Roland Barthes and the Plasticity of Art
The recent release of Roland Barthes's lectures and Journal de deuil (Seuil) has sparked discussions regarding his philosophy and personal life. Barthes's inaugural article, published in 1942, explored the theme of tragedy. From 1946 to 1980, he wrote about various artists, including Dominique Marty, Bernard Buffet (1959), Ramon Alejandro (1969), Saul Steinberg (1976), and Cy Twombly. His examination of photography in La Chambre claire highlighted his sociable nature, as noted by gallerist Yvon Lambert. In 1978, he referred to his drawing technique as "coloriage" and focused on artists such as Calder and Gromaire. Influenced by Paul Valéry, Barthes regarded art as "sémiographie," and in a 1980 text for a Venice exhibition, he underscored the importance of the spectator in art.
Key facts
- Roland Barthes's lectures and Journal de deuil were recently published by Seuil.
- Barthes's first article in 1942 was on tragedy.
- He wrote about artists from 1946 to 1980 including Dominique Marty, Bernard Buffet, Ramon Alejandro, Saul Steinberg, and Cy Twombly.
- Barthes wrote the introduction for Yvon Lambert's 1979 exhibition catalog for Artemisia and a study on Cy Twombly.
- In a 1978 article, Barthes described his own drawing as 'coloriage' or 'graffiti'.
- Barthes's 1973 text on André Masson introduced the concept of 'sémiographie'.
- In 1976, Barthes wrote a note on Daniel Busto defining 'texte' for plastic works.
- Barthes's last text, 'Cette vieille chose, l'art…', was for a 1980 pop art exhibition in Venice.
Entities
Artists
- Roland Barthes
- Dominique Marty
- Bernard Buffet
- Ramon Alejandro
- Saul Steinberg
- Cy Twombly
- André Masson
- Daniel Busto
- Pierre Frilay
- Marc Janson
- Gromaire
- Lurçat
- Alexander Calder
- Paul Valéry
- Andy Warhol
Institutions
- éditions du Seuil
- Cahiers de l’étudiant
- France-Asie
- galerie Carré
- Yvon Lambert gallery
- Nouvelles littéraires
- l’Humidité
Locations
- Brussels
- Belgium
- Venice
- Italy
Sources
- artpress —