LAZY

Taking as starting point an exhibition I organized in June 2016 in New York, I want to

focus on the seemingly antagonistic themes of productivity as opposed to leisure or

laziness. While they configure as important poles in economic as well as philosophical

debates, even more so in art they seem to constitute a permanent curious tension base

to creating.

Looking at Samuel Beckett’s early text First Love which informed said exhibition,

laziness is expanded to more radical notions of refusal, withdrawal, abstinence and a

formalization of failure.

Given the obiquitously quoted flood of information that contemporary culture and with

it the individual – swims or alternately drowns in – strategies such as ghosting, signing

off and erasing of social media profiles but also pathological concepts such as

overstimulisation, boredom and in a final consequence burn out are relevant to this

discussion.

Through a variety of theoretical material spanning from early liberal ideas of progress

(keynes), lefargue’s critique of labour, total refusal of the individual with bartleby and

victor (elutheria, samuel beckett) all the way to duchamp’s silence I also want to take a

particular look at artistic selfreflection on work as found in diaries or texts.

The Seminar will consist of critical text based discussions, small presentations, online research, analysis of works. Students will be encouraged to further investigate themes/authors/book of their choice from the presented selection.

Depending on the attending students language abilities, this lecture will be held in English OR German. Texts will predominantely read in English.

DROPBOX: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/yqegfhazlqmcicm/AADbQ1QEAO2iSq4bTmhNZnxra?dl=0

Dates:

Seminarraum 12 (Vordere Zollamtsstraße 3, Stock 1)

DI 4.Oktober 10-17h

DO 6. Oktober 10h-15.30h

Di 11. Oktober 10h-17h

Di 25. Oktober 10-15.30h