Published in ILLUMInations: 54th International Art Exhibition: The Venice

Biennale Catalogue, editors Bice Curiger and Giovanni Carmine, Venice,

Marsilio Editori, 2011, pp. 100-111.

RainbowsandRationalism
TheFateoftheTerrestrialManifestoofArt

RezaNegarestani

[T]hedisenchantmentoftheworldunderstoodasaconsequenceoftheprocesswhereby
theEnlightenmentshatteredthegreatchainofbeinganddefacedthebookoftheworld
isanecessaryconsequenceofthecoruscatingpotencyofreason,andhencean
invigoratingvectorofintellectualdiscovery,ratherthanacalamitousdiminishment.1

I.Launchyourpatronintospaceandwatchyourworldflip.
Aggravatedbywar,transmutedbycapitalism,modulatedbyliberalismandmusteredby
globalism,thetwentyfirstcenturyartworldthatnebuloussitefortheconfluxofartists,
artworks,curatorialprocesses,spectators,institutions,markets,rawmaterials,laboris
determinedbyitscomplicatedrelationship,itscomplicity,withtheEarthasitsfirstandforemost
patron.Eventhelucrativepromiscuityofcontemporaryartwithitspolitical,economicand
culturalpatronstakesplaceundertheauspicesofthisuniquemonogamousrelationship.
Presidingoverthemarriageisacertainineradicableconceptionofterrestrialitywhichconstitutes
thehorizonofallactivitiesontheplanet:Terrestrialityisgraspedasacontinuumofneighboring
regionsorcomplexmanifoldswhosetensionsandsynthesesfabricatewhatweknowastheearth.
Asacontinuum,thisterrestrialhorizonhasatoncelocalandglobalexpressions.Whilstlocal
expressionsoftheterrestrialcontinuumsuggestvariousformsoftensions(transformative,
antagonistic,accelerative,inhibitive,etc.)betweenregionalsites,theglobalexpressionarticulates
thesyntheticanduniversalaspectofthecontinuumthatconnectsandopenstheregionaltothe
global.Whilsttheregionalhasitsdifferentordersofmagnitudecerebral,individual,social,
geopolitical,andevengeologicalregionstheglobalhorizonofterrestrialitythatmarksthe
ultimateboundariesofsuchtensionsandtheirsynthesesisfiguredbythebodyoftheEarth.The
artworldpartakesinterrestrialsynthesesthattraversethisglobalizedbody;atthesametimeits
scopeandactivitiesarealsodeterminedbytensionsbetweenterrestrialregionsspanningthe
entiretelluriccontinuum,frombasicinorganicregionsoftheearthtobiological,cultural,socio

RayBrassier,NihilUnbound:EnlightenmentandExtinction,(London:Palgrave,2007),p.xi.

