Why Is That Art? Aesthetics and Criticism of Contemporary Art

by Barrett, Terry

• ISBN13: 9780195167429
• ISBN10: 0195167422
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-02-16
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

Why Is That Art? addresses common questions that viewers raise about contemporary art: Why is that art? Why is it in an art museum? Who says it's art? If I did this, would it be art? Why is it good? Covering a broad, diverse, and engaging sampling of works--abstract and representational painting, monumental sculpture, performance art, video installations, films, and photographs--author Terry Barrett responds to these questions using three sources: the artists who created the works, philosophers of art, and art critics. Introducing students to a variety of established theories of art, he presents the traditional sets of criteria of Realism, Expressionism, and Formalism, which are in turn updated by recent sources of Poststructuralism. Barrett applies each of these theories to challenging works of contemporary art, pointing out the strengths and weaknesses of each mode of interpretation. He encourages students to consider many criteria when evaluating an artwork, to critically examine judgments made by others, and to make informed judgments of their own. Ideal for courses in aesthetics, art theory, art criticism, and the philosophy of art, Why Is That Art? is organized chronologically according to the history of aesthetics. It features sixty-seven illustrations (twenty-six in a full-color insert), discusses a wide range of American and European artists, and includes an exceptional overview of postmodern pluralism. This unique book will provide students with a newfound appreciation for contemporary art, scholarship, and reasoned argumentation, giving them the confidence to join the fascinating discourse on contemporary art.

Table of Contents

Illustrations

Preface

Introduction

Artworlds and Definitions: How That Became Art

Art Honorific Definitions of "Art": The Open Definition: Classificatory Definitions: Aesthetics

Art Criticism

Interpretation and Judgment

Critics on Criticizing

Criticizing Criticism

Criticism and Aesthetics

Skepticism about Art, Aesthetics, and Criticism

Aesthetics, Art Criticism, and Visual Culture

Aestheticians, Artists, Critics, and Readers

Realism

Art Is Realistic, True, and Beautiful

A Brief Overview of Realism Plato

Works of Art

Critical Commentary on Koons's Work

Koons's Thoughts about His Own Work: Kitsch: Aristotle

Paintings

Critical Commentary on Rockman's Paintings

Rockman's Thoughts about His Own Work

Photographs by Andres Serrano

Critical Commentary on Serrano's Photographs

Pornography Obscenity and Censorship

Photography, Reality, and Truth

What Does It Mean to Say That a Work Is "Realistic"?

Conclusion

Realism and Artists

Realism and Artworks

Realism and Audiences

Expressionism and Cognitivism: Art Shows Feelings, Communicates Thoughts, and Provides Knowledge

Expressionism and Cognitivism Expressionist and Cognitivist

Theories of Art

Metaphor

Psychoanalytic Theory

Marxist Aesthetics

Critical Commentary on Mitchell's

Thoughts about Her Own Work: Mitchell and Expressionism: Louise Bourgeois, Sculptor Critical Commentary on Bourgeois's

Thoughts about Her Own Work: Bourgeois and Expressionism

Printmaker and Sculptor

Critical Commentary on Smith's Work

Thoughts about Her Own Art: Smith and Cognitivism: Expressionism and Artistic Intent

Limitations of Expressionism and Cognitivism Strengths and Weaknesses of Expressionism and Cognitivism

Conclusion

Expressionism, Cognitivism, and Artists: Expressionism, Cognitivism, and Artworks: Expressionism, Cognitivism, and Audiences

Formalism: Art Is Significant Form

Precursors to FormalismIs Beauty Objective or Subjective?: Early Formalism

Aesthetic Attitude and Aesthetic

Experience: The Sublime

Twentieth-Century Formalism

Early Modern Abstractionists

Malevich

Clement Greenberg

Paintings and Drawings

Critical Commentary on Martin's Work: Martin's

Thoughts about Her Own Work: Joel Shapiro: Sculptures Critical Commentary on Shapiro's Work: Shapiro's

Thoughts about His Own Work: Andy Goldsworthy: Environmental Sculptures Critical Commentary on Goldsworthy's Work: Goldsworthy's

Thoughts about His Own Work:

Formalism Strengths and Weaknesses of Formalism Conclusion

Formalism and Artists

Formalism and Artworks

Formalism and Audiences

Postmodern Pluralism

Art Destabilizes the Good, the True, the Beautiful, and the Self Precursors to Poststructuralism and Postmodernism

Friedrich Nietzsche: Critical Theory, the Frankfurt School, Neo-Marxism: Structuralism

Ferdinand de Saussure: Roland Barthes: Structuralism and Formalism: Poststructuralism

Feminism

Postmodernism

Postcolonialism

Cindy Sherman: Photographs

Critical Commentary on Sherman's Photographs

Sherman's Thoughts about Her Own Work

Cindy Sherman and Postmodern Pluralism

Lorna Simpson: Photographs with Words

Critical Commentary on Simpson's Work: Simpson's Thoughts about Her Own Work: Lorna Simpson and Postmodern Pluralism:

Performances, Videos, and Sculptures

Critical Commentary on McCarthy's Work: McCarthy's Thoughts about His Own Work: McCarthy and Postmodern Pluralism

Strengths and Weaknesses of Postmodernist Pluralism

Conclusion

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