Paul Celan had two sons: the elder was named Francois, and the younger Eric. François died shortly after birth, but Eric was very close to his father until the poet’s suicide in 1970. In July 1959, when Celan, his wife and the 5 year-old Eric visited Sils-Maria in the Swiss alps, the poet planned to […]
I just read the philosopher Alain Badiou’s essay in the new book Intersubjectivity Vol. 1: Language and Misunderstanding, published by Sternberg Press. There is lots to chew on in this exciting volume – and I am sure to return to it. It includues Cory Arcangel on misunderstanding, another ‘variation from Paul Chan’s New New Testament […]
My Father was accustomed to say, “we must begin by the beginning.” So, I must begin this lecture about the subject of art by its beginning. But, what is this beginning? I think we have to begin with the oldest question—the question of being, the question of being as being, of being qua being. What […]
American artist and activist Paul Chan’s Phaedrus Pron, a ‘hyper-translation’ of Plato’s Phaedrus, is worth looking at. Here are thirteen ways you can get into it: 1. You can watch the trailer (yes, this book has a trailer): ****Viewer Discretion Is Advised**** 2. You can listen to Chan reading an excerpt for you and here […]