Discussion: The Death of the Author

In The Death of an Author, published in 1967, Roland Barthes argued that in the course of reading we should omit the biography and intentions of the author, focusing on the text itself. Is such a reading even possible in 2026, when the relationship between the work and its creator seems even tighter? Our world, subordinated to the logic of social media, personal brands and artificially produced visibility, is rather reminiscent of Guy Debord's “Society of the Spectacle” — also published in 1967 — where life is constantly performed and consumed.

In a discussion with L'Rain and Juliana Huxtable, moderated by Lauren Martin, we will talk about what a creative act is in such conditions. Is it possible to replace the myth of the lone genius with more collective models of cooperation? How can artists object to the requirements of self-promotion? And finally — what can it mean to be present in one's own work today and how to think about the personal without losing sight of its political dimension?