politicalandeconomicregions.Itsartistic,curatorial,culturalandcommercialperspectivesshift
accordingtoregionalglobaltensionsandtheircorrespondingsyntheses(relationsbetween
regionalperspectivesandtheglobaloutsideortheopen).Themoreradicaltheseterrestrial
tensionsintermsoftheirsyntheses,thebroaderthescopeoftheartworld,themoreenlightened
andthemoredeepeneditsperspectives.Butasweshallsee,thispathofilluminationdoesnot
followtheleadofplanetarymyopiasormodelsoflightingrootedinastrictmonogamywiththe
Earthandarestrictedconceptionofterrestriality.
TheEarthsglobalcontinuumisconstitutedofinfinitesimallyfuzzygradientsofregionaltensions
whicharepurelysynthetic:neuropsychologicaltensionsbetweentheindividualanditsoutside
thathighlightthedeprivatizedsiteofthinking;socialtensionsthatpastethealreadysynthetic
publicindividualintothesocialfabricasasitewhereindividualactionsandthoughtshaveno
longerexclusiveexpressions;economictensionsthatmeticulouslygluethegeochemicaltensions
oftheinorganicearthtothepermeableeconomiesoftheorganism,societyandterritorythrough
widespreadproduction,circulationandconsumptionofminerals,chemicalcompoundsandfuels;
(post)industrialdialecticsbetweentheattentivetriadmanlabortechnologyandtheinattentive
andcosmicallyindifferentbodyoftheEarthfromwhosebowelscultureandcivilizationare
traumaticallyconceived;andlastly,modernnations,whichdominantlyconcentrateallthe
aforementionedregionaltensionswithintheirtransterritorialhorizons.Theearthspatronagefor
todaysartistoounfaithful,itsbusinesstooshady,itssourceoffundstoountraceable,forthe
artistnottoshedsomelightonherdependentrelationshipwithit.Likewise,thecontemporary
artworldisunthinkablewithoutamodelofenlightenmentcapableofilluminatingitsregional
sitesitsartists,works,nationsasgradationsofaprofoundterrestrialcontinuum.Butsucha
featofenlightenmentunderstoodbothasawideningofartisticscopeandaoverdueprobeinto
thesubterrainoftheartworldfirstrequirestheunbindingofatrulyuniversalistconceptionof
theearthinwhichtheregionalglobalcontinuumhasnoground,centerordiscreteregional
authority,foritisdrivenbytheopen.Withintheuniversalistconceptionofterrestriality,the
relationshipsbetweenregionsofthecontinuum(whethercerebral,socialornational)are
unrestricted,andultimately,thepatronageoftheearthforartisnolongeramatterof
guardianshiporprovisionbutoneofdeliveringart,itsvisionsandproblems,withoutany
chaperoningprejudice,totheabyssaldepthsoftheuniversalcontinuum.
Accordingly,theuniversalistandspeculativewideningofterrestrialsynthesesopensatransfinite
scopefortheartistbyilluminatingtheworldofartanditsnationsasnondiscreteyetfocalized
gradientsofthegeocosmiccontinuum,theunbounduniversalgradientinwhichonecanno
longerisolateorcapitalizeonanyregion(ofthought,theEarthortheUniverse)whatsoever.Since
regionsofthegeocosmiccontinuumareallsyntheticallyinterconnectedandincomplicitywith
theglobalexpressionofthecontinuum,artisticandphilosophicalproductsofthebrainareno
longerirreproachable:Likeanyotherproduct,theydonothaveanyfundamentallydiscrete
presencewithintherealityofthecontinuum,becausetheyarecontinuallydetermined,

transformed,andrenegotiatedbythetensionsandsynthesesbetweeneconomic,cultural,
biologicalandeveninorganicregionalgradientsoftheglobalcontinuum.Consequently,theso
calledinnersanctuariesofthesenses,emotionsandintellectthesitesofartisticcreativity
mustberegardedasregionsnestedwithintheprecariousminesofAfrica,SouthAmericaand
Asia,gradationallyinseparablefromthemicronationoffactoriesandillegalworkshops,the
amorphousrendezvouspointsoflowwages,chemicalfumesandhumantraffickingsystems.In
thesamevein,theartistichavenofintuitionisapartoftheneurochemicalplasticityofthe
cerebralindividuumorthenervoussystemthathasneverbeen(andshouldneverbe)withdrawn
fromeverydayexplosionsandinsurgenciesinthestreetsoftheearthorthecontingentlyand
indifferentlydistributedcosmicinorganicmaterialsthatsimultaneouslyshape,feedand
traumatizeit.Withinthetelluriccontinuum,streets,mines,militarizedtrenches,thebrainand
thesocalledhomearecavernouslydugwithineachotherinamannerthatistopologicallyand
categoricallycontingentandcounterintuitive.Respectively,theEarthwithitsundeservedly
privilegedstatusandglorifiedsolarpatrontheSunisalreadyexpropriatedinthenameofthe
universalpublic,aUniverseinwhichneitherreasonnormaterialityhaveaprivatelifeoftheirown
oraparticularidealnecessity.Forthisreason,thespeculativewideningoftheartworldacross
thegeocosmiccontinuum,notasadiscreteselfcenteredworldbutasasyntheticregional
gradientoftheuniversalcontinuum,markstheweddingofuniversalenlightenmentandthe
artisticvision.Atthesametime,itisanalloutuniversalistwar(ratherthanawarofnations)
againstallleftoverandmutatedstrainsofplanetarymyopiathosecosmeticallyenhanced
variantsofthePtolemaictradition,capitalism,liberalismandfundamentalism.
II.Togroundcontrol,wehardlyseeanyearthuphere.
TherestrictedconceptionofterrestrialityalwaysrecognizestheEarthasadiscreteentitythathas
thefinalword(ormoreaccurately,world)ineverything.Thisaxiomaticworldonwhichall
thoughts,visionsandmodesoflivingmustbegroundedisnotnecessarilysynonymouswiththe
planetEarth.Foritcanbeonesnation,theinteriorityoftheself,thepurportedintegrityof
lineage,thesanctumofartisticintuitions,thesiteoftheintellectoranyhorizonwhoseedgesfold
overontothemselvestoformaselfcenteredsphere,anaxiomaticresourceofitsownverity.
Thosewhoarewearyofthisenvelopedworldaretoldtounburdenthemselvesbydeclaringthe
EarthastheprivatepropertyoftheDivine,ormoreconstructively,tobuildanewEarthoutofthe
resourcesathand,thatistosay,fromtheaxiomaticallyveritableanddiscreteEarthsofthis
world:Theirindividualselves,nations,ancestrallineages,privateintuitionsandsoon.Inthis
world,opennessofscopeisalwayscircumscribed;synthesesbetweenregionsaremodally
restricted,realalternativesarediminishinginsofarassynthesesprogressivelyhappenonthebasis
ofcapacityandaffordabilityofregionsandthefactthateachregioncannowisolateitsown
veritableearthasthegroundofitssynthesis(i.e.openness)towardtheoutside.Theearthof
illusoryalternativesandrestrictedsynthesesisanearthendemicallysusceptibletothescourgeof
fundamentalism,whichinsistsonexpandingtheDivinesfranchisetoeverycorneroftheEarth

