Art as Abstract Machine

Book excerpt: The aim of this book is to understand what Deleuze and Guattari mean by art. Stephen Zepke argues that art, in their account, is an ontological term and an ontological practice that results in a new understanding of aesthetics. For Deleuze and Guattari understanding what art is means understanding how it works, what it does, how it becomes, and finally, how it lives. This book illuminates these philosophers' discussion of ontology from the viewpoint of art-and vice versa-in a thorough questioning of aesthetic criteria as they are normally understood.