Dr Derek Allan
Areas of expertise
- Aesthetics 220301
- Art Theory 190103
- Literature In French 200511
- Literary Theory 200525
Research interests
Literature, visual art and the general theory of art. Special interest in French literature.
Biography
Derek Allan has published on aspects of André Malraux's works, the theory of art and literature, and other major figures such as Laclos, Dostoevsky and Goya. He holds a Ph D in Philosophy, a Masters in French Language and Literature, and is a Visiting Fellow in the School of Literature, Languages, and Linguistics at the ANU.
Publications include four books:
André Malraux et l'art: Une révolution intellectuelle. (Peter Lang, 2021. ISBN 978-1-4331-7806-1 (hardback)). A version in English is also now available: André Malraux and Art: An Intellectual Revolution, Peter Lang, 2021.
Art and Time (Cambridge Scholars:February 2013). Comments in the Australasian Journal of Philosophy:
"Derek Allan’s accomplished and insightful book tackles a philosophical problem that has been neglected in contemporary aesthetics: the relationship between art and time… One admirable feature of Allan’s book is that it is well versed in art history and the history of aesthetics… Art and Time is a well-researched, elegantly written, and lucidly argued book. It explores a problem that has been neglected within contemporary aesthetics, offering a suggestive theoretical response to the problem of art’s relationship to time... A welcome contribution to broadening the often parochial, ahistorical character of contemporary aesthetic debates."
Art and the Human Adventure: André Malraux's Theory of Art (Rodopi: 2009). Comments in Revue/Malraux/Review:
- 'Cogently argued, elegantly written and painstakingly researched...'.
- 'a brillant example of what could be described as critique engagée'.
- 'The author's main objective is to retrieve Malraux's philosophy from generations of critics and academics who ... are often content to substitute invective for reasoned debate'.
- 'should spark a radical reassessment of Malraux’s stature as a theorist of art'.
- An 'outstanding book'.
The Burlington Magazine (June 2011): "A commendable analysis of Malraux's texts ... a thorough and illuminating exposition of the thought of this unjustly neglected figure".
Researcher's projects
Three books and one article yet to be included in the list below:
- A book in French entitled André Malraux et l’art: Une révolution intellectuelle. (Peter Lang 2021). An English-language version was also published in late 2021.
- “Une création sans précédent: Les Liaisons dangereuses à travers les yeux d’André Malraux” in La Revue des lettres modernes, Dialogues littéraires et philosophiques, Classiques Garnier, 2020.
For a list of my publications and conferences papers, with a number of links, see the publications page of my website.
In preparation:
An article on Malraux entitled Une Transgression Nécessaire: Malraux, l’Art et l’Histoire in La Revue des lettres modernes, Classiques Garnier.
A seminar paper entitled: Malraux and the Death of Aesthetics to be presented at ANU on 28th July 2022.
Publications
- Allan, D 2020, 'Beauty, Art and the Western Tradition', in Matthew Del Nevo, Robert Andrews & Rohan Curnow (ed.), Beauty and Christian Tradition, St Pauls Publications, NSW, Australia, pp. 1-21.
- Allan, D 2020, Has Andre Malraux's imaginary museum come into its own?
- Allan, D 2018, 'Malraux, l'art et le temps: Un defi a l'esthetique traditionnelle (Malraux, art and time: A challenge to traditional aesthetics)', Revue des Lettres Modernes, vol. 14, pp. 99-111.
- Allan, D 2017, 'Review: Jean-Claude Larrat, Sans oublier Malraux. Classiques Garnier, 2016. 419 pp. Bibliography and indexes', H-France Review, vol. 17, no. 25, pp. 3pp.
- Allan, D 2017, 'L'Art, le temps et la metamorphose: Un aspect revolutionnaire de la theorie de l'art d'Andre Malraux [Art, Time and Metamorphosis: A Revolutionary Aspect of Andre Malraux's Theory of Art]', Frankofoni, no. 30, pp. 135-146pp.
- Allan, D 2016, 'Vanquishing Temporal Distance: Malraux, Art and Metamorphosis', Australian Journal of French Studies, vol. 53, no. 1-2, pp. 136-148pp.
