Jacob Rogozinski Reads Artaud's 'Guérir la vie' as Philosophical Recovery
In the book 'Guérir la vie. La passion d'Antonin Artaud' (Éditions du Cerf, coll. « Passages »), philosopher Jacob Rogozinski posits that Antonin Artaud's later creations, following his 1946 discharge from the Rodez hospital, embody themes of self-healing and reconstruction. He challenges earlier analyses, particularly those by Gilles Deleuze, for neglecting Artaud's essential aim of cure. After being institutionalized from 1937 until WWII and undergoing electroshock therapy, Artaud reemerged as 'Mômo'. Starting in 1945, his writings convey a 'frantic desire to heal' and signal recovery, highlighting a transformative catharsis rather than mere normalization. This perspective resonates with Rogozinski's previous work, 'Le Moi et la chair' (Cerf, 2006), framing Artaud's theater as a 'theater of healing'. David Zerbib's review in artpress emphasizes Artaud's battle against madness and Western culture.
Key facts
- Jacob Rogozinski's book 'Guérir la vie. La passion d'Antonin Artaud' published by Éditions du Cerf.
- Rogozinski argues Artaud's later work is a process of self-healing.
- Artaud was interned from 1937 to end of WWII, subjected to electroshock.
- Artaud left Rodez hospital in 1946, presenting himself as 'Mômo'.
- Rogozinski critiques Gilles Deleuze's interpretation focusing on 'body without organs'.
- Healing is defined as cathartic transformation, not normalization.
- Rogozinski's previous work 'Le Moi et la chair' (2006) defended incarnated ego.
- Kimberly Jannarone's 'Artaud and his doubles' (2010) explores Artaud's reactionary side.
Entities
Artists
- Antonin Artaud
- Jacob Rogozinski
- Gilles Deleuze
- Friedrich Nietzsche
- Kimberly Jannarone
- David Zerbib
- Jerzy Grotowski
- Martin Heidegger
- Jacques Lacan
- Patrice Maniglier
- Frédéric Worms
Institutions
- Éditions du Cerf
- University of Michigan Press
- artpress
- PUF
- Living Theatre
Locations
- Rodez
- France
- Ann Arbor
- United States
Sources
- artpress —