Fictioning ― The Myth-functions of Contemporary Art and Philosophy

Maps out the practice of fictioning as a new field of study for art and philosophy

Fictioning in art is an open-ended, experimental practice that involves performing, diagramming or assembling to create or anticipate new modes of existence. In this extensively illustrated book containing over 80 diagrams and images of artworks, David Burrows and Simon O'Sullivan explore the technics of fictioning through three focal points: mythopoesis, myth-science and mythotechnesis. These relate to three specific modes of fictioning: performance fictioning, science fictioning and machine fictioning.

In this way, they explore how fictioning can offer us alternatives to the dominant fictions that construct our reality in an age of "post-truth" and "perception management". Through fictioning, they look forward to the new kinds of human, part-human and non-human bodies and societies to come.

David Burrows is an artist, writer and Reader in Fine Art at the Slade School of Fine Art, University College London, where he runs undergraduate Fine Art Media.

Simon O'Sullivan is a writer, artist and Professor of Art Theory and Practice and Head of Department of Visual Cultures at Goldsmiths College, University of London.

Together, David and Simon are part of the performance fiction Plastique Fantastique which has exhibited and performed widely, most recently as part of the Hayward Touring show Shonky: the Aesthetics of Awkwardness (2017--18) and the TULCA festival We are the Screamers (2017).