The Glasgow School of Art

Andrew Hussey
'Paris Underground: Reading and Writing the 'Situationist' City' watch video

This lecture looks at the city of Paris past and present from the point of view of the 'dangerous classes' - the marginals, the vagabonds, drinkers and misfits who have also been characterised by certain French historians as the 'true revolutionary classes'.  More to the point, Andrew Hussey will examine the significance of the 'dangerous classes' for the Situationist International, a tight coalition of artists and intellectuals whose theories on modern life, and in particular 'the society of the spectacle', have been described as a key influence on contemporary culture, from the riots of May '68 to the art terrorism of the K Foundation. Using the tools of Situationist theory, the aim will be to excavate the real polyphonic noise of Paris Underground.

Andrew Hussey is an academic and journalist. He is the author of books on Georges Bataille, Guy Debord and, most recently, the critically-acclaimed 'Paris - The Secret History'. He writes regularly for the Observer and other publications and is also Head of French and Comparative Studies at University of London Institute in Paris.

Hosted by The School of Fine Art, The Friday Event Lecture Series is The Glasgow School of Art's flagship public lecture series, and brings major international speakers (including artists, architects, designers, historians and cultural theorists) to the city of Glasgow.