The Necessity of the Work of Art

Notes on Gilles Deleuze’s concept of the possible

Abstract

For Deleuze in What is Philosophy (1991) art is differentiated both from philosophy and science through the concept of the possible. According to Deleuze’s model, all three areas produce alternate possible versions of life, but while philosophy is related to life through virtuality and science through actuality, art is related to life through possibility. Ronald Bogue in his article titled “The Art of the Possible” (2007) expands on Deleuze’s approach and claims that Deleuze’s concept “the possible” is a category on the same level as “the virtual” and “the actual.” The article claims that contrary to Bogue’s view, in art the possible is not so much a feature but rather a condition of art for Deleuze, because in Deleuze’s model art is featured most importantly by necessity.  

Keywords: Deleuze, philosophy, science, art, the possible, art as necessity