Ideas About Art

Ideas about Art is an engaging and inspirational text that teaches students to apply critical theory and develop and support their own opinions concerning aesthetics and art theory.  The text examines a range of art–based dilemmas, cases and instances of art in a multicultural context and across a wide variety of disciplines––from art and design and law to visual and museum studies. Organized into small chapters that begin with concrete stimuli for delving into deeper philosophical issues real and hypothetical––art′s value, taste, the creative process, censorship, and aesthetic taste and theory–– Ideas about Art includes stories from artists, art critics, art museum and art gallery professionals and philosophers, and brings art and aesthetics to life. 

List of Illustrations. Preface. Acknowledgements. 1 Public Opinion/Public Art. I Don’t Know Anything About Art, But I Know What I Like! 2 Non–Western Ideas About What Art Is. Is Art Situational? Cultural? Biological? Universal? 3 Western Ideas About What Art Is. 4 Beauty. Does Art Have to be Beautiful? 5 Expression and Aesthetic Experience. 6 Art and Ethics. Morals and Religion. 7 Political Art, Censorship, and Pornography. When Art Is Too Powerful, Cover It Up. 8 Art and Economics. 9 Feminist Art, Aesthetics, and Art Criticism. Where Were the Women in My Art History Books? 10 Postmodernist Art and Attitudes. 11 Photography and New Media. 12 (Re)Discovering Design. 13 Art and Aesthetic Education. 14 Artists, Art Critics, Art Historians, Curators, Museums, and Viewers. Making Art Ideas Your Own. Bibliography. Illustration Credits. Index.

Kathleen Desmond is Professor of Art History and Byler Distinguished Faculty at the University of Central Missouri where she teaches aesthetics, art criticism and art history and writes about contemporary art and artists.

“This book provides many refreshingly–new ideas about art from many people and areas of the world, as well as open–ended, non–dogmatic discussions on many topics.”  ( Biz India , 10 December 2012) "This text offers art–interested students and general readers a sampling of ideas on a wide range of topics, in an accessible, non–intimidating manner." (Book News, 1 August 2011)