Aesthetics

What is art, aesthetics and art-criticism? How do aesthetic phenomena relate to our modern sensibilities, and the life within a modern culture? In what sense do film, literature, painting, installations or even commercials form and reflect our self-understanding? In what sense is the experience of art meaningful? The lecture-series will offer a presentation and discussion of how aesthetic sensibility provides meaning, and of how different theoretical approaches contribute to our interpretation of aesthetic phenomena, in particular as found in phenomenology, existentialism, hermeneutics and critical theory. Simultaneously, we shall be concerned with concrete works of art and aesthetic practices, and explore the intimate relations between art, subjectivity and society. The lectures will be of interests to both students of the practical arts, as well as student concerned with interpretative issues within the modern field of aesthetics.

According to the course curriculum, a candidate who passes this course is expected to have the following learning outcome (defined as knowledge and skills):

Knowledge

• familiarity with central modernist and post-modernist aesthetic theories
• familiarity with central problems and aspects within the modern and contemporary field of art and aesthetics

Skills

• ability to discuss and critically reflect over central modernist and post-modernist theory and art-criticism
• ability to critically relate modern aesthetic phenomena to a contemporary modern culture and society

Lectures, groups and self-study. In order to sit the exam, students must submit and get approved one written assignment (1600-3200 words, 12-point Times New Roman, 1.5 line spacing.) The written assignment is only given in the semester when the subject is taught, but is valid for this and the subsequent semester.