Art in the Face of the State and Society

For whom do you work, artists? Art and Politics from Plato to the Present Day.

Plato, who suspected the artist of destabilizing the foundations of state, asked why art exists and what function it fulfills in the state. If today few dare to openly declare the uselessness of art, much less its harm, the question of art’s political role is still relevant.

This course will focus on the difficult relationship between art and such political phenomena as the state, the nation, the people, the political class, and historical events. We will briefly touch upon the history of the question of artist vs. state, and then turn to the present. Going beyond the analysis of specific works, we will try to understand the political significance of literature, theater, music, the plastic arts, architecture, as well as photography and film.

We will look in particular at the fundamental political differences between classical and avant-garde art, between the beautiful and the ugly and the sublime, and address such aesthetic phenomena as exhibitions, museums, and collectibles. Course participants are expected to take part in discussions of the texts they read, as well as works of art, films, etc., during the course.