“Painting and the Question of Concepts” was an 8-lecture seminar given from late March to early June of 1981. In this seminar, Deleuze critiques aesthetic theories which treat art as ‘representation’, presenting instead his own aesthetic concepts. Many of the concepts and works of art discussed herein also appear in Deleuze’s book published the same year, Francis Bacon-Logique de la sensation (Francis Bacon: The Logic of Sensation), making “Painting and the Question of Concepts” an important companion to Deleuze’s book.
Painting and the Question of Concepts
March 31, 1981 to June 2, 1981
For archival purposes, the English translations are based on the original transcripts from Paris 8, many of which have been revised with reference to the BNF recordings available thanks to Hidenobu Suzuki. Individual sessions have been updated significantly, with revised descriptions completed in October 2023.
