The Conspiracy of Art

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The Conspiracy of Art

SEMIOTEXT(E) FORTIGN AGENTS SERIES The publication of this book m supponedby the FrenchMini."!v of loreign Affais thrcugh 6e Cultunl Servics ofthe FrenchEnbrss)! Ns YorL

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CDWtlg}( 2oa5 re.ened.\o p-rt of rhl book ma1 be reprodu,ed.sroredin / 'igt'" rerrieEl s)'stem,or tldnnted by dy nedr €lectronic,nechdic.t' photoopying, reording or otheMise, witiour piior pernission of the publisher ,tt

Jean Baudrillard

by semiold(e) Published 501 Philoophy Hall, Colmbit Uoiversity' New YorL. NY 10027 q00q25-l W tifrh \,refl. Lo\ Ansele\'CA

Specialthanlc to Giancarlo Ambrosino, Jon Brillidt'

Manifestos, Interviews, Essays

Justia CiYin, Diego

Cortez and Mik€ Tao.mina for copy ediring Cove! Photognpba "SainteBeuv€1987" bI Jqn Baudrillaid BackCmr Photog€phy: Marine Dupuis

Edited by Sylvire Lotringer

Design by Hedi El Kholti

i I S B N: 1' 5 8 4 3 5 -0 2 8 -8 Disributed by The MIT Pres, Cobridge, Mass and London. Engldd Printed in the United St tes ofAm€ri@

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Translated by Ames Hodges

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Tableof Contents

Introduction

Implosions

The Pirary ofArt by Sylvtre Lotringer

r ne rmplosronot beaubourg

r33

The Violence of Indifference Provocation

141

VirJ Economy

The Conspiracyof fut

r56

RadicalThoughr

162

A Conjuration of Imbeciles In the Kingdom ofthe Blind...

30 36

ConUoversy )raftrng trom Andy warhol Art BetweenUtopia and Anticipation No Nostalgia for Old Aesthetic Values La Commedia dell'Arte . Too Much is Too Much .

43 50 61 o)

75

Illusions Art Contemporary,..of Itself

89

Towardsthe VanishingPoint ofArt

98

AestheticIllusion and Disillusion .

1u

Rea.lity-Shows Dusr Breeding

t8l

Telemorphosis

188 201 205

The Matrix revisited \far Porn

Imaginary Solutions Pataphysics , ForgetArtaud QeanBaudrillard/ SylvdreLotringer)

213 217

Notes Sources Index

239 243 245 I ial,,Frsil"vl,inrangs ( 'llf , f ; , ir

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r l _ lr ir "': 11! /

The Piracy of Art Baudrillard, the wortd,renowned French theorist, Yn* l*" finr.publi"hed..1heConspiracy ofAl ,D r,)96.he (andatiTed rne Inrernarjonrlanisriccommuniry by declaringrfirr conrem_ porary art had no morc reason to exist. Baudrillard was no art a,n.iolr-do.bu' he was n6 .16n*., ro ar e,rhe,.In tqs3, afrfr rne pubtrcarjon.in Fnglishof h is ground_breatu ng essay. Sinula. nazr.,ne wasrdopredby rhe New yorft arr world and pur on rhe mast of Artforam, the influential irr€rnational art magazine. The book instantly became a must_read fr

artr-,r-ther suddenrr w.,.b....i"8r.siJ;,l"JlHi:::::

wer'$here.nen inctudedin eralrrtist inrraliarion,. Eventual_ "n ly it made its way-full-frame_into the cutt Hollryood SciFi f m The.Maaix (Baudrillard is Neo). The prestigious lecrure he o^4, \?arhot;t r_he vhirney Vuseum or ArnericJnAn in 9ll._." r)d. was bookedmonth, in advance. For a vhile rnirr. toughr

no

jockeling for recognition. so ir i.nrsurprising

:::11 I*, ourbursr rnar hjs sudden again