Local Times:

London: 6pm-7.30pm
Berlin: 19:00-20:30
Athens: 20:00-21:30
New Delhi/Mumbai/Chennai: 10.30pm-12am
San Francisco: 10am-11.30am
New York/Toronto: 1pm-2.30pm

Full Description:

When you think of the word 'art' what comes to your mind? Perhaps you’re thinking of a painting, a piece of sculpture, a music or theatre performance or a novel. But have you ever wondered why we categorise these forms together as art? Through this course, we'll explore whether there's a certain 'essence' that defines art and consider Aesthetic, Historical and Institutional conceptions of art within Western Analytical Philosophy. We'll examine how genres such as horror films or tragedies that deal with negative emotions can result in aesthetic pleasure or joy for an audience by exploring perspectives from Western and South Asian theories of Aesthetics.    

We'll delve into the origins of the concept of art, ask why we create it, and whether it's a biological instinct found across time periods and societies or a more recent cultural phenomenon. We’ll examine whether the purpose of art is to invoke an emotion in the viewer and explore instances of contemporary art that attempt to be ‘emotionally dry’. We’ll explore the relationship between art and the artist, question whether art can be separated from its creator, and the role that the artist’s personal values/intent plays in our appreciation of the work of art. We’ll also consider whether non-humans can create art exploring instances of art created by AI.  

Tentative Schedule:

Week 1 (Tues 27th Aug): What is art?
Week 1 (Thurs 29th Aug): Art and its origins
Week 2 (Tues 3rd Sep): Art and originality
Week 2 (Thurs 5th Sep): The role of creativity in Art
Week 3 (Tues 10th Sep): Art and Emotion
Week 3 (Thurs 12th Sep): Paradox of negative emotions in art.
Week 4 (Tues 17th Sep): Can art be separated from the artist?
Week 4 (Thurs 19th Sep): Art and AI: Can non-humans create art?

These sessions will feature a mix of lecture style content, interactive activities and discussion sessions. Participants might also be asked to read short articles/view artwork and share their reflections with the group.  

While the live workshops will take place in Zoom, all participants will receive an invitation to join our Basecamp online forum for additional support and group communication.

Take-Away Benefits:

* Develop an understanding of the main thinkers, theories and approaches to answering questions surrounding the nature, purpose and ethics of art and art-making.
* Critically examine the concept of art beyond the boundaries of your own artistic discipline/ training.
* Reflect on your artistic practice and develop your own answers to the questions explored.  

Type of Format: Class

Language: English

Duration of Each Session: 90 minutes

Technical Platform for the Course: Zoom Pro

Concessionary Ticket - is only for job seekers, students and seniors with a low household income.

Bursary Ticket - is only for people living in countries classed by the World Bank as ‘low income' and 'lower-middle income’. Please click 

Early Bird Ticket - live until 13th August 2024 at 12 noon

Please ensure that you book at least 30 minutes prior to the start of the course, excluding Drop-In tickets where available, to allow time for you to receive confirmation emails and your entry link to Zoom. This is because we rely on third parties for confirmation etc. Please ensure you have read the Legal notices on our website before booking, in particular our notices regarding Privacy (including Privacy Considerations When Using Zoom), Refund & Cancellation, Disclaimers (including Medical) and Terms.‍