Authority and freedom : a defense of the arts / Jed Perl.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Perl, Jed, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Arts--Philosophy.

Arts.

Physical Description:

161 pages ; 20 cm

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

New York : Alfred A. Knopf, [2021]

Summary:

"From one of our most astute art critics, an impassioned and elegant book that questions the demand for art's political relevance or its need to deliver a message, and insists on its power to take us out of the everyday world, and its most important role: to excite, disturb, inspire or unsettle us. As more and more critics and enthusiasts insist that art needs to promote a particular idea or message, be it political or social, as a brand, a means of education or entertainment, Jed Perl wants to remind us that the purpose of art lies not in our ability to define it, to place it in a context, whether a cause, an issue or an ideology. Instead the true power of art lies in its ability to shake our need for definitions, relevance or categories. He reminds us of the inherently uncategorizable nature of the artistic imagination, that a work of art is not merely a statement beamed out into the world, but the result of a dialogue between the artist and the tools and tradition of the medium, and that the fascination of the arts lies in their ability to be both dispassionate and impassioned. Perl explores the practices that are the foundation for the two catalysts of imaginative achievement: authority and freedom. He discusses the sense of vocation that give artists their purpose and focus, and how the interplay between authority and freedom underpin the creative process"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Machine generated contents note: 1. The Value of Art

2. Planning and Making

3. The Idea of Vocation

4. Philosophical Speculations

5. Possibilities

6. A Place Apart.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references.

"This is a Borzoi book"--Colophon.

Other Format:

Online version: Perl, Jed. Authority and freedom

ISBN:

9780593320051

0593320050

OCLC:

1202730924

Publisher Number:

99989631070