Foucault's History of Madness

For French philosopher and historian Michel Foucault, the subject of madness was fertile ground for exploring issues of power, knowledge, and institutions. With the publication of Histoire de la folie à l’âge classique (History of Madness in the Classical Age) in 1961, Foucault began a career-long exploration of the ways in which psychiatric theories and practices were intertwined with power relations. He argued that the treatment of madness was focused not on alleviating mental suffering, but on policing a wide range of individuals deemed deviant, unproductive, or threatening to the social order.

Patrick Chambon’s 2024 graphic novel Michel Foucault, histoire de folie is a vivid and embodied representation of Foucault’s groundbreaking text. Known for his ability to transform complex theoretical material into compelling visual narratives, Chambon turns Foucault into a character in his own story, depicting the theorist’s confrontation with the cruelties, absurdities, and power dynamics embedded in society’s treatment of madness.

This exhibition presents a selection of Chambon’s original drawings for the graphic novel.

About the Artist

Patrick Chambon was born in Paris but spent his adolescence in southeastern France before returning to the capital; his education included two years at the Ecole des Arts Décoratifs in Monaco, followed by studies at the fine Arts schools in Toulouse and Lorient, and finally the Sorbonne in Paris. Alongside his painting, he creates graphic works based on various texts and has authored books on Oscar Wilde (Fabuleux, éditions Hazan), Jacques Lacan (Lacan la Scène, éd. Epel; Lacan Ô banquet de Platon, éditions Érès), and Jean-Marie Pontévia’s art history (De la Vierge à Vénus éd. Les Impressions Nouvelles). His most recent work is on Michel Foucault’s *Histoire de la folie* (éd.Les Impressions Nouvelles/préface Arlette Farge); the original plates for this project were exhibited at the University of California, Berkeley during 2026.

Learn more about the artist