Why Is That Art?

Contents ILLUSTRATIONS PREFACE INTRODUCTION

1. Artworlds and Definitions: How That Became Art Art Honorific Definitions of "Art" The Open Definition Classificatory Definitions Aesthetics Art Criticism Description, Interpretation, Judgment, and Theory 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 Questions for Further Reflection Notes

2. Realism: Art Is Realistic, Truthful, and Beautiful A Brief Overview of Realism Greek Theories of Realism in Art Plato Aristotle Issues Related to Realism Kitsch Pornography Obscenity and Censorship Photography, Reality, and Truth What Does It Mean to Say That a Work Is "Realistic"? Works of Art by Jeff Koons Critical Commentary on Koons's Work Koons's Thoughts about His Own Work Paintings by Alexis Rockman Critical Commentary on Rockman's Paintings Rockman's Thoughts about His Own Work Photographs by Andres Serrano Critical Commentary on Serrano's Photographs Serrano's Thoughts about His Own Work Conclusion Realism and Artists Realism and Artworks Realism and Audiences Questions for Further Reflection Notes

3. Expressionism and Cognitivism: Art Shows Feelings, Communicates Thoughts, and Provides Knowledge Expressionism and Cognitivism Expressionist and Cognitivist Theories of Art Leo Tolstoy Benedetto Croce R. G. Collingwood Suzanne Langer John Dewey Nelson Goodman Arthur Danto Metaphor Psychoanalytic Theory Marxist Aesthetics Joan Mitchell, Painter Critical Commentary on Mitchell's Paintings Mitchell's Thoughts about Her Own Work Mitchell and Expressionism Louise Bourgeois, Sculptor Critical Commentary on Bourgeois's Sculptures Bourgeois's Thoughts about Her Own Work Bourgeois and Expressionism Kiki Smith, Printmaker and Sculptor Critical Commentary on Smith's Work Smith's Thoughts about Her Own Work Smith and Cognitivism The Problem of Artistic Intent Limitations of Expressionism and Cognitivism Strengths of Expressionism and Cognitivism Conclusion Expressionism, Cognitivism, and Artists Expressionism, Cognitivism, and Artworks Expressionism, Cognitivism, and Audiences Questions for Further Reflection Notes

4. Formalism: Art Is Significant Form Precursors to Formalism Is Beauty Objective or Subjective? St. Thomas Aquinas David Hume Hume on Art Criticism Early Formalism: Aesthetic Attitude and Aesthetic Experience Disinterestedness Decontextualization Aestheticization The Sublime Immanuel Kant G. W. F. Hegel Twentieth-Century Formalism Early Modern Abstractionists: Kandinsky, Mondrian, and Malevich Clive Bell Clement Greenberg Structuralism Ferdinand de Saussure Roland Barthes Structuralism and Formalism Agnes Martin: 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 Martin, Shapiro, Goldsworthy, and Formalism Strengths and Weaknesses of Formalism Conclusion Formalism and Artists Formalism and Artworks Formalism and Audiences Questions for Further Reflection Notes

5. 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, and Neo-Marxism Poststructuralism Jacques Lacan Michel Foucault Julia Kristeva Jacques Derrida Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari Richard Rorty Slavoj %Zi%zek Feminism Postmodernism Jean-François Lyotard Jean Baudrillard Fredric Jameson 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 Paul McCarthy: 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 Postmodern Pluralism Approaches to Postmodern Artmaking Escaping the Confines of Museums Collapsing Boundaries Between "High" and "Low" Rejecting "Originality" Jouissance Working Collaboratively Appropriating Simulating Hybridizing Mixing Media Layering Mixing Codes Recontextualizing Confronting the Gaze Facing the Abject Constructing Identities Using Narratives Creating Metaphors Using Irony, Parody, and Dissonance Conclusion Postmodern Pluralism and Artists Postmodern Pluralism and Artworks Postmodern Pluralism and Audiences Questions for Further Reflection Notes

6. Conclusion Why Is Hanging Garden Art? Art by Definitions Hanging Garden and Realism Hanging Garden and Cognitive Expressionism Hanging Garden and Formalism Considerations Hanging Garden and Postmodern Pluralism Why Is Jellyfish Eyes Art? Jellyfish Eyes and Realism Jellyfish Eyes and Cognitive Expressionism Jellyfish Eyes and Formalism Jellyfish Eyes and Postmodern Pluralism Why Is Do We Dream Under the Same Sky Art? Do We Dream Under the Same Sky and Realism Do We Dream Under the Same Sky and Cognitive Expressionism Do We Dream Under the Same Sky and Formalism Do We Dream Under the Same Sky and Postmodern Pluralism Purposes of Art Selecting Criteria A Single Criterion or Multiple Criteria for All Works of Art Questions for Further Reflection Notes

GLOSSARY BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX