Dance and Finance—Social Kinesthetics and Derivative Logics

UPDATE 04/2017: In an interesting essay Mckenzie Wark examines the work of Randy Martin mainly focusing on Martin’s Knowledge LTD: Towards a Social Logic of the Derivative (2015). Wark shows how Martin’s reading of postmodern dance and his understanding of social kinesthetics illuminate our current political-economic situation better than traditional commodity-based Marxist theories, as pointed out by the e-flux discussions of this month.

The text After Capitalism, the Derivative is accessible at Public Seminar, which describes itself as an intellectual commons for analysis, critique and debate.

The post below has been first published Oct, 13, 2015.

This lecture entitled Dance and Finance—Social Kinesthetics and Derivative Logics by Randy Martin had been given at the 9th October 2013 at EMPAC in Troy, NY. It has been a commissioned talk, in which New York University professor Randy Martin linked the movement of capital within financial markets to the history of dance. Martin draws parallels between choreographies of currency and bodily movement. Using the concept of the derivative as a key example, he shows how logics from financial markets inform social values and ultimately impact cultural production. (Description taken from the EMPAC website)

It obviously outlined parts of his later book Knowledge LTD – which I have to admit just ordered – but Gerald Raunig’s notes Dance the Derivative!, which are two third review, and on thrird obituary give a good insight -> continue reading here

From the ruins of economy we now see self-production – a de-centered, disbursed, and distributed means not only for moving but also for creating movement. From the breakup of the public, we can hear a polyphony of critical voices staking their claims for self-presentation. From the decolonization of culture, seeds are spread everywhere and sources are released and captured, sampled and posted, through expansive webs of self-dissemination. Dance and other specialized movement practices bring these derivative socialities to notice, open the paths of assembly of what can be valued socially, point to ways in and out of our current predicaments, shift the principles by which our bodies are ruled.

[Randy Martin, Knowledge LTD. Toward a Social Logic of the Derivative, Philadelphia: Temple University 2015, 206f.] *cited via Gerald Raunig’s notes Dance the Derivative!
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