anditsregions.Itisequallydazzledbythemirageofglobalopennessgeneratedbyliberalisms
confusionbetweenrealalternativesbroughtaboutbytheuniversalcontinuumandaffordable
optionsbasedonregionalcapacitiesandeconomicalimperatives.Butaboveall,theworldofthe
discreteearthisthevenueofcapitalismsglobalcircuitry,switchingfromoneterritorytoanother,
fromonelimittothenext,fromtheearthofoneregiontoanewerEarth.
Capitalismdoesnotadvocateisolatedregionsperse;indeed,itchampionsaglobalcontinuumof
theearthbutonewhosefrontierscansafelyandreliablybedeterminedatanytime.What
capitalismsupportsissynthesisbetweenisolatedregionsanddiscreteearthssoasto
simultaneouslyconformtocapacitiesthatis,affordableconfinesofcerebral,socialand
nationalregionsoftheEarth,andappearastheultimateemancipatoryforce:Ourbusinessisto
incorporateallsecludedregionsintoawholesomeEarth.Inordertocarryonitsplanetarytrades,
capitalismmustpreventtheEarthfromdissipatingoutofitsmanifestglobalhorizon,itsdiscrete
selfcenteredsphere.Inshort,capitalismmustdemarcateanddeterminetheboundariesofthe
universalcontinuum,foronlyinaboundcontinuumcanregionsbediscretelyidentified,
synthesesormethodsofopennessrestricted,andregionalcapitalizationundertaken.Withinsuch
arestrictedambit,thetransitionfromtheregionaltotheglobaldoesnotbespeakoftherealityof
theuniversalcontinuum.ItsimplydenotesaunifiedconceptoftheselfcentredEarththe
groundcontroloftheartistthatpreventsherfromsightingtheuniversalistpictureofherart
worldwhich,liketheEarth,isnottheworldbutanincreasinglyblurredgradientoftheunbound
continuum,ininfinitesimalcomplicitieswithotherregionalspheres.
Thepossibilityofwideningartisticscopebywrestinganunbounduniversalcontinuumfromthe
currentsponsorsofplanetarymyopiarestsuponasynthetictransfigurationoftheartist:The
artistbecomesanewparticipantinthespeculativeprojectofenlightenment,alongsidescience
andphilosophy.Syntheticilluminationbeginswithmodernsciencesheadlongdiveintothe
chasm:Modernscienceembracesonlyonenecessity,thenecessityofanunbounduniversal
continuumabsolutelyfreefromthenecessityofitsparticularelementsnomatterwhoorwhat
theyare.Itonlyacknowledgesareasonthatdoesnotemanatefromtheocularsubjecttothe
world,butfollowstheimpersonalcourseofagenericlight.Inshort,modernscienceimpersonally
heraldsaboundlessuniversalcontinuumandindoingso,itcontributestotheabolitionof
privatized,isolationistregionsoftheworldinthenameofapublicabyss.Disenthralledbythe
abyssaluniverseintroducedbymodernscience,philosophysystematicallysynthesizesall
universallyexpropriatedregionsoftheopenintoonegradient.Accordingly,itapproximatesthe
scopeoftheuniversalsynthesisforthoughtasaunifiedgradientsynthesizedbyalternativeand
unrestrictedmodesofopennessdrawnbetweenregionsbytheuniversallineofsynthesisor
genericlightoftheopenbetweenthefieldsofculture,politics,economy,geology,mathematics,
etc.Thehighlightingfunctionofsyntheticilluminationreachesitsgreatestintensitywhenart
beginstocolorthegradientsuncoveredbymodernscienceandsyntheticallyapproximatedby
philosophy.Theartistschromaticilluminationoftheuniversalcontinuumnotaccordingtothe

