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Leonhard Emmerling - "Idiots" - W. J. T. Mitchell
Past event
Featured Book
Idiots: The History of the Homo Nullus
In a world obsessed with expertise and control, the figure of the idiot illuminates deeper truths about society.
Dostoevsky and Nietzsche wrote about him; Dadaists and punks idolized him; artists like Warhol and Beuys made him their icon. From holy fool to punk rebel, the idiot--a figure that traces its roots back to the Greek idiotes, a person who was alienated from public life--has always challenged society's norms from the margins. Far from a simple madman, the idiot is a powerful subversive, a person who disregards norms and finds profound insight in a state of unmediated inspiration. Using a cross-disciplinary approach bridging literature, religion, art, and philosophy, this volume traces a rich journey up to the present, where the idiot reemerges in a dramatic twist: a public figure who inverts social norms, confounds the boundary between private and public, and declares a new, paradoxical view of the world.
This book will be available for purchase at the event.
About This Event
Leonhard Emmerling will discuss his new book "Idiots: The History of the Homo Nullus." He will be joined in conversation by W. J. T. Mitchell. A Q&A and book signing will follow the discussion.
At the Seminary Co-op
About the Book: In a world obsessed with expertise and control, the figure of the idiot illuminates deeper truths about society.
Dostoevsky and Nietzsche wrote about him; Dadaists and punks idolized him; artists like Warhol and Beuys made him their icon. From holy fool to punk rebel, the idiot—a figure that traces its roots back to the Greek idiotes, a person who was alienated from public life—has always challenged society’s norms from the margins. Far from a simple madman, the idiot is a powerful subversive, a person who disregards norms and finds profound insight in a state of unmediated inspiration. Using a cross-disciplinary approach bridging literature, religion, art, and philosophy, this volume traces a rich journey up to the present, where the idiot reemerges in a dramatic twist: a public figure who inverts social norms, confounds the boundary between private and public, and declares a new, paradoxical view of the world.
About the Author: Leonhard Emmerling, who holds a PhD from the University of Heidelberg, worked as a curator, author and teacher in Germany, New Zealand and India. He currently serves as the director of the Goethe-Institut Chicago. He authored several books, among other on Jean-Michel Basquiat and Jackson Pollock. His most recent books published in English are “The art of diremption” and “Idiots. The History of the Homo Nullus”. His most recent publication in German is "Aesthetics. What for?"
About the Interlocutor: W. J. T. Mitchell is Emeritus Professor of English, Art History, and Cinema at the University of Chicago. He is known for his many publications on art, visual culture, and media politics, including "Iconology" (1986), "Picture Theory" (1994), "What Do Pictures Want?" (2005), and "Image Science" (2015). "Mental Traveler," a memoir of his son’s twenty year struggle with schizophrenia appeared in 2020. He was editor-in-chief of the journal Critical Inquiry from 1977-2020. His latest book, "Seeing through Madness: Essays in Crazy Times," will be published by the University of Chicago Press in 2026.
Featured Author
Leonhard Emmerling
Leonhard Emmerling, who holds a PhD from the University of Heidelberg, worked as a curator, author and teacher in Germany, New Zealand and India. He currently serves as the director of the Goethe-Institut Chicago. He authored several books, among other on Jean-Michel Basquiat and Jackson Pollock. His most recent books published in English are “The art of diremption” and “Idiots. The History of the Homo Nullus”. His most recent publication in German is "Aesthetics. What for?"
In Conversation With
W. J. T. Mitchell
W. J. T. Mitchell is Emeritus Professor of English, Art History, and Cinema at the University of Chicago. He is known for his many publications on art, visual culture, and media politics, including Iconology (1986), Picture Theory (1994), What Do Pictures Want? (2005), and Image Science (2015). Mental Traveler, a memoir of his son’s twenty year struggle with schizophrenia appeared in 2020. He was editor-in-chief of the journal Critical Inquiry from 1977-2020. His latest book, Seeing through Madness: Essays in Crazy Times, will be published by the University of Chicago Press in 2026.
About the Venue
Seminary Co-Op Bookstore
For over 60 years, the Seminary Co-op Bookstores has served as a cultural anchor in and beyond Chicago; as the first not-for-profit bookstore whose mission is bookselling, their stores, which include 57th Street Books, celebrate the power of the browsing experience to inspire curiosity, discovery, and delight.
Visit store pageMore at Seminary Co-Op Bookstore
NaNo 2.0
Ready to Write Your Novel? Say hello to NaNo 2.0—a community-led endeavor that’s keeping the spirit of National Novel Writing Month alive. The goal? Write 50,000 words over the course of November or you can pick any writing project for the month that feels exciting to you! At the Seminary Co-Op Bookstores, we want to support our writerly community by hosting NaNo Drop-ins on November 2, 9, 16, and 30 from 5:30pm to 7:30pm at the Seminary Co-Op (5751 S Woodlawn Ave). Seminary Co-op Board Member Holly Smith (MA Writing) will be at each drop-in and available to be a sounding board for anything that has you stuck. If you want to buy books at a NaNo Drop-in, you will just have to do so before 6pm. Please send any questions about the event to events@semcoop.com. We hope to see you there!
Frances Ferguson - "Records of Reward: Essays on Literature and Value" - Heather Keenleyside
Frances Ferguson will discuss Records of Reward: Essays on Literature and Value. She will be joined in conversation by Heather Keenleyside. A Q&A and signing will follow the discussion.
A Conversation with John Scalzi!
Join us for a conversation and book signing with New York Times Bestselling Science Fiction author John Scalzi! We are so excited to welcome beloved Science Fiction author John Scalzi to the Co-op! John will discuss his newest novel MONSTERS OF OHIO. A Q&A and book signing will follow the conversation. About the Book: Welcome to Richland, Ohio. Things aren't great. The town’s biggest employer is closing shop, and Richland's on the brink. It's where Mike Boyd, with his own set of problems, finds himself returning to after decades away. He's not planning to stay. But Richland has other plans for Mike, his old friend Dave, and a newcomer Andi. They're caught in a swirl of local troubles, private equity, executive theft… and something extremely weird involving Jeremy Keller’s prize cow. Welcome to Richland. Leave your expectations behind. Bring a tarp. About John Scalzi: JOHN SCALZI is one of the most popular science fiction authors of his generation. His debut, Old Man's War, won him the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer. His New York Times bestsellers include The Last Colony, Fuzzy Nation, Redshirts (which won the Hugo Award for Best Novel), The Last Emperox, The Kaiju Preservation Society, Starter Villain, When the Moon Hits Your Eye, and The Shattering Peace. Material from his blog, Whatever, has earned him two other Hugo Awards. He lives in Ohio with his wife and daughter. Helpful information: *There is street parking only. There is a parking lot next door to our store but it is NOT ours and we cannot guarantee that you will not be towed. *You may start lining up at 6pm. Doors will open at 6:30pm. *Refund requests will not be accepted after 3pm, 11/04! *If you have a free general admission ticket, you MUST purchase the book at the event to enter the signing line. *Limited seating is available on a first come first serve basis. There will be standing room only once seating is full. If you do require seating, please email mgmt@semcoop.com to reserve a seat. *Additional copies of the book and backlist will be available for purchase at the store during the event.