Machinic Assemblages of Desire

The book Machinic Assemblages of Desire, edited by Paulo de Assis and Paolo Giudici, explores the intersection of artistic research and the philosophical concepts of Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari. This volume specifically focuses on the logic of the assemblage, examining how creative practices in music, visual arts, and performance interact with complex systems of organization and desire. In the featured essay, Ian Buchanan clarifies that a territory is not merely a physical space but a subjective arrangement of signs used to establish order against the encroaching forces of chaos. This defensive process of territorialization allows individuals to navigate "black holes," which represent the destructive risks of social or mental collapse. Ultimately, the text argues that human existence is a continuous effort to build and refine these expressive structures to maintain a liveable reality.