willofregions(earthlysponsors,intellectualguardians,andemotionallysanctionedmuses)but
accordingtothewilloftheopenthisistheonlysweepinglyrevolutionary,realistic(byany
measureorinanysense)andresponsibleartisticengagementforbringingouttherealityof
regions/nationsColortherainbowsoftheunbounduniverseandbringingtheirregionsinto
focusasitsspectra.Farfromrestrictingthecourseoflighttoitsownregionorbecomingthe
stellarsourceofit,artisticilluminationsshouldmakeregionsnotonlytheregionsoftheart
worldbutalsoofthoughts,streetsandnationschromaticallystandoutwithoutanyself
imposeddistortionormyopia,butintheirreal,contingentandunrestrictedrelationshipswiththe
universalchasm.Thisiswhyeventhecomplexportrayaloftheartistasamultifacetedrefractor
whobendsregionalbeamsoflightthroughvariousprocessesofartisticproductionsoasto
convergethemuponherworkdoesnotsatisfactorilypresentthesyntheticfigureoftheartistas
theonewhoworksthroughandwithinthegenericlightoftheuniverse.Inthislatterfigure,the
artistbringsoutthecontinuityofallnationswiththeunboundcontinuumoftheabyss,and
therebychromaticallyhighlightsallunrestrictedsynthesesandcomplicitiesbetweenregions
betweenherworld,thesubterraneanworkingsofmines,theartworld,factories,theworldofher
patron,insurgenciesinthestreets,lowwages,capitalism,fundamentalism,liberalism,oil,water,
DubaisandVenicesancientandfuture.2
III.Backtocoloringrainbowsandmakinginfinitebows.
[A]lldualitiesdisappear,acontinuumislookedfor,andtheculturalwebisunderstoodasacomplex
topologicalspacewhereallsortsofbreaks/suturesofcontinuitygiverisetothemostinteresting
artistic,philosophicalandscientificexpressionsoftheepoch.3

Coloringrainbowsisnofrivoloustask;itisnotamatterofglorifiedwhimsicalitybutofutmost
rationality.Thesynthetictransfigurationoftheartistasthetinterofuniversalcontinuumcalls,
firstofall,foradistinctionbetweenthecentersanctifyinghalosofthegloryandthefloating
universalbridgesoftherainbow.Gloriesareproducedbylightreflectedbacktowarditssourceby
acloudofuniformlysizeddropletsinsuchawaythattheobserversshadow(Brockenspectre)
appearsatthecenterofthechromatichalooftheglory.Buttherationalistlightoftheuniversal
continuumisdestituteofanysingularilluminatingsource.Evenstarsaremerelyglorifiedregions;
fortheearthstheymonopolize,theyaretransientobstaclestouniversalillumination,orprecisely
speaking,sourcesofplanetaryobsessions.Thelightofuniversalcontinuumanditsunbound
synthesisisneitherdiurnalnornocturnal,foritisshackledneithertostellarluminancenorto
planetarydusk.Itisavagueandgeneralizedlightradicallyindifferenttodayandnight;onethat,

