentieth-throughtwenty-first-centurysculpture.ThesubjectsofhistextsincludeAlainKirili,PiotrKowalski,BertoLardera,IvanMessacandJoelShapiro.
Francesca Gallograduatedandpost-graduatedinContemporaryArtHistory,sheteachesatSapienzaUniversity. ShestudiedtheGrandTour,theinter-nationalcontextofItalianartandartcritiqueoflateXIXthcentury,aswellasthetechniquesandthemethodsofartintheXXthcentury. ShedevotedherPh.D.totheexhibition Les Immatériaux,andiscurrentlyfocusingonartis-ticresearchfromtheSixtiestothepresentday,inthecontextofthecriticaldebateandoftheartsystem,andonnewmediaartandperformanceart.
Charlie GereisProfessorofMediaTheoryandHistoryattheLancasterInstituteforContemporaryArts,LancasterUniversity.Heistheauthor
274 30 Years after Les Immatériaux
ofnumerousbooksonartanddigitalculture,amongthemDigital Culture (2002),Art, Time and Technology (2006),andco-editorof White Heat Cold Technology (2009),aswellasofmanypapersonquestionsoftechnology,mediaandart.In2007heco-curatedFeedback,amajorexhibitionofnewmediaartatLaboralinNorthernSpain,andwasco-curatorofFutureEverybody,the2012 FutureEverything exhibition,inManchester.
Antony HudekisthedirectorofObjectifExhibitions,Antwerp,andco-foundingdirectorofOccasionalPapers,anon-profitartanddesignpublisher.InthepasthewascuratoranddeputydirectorofRavenRowinLondon,researchcuratoratTateLiverpoolandseniorlectureratLiverpoolJohnMooresUniversity,wherehefoundedandconvenedtheExhibitionResearchCentre.Heistheco-translatorwithMaryLydonofJean-FrançoisLyotard’s Dis-cours, figure (UniversityofMinnesotaPress,2010) andtheeditorofThe Object,ananthologyoftextspublishedbyWhitechapelGalleryinLondon(2014).
Yuk Huistudiedcomputerengineering,culturaltheoryandphilosophyattheUniversityofHongKongandGoldsmithsCollegeinLondon.HeispostdoctoralresearcherattheCentreforDigitalCultures,LeuphanaUniversityofLüneburg,wherehealsoteaches.HewaspostdoctoralresearcherattheInstituteforResearchandInnovationofCentreGeorgesPompidouinParis.HuipublishesinternationallyinperiodicalssuchasMetaphilosophy,Cahiers Simondon,Zeitschrift für Medienwissenschaft,hismonographOn the Existence of Digital Objects,willappearwithUniversityofMinnesotaPressinearly2016.
Jean-François Lyotard (1924–1998)wasoneofthemostimportantphilosophersofthe20thcentury.From1970–1987hewasprofessorofphilosophyatParis8University.Heisauthorofmorethan23books,amongthem Discours, figure (1971),Economie libidinale(1974),The Postmodern Con-dition(1979),The Differend(1983),Heidegger and the Jews (1988),Inhuman(1988),Lessons on the Analytic of the Sublime (1991).Hisposthumouspublicationsinclude La Confession d’Augustin (1998),Misère de la philosophie(2000),Pourquoi philosopher? (2012).Hewasthecurator(withThierryChaput)oftheexhibitionLes ImmatériauxattheCentrePompidouinParisin1985.
Robin Mackayisaphilosopher,translator,associatelectureratGoldsmithsUniversityofLondon,anddirectorofUKartsorganization Urbanomic.InadditiontodirectingUrbanomic’spublishingoperationandcuratorialactivities,Mackayiseditorof Collapse: Journal of Philosophical Research and Development.HehasalsotranslatednumerousworksofFrenchphilosophy.MackaywritesandspeaksregularlyonartandphilosophyandhasworkedwithseveralcontemporaryartistssuchasJohnGerrard,PamelaRosenkranzandFlorianHeckerdevelopingcross-disciplinaryprojects.
Anne Elisabeth SejtenisProfessorofAestheticalCultureatRoskildeUni-versity,Denmark.Authorofa.o.thebook Diderot ou le défi esthétique (Vrin,
Authors 275
2000),editorofDanishanthologiesandcontributortoScandinavianandinternationalanthologiesandperiodicalsonliterature,artandaesthetics,especiallyaboutFrenchEnlightenment,contemporaryFrenchphilosophyand,morerecently,theessayisticworkofPaulValéry.
Bernard Stiegler isdirectoroftheInstituteforResearchandInnovationattheCentreGeorgesPompidouinParis.BeforethishewasprogramdirectorattheInternationalCollegeofPhilosophy,DeputyDirectorGeneraloftheInstitutNationaldel’Audiovisuel,thenDirectorGeneralattheInstitutdeRechercheetCoordinationAcoustique/Musique(IRCAM).Hehaspublishedmanybooks,among them three volumes of La technique et le temps,twovolumesofDe la misère symbolique;hisrecentpublicationsincludesPharmacologie du Front National (Flammarion,2013)andLa Societé automatique (Fayard,2015).
Sven-Olov WallensteinisProfessorofPhilosophyatSödertörnUniversity,Stockholm,andeditor-in-chiefofSite.HeistranslatorofphilosophicalworksfromGermanandFrenchintoSwedish,aswellasauthorofnumerousbooksonphilosophy,contemporaryart,andarchitecture.RecentpublicationsincludeEdmund Husserl(ed.2011),Translating Hegel: The Phenomenology of Spirit and Modern Philosophy(ed.withBrianManningDelaney,2012),Foucault, Biopol-itics, and Governmentality(ed.withJakobNilsson,2013),andHeidegger, språket och poesin(ed.withOlaNilsson,2013).ForthcomingisabookonArchitectureandTheory.
www.meson-press.com
ISBN 978-3-95796-030-6
Yuk HuiAndreas Broeckmann (eds.)30 Years after Les Immatériaux: Art, Science, and Theory
In 1985, the French philosopher Jean-François Lyotard curated a groundbreaking exhibition called Les Immatériaux at the Centre Pompidou in Paris. The exhibition showed how telecommunication technologies were beginning to impact every aspect of life. At the same time, it was a material demonstration of what Lyotard called the post-modern condition.
This book features a previously unpublished report by Jean-François Lyotard on the conception of Les Immatériaux and its relation to postmodernity. Reviewing the historical significance of the exhibition, his text is accompanied by twelve contemporary meditations. The philosophers, art historians, and artists analyse this important moment in the history of media and theory, and reflect on the new material conditions brought about by digital technologies in the last 30 years.
Texts by Daniel Birnbaum, Jean-Louis Boissier, Andreas Broeckmann, Thierry Dufrêne, Francesca Gallo, Charlie Gere, Antony Hudek, Yuk Hui, Jean-François Lyotard, Robin Mackay, Anne Elisabeth Sejten, Bernard Stiegler, and Sven-Olov Wallenstein.
Hui, B
roeckmann
30 Years after Les Imm
atériaux: Art, Science, and Theory