Le Decoratif

English summary: Few aesthetic notions have been the subject of positions as negative as those inspired by the decorative. Supported by remnants of the notions of propriety and convenience inherited from the Classical Age, this concept derives its identity from the formation of architecturally inspired anti-decorative modernist utopias. Neither ornament nor dcor, the decorative is a parasitic concept whose acknowledgement calls not so much for a configuration of things but heralds the emergence of a fantasy linked to the three social peripheries: illegitimate actors of culture, of sex (women) and of the exotic (the primitive). From Kant to Mendini, the decorative dilemma redoubles and weakens the certainties of the visible.> Jacques Soulillou has developed an original theory of the decorative in his two works, Le Dcoratif (Klincksieck, 2000) and Le livre de l'ornement et de la guerre (Parenthses, 2003). He also authored L'Impunit de l'art (Seuil, 1998), which examines the bases of the issue of art's penal autonomy in the modern age. He has translated from German works by Gottfried Semper and Heiner Muhlmann and, from English, Joseph Masheck, the author of Paradigme du tapis [English title: The Carpet Paradigm: Integral Flatness from Decorative to Fine Art]. Currently, he is a cultural attach in South Korea. His latest work, Esthtiques du dplacement has just been published by Smiose ditions (2015). French description: Peu de notions esthetiques auront fait l'objet de prises de position aussi negatives que celles suscitees par le decoratif. S'adossant aux ruines des notions de bienseance et de convenance heritees de l'age classique, ce concept acquiert son identite a la faveur de la formation des utopies modernistes antidecoratives d'inspiration architecturale. Ni ornement ni decor, le decoratif est un concept parasite dont la reconnaissance specifie moins une configuration des choses qu'il ne signale l'emergence d'un fantasme lie aux trois peripheries du social (acteurs illegitimes de la culture), du sexe (femme), de l'exotique (le sauvage). De Kant a Mendini, l'equivoque decorative redouble et fragilise les certitudes du visible.
About the Author: Jacques Soulillou has developed an original theory of the decorative in his two works, Le Decoratif (Klincksieck, 2000) and Le livre de l'ornement et de la guerre (Parentheses, 2003). He also authored L'Impunite de l'art (Seuil, 1998), which examines the bases of the issue of art's penal autonomy in the modern age. He has translated from German works by Gottfried Semper and Heiner Muhlmann and, from English, Joseph Masheck, the author of Paradigme du tapis [English title: The Carpet Paradigm: Integral Flatness from Decorative to Fine Art]. Currently, he is a cultural attache in South Korea. His latest work, Esthetiques du deplacement has just been published by Semiose editions (2015). Philosopher and Germanist Marc Jimenez is an instructor at Universite de Paris I (Pantheon-Sorbonne). He teaches Aesthetics at UFR d'Arts plastiques et Sciences de l'art (a French plastic arts and sciences teaching and research institute) where he is the Head of the Centre de Recherches en Esthetique theorique et appliquee (Theoretical and Applied Aesthetics Research Center).