- Allan, D 2016, 'The Death of Beauty: Goya's Etchings and Black Paintings through the Eyes of Andre Malraux', History of European Ideas, vol. 42, no. 7, pp. 965-980pp.
- Allan, D 2016, 'The Power of an Idea: Raskolnikov in Crime and Punishment', Literary Imagination, vol. 18, no. 2, pp. 133-148.
- Allan, D 2014, 'A logical redeemer: Kirillov in Dostoievskii's Demons', Journal of European Studies, vol. 44, no. 2, pp. 97-111.
- Allan, D 2014, 'André Malraux', in Michael Kelly (ed.), Encyclopedia of Aesthetics, Oxford University Press, Oxford United Kingdom, pp. 239-243.
- Allan, D 2103. 'Art and Time'. Cambridge Scholars. Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
- Allan, D 2012, 'Les Liaisons dangereuses through the eyes of André Malraux', Journal of European Studies, vol. 42, no. 2, pp. 123-139.
- Allan, D 2010, 'Art as a Rival World: An Aspect of André Malraux's Theory of Art', in Jan Lloyd Jones and Julian Lamb (ed.), Art & Authenticity, Australian Scholarly Publishing Pty Ltd, Melbourne, Australia, pp. 44-52.
- Allan, D 2010, 'The Creative Process: An Aspect of André Malraux's Theory of Art', Revue Malraux Review, vol. 37, pp. 66-84.
- Allan, D 2009, 'Ni Histoire de l'Art, Ni Esthetique Les Ecrits sur l'Art d'André Malraux', in Jean-Claude Larrat (ed.), André Malraux 13: Malraux et la question des genres littéraires, lettres modernes minard, Caen, France, pp. 137-151.
- Allan, D 2009, '"Reckless Inaccuracies Abounding": André Malraux and the Birth of a Myth', Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism, vol. 67, no. 2, pp. 147-158.
- Allan, D 2009, 'An intellectual revolution: André Malraux and the temporal nature of art', Journal of European Studies, vol. 39, no. 2, pp. 198-224.
- Allan, D 2009, Art and the Human Adventure: André Malraux's Theory of Art, Editions Rodopi B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- Allan, D 2008, 'An intellectual revolution: Malraux's account of the Temporal Nature of Art', Revue Andre Malraux Review, vol. 35.
- Allan, D 2007, 'Art, Time and Metamorphosis', in Jan Lloyd Jones, Paul Campbell and Peter Wylie (ed.), Art and Time, Australian Scholarly Publishing Pty Ltd, North Melbourne, VIC, pp. 1-12.
- Allan, D 2006, 'André Malraux, Art and Time: The Renaissance in a New Perspective', in Jan Lloyd Jones & Graham Cullum (ed.), Renaissance Perspectives, Australian Scholarly Publishing Pty Ltd, Melbourne, Australia, pp. 265-278.
- Allan, D 2005, 'André Malraux and the modern, transcultural concept of art', Literature and Aesthetics, vol. 15, no. 1, pp. 79-98.
- Allan, D 2003, 'André Malraux and the challenge to aesthetics', Journal of European Studies, vol. 33, no. Part 1 No 128, pp. 23-40.
- Allan, D 2003, 'Art as Anti-Destiny: Foundations of André Malraux's Theory of Art', Literature and Aesthetics, vol. 13, no. 2, pp. 7-16.
- Allan, D. 2001, 'Literature and Reality', Journal of European Studies, Vol. 31, Part 2, No 122. pp. 143- 56
- Allan, D 1995, 'An Inhuman Transcendence: Perken, in Malraux's La Voie royale,' Journal of European Studies, Vol. 25, pp.109-121.
- Allan, D 1990 'Finding the Battle: History and the Individual in Les Conquérants and La Condition humaine', Australian Journal of French Studies, Vol. XXVII, Number 2, pp.173-181.
- Allan, D 1982, 'The Psychology of a Terrorist: Tchen in La Condition humaine' Nottingham French Studies, Vol. 21, No. 1, pp. 48-66.
- Allan,D 1981, 'André Malraux: The Commitment to Action in La Condition humaine', French Forum, Vol. 6, No 1.,pp.61-73. (Reprinted in Harold Bloom ed. 'André Malraux's Man's Fate'. New York, Chelsea House: 1988)
