The Ancient Device

Simon O'Sullivan

ISBN 10: 1917251017 / ISBN 13: 9781917251013

Published by Triarchy Press, GB, 2024

About this Item

'The Ancient Device' is the story of four somehow familiar, rather dishevelled, sometimes sympathetic characters: Hare, Fox-Owl, Ribbonhead and King John.We meet this dysfunctional and longing band of players on their journey to a site in the English landscape where they are to give a performance of sorts.Yet exactly who they are, where they are and what they are up to, becomes increasingly uncertain as the book draws us into the mist, exploring and experimenting with notions of narrative and plot, psychology and self, performance and place.Like the characters themselves, readers are unlikely to come out as they went in. The Ancient Device is both a novel and an exploration of what the author calls the 'fiction of the self'. The title of the book refers to this fiction that we all necessarily inhabit, but also to performance as a kind of device (and, indeed, the book as a device too). At stake in this exploration is also the development of an idea of 'myth-work' and how narrative and the laying out of imaginary landscapes and figures can work as a form of repair.

Seller Inventory # LU-9781917251013

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Ancient Device
• Publisher: Triarchy Press, GB
• Publication Date: 2024
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1917251017
• ISBN 13: 9781917251013
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: New

About this title

Synopsis

A thought-provoking exploration of self and reality through performance and myth.

The Ancient Device delves into the lives of four individuals as they navigate imaginary landscapes and explore the transformative power of narrative. Set in rural England, this philosophical novel follows a group of actors as they grapple with identity, loss, and the search for meaning. Through ritual and symbolism, they uncover the potential for repair within themselves and the world around them.

For readers seeking a contemplative and transformative journey, this book offers:

• A unique blend of fiction and philosophy
• Exploration of the power of imagination
• A path towards self-discovery and healing

Is there a way to break free from the fiction of the self? Discover the ancient device and unlock the potential for a new reality.

About the Author

Professor Simon O’ Sullivan teaches at Goldsmiths College, Univ of London. He is a theorist and artist working at the intersection of contemporary art practice, performance and philosophy. He has published widely in in these areas, often in relation to Deleuze and Guattari and, more recently in relation to fictioning and myth-work. His most recent monographs are From Magic and Myth-Work to Care and Repair (2024) and (written with David Burrows) Fictioning: The Myth-Functions of Contemporary Art and Philosophy (2019).