Philippe Beck

Professor of Poetry at The European Graduate School / EGS.

Philippe Beck (b. 1963) is a contemporary French poet, writer, and philosopher. He is Professor of Poetry at The European Graduate School / EGS and Senior Lecturer of Philosophy at l’Université de Nantes. Interested in the nature of the poetic experience, for Beck, the poetic today lies not only between scientific experience and common sense experience but allows for their communicability. His work traverses poetry, poétologie, prose, and philosophy, as evidenced in his intellectual biography Beck l’impersonage, from 2006, and his latest work, Contre un Boileau, un art poétique, published this year. He has published sixteen books of poetry and was awarded the Grand Prix de Poésie (Grand Poetry Prize) from the French Academy in 2015 in recognition of his poetic oeuvre.

Beck began his advanced studies in literature and philosophy at L’École normale supérieure de Saint-Cloud in 1985. He went on to complete his doctoral studies at L’École des hautes études en sciences sociales under the supervision of Jacques Derrida, receiving his doctorate degree with honors in 1994 with his dissertation entitled Histoire et imagination (History and Imagination).

Beck’s poetry is highly influenced by his philosophical education. Following Derrida’s particular way of writing, many of Beck’s poetic works are conceived as comments on other texts. Often “metatextual” and “intertextual,” Beck’s poetry functions as a kind of palimpsest. They are, as well, often self-reflexive, as in the case of Garde-manche hypocrite (Hypocritical Oversleeve), his first book of poetry published in 1996, and Garde-manche deux (Oversleeve Two), a revised version of the former published in 2003. In Chants populaires (Folk Songs), from 2007, Beck reinvents seventy-two fairytales originally written by the Brothers Grimm. However, he does not simply paraphrase or retell these stories, but rather, in poetic form, offers interpretations and commentaries with the aid of psychoanalysis, sociology, and philosophy.

Throughout his career, Philippe Beck has collaborated with contemporary musicians and composers. Together with the composer Gerard Pessson, he wrote an opera libretto entitled, Pastorale (2006), and many of Beck’s works (including Folk Songs) have been musically adapted by Pesson. The poet’s Lyre Dure (2009) served as a basis for Philippe Mion’s Oeuvre acousmatique (Acousmatic Work), which premiered in 2009. The composer Maxime McKinley adapted Beck’s book, Dans de la nature (In Nature) originally published in 2003. The musical adaptation premiered in 2013 by the Montreal Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Kent Nagano.

Philippe Beck is a founder and editor of Alter, a journal of phenomenology, and of the poetry journal Quaderno. He has, as well, written numerous academic essays for various journals, and translated the work of Walter Benjamin, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, F. W. von Schelling, and Karl Philipp Moritz. He has received international recognition both as a poet and philosopher, and he has read and lectured at numerous poetry festivals in Berlin, Amsterdam, Rome, Montreal, Shanghai, Beijing, and Istanbul. Much of Beck’s poetic work has been translated into English, German, Chinese, Korean, Dutch, and Flemish.

Among the many honours he has received are: the Bourse exceptionnelle de creation, granted by the National Book Centre in 2003; Writer in Residence at the Château de Blandy-les-Tours, granted by the regional council d’Île-de-France in 2008; and Mission Stendhal Laureate in China, granted by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2009. Phillipe Beck became the President of the Commission of Poetry at the National Book Centre, Paris in 2012, and in 2013, an international conference about his work was held at Le centre culturel de Cerisy.

Works

Books

Contre un Boileau : Un art poétique, Beck, Philippe. Contre un Boileau : Un art poétique. Kindle Edition. Fayard, 2015. ASIN: B00S9J7FNY

Opéradiques, Beck, Philippe. Opéradiques. Flammarion, 2014. ISBN: 2081303566

Boustrophes, Beck, Philippe. Boustrophe. Texts & Crafts, 2011. ISBN: 2953642900

Populäre Gesänge / Popular Songs, Beck, Philippe. Populäre Gesänge / Popular Songs. Translated by Tim Trzaskalik. Matthes & Seitz, 2011. ISBN: 3882216093