Thesyntheticreintegrationoftheartistindicates,morethanever,theexigencyofartsorganizations
suchastheUKsUrbanomicthatembraceunforeseeablesynthesesbetweenphilosophersandartists
withinvistasopenedupbyscientists,atthesametimeprobingbothterritorialandintellectualregionsfor
individualandcollectiveentitieswhoseheterogeneitiescreatenewtopologiesoftensionandsynthesis.
3
FernandoZalamea,PeirceandLatinAmericanRazonabilidad:ForerunnersofTransmodernity,in
EuropeanJournalofPragmatismandAmericanPhilosophy,Vol.1,(2009),p.120.

asTintorettodepicts,breaksandentersofitsownaccordfromasymmetricalcracksitopensin
thehorizon,orlightsitcontingentlyimprovisesfromregionalresourcesforinstance,anoillamp
thatoutshinesthesaints.ButfreeevenfromthedivinologicalsourceofTintorettoslighting,the
syntheticlightoftheuniversalcontinuumrelinquishesallprivilegesandprivationsby
transplantingtheuniversalintotheregionalandincitingmodallyunrestrictedsyntheseswhich
drive(treiben)theregiontowardtheopen.Withintheopencontinuum,thedivinologicalinfinity,
likeanyotherorderofinfinity,findsaregionalandcontingentlypositedstatusandforthis
reason,likeanyotherregionalregister,itisexteriorizedbythepositiveforceofopennessits
necessityisrevokedbyuniversalcontingency.Unlikeglories,whicharecircularlyformedbythe
reflectionoflightbacktowarditssource,thegeneralizedlightoftheopenisalientoanysourceof
lightthatreasoncouldbetracedbackto.Itpervadesanyobstructionagainstsynthesesofthe
universallightanddeflectsthecentralityofshadowsofregionalsubjects(observers,thinkers,
tinters,creators)totheuniversalcontinuumanditsgradients.Therefore,thesyntheticlightofthe
opendoesnotallowuniversalringstoradiallyexpandaroundtheshadowoftheregionalsubject.
Rainbowsglorifyneitherthesubjectnoranyregionoftheuniverse.Asthegenericlightofthe
universalcontinuumtraversesregionalhorizonseachadropletoracrystallizedparticleopento
lightitentersthem.Uponenteringaregionalhorizon,thelightrefracts,bringingintothe
equationtheinternalconditionsoftheregion.Oncethelightreachestheendofthehorizon(the
backofthedroplet),itreflectsback.Asthelightdepartstheregionaldroplet,itchangesdirection
onceagain,indicatingadeparturefromtheregionalconditions(thecompositionofthedroplet)
intotheopen,andaccordingly,thecontinuationofthissyntheticilluminationforotherregions.
Thisfreedomofdeparturetotheopenthewayoutilluminatedintheregionalspherebythe
lightoftheuniversalsynthesis,chromaticallyrevealstheunboundcontinuityoftheregional
enclosurewiththeopen,settinghighlightedpathsforauniversalrevolution:thatis,the
possibilityofunrestrictedsynthesesbetweenregionalhorizonsoftheuniverse,reasonasananti
gloryandtherationalopportunityofrecognizingtheopenasanongloriouscontinuumthatis
freeofthecentralityofitsregions.

