Fisher is often remembered for his struggle with depression, culminating in suicide. It is an inescapable fact, but a reductive one. As Mattie Colquhoun told me, his figure recalls that of Walter Benjamin: “an indispensable critic of our world who has nonetheless come to represent one of its great tragedies”. Simon Reynolds confirms that “Mark had a capacity to see things clearly, which inevitably means recognizing the darkness at work in the world, all the soul-destroying forces. Seeing things clearly can bring anyone to despair.” But — and here lies the vital tension that still makes his thought resonate — “On the other hand, Mark was capable of great enthusiasm about things — usually happening in popular culture or its fringes…”
I was recently interviewed by Luca Avigo, along with a few other familiar faces, for an article about Mark Fisher and the new film, We Are Making a Film About Mark Fisher. You can read it here.