Autotheory as Feminist Practice in Art, Writing, and Criticism

by Lauren Fournier

Autotheory--the commingling of theory and philosophy with autobiography--as a mode of critical artistic practice indebted to feminist writing and activism.

In the 2010s, the term "autotheory" began to trend in literary spheres, where it was used to describe books in which memoir and autobiography fused with theory and philosophy. In this book, Lauren Fournier extends the meaning of the term, applying it to other disciplines and practices. Fournier provides a long-awaited account of autotheory, situating it as a mode of contemporary, post-1960s artistic practice that is indebted to feminist writing, art, and activism. Investigating a series of works by writers and artists including Chris Kraus and Adrian Piper, she considers the politics, aesthetics, and ethics of autotheory.

Genres: Theory, Nonfiction, Feminism, Art, Philosophy, Research, Womens

320 pages, Hardcover

First published February 23, 2021

Reviews

[Noah Ortega · Rating 4 out of 5]

Es la primera vez que me leo un ensayo tan largo en inglés. Diré que salvando las barreras del idioma es un libro increíble. Me ha ayudado mucho a entender mejor el concepto de autoteoría en una incorporación de lo teórico y filosófico al trabajo artístico. hay preguntas más profundas que hacer sobre lo que significa el arte escénico o el arte corporal en tiempos del capitalismo tardío en las que el libro no se centra porque no es realmente su tema (Benjamin o Danto pueden hablar más de eso). en general me ha gustado mucho, no se me ha hecho tan pesado como creía y desarrolla muy bien conceptos clave de la autoteoría como variación del viejo pragmatismo. 4,5

[Nipuni · Rating 4 out of 5]

A compelling book on the intersections of feminist, queer, art and literary theory and, interestingly, feminist bibliography, in relation to the politics of life-writing and knowledge production (who can engage with theory? Who has the privilege to?). I'm happy to have been familiar with many of the texts/artists/writers that were discussed heavily in this book especially Nelson's The Argonauts and Barthes' A Lover's Discourse, both of which are favourites of mine (and also a few nods to Sheila Heti). I have a newfound appreciation and understanding of both, and I don't know why I never noticed the former being in conversation with/echoing the latter before.

Regarding the politics of life-writing, I especially enjoyed the part where Fournier discussed the ethics of writing the other (“relational other”) and how Heti’s How Should a Person Be? is brought up as one of the texts to foreground this (recalling her interviewing Margeaux for the book and the tensions that arose from this), as well as Nelson writing about Dodger. It reminds me a lot about a course I took in undergrad titled “Auto/Biography”--when writing about the self you inherently write about the other because we exist in these webs of interlocutions. Where do I end and you begin?

[Victor · Rating 3 out of 5]

leuk

[Dr. Iman ALGHAFARI · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book presents some insightful questions; "Are theory and the personal opposed, or are they inextricably enmeshed, as so many feminist texts intimate?" (14). By reflecting on transnational feminist histories of art, literature, criticism and activism, the book reveals the differences between memoir and the autotheory. So far, I find it an important scholarly book that can inspire feminist and lesbian writers, artists, critics and theorists. Generally speaking, I liked the book, but I guess I need to re-read some chapters in it to be able to write a proper review about it.

[Larry · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think it's good but I also think I got all I needed to get out of it from reading the intro and the conclusion.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really interesting book examining autotheory in writing and art. It's a very engagingly written book that gives a very good sense of contemporary debates around authorship and gender as well as an account of the shift from philosophy to "theory". Its main contribution, though, is expanding the genre of autotheory to include visual art. In this, I don't think it's very convincing. One example is Adrian Piper's work Food for the Spirit which has little auto and a lot of theory. Other artists Fournier discusses, like the artist on the cover, develop theory logos, but there's even less autobiography. This seems to be how the genre is translated into the visual arts: artists interested in theory. It's hard to compare that kind of stripped conceptual work with Maggie Nelson's Argonauts or Chris Kraus' I Love Dick, which are autobiographical while also referring to theory.

[Ruo Jia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Too belated encounter addressing the “method” I have been practicing, sharing similar problem and confusions along the way. Could use more academic writer kinships other than “creative writing” and artist works, to reclaim theoretical practice in alternative ways. Some too straightforward racial et al antagonisms not sure but understandable.

[egg_freak · Rating 5 out of 5]

An illuminating dive into an emergent genre.

[Doenja · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The singular cna be a gateway to the multiple. And in theorizing together we may, after all, hear ourselves" p270

[Célia Beauchesne · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨🦋🧇🍿🧃🌟🎉🚀🎢🎆🧯🪩🔑📚✂️💜

[Claire Abs]

to-read

[Itzel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Could be a little more concise.

[Jabeeeeeen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the introduction but finding it difficult to continue reading after the third chapter. Might come back to it later.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book for my "Forms of Reading and Writing" course. I only read the introduction and an excerpt of the third chapter - in parallel to "Argonauts". It was a very intriguing read and opened a new interest in the genre of auto theory. I had not heard of this genre before, but have recently grown increasingly fascinated with it. I liked having this theoretical introduction to it, with the well-explained and clear feminist perspective of it. I appreciated this on both an intellectual and a personal level.