The Depravity Of Art And The Death Of Subject ——A Study Of Virilio’s Theory Of Art And Technology

As one of the most original contemporary thinkers in France,Vilirio’s theoretical interest has always been focused on the connection between 20th-century art and technology.The art involved in his theory of art and technology,including literature and other forms of art.Since he usually uses the word "Art" for the theory construction,this paper will follow his writing habits and use the word "Art" as well.The three terminologies "Disappearance","Pitless" and "Infinity" used in this paper are the concepts that proposed by Virilio in his original theories.Vilirio has always believed that art should have reflective power.However,in contemporary art,especially the transformation of art perception and art forms in the process of artistic technology shows that art no longer has a critical function.Therefore,his theory of literature and art is full of criticism and concern about modern technology and the art technization.The theory of art and technology also echoes the current technology and art reality,and provides a new theoretical perspective and theoretical paradigm for the contemporary academic circle with its profound thinking and humanistic care.In the process of studying the three concepts of "disappearance","heartless" and "boundless",we can find the dissolution of human subjects,namely cognitive,moral and aesthetic,in the process of artistic technology.For Virilio,who holds the subjective art view,this means the fall of art and the gradual demise of the subject.From the subjective and technization of art,we can see the interesting linkages amongst the theories of Heidegger,Virilio and Stiegler.All of them have discovered the phenomenon of art technization brought about by technology development,but they have made completely different value judgments,which fundamentally lies in different positions,and Villio is in the key position of the link between the three.In Heidegger’s Technological Thinking,as the embodiment of truth,technology allows the possibility of existence of the subject.And in Stiegler’s Technology and Time,technology replaces human beings as the avatar of aletheia,thus leading to the inevitable dissolution of the human subject.Virilio,standing between the possible and the inevitable,attempts to redeem art and the subject by restoring the subjectivity of art.Hence,he proposed the concept of "Accident Museum" in an attempt to restore the critical power of contemporary art and save the dying subject.However,he finally attributed it to technology,and completely pushing art to the technology side that denying the subject,which results in the "Overall Accident",and that’s the end of literature and art.From the perspective of subjectivity,we can observe Virilio’s theory of literature and art as a whole.The characteristics of "Disappearance","Pitless" and "Infinity" brought about by the technization of art that proposed by Virilio are the discovery of the fall of the subjective art and the death of the subject.His efforts to restore artistic reflection through the "Accident Museum" failed,and turning to an elegy,mourning for the fall of subject art and the death of the subject.