A rallying call for all those who have been disquieted or disgusted by the excesses of artistic modernism. This is a collection of ten provocative essays on the arts; by writers of varied orientations who share a skepticism about the exaggerated role of modernism and the successive avant-gardes in shaping what is accepted as valid contemporary art. The essays cover painting and other visual arts; literature; music; and general observations about all the arts. It is not an exercise in hand-wringing about the current state of the arts; but looks for different directions in which the arts may now fruitfully evolve. Despite the diverse philosophies of the contributors; these essays together constitute a formidable case against the unhealthy impact of avant-gardism on our lives and aesthetic culture. The essays include the following; among others: a study of anti-modernist painter Odd Nerdrum; who sees modernist art as totalitarian; a critique of the avant-gardist neglect of mimesis as a key to art; an evaluation of “the end of artrdquo;; a critique of modern art in light of “the aesthetic harm principlerdquo;; an examination of Poppers objections to progressivism in music; the presentation of a new paradigm for literature.
#1683276 in eBooks 2015-10-01 2015-10-01File Name: B017W663NM
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