Collection of publications related to Pataphysics, 1950-2000 (bulk: 1950-1988).

Format:

Other

Contributor:

Collège de 'pataphysique

Language:

French

Subjects (All):

French literature.

Pataphysics.

Publishers and publishing.

Genre:

publications (documents)

Penn Provenance:

Sold by Zoe Abrams Rare Books, 2017.

Physical Description:

2 boxes (0.8 linear foot)

Arrangement:

Organized into 2 series I. Publications contained within Pataphysics "Collections," and II. Publications produced outside Pataphysics "Collections."

Place of Publication:

1950-2000

Biography/History:

Pataphysics is described as a science beyond and on top of metaphysics. According to the Getty, pataphysics is "devoted to the total acceptance and celebration of paradoxes and nonsense in every aspect of human life, and is based on the principles of universal equivalence (according to which, everything is the same) and of inversion of the contraries. Ultimately, pataphysique is not describable, as it constitutes a strenuous form of resistance towards any kind of systematization, and any attempt to make sense of the universe." The term was coined by Alfred Jarry (1873-1907), a French artist and writer, who described pataphysics as the science of imaginary solutions, which symbolically attributes the properties of objects, described by their virtuality, to their lineaments. The term first appeared in print in the article "Guignol" which was published in L'echo de Paris litteraire illustré on April 28, 1893. In 1948, the Collège de 'Pataphysique, a society of artists and writers engaged in the philosophy of pataphysics, was founded in Paris; and has subsequently published the works of many authors.

Summary:

This collection contains publications relating to pataphysics; the bulk of which were published by the Collège de 'Pataphysique. The Collège de 'Pataphysique published many of these works in "collections," and the first series is organized by those collections, listed alphabetically. Based upon research, some publications were identified as part of one of these series, but the series was not printed on the work. In those cases, the collection has been placed in square brackets.The second series contains publications that were produced outside of the "collections." These works are arranged in chronological order.The Collège de 'Pataphysique created its own dating system, with the first year being Alfred Jarry's birth year (1873). These Roman numerals are included in the container list; along with the translation into traditional dates.