Georges Bataille

Maladies of the Book, Symposium II

Gathering #3 - 1 Dec 2017

The second event in the Maladies of the Book series explored the seminal work of writer and philosopher Georges Bataille.

Beginning with a workshop on his major late text Inner Experience, we explored his links to, and differences from, other figures in the Maladies series, as well as key Bataillean concepts such as base materialism and sovereignty, with guests including:

Patrick Ffrench (Professor of French, Kings College London), who guided the reading of Bataille’s book Inner Experience.

Sarah Wilson (Professor of Modern and Contemporary Art, Courtauld Institute) who led a discussion on art and philosophy.

Andrew Benjamin (Professor of Philosophy and the Humanities, Kingston University) who led discussions on art and philosophy.

The Maladies of the Book series is organised and run by Josh Cohen and Professor Michael Newman as a joint initiative between the Centre for Philosophy and Critical Thought and the Art Research Programme at Goldsmiths.  Sessions are held at the ICA.