'Pataphysics

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'Pataphysik ( French ' Pataphysique , a play on words with the homophonic formulations patte à physique , pas ta physique and pâte à physique ) is an absurdist philosophy and science concept of the French writer Alfred Jarry (1873–1907), which often turns out to be a nonsensical parody of the Theories and methods of modern science exist.

term

Jarry in Alfortville

The term coined by Jarry appeared for the first time in print on April 28, 1893 in the magazine L'Echo de Paris litteraire illustré . In the novel Deeds and Opinions of 'Pataphysicist Doktor Faustroll ( Gestes et opinions du docteur Faustroll , published in series in various places 1898–1903, completely not until 1911), Jarry describes pataphysics as the science of the particular , i.e. of the individual case, in contrast to Aristotle 'An effective definition according to which science can only ever deal with the general.

“An epiphenomenon is what is added to a phenomenon. 'Pataphysics, the etymology of which is to be written with epi (meta ta physika) , is the science of that which is added to metaphysics - be it within, be it outside of itself - and which extends just as far beyond it as it extends beyond it Physics [...] It should investigate the laws that are subject to these exceptions and want to interpret this in addition to the existing universe. "

- Alfred Jarry : Doctor Faustroll

'Pataphysics presents itself as a seemingly logical extension of science and philosophy :

"Pataphysics is related to metaphysics just as metaphysics is related to physics."

The extension gives space for an artistic parallel universe that could take the place of the known world. For example, absurd scientific investigations are in demand. A typical pataphysical inquiry is the calculation of the surface of God . ± God is the shortest path from 0 to ∞ (in one sense or another) , as Jarry summarizes' pataphysical spiritualism.

“The 'pataphysics (epi meta ta physika) has precisely and explicitly the following object: the great turn, the overcoming of metaphysics [...]. So that one can understand Heidegger's work as an unfolding of 'pataphysics, in accordance with the principles of Sophrotatos the Armenian and his first student Alfred Jarry. "

- Gilles Deleuze : Critique and Clinic

effect

In the 1960s' pataphysics was used as a conceptualistic principle. Elements of production in the pataphysical tradition can be chance and deliberate arbitrariness, as in the works of Marcel Duchamp and John Cage . Language games like palindromes are another principle often used by pataphysicists, to which Robert Wyatt alludes with a piece of music on the album Volume Two (1968) by the music group Soft Machine . The most prominent mention of 'pataphysics is in the Beatles song Maxwell's Silver Hammer : “ Joan was quizzical, studied pataphysical / Science in the home / Late nights all alone with her a test tube ” ( album Abbey Road , 1969 ).

At about the same time, the situationists called 'pataphysics a new religion ( Asger Jorn ).

François Le Lionnais , a mathematician, and Raymond Queneau founded a group of authors Oulipo (French: Ouvroir de la Literature potentialielle - "Workshop for Potential Literature"), which initially consisted mainly of members of the Collège de 'Pataphysique.

'Pataphysical Associations

Père Ubu

Jarrys 'pataphysics remained largely a literary idea until the establishment of the Collège de' Pataphysique in 1948, inspiring artists and writers. The later famous 'Pataphysical Association, founded in Alfred Jarry's honor in the Librairie des Amis des Livres in Paris, had a significant influence on the further development of' Pataphysics. Raymond Queneau and Boris Vian were among the founders . Later prominent members were mainly artists, musicians and writers, such as Marcel Duchamp , Max Ernst , Eugène Ionesco , Joan Miró , Groucho, Harpo and Chico Marx , Jean Baudrillard , Dario Fo , Umberto Eco , Man Ray and Harald Szeemann .

Further 'pataphysical associations:

  • Istituto 'Patafisico Milanese, Milan, founded in 1963
  • Nederlands Instituut voor 'Patafysica (NIP), Amsterdam, founded in 1972
  • '' Pataphysisches Institut Braunschweig, Braunschweig, founded in 1997
  • The London Institute of 'Pataphysics, London, founded in 2000
  • Pataphysisches Institut Basel, Basel, founded in 2013

Some departments of the London Institute of 'Pataphysics:

  • Office for the study of subliminal images
  • Hairiness and Pogonotrophy Committee
  • Department of Dogma and Theory
  • Department of Potassons
  • Department of Reconstructive Archeology
  • Patent Office

The London Institute of 'Pataphysics organized a. a. the retrospective of Anthony Hancock's work with reference to the 1960 film The Rebel , in which British comedian Tony Hancock played the artist Anthony Hancock.

'Pataphysics and Humor

'Pataphysics is sometimes misunderstood as a fecal joke or any nonsense. 'Pataphysical humor, however, is allusive, cruel, and philosophically grounded.

“The gods and the mornings that sing have emerged from this obscene gas that has been accumulated since the world has been world and since the pyramidal Ubu has digested us before it pataphysically hurls us into the void, which is darkened by the smell of the cold Fartes - who will be the end of the world and all possible worlds [...] -
The humor of this story is more cruel than the cruelty of Artaud , who is only an idealist. And above all, it is impossible. He proves that it is impossible to think pataphysically without killing yourself. It is, if you will, the radius of action of an unknown spherical belly, which is only limited by the stupidity of the spheres, but which becomes as infinite as humor when it explodes. From this explosion of weak-headed stake spirits arises the humor, from their crawling and naive way of returning to nature as farts and fearful rabbits - they who thought they were so clever, the beings, and not just gas - and one after the other put down they the spark of the immeasurable humor that will shine at the end of the world - the explosion of Ubu himself. "

- Jean Baudrillard : Pataphysics

Telekolleg 'Pataphysik by Jörg Kalt presents pataphysical humor in the form of a short film (15 min, 1997).

literature

  • Henri Bouché, François Lachenal : What is' Pataphysics? Elementary Prolegomena for an Introduction to 'Pataphysics. Offenbach 1959.
  • Alastair Brotchie: Alfred Jarry: A pataphysical life. 2011, ISBN 978-3905-79925-5 .
  • Cal Clements: Pataphysica. iUniverse, 2002, ISBN 0-595-23604-9 .
  • Riewert Ehrich: Individuation and occultism in Alfred Jarry's novels. Munich (Fink) 1988. Therein: Chap. II: Jarry's “Pataphysique” - on the genesis and use of the term within his complete works, pp. 29–48.
  • Riewert Ehrich: Jarry et la 'Pataphysique en "Germanie". In: L'Etoile-Absinthe. No. 83-84, 1999, pp. 66-69. (Lecture on the German-speaking Jarry reception, given on February 8, 1999 in Paris, Org. Center Georges Pompidou hors les murs, Salle Delvaux).
  • Thomas M. Scheerer (Ed.): Fantasy solutions. Small textbook of pataphysics. Illustrated by Peter Kaczmarek. With texts by Alfred Jarry, Raymond Queneau and Irénée-Louis Sandomir. CMZ Verlag, Rheinbach-Merzbach 1982 (1st edition), 1983 (2nd edition).
  • Manfred Geier : Doctor Ubu and me. Pataphysical encounters. Illustrated by Peter Kaczmarek. CMZ Verlag, Rheinbach-Merzbach 1983.
  • Klaus Ferentschik : Pataphysics. Temptation of the mind. The Pataphysics and the Collège de 'Pataphysique; Definitions, documents, illustrations. Matthes & Seitz, Berlin 2006.
  • Klaus Ferentschik : The world machine novel. Matthes & Seitz, Berlin 2008.
  • Gabriele Killert, Richard Schroetter: Who's Afraid of King Ubu? Alfred Jarry's modernity. Radio feature. Production of DLF, SWR u. NDR, broadcasts from October 30 and November 2, 2007 (with contributions by Riewert Ehrich, Klaus Ferentschik, Peter Stein, Klaus Völker and others).
  • Beate Ochsner (Ed.): Jarry - Le Monstre 1900 / Jarry - Das Monster 1900. Shaker Verlag , Aachen 2002.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Anthony Hancock, Paintings & Sculpture: A Retrospective Exhibition - The London Institute of 'Pataphysics
  2. ^ Jean Baudrillard: Pataphysics. Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe (ZKM), 2002, accessed on April 22, 2009 (translated from the French by Ronald Voullié).
  3. ↑ Xenix Kino / Bar. Retrieved September 6, 2019 .
  4. ↑ Video available at www.polyvideo.at/Pressematerial/PH-JoergKalt.pdf: Telekolleg ´Pataphysik (short film) .