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From History to Archaeology


1.Michelangelo Pistoletto
Division and Multiplication of the Mirror, 1988.

Partial Objects shifts from linear history to an archaeology of Will. Michel Foucault’s method of archaeology complements Schopenhauer’s insights: history becomes effective when it introduces discontinuity, ruptures, and layers rather than smooth narratives (Foucault, 1989).

“History becomes ‘effective’ to the degree that it introduces discontinuity into our very being” (Foucault, 1989, p. 74).
By archiving fragments, Partial Objects traces the movements of Will rather than merely cataloging events. These fragments ripple across time, generating connections and intensities that traditional historiography cannot capture. The archive, then, is a space for experiencing the universal through particular traces — not through coherent storylines.





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