Who's Afraid of Conceptual Art?

Peter Goldie, Elisabeth Schellekens

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2009
• ISBN:
  9781135234867
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Art
• Subtopic: Art General

What is conceptual art? Is it really a kind of art in its own right? Is it clever – or too clever?

Of all the different art forms it is perhaps conceptual art which at once fascinates and infuriates the most. In this much-needed book Peter Goldie and Elisabeth Schellekens demystify conceptual art using the sharp tools of philosophy. They explain how conceptual art is driven by ideas rather than the manipulation of paint and physical materials; how it challenges the very basis of what we can know about art, as well as our received ideas of beauty; and why conceptual art requires us to rethink concepts fundamental to art and aesthetics, such as artistic interpretation and appreciation.

Including helpful illustrations of the work of celebrated conceptual artists from Marcel Duchamp, Joseph Kosuth and Piero Manzoni to Dan Perjovschi and Martin Creed, Who's Afraid of Conceptual Art? is a superb starting point for anyone intrigued but perplexed by conceptual art - and by art in general. It will be particularly helpful to students of philosophy, art and visual studies seeking an introduction not only to conceptual art but fundamental topics in art and aesthetics.

Index

accessibility 120, 123

Acconci, Vito;

Adaptation Studies 77–8;

Following Piece 1, 3, 22–3, 25, 75–6, 76–7, 89, 92, 100, 122, 125, 127

adaptation 131–2

aesthetic experience 24–5, 82–3, 86–7, 104, 106–7;

aesthetic traditionalism 93–4, 95, 96–7, 99

aesthetic idealism 80, 88, 99–106

aesthetic judgements 134–5

aesthetic pleasure 86, 97

aesthetic properties 83–6, 90–1, 96–8;

possessed by ideas 100–6;

questioning the success of conceptual art in rejecting the aesthetic 99–100

aesthetic traditionalism 80, 88, 93–9

aesthetic value 87, 98, 123–4;

and cognitive value 104–6, 129–30

aesthetics 49, 80–107, 139;

anti-aesthetic and anti-medium 73–5;

meaning of conceptual art being ‘anti-aesthetic’ 81–2;

perceptual requirement 70–2;

questioning the success of conceptual art's rejection of the aesthetic 99–100;

rejection of the aesthetic 24–6, 48–9, 90–1, 108–11, 136–7;

three approaches 80, 87–106;

traditional notion of 82–7

Alcmene's problem 141–2

Ancien Régime 2–3

appearances, perceptual 74, 81

appreciation 23, 57, 62–79;

accessibility and 120, 123;

anti-aesthetic and anti-medium 73–5;

dematerialisation 75–8;

epistemological problem 68–9;

medium and means 69–70;

object model 63–5;

perceptual requ...

Table of contents

• Front Cover
• Who’s Afraid of Conceptual Art?
• Title page
• Copyright
• Contents
• List of illustrations
• Preface
• One The Challenge of Conceptual Art
• Two The Definition and the Thing
• Three Appreciating Conceptual Art
• Four Aesthetics and Beyond
• Five What's Left Once Aesthetic
• Notes
• Index