Theregionalsphereandsyntheticillumination

Assitesofuniversalrevolutions,rainbowsbecomethepolychromaticthatistosay,spectrally
andpanoramicallyhighlightedopenembracesoftheuniversalsynthesisbetweenallregionsof
theworld.Forthisreason,itisimportantthattheartistdoesnottreatrainbowsgloriously.Not
onlydoesthewaveofuniversalsynthesisbreakandenteronitsown,italsofollowsthespecific
conditionssetbyeachregionornationoftheuniverse.Whatisimportantinpursuingrainbowsis
thattheopenreflectsontoitsuniversalcontinuumthroughitsregionalspheresinmorethanone
way.Inotherwords,opennessisnotonlytheexpressionofboundlessnessbutalsotheexpression
ofmodalfreedomthattheuniversalsynthesistowardtheopentakesplaceintheregional
horizoninmorethanoneway.Therefore,theregionsoftheworldcanbeopenedontoeach
otherinmodesuntrammeledbyanyregionalnecessity,nationalrestrictionormethodological
prejudice.Thegenericlightoftheuniversalsynthesisisreflectedintheregionalspherenotonce
ortwice,butinfinitely;andinbeingsoreflected,itcreatesrainbowsofhigherorders,rainbows
withinfinitebows.Rainbowscreatedbysecondandthirdreflectionsoflightinasingledroplet
(viz.rainbowswithtwoandthreebows)arerareinnature,asthelightbeginstogrowdimmer
andloseitsintensityandbecomesinvisibletotheobserver.However,itissaidthatFrench
physicistFlixBillet(18081882)observedarainbowofthenineteenthorderwithoverlapping
andseparatebows,bowswithdifferentangularsizesandeccentricimbricationsfanningoutinall
directions.FollowingBillet,whocalledthisilluminatedtwirlingblossomofcontinuatherose(rose
desarcsenciel),themodallyunboundreflectionoftheuniversallightwithineachandevery
regionalhorizoncreateshyperroses.
Hyperrosesaretheasymptoticexpressionsofboththeboundlessuniversalcontinuumandthe
freedomofitslineofsynthesis,itslight.Theygrowinsilentindifferencetoregionalmyopiasor,as
historianCarlBenjaminBoyernotedregardingthreearcedrainbows,theygrowwherenoone
looksforthemorsees.Theartistenlightenedbythesyntheticlightoftheopen,forthisreason,is
thehunterofrosesevenbeforebeingthechromatichighlighterofuniversalrainbows.Movedby
anunanchoredearth,committedtothepathofantigloriesanddevotedtothegardenofhyper
roses,theuniversalistartistknowsthatthegenericlightoftheopenanditslineofsynthesiscan
beneitherintensifiednorseparatedfromitsuniversalbackdrop.Suchattemptstointensifythe
genericuniversallightorseparateitarepreludestoglorification.Butthenhowisitpossibleto
hunthyperrosesandcolortheirsprawlingsynthesesastheexpressionofanunboundandfree
universeiftheartistcannotseethesyntheticbowsthatgrowaroundher?HereTintorettos
techniqueforcreatingintenseandcondensedlightswhichdonotgrowdiminregionalspheres
shouldbeadoptedasarationalmodelofparamountimportance.Drawinguponatheoryoflight
derivedmorefromgeneralchemistry(medievaltheoriesofratio,concoctionandquantityof
qualities)andtheturbulentlatescholastictheologythanatheoryofoptics,Tintorettoattainedan
intensesyntheticilluminationthroughanemphasisontheclosureoftheregionalbackgroundand
theelementsofthescene.Onlywhenshadowsofregionalelementsarepainteddarker,when
regionalperspectivesbecomeextremelyfocused,whentheratioofregionalclosuretouniversal
opennessincreases,isthegenericlightoftheopenaccentuated,sothatitcanbegintoirrigate

hyperroses.Inordertoseethehyperrosesofthegenericlight,itisimperativetoadopta
terminallyfocusedvisionwithregardtoregionsoftheuniverse,andtorealizethetrueexpression
oftheregional(whetheritistherealityofanartworkornations)asaclosurethatshouldbeboth
integrallyanddifferentiallyhighlighted.Itisthejustproportionofclosurewithregardtothe
outsidethatbringsoutandintensifiesthewilloftheopenanditsunboundsyntheses.
Themoreintegraltheartistsregionalsubjectivity,themoreintensethelightofuniversal
synthesisthroughtheregionalenclosure,andthehigherordertherainbowthathighlightsthe
pathsofthatregiontotheopentherosetwistsforth.

Aglory

Arainbow