I didn't think I'd make past the first couple paragraphs, but I'm glad I did. I think what is profoundly lacking in modern art criticism (including art history from our modernist perspective) is the possibility of engaging with the spiritual. Given that the bulk of art created over the last 5,000 years is in some way related to mythology, religion or the Unknowable, this would be like evaluating mathematics but disputing the existence of zero.
Thanks for the helpful overview! Lots to think over.
On my first attempt I tapped out at page 16. I'm glad I stuck with it, though. I have new ways of thinking about abstract form that wouldn't have occurred to me otherwise. I completely agree on the neglect of the spiritual, which is anomaly of our time. Thanks for reading along.
A worthwhile article on a fascinating topic up until it goes surprisingly off the rails in an unrelated political rant. While your inclusion of Bari Weiss' observation pointing toward a growing trend of irrationalism in society writ large could probably provide a valuable place from which to engage in some important social analysis, your inclusion of partisan campaign bickering seems very much out of place. Especially your implied position that one has to be a Democrat to observe the Republican candidates' penchant for 'alternative facts.' I'm all for discussing the limitations of contemporary political debate and policy but inexplicably dropping reference soundbites from the presidential campaigns with only Bari Weiss' astute observations as a segue seems to compromise the nuanced thought that we were engaging in prior to your penultimate paragraph.
Well, I'm glad you liked it up to there. My point, which evidently I didn't make, was that both parties are now post-rational. That's old news regarding the Republicans and I didn't think needed to be developed further, but the turn of the Democrats into Baudrillardian hyperreality and straight-up vibes is a new and significant development. To make it still clearer, I do not care for either Trumpism or Kamalism and think that the consequences of postrationalism are going to be dire.
The evocation of "joy" by such a woman is both cynical and desperate, and it insults one's intelligence--though I realize it may not insult her intelligence, given that she has so little of it.
I didn't think I'd make past the first couple paragraphs, but I'm glad I did. I think what is profoundly lacking in modern art criticism (including art history from our modernist perspective) is the possibility of engaging with the spiritual. Given that the bulk of art created over the last 5,000 years is in some way related to mythology, religion or the Unknowable, this would be like evaluating mathematics but disputing the existence of zero.
Thanks for the helpful overview! Lots to think over.
On my first attempt I tapped out at page 16. I'm glad I stuck with it, though. I have new ways of thinking about abstract form that wouldn't have occurred to me otherwise. I completely agree on the neglect of the spiritual, which is anomaly of our time. Thanks for reading along.
A worthwhile article on a fascinating topic up until it goes surprisingly off the rails in an unrelated political rant. While your inclusion of Bari Weiss' observation pointing toward a growing trend of irrationalism in society writ large could probably provide a valuable place from which to engage in some important social analysis, your inclusion of partisan campaign bickering seems very much out of place. Especially your implied position that one has to be a Democrat to observe the Republican candidates' penchant for 'alternative facts.' I'm all for discussing the limitations of contemporary political debate and policy but inexplicably dropping reference soundbites from the presidential campaigns with only Bari Weiss' astute observations as a segue seems to compromise the nuanced thought that we were engaging in prior to your penultimate paragraph.
In fact those criticisms are sufficiently trenchant that I've done a light edit on the passage in question.
Well, I'm glad you liked it up to there. My point, which evidently I didn't make, was that both parties are now post-rational. That's old news regarding the Republicans and I didn't think needed to be developed further, but the turn of the Democrats into Baudrillardian hyperreality and straight-up vibes is a new and significant development. To make it still clearer, I do not care for either Trumpism or Kamalism and think that the consequences of postrationalism are going to be dire.
The evocation of "joy" by such a woman is both cynical and desperate, and it insults one's intelligence--though I realize it may not insult her intelligence, given that she has so little of it.