Poésies premières: 1997-2000, Beck, Philippe. Poésies premières : 1997-2000. Flammarion, 2011. ISBN: 2081250535

Lyre Dure, Beck, Philippe. Lyre Dure. Nous, 2009. ISBN: 2913549365

De la Loire, Beck, Philippe. De la Loire. Argol, 2008. ISBN: 2915978301

Un Journal, Beck, Philippe. Un Journal. Flammarion, 2008. ISBN: 2081211602

Chants Populaires, Beck, Philippe. Chants populaires. Flammarion, 2007. ISBN: 2081200864

Beck, l’Impersonnage: Rencontre avec Gérard Tessier, Beck, Philippe. Beck, l’Impersonnage: Rencontre avec Gérard Tessier. Argol, 2006. ISBN: 2915978050

Déductions, Beck, Philippe. Déductions. Al Dante, 2005. ISBN: 2847610804

Élégies Hé, Beck, Philippe. Élégies Hé. Théâtre typographique, 2005. ISBN: 2909657302

Garde-manche Deux, Beck, Philippe. Garde-manche Deux. Textuel, 2004. ISBN: 2845970706

Dans de la Nature, Beck, Philippe. Dans de la nature. Flammarion, 2003. ISBN: 208068437X

Aux Recensions, Beck, Philippe. Aux recensions. Flammarion, 2002. ISBN: 2080682741

Poésies Didactiques, Beck, Philippe. Poésies didactiques. Théâtre typographique, 2001. ISBN: 2909657191

Inciseiv, Beck, Philippe. In:ciseiv. MeMo, 2000. ISBN: 291039264

Dernière Mode Familiale, Beck, Philippe. Dernière mode familiale. Flammarion, 2000. ISBN: 2080679333

Le Fermé de l’Epoque, Beck, Philippe. Le Fermé de l’Epoque. Al Dante, 1999. ISBN: 2911073541

Contre un Boileau (esquisse), Beck, Philippe. Contre un Boileau. Horlieu, 1999. ISBN: 2213643733

Rude Merveilleux, Beck, Philippe. Rude Merveilleux. Al Dante, 1998. ISBN: 2911073223

Verre de l’Epoque Sur-Eddy, Beck, Philippe. Verre de l’Epoque Sur-Eddy. Al Dante, 1998. ISBN: 2911073231

Chambre à Roman Fusible, Beck, Philippe. Chambre à Roman Fusible. Al Dante, 1997. ISBN: 291107310X

Chapters

On se garde de toucher

Beck, Philippe. “On se garde de toucher.” In Le Fermé de l’époque. Al Dante/Romain:ville, 2000.

Articles

D’un espace espéré ou : la danse pré-pensive de Keith Waldrop

Beck, Philippe. “D’un espace espéré ou : la danse pré-pensive de Keith Waldrop.” Agenda de la pensée contemporaine 13 (2009).

Dimensions ou : Optique, geste et comportement

Beck, Philippe. “Dimensions ou : Optique, geste et comportement.” La vue et la voix(2009).

La relation des jours

Beck, Philippe. “La relation des jours.” Agenda de la pensée contemporaine 12 (2008-2009).

Modalisations

Beck, Philippe. “Modalisations.” Cahier Philippe Lacoue-Labarthe 19-20 (2008).

La trompette modeste

Beck, Philippe. “La trompette modeste.” Agenda de la pensée contemporaine 10 (2008).

Entretien

Beck, Philippe, and Emmanuel Laugier. “Entretien.” Le Matricule des anges 81 (2007).

Si le corps est le lieu des pensées…

Beck, Philippe. “Si le corps est le lieu des pensées…” Écrire, pourquoi? (2005).

La vie pensée

Beck, Philippe. “La vie pensée.” (2004).

Entretien: David Christoffel

Beck, Philippe. “Entretien: David Christoffel.” (2003).

Sexicité

Beck, Philippe. “Sexicité.” (2003).

Méduse automatique stoppée

Beck, Philippe. “Méduse automatique stoppée.” Fin 13 (2002).

