A symposium on Friday February 2nd at 2pm – 6pm

The ICA, The Mall, London in the Studio

Starting from his late reflections on passivity in The Writing of the Disaster, we turn to the work of Maurice Blanchot to develop our ongoing exploration of writing as impossibility and madness, and extend it to a consideration of the image. Beginning with a workshop on passages from Writing the Disaster, and Blanchot’s texts ‘Reading’ and ‘The Narrative Voice’, we will explore ideas of a radical passivity, reading situated before comprehension, the neutral, and the image as cadaver.

Paul Davies (University of Sussex) will guide the reading on passivity and reading.

John Stezaker (artist) will talk on the image, for which the reading will be ‘Two Versions of the Imaginary’.

Beth Guilding (Goldsmiths, University of London) will present a paper ‘”We do not come to the end with age”: Blanchot’s last word’, for which the reading will be Blanchot’s text ‘Who?’ from Who Comes After the Subject. 

Attendance is free, but please reserve a place in advance on Eventbrite:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/maurice-blanchot-and-the-maladies-of-the-book-goldsmiths-cpctart-dept-symposium-tickets-42274205286

Copies of the readings will be provided to those who book on Eventbrite.

Organised by Josh Cohen j.cohen@gold.ac.uk and Michael Newman m.newman@gold.ac.uk for the Centre for Philosophy and Critical Thought with the Department of Art, Goldsmiths, University of London.