Synopses & Reviews
The contemporary world, argues Boris Groys, was made possible by the downfall of historical communism. At the same time, today"s political and aesthetic strategies'"from a unified Europe to political Islam and contemporary mass culture'"all bear the imprint of communist heritage.
The renowned art critic and philosopher Boris Groys explores this post-communist condition through a radical and disturbing account of Soviet philosophy. He argues that communist revolution is the transcription of society from the medium of money to the medium of language'"a linguistic turn at the level of social praxis. From Plato"s philosopher-king onwards, philosophers have dreamt of ruling society through the mastery of language. Groys claims that the end of Soviet communism sets this dream free for new attempts to organize society through language, the medium of equality.
Review
"Groys combines revelatory analysis with philosophical questions that go to the heart of cultural production today." Iwona Blazwick
Review
"One of the most astute commentators on the art scene today." New Left Review
Review
"Groys has claimed a defining role in the reception of the Russian avant-garde ... The Communist Postscript presents Groys's attempt to advocate the communist idea against its own historic assumptions." Radical Philosophy
Synopsis
A provocative essay on the relationship between communism, philosophy and language.
Synopsis
Since Plato, philosophers have dreamed of establishing a rational state ruled through the power of language. In this radical and disturbing account of Soviet philosophy, Boris Groys argues that communism shares that dream and is best understood as an attempt to replace financial with linguistic bonds as the cement uniting society. The transformative power of language, the medium of equality, is the key to any new communist revolution.
About the Author
Boris Groys is Professor of Aesthetics, Art History, and Media Theory at the Center for Art and Media Technology in Karlsruhe, and since 2005, the Global Distinguished Professor in the Faculty of Arts and Science, NYU. He has published numerous books including The Total Art of Stalinism, Ilya Kabakov: The Man Who Flew into Space from His Apartment, Art Power, and The Communist Postscript.