Où va le vers

Beck, Philippe. “Où va le vers.” Magazine littéraire 396 (2001).

Quaderno : une idée de la poésie

Beck, Philippe. “Quaderno : une idée de la poésie.” Art Press 262 (2000).

L’époque de la poésie

Beck, Philippe. “L’époque de la poésie.” Littérature 120 (2000).

Πάντοτε παίρνουμε τα μέτρα μας

Beck, Philippe. “Πάντοτε παίρνουμε τα μέτρα μας.”

Si evita di toccare

Beck, Philippe. “Si evita di toccare.”

We mijden te raken

Beck, Philippe. “We mijden te raken.”

Poème liminaire (Un volume)

Beck, Philippe. “Poème liminaire (Un volume).” Inciseiv (2000).

[Einsgesamt]

Beck, Philippe. “[Einsgesamt].”

Entretien (à propos de Garde-manche hypocrite)

Beck, Philippe. “Entretien (à propos de Garde-manche hypocrite).” Biennale internationale des poètes en Val-de-Marne 19 (1997).

D’un fumier sans pourquoi (Thèses concernant la poésie)

Beck, Philippe. “D’un fumier sans pourquoi (Thèses concernant la poésie).” Lettres sur tous les sujets 13 (1997).

Les turdidés, ou l’affaire du toucher à distance (à propos de Dominique Fourcade)

Beck, Philippe. “Les turdidés, ou l’affaire du toucher à distance (à propos de Dominique Fourcade).” Lettres sur tous les sujets 13 (1997).

Les espèces confuses, désassorties

Beck, Philippe. “Les espèces confuses, désassorties.” Paroles à la bouche du présent : le négationnisme, histoire ou politique? (1997).

La vie saturée

Beck, Philippe. “La vie saturée.” Analecta Husserliana L (1997).

Quelques remarques sur la prose apophantique en régime in:choatif

Beck, Philippe. “Quelques remarques sur la prose apophantique en régime in:choatif.” Le poète que je cherche à être. Cahier Michel Deguy (1996).

Quelques remarques à propos d’une époque dans l’espace

Beck, Philippe. “Quelques remarques à propos d’une époque dans l’espace.” Alter 4 (1996).

La bête, question de projection animale

Beck, Philippe. “La bête, question de projection animale.” Alter 3 (1995).

Le Quasi-sermon

Beck, Philippe. “Le Quasi-sermon.” Critique 571 (1994).

Miníima Lyrica ou Lyrismes du rude boeuf

Beck, Philippe. “Miníima Lyrica ou Lyrismes du rude boeuf,” Recueil 30 (1994).

Mort et naïveté (Régime transcendantal et régime sentimental)

Beck, Philippe. “Mort et naïveté (Régime transcendantal et régime sentimental).” Alter 1/2 (1994).

Le Dit d’hypocrisie ensommeillé

Beck, Philippe. “Le Dit d’hypocrisie ensommeillé.” Po&sie 66 (1993).

Lectures

Philippe Beck

Philippe Beck. Poetry, between Hegel and Schiller

24.03.2016
Philippe Beck

Poetry as Science Fiction

02.11.2015
Judith Balso, Philippe Beck

The Concepts of Poetry and Reading 9/9

07.10.2009
Philippe Beck, Judith Balso

The Concepts of Poetry and Reading 8/9

07.10.2009
Philippe Beck, Judith Balso

The Concepts of Poetry and Reading 7/9

07.10.2009
Judith Balso, Philippe Beck

The Concepts of Poetry and Reading 6/9

07.10.2009
Judith Balso, Philippe Beck

The Concepts of Poetry and Reading 5/9

07.10.2009
Judith Balso, Philippe Beck

The Concepts of Poetry and Reading 4/9

07.10.2009
Judith Balso, Philippe Beck

The Concepts of Poetry and Reading 3/9

07.10.2009
Philippe Beck, Judith Balso

The Concepts of Poetry and Reading 2/9

07.10.2009
Philippe Beck, Judith Balso

The Concepts of Poetry and Reading 1/9

07.10.2009