The Greek playwright Aristophanes (ca. 446 BC – ca. 386 BC) was feared for his social commentary on the society of Athens during his time. In his plays, of which only eleven survived up to today, he ridicules the political situation of Athens and his contemporaries by means of a vast amount of satirical jokes and puns.
As part of his ongoing project The Humans, visual artist Alexandre Singh explores the rich satirical legacy of Aristophanes, ‘the Prince of Comedy’. The fourth in the series of Causeries marks Aristophanes as a source of inspiration to the artist and brings together several experts to explore a wide range of subjects – from the chorus, costumes and staging to the social and political context of ancient Greece, amidst of which the plays were written.
Participants include:
Edith Hall (Professor of Classics, King’s College, London) on the political and social context
James Robson ( Senior Lecturer and Head of Department of Classical Studies, The Open University, London) on textual analysis of Aristophanes’ plays.
Alexa Piqueux (Lecturer department of Greek Culture, University Paris Ouest Nanterre La Défense) on Artistophanes’ costumes and staging.
Adriaan Rademaker (Professor Classical Language and Culture, University of Leiden) on textual analysis of Aristophanes’ plays.
Upcoming Causeries:
11 October 2012 – The Mountain in Art and Literature;
15 November 2012 – Literary Satire: on Pope, Lucian, and Wodehouse;
19 January 2013 – The Voice and The Chorus;
16 February 2013 – Woody Allen;
16 March 2013 – Scatology;
13 April 2013 – The Sculptor.
Recently
The Creation: On Cosmogony and Cosmology
Saturday 2 June 2012
Participants: Jessica Frazier (Fellow of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies and Lecturer in Religious Studies at the University of Kent), Andrew Jaffe (Professor Astrophysics at the Imperial College London), Bernadette Leclercq-Neveu (Professor in the Classics Department at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris), Bénédicte Lemmelijn (Professor Theology, Catholic University of Leuven), Alexander Verpoorte (Professor in the Faculty of Archeology at the University of Leiden), Francis Wolff (Professor in Philosophy at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris)
Pictorial Satire
Thursday 12 July 2012
Participants: Brian Dunphy (Professor Radio & Television, Brooklyn College, NY), Pascal Dupuy (Professor Early Modern History, University of Rouen) and Martin Myrone (Lead Curator Pre-1800 British Art at Tate Britain)
Theatrical Costumes
Thursday 16 August 2012
Participants: Alan Cummings (Senior Teaching Fellow In Japanese, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London), Amy Kenny (Research Coordinator, Globe Theatre, London), Valeria de Lucca (British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow Music, University of Southampton).
About the Causeries
Taking its title from the French verb causer – to converse or chat – the Causeries are set up as a series of discussions in which Alexandre Singh expands on his ambitious play The Humans’ key themes, ranging from cosmology and cosmogony to pictorial satire, dance, drama, and religion. Rather than discursive events in the well-known format of a conference or a symposium, the Causeries are conceived as informal conversations between the artist and an expert in a given field. It is not only the edification of the artist himself that is pivotal in this alternative kind of exchange, also the audience is offered an insight in the underlying themes of The Humans. The monthly Causeries are conceived by Defne Ayas and Alexandre Singh, and are organized in consultation with critic and writer Donatien Grau.
About The Humans
The Humans – with “creation” as its central theme – is an ambitious play that will evolve and change over a six-month period. Set before the creation of the Earth in a proto-world populated by spirits, gods, artisans and men of clay and plaster, The Humans is modeled after the ancient Greek plays of Aristophanes. Whilst the theatrical references are ancient, the satire is utterly modern: religion, morality and human hubris are all mocked with an irreverent and biting tone.
Leading up to the final live presentation of his play, Singh will transform Witte de With’s second floor into a space; part artist’s studio, part script-room and display area; where visitors will be able to follow the development of the play. This on-site realization of the artwork allows the audience to gain a unique insight into the inner dynamics of artistic creation.
